WWE News & Rumor Roundup: Plans for major star who has been released by the company, Rhea Ripley's future, Randy Orton at Survivor Series?

Welcome to the latest WWE News & Rumor Roundup. Topics about Rhea Ripley and Randy Orton, among other stars, are featured in today's edition.

Recently, there has been significant speculation regarding when Orton will finally return to television. A new update sheds light on what his fans can expect.

Meanwhile, a former champion returned to in-ring action on Saturday, emerging victorious in singles competition. More on that later.

Without further ado, let's take a closer look at today's topics:

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#5. Rhea Ripley's status for Elimination Chamber 2024

Next year's Elimination Chamber will occur in Perth, Australia, with Rhea Ripley expected to have a significant role at the event. 7NEWS Adelaide recently reported that the Australian star is set to headline the upcoming show:

"A South Aussie wrestler will headline the WWE’s first main event in Australia since 2018 in front of 60,000 fans in Perth."

However, this might not confirm that Ripley will headline Elimination Chamber. Haus of Wrestling later reported:

"Haus of Wrestling spoke to a WWE source about the speculation who stated that 'Rhea Ripley will be on the show, and creative will dictate the match and match position.' They also added that this is a case of 'local news doing what they do, but all good.'"

Despite conflicting reports, it would not be a surprising move for the company to let Rhea Ripley headline Elimination Chamber 2024. The Women's World Champion has undoubtedly been among the most popular superstars from the current roster.

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#4. Karrion Kross returns to in-ring action

Karrion Kross had a one-on-one match during the latest edition of Saturday Night's Main Event. The untelevised show saw him face Butch in Edinburg, Texas.

Kross scored a victory in his return to the ring, which hopefully signals that good things are in store for the two-time NXT Champion. Before Saturday, he had been on a losing streak for many weeks.

Karrion Kross reposted the following clip from his recent appearance:

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#3. Plans for Matt Riddle after his WWE release

While Matt Riddle may not immediately jump to a different company after WWE, people close to him have reportedly been in talks with other promotions.

Dave Meltzer had the following to say about Riddle in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter:

"Regarding Matt Riddle, his people have already been in talks with a number of pro wrestling, MMA, and boxing companies regarding working there. The only two that have come out are PFL and Bare Knuckle Boxing."

Meltzer also addressed the extent of Riddle's non-compete clause after he was released from his WWE contract:

"Nothing can be announced until December when his non-compete ends, and yes, his non-compete does extend to MMA and boxing."

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#2. Could Randy Orton return soon?

Randy Orton has been out of action for over a year. But his much-awaited on-screen return could be closer than ever, judging by a recent post from WrestleVotes.

World Wrestling Entertainment reportedly approved new merchandise and branding for Orton a while ago. The timeline for his comeback, which could be at or around Survivor Series 2023, was also noted by WrestleVotes:

"Regarding the Randy Orton return rumors, source states new merchandise & branding has been approved. Also, WWE will present a large social media promotion / digital material for the comeback. It’s indeed happening. Likely Survivor Series or that weekend."

This year's Survivor Series event is set to take place in Chicago on November 25. It should be interesting to see what storyline WWE will book for Randy Orton's return.

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#1. Wrestling veteran thinks CM Punk could show up at Survivor Series 2023

Another name speculated to return at Survivor Series is CM Punk, who departed AEW not too long ago.

The mystery surrounding his future continues to grow. But wrestling veteran Dutch Mantell thinks that it's likely WWE could bring him back. On Sportskeeda's Smack Talk show, Mantell said:

"I think we’re going to see him. He’s floating out there, and I think they’re going to do it."

Should WWE bring back CM Punk? Let us know in the comments section below.