WWE News: Former Champion Returns At ‘NXT Takeover 31’
Former NXT Women’s Champion Ember Moon made her return at last night’s NXT Takeover 31 pay-per-view, per Cageside Seats.
The superstar appeared following Candace LaRae and Io Shirai’s title match. After a segment involving Toni Storm making her own claim for Shirai’s championship, Moon came out on a motorcycle and removed her helmet, indicating that she’s also focused on winning the gold.
The storyline moving forward looks set to feature Shirai, Storm and Moon competing for the title. The division looks much stronger as a result too, as Moon and Storm are popular wrestlers with impressive credentials.
Ember’s return had been teased for weeks, but the company only advertised a former champion. This led to speculation that Bo Dallas, Bobby Roode and Chad Gable could have been the mystery superstar. Moon’s name was barely mentioned, as most fans and pundits assumed she was still sidelined.
As The Inquisitr previously reported, Moon had been out of action for over a year after suffering an Achilles tendon injury last September. As the article highlighted, she even thought the injury could have been career-ending.
Moon was a member of the Monday Night Raw roster at the time, though her main roster stint wasn’t successful. She didn’t receive a lot of television time, and she wasn’t given many title opportunities. That all looks set to change now that she’s returned to her old stomping grounds.
As documented by Fightful, by way of WhatCulture, Triple H revealed during a post-show conference call that WWE had been planning on sending Moon back to NXT since before her injury. According to “The Game,” Moon gave him a list of 12 opponents she wants to face and he said that he’s excited to have her back on the black-and-gold brand.
Welcome back, @WWEEmberMoon! #NXTTakeOver
(via @WWE) pic.twitter.com/iXQLqo2plx
— WWE on FOX (@WWEonFOX) October 5, 2020
The former champion being underutilized on the main roster appears to be the reason for her return. She isn’t the first performer to be brought back to the black-and-gold brand either, as Finn Balor, Tyler Breeze and Fandango also returned following inconsistent stints on WWE’s flagship shows.
The decision may also have been based on the upcoming draft. As The Inquisitr reported on Friday, there is reportedly backstage friction between Triple H and Vince McMahon as the latter reportedly wants to raid the black-and-gold brand for its top talent.
Some Raw and Friday Night SmackDown performers could be sent back to the developmental system in an effort to give them a change of scenery. With so many wrestlers arguably in need of a character rejuvenation, Moon might not be the only superstar who shows up in the coming weeks.
