Former WWE champion survives a scare during in-ring return after almost 2 years

A former WWE NXT Tag Team Champion made his much-anticipated in-ring return after nearly two years on the latest episode of AEW Collision and barely survived a scare of losing the bout.

The name in question is none other than Kyle O'Reilly. He is best known for his time in the developmental brand of the Stamford-based promotion NXT, where he wrestled between 2017 and 2021. The former Undisputed Era member also won multiple titles during the tenure.

Following his WWE departure, O'Reilly made his AEW debut in December 2021. However, less than a year after his arrival, he sustained an injury and was out of action for months. Before Saturday, the 37-year-old's last match took place against Jon Moxley on the June 8, 2022, episode of Dynamite.

The AEW star finally made his in-ring return on this week's episode of Collision, taking on Bryan Keith in a one-on-one match. At one point, ring-rust seemed to get the better of O'Reilly as he struggled against Keith. However, he managed to secure a hard-fought win.

Following the contest, Undisputed Kingdom came out to celebrate O'Reilly's victory. Only time will tell where the dynamic between the ex-WWE star and the heel faction is heading.

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