"Can't wait!!" – Fans anticipate WWE star's return after missing almost a year

WWE fans took to Twitter to express their excitement after an absent superstar hinted they could be on the verge of returning to the ring.

On Monday, Aliyah thanked fans for their supportive messages and mentioned that she "can't wait to be back on SmackDown." The 28-year-old has not appeared on WWE television since suffering an injury in September 2022.

Aliyah's post was met with positivity online, with several Twitter users letting her know how they feel about her possible return:

Although Aliyah was a member of the SmackDown roster before her injury, the one-time Women's Tag Team Champion is not currently assigned to a brand. In the storyline, she was declared a free agent after the 2023 WWE Draft in May.

The USA Network, the television broadcaster of RAW in America, informed Aliyah that she was welcome to return to the red brand. The former NXT star jokingly asked the account whether it has the power to make WWE creative decisions:

Many fans also tweeted Aliyah to remind her how much the WWE Universe has missed her over the last year:

Aliyah posted two wrestling training videos on her Instagram account in February, which suggests she has been ready to return for several months.

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Why has Aliyah not been on WWE TV?

On September 12, 2022, Aliyah suffered rib and shoulder injuries during a match alongside Raquel Rodriguez against Dakota Kai and IYO SKY on RAW. She continued to wrestle for the remainder of the 12-minute bout, which saw Damage CTRL (Kai and SKY) end Aliyah and Rodriguez's 14-day tag title reign.

A month after the match, Aliyah addressed in an Instagram post why she had not been on television. She also praised everyone involved in the tag title encounter, including her opponents:

"I have to say my last match was probably one of my most favorite," Aliyah wrote. "And I would like to thank my tag partner Raquel and Damage CTRL And everyone involved. Yes I got injured mid match, however I have this overwhelming gratitude towards the incident because I felt like it pulled out a version of me that I never even knew existed. 'Keep going!' I remember thinking. 'I never get opportunities like this one' another voice in my head screamed."

Aliyah added that she felt "indestructible" wrestling through injuries until the end of the match. At the time, she was unsure what the future held or how long she would be out of action.

Are you excited to see what happens next in Aliyah's career? Let us know in the comments section below.