Here’s When Shane McMahon Will Return To ‘SmackDown Live,’ According To ‘Cageside Seats’

After the news broke that Shane McMahon was suffering from diverticulitis, the WWE Universe was under the impression he’d be unable to compete at WrestleMania 34. It didn’t take long for rumors about Shane’s replacement to come to light, but all that speculation came to an end after Daniel Bryan announced that he would still be teaming with Shane to face Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn on the grandest stage of them all.

According to Cageside Seats, Shane McMahon will be making his return to SmackDown Live next week. A lot of people are now questioning the legitimacy of his diverticulitis because it seemed that he was going to be replaced. Another report from Cageside Seats has reported that Shane’s illness is legitimate and is not a part of the storyline. The most logical option in this situation is WWE officials are buying some more time.

It’s possible that Shane McMahon’s status for WrestleMania is still very much up in the air, but his doctors could medically clear him by next week’s SmackDown Live or WWE officials will have another week to find a replacement for him. Kane is reportedly the first choice to replace Shane as Daniel Bryan’s partner, but a lot can happen in a week and WWE officials may be able to find someone more unpredictable for the role.

With another week to figure out Shane’s availability, it makes sense that WWE officials would announce the match because the WWE Universe was expecting it. The worst case scenario is Shane McMahon returns to SmackDown Live next week and names his own replacement. It’s possible that Shane could still appear at ringside during the match if he can’t wrestle, but the WWE Universe will need to wait another week to see.

Despite all this speculation, Shane McMahon might already be medically cleared to compete and the match will happen as planned. On paper, he’s going to have a huge role in the match and will need to take most of the beating since Daniel Bryan is guaranteed to get the hot tag towards the end of the match. For now, the WWE Universe needs to wait until next week’s SmackDown Live to see what WWE officials have planned.