

After his return at WWE Survivor Series: WarGames 2023, Randy Orton signed on with SmackDown. He initiated this move in order to get his revenge against The Bloodline. Despite this being a great boost to the show, another returning duo is set to make their presence felt on the same show.
The returning duo gained a name for themselves thanks to their size and sheer brutality. During their stint, they also worked as bodyguards for Seth Rollins.
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Rumors circulate about The Authors of Pain returning to SmackDown
On social media, a new rumor has been circulating regarding another return to the WWE. This is regarding the duo The Authors of Pain. According to reports, the WWE is working on fitting the duo on SmackDown. Reports indicate that the team was signed in August 2022, almost a year and a half ago.

Fightful Select first reported that the WWE was interested in bringing back AOP in January 2023. There were also reports that they could be returning to NXT in September, which never happened. As the WWE has not yet publically confirmed this, it will be hard to tell when we could see their return.
Authors of Pain (AOP) are planned for a return to WWE programming soon, and as of now the working plan is for them to appear on the #SmackDown brand
– @FightfulSelect pic.twitter.com/u8nUY1gfNs
— Julian Weeks (@JulianWks) December 22, 2023
The duo made their NXT debut on June 8, 2016, and quickly became a dominant force. The duo gained popularity due to their brute-force style of wrestling. From 2019 to 2020, they worked as enforcers for Seth Rollins. The duo was released from the company in September 2020.
READ MORE: WATCH: Roman Reigns and Randy Orton Awkwardly Passing Time During Commercial Break
Their return to the WWE could mean trouble for the tag teams. AOP have proved themselves during their first run that they know how to get things done in the tag team division. There is also the possibility they could team with The Bloodline as enforcers. This would increase the strength of The Bloodline tenfold.
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The current Bloodline storyline
Currently, The Bloodline is feuding with Randy Orton. 18 months ago, The Bloodline was responsible for putting Orton on the shelf during a Tag Team Titles match. After a fusion surgery, Orton returned to the ring at WWE Survivor Series WarGames.
From day #1, Orton made it clear he was looking for vengeance. During the last episode of SmackDown, he came face to face with Roman Reigns and sent him a message in a near RKO. Orton teamed with LA Knight to take on the pair of Jimmy Uso and Solo Sikoa.
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What do you think of Authors of Pain returning to the WWE? Tell us in the comments.
Watch This Story: Bray Wyatt, Cody Rhodes, and Other WWE Stars Who Made Their Return to WWE in 2022
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