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In a historic move, WWE announced it would head to France next May for Backlash. Lyon-Decinis will be the setting for the inaugural French premium live event.
From a business standpoint, using local talent for such occasions has always been lucrative and effective. For example, Mansoor and Mustafa Ali have featured prominently in Saudi Arabian PLEs due to their ethnic association with the kingdom.
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However, the current roster is short on French talent. Andre The Giant was a well-known Superstar, born and bred in France, but others are less known.
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On that note, let's look at 3 French WWE wrestlers who could return for Backlash 2024.
#3. Former NXT Superstar Sylvester Lefort
Born in Nice, Sylvester Lefort was a member of WWE's development brand, NXT, for 4 years, beginning in 2012. The creative team didn't shy away from acknowledging his French origin, as Lefort was portrayed as a rich Frenchman in his early days.
Lefort never broke out as a singles star on the black-and-yellow brand. The 39-year-old Superstar had become a staple in the tag division, most notably with Rusev and Marcus Louis (known as The Legionnaires).
Although the French star is long gone from WWE, Triple H could always use Lefort for a one-off appearance, ranging from a wrestling match to a backstage segment with a current Superstar.
#2. La Resistance ( Rene Dupree, Sylvain Grenier, and Rob Conway) have a rich history in WWE
The casual modern fan of pro wrestling may not be acquainted with La Resistance, but hardcore Attitude Era fans are likely to have some degree of remembrance of the French stable, which added a xenophobic touch to their collective persona.
The faction immediately started with Dupree and Grenier, but Conway joined later in mid-2003, mostly in a managerial capacity. That year proved to be very successful for the trio.
La Resistance defeated Kane and RVD to win the World Tag Team Titles at Bad Blood 2003, and held the championships for three months, dropping the belts to The Dudley Boyz at Unforgiven.
The current tag division is loaded with talent and could benefit immensely from working with seasoned veterans in tandem wrestling, which is why Dupree and company should be considered for a return at Backlash 2024.
#1. Maryse
This one may come as a surprise for many fans, but Maryse's French origins are well-documented. Although she was born in Montreal, The Miz's wife is French-Canadian.
As for her popularity, the former WWE Divas Champion is a star in her own right. In recent years, Maryse has drifted away from the spotlight but has occasionally returned to help her husband, The Miz, especially in Mixed Tag Team feuds.
Considering The A-Lister's position on the main roster, WWE could put Maryse's half-French origins to effective use by booking her in a Mixed Tag Encounter along with her husband. This would certainly appease the live crowd.
