If you caught the 2021 Royal Rumble, you saw Carlito return…so what is Carlito’s WWE status now? And where will Rhea Ripley land, RAW or SmackDown?
What Is Carlito’s WWE Status Now
The 2021 Royal Rumble saw the return of Carlito to a WWE ring. Now we can ask, what is Carlito’s WWE status now?
Well, just ahead of Carlito’s Rumble return, there were rumors he could be heading back to WWE and aiming for a producer’s role.
Considering how he fared, along with how in shape he appeared, he might be gunning for more than just a producer’s spot.
According to reports from multiple sources, Carlito’s WWE status is up in the air. Specifically, he’s on a three week trial which began at Sunday’s Royal Rumble.
Based on the producer rumor, coupled with his performance on both Sunday and the following RAW, it’s not hard to see him being the 2021 version of 2020 MVP.
What makes that ironic? Apparently, it was MVP who was pushing WWE to bring Carlito back, in either a wrestling or producing capacity.
Now, Carlito has that chance. If he shines, it would seem he’s got a good chance of sticking around much longer.
Considering how fans responded to his appearance and how he acquitted himself, it would seem that WWE fans are largely in favor of seeing more of Caribbean Cool.
Where Will Rhea Ripley Land
The main roster got a couple new faces recently, but at least one seems to have no plan yet. So, where will Rhea Ripley land?
As in…for right now, it seems WWE does not know whether to use her on RAW or on SmackDown.
The former NXT Champion wrapped up her black and gold brand stint earlier last month. She was one of the last Superstars in the 2021 Rumble, losing the match to Bianca Belair.
Now, while Ripley is no longer with NXT, we do not yet know where she will call home.
Clearly, working on RAW would give her an existing feud to work off of-Charlotte Flair calls the red brand home. The two re-ignited their 2020 feud while in the 2021 Royal Rumble.
So, would Rhea Ripley land on RAW? Possibly, but with Charlotte dealing with Lacey Evans and her father, it doesn’t make a ton of sense to revisit a Ripley-Flair rivalry just yet.
Could we see Ripley cause nightmares for the Superstars on the blue brand? It’s a distinct possibility.
However, according to PWInsider, WWE officials do not yet know wher Rhea Ripley will land.
Ripley was not on RAW this week, and according to the report, she’s also not scheduled to show up for SmackDown either.
On one hand, this news might not really mean that much.
However, on the other hand, it’s a bit concerning that WWE would know for a few weeks that Ripley was coming to the main roster…and once she has arrived, not have a plan for her.
Of course, there might actually be a plan for Rhea Ripley. It’s possible there is, and we just don’t need to know it yet.
Whatever the case might be, the expectation is that the Royal Rumble was Ripley’s main roster debut…even though she does not yet know which brand she will get to call home.