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Time away from television is required for every WWE Superstar. Whether it's due to an injury, creative, or even personal reasons, it helps keep a WWE star fresh.
However, these instances are about five WWE superstars who were off television for longer than expected.
#5. Bray Wyatt - Off WWE TV from August 2018 to April 2019
Bray Wyatt's Eater Of Worlds character had seemingly run its course in 2018. He had some success, including a WWE Championship victory, but as a whole, fans largely felt that he wasn't being used to his full potential.
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It stemmed from the fact that WWE used Bray Wyatt to help get other Superstars over. He wasn't an enhancement talent by any means, but in the eyes of many WWE fans, he was what was known as a 'jobber to the stars'.
Regardless, by 2018, it was clear that a change was needed. He had a tag team alliance with Matt Hardy that lasted from WrestleMania till Summerslam. After that, he was taken off TV and only re-emerged post-WrestleMania 35.
But it was a completely different Bray Wyatt. There were no more cryptic or repetitive promos, and he turned into a children's show host. It took a darker turn, and since then, he has been The Fiend.
His absence between August 2018 and April 2019 was an unexpectedly long one. Bray Wyatt was never the top star of WWE, but he was always an important one. To see him gone for so long was something fans didn't expect.
At one point, there was an expectation for him to return at the 2019 Royal Rumble, and then at WrestleMania 35 season. Luckily, the long wait was worth it. Braun Strowman stated that during Bray Wyatt's absence, he was hardly able to keep in touch with his former faction member. He said that Bray Wyatt had gone into an obsessive zone when trying to develop the character of The Fiend.
#4. Jinder Mahal - Out of WWE TV from June 2019 to April 2020
Jinder Mahal had an underwhelming 2018 despite having won the WWE Championship in 2017. In 2019, he moved back to SmackDown, but his luck in WWE wasn't the same.
He was in a different position, and not long after, he would be out of WWE for 10 months after suffering a knee injury. Despite the 6-12 month post-surgery recovery time, many expected Mahal to return to WWE TV between 6-8 months. Unfortunately for him, his return was cut short due to complications in the knee - having to go through surgery again.
#3. Aleister Black - October 2020 to present
Aleister Black's WWE main roster run has been unfortunately underwhelming. While he was utilized heavily on WWE programming during Paul Heyman's reign as RAW Executive Director, the latter's departure has affected the Dutch Superstar directly.
He hasn't been seen on WWE TV since he was drafted to SmackDown in October 2019. After WWE released his wife Thea Trinidad (Zelina Vega), it seems even unlikelier for him to have a bright career with the promotion.
#2. Charlotte Flair - Off WWE TV from June to December 2020
Charlotte Flair was written off WWE TV with an injury, and while she was expected to be off for longer than usual, nobody realized that she would be away for almost half of 2020.
It was a mix of requiring surgery as well as the pursuit of projects outside of WWE that kept her off TV for almost half of 2020. When Charlotte Flair returned, she teamed up with old rival Asuka to win the Women's Tag Team Championship - making her a WWE Grand Slam Champion.
#1. Brock Lesnar - April 2020 to present
Brock Lesnar has been away from WWE TV for almost ten months now, considering that the last time he wrestled was at the end of March for the pre-taped WrestleMania 36.
He lost the WWE Championship to Drew McIntyre, and while he normally returns for SummerSlam season, that wasn't the case in 2020. WWE kept him off TV after WrestleMania 36, not knowing when crowds will return. It appears as though WWE didn't want to utilize Brock Lesnar while holding empty arena shows.
According to various rumors, Brock Lesnar isn't even under WWE contract anymore, but he is expected to re-sign when he is approached again.
Ex WWE writer blasts Liv Morgan HERE
