Flair & Others Return to Raw

Ric Flair returned to WWE on this week’s Raw, presenting John Cena with the “Superstar of the Year” Slammy Award and getting into a confrontation with CM Punk and then The Shield. After this, Flair appeared in a backstage segment with Team Hell No when Ron Simmons made a cameo.

This comes after cameos from The Boogeyman and The New Age Outlaws. Boogeyman appeared as Booker T was handing out the “Tell Me I Didn’t Just See That” Slammy to Kofi Kingston and the Outlaws handed out the “Comeback of the Year” Slammy to Jerry Lawler. Both Road Dogg and Billy Gunn are employed by WWE.

Flair has been trying to return to WWE since May with the ongoing litigation filed by TNA Wrestling blocking a contract from getting signed. He had told friends that if the litigation wasn’t settled soon, they would “get creative” to bring him back. While Flair hasn’t been under TNA contract since September, WWE has shied away from hiring anyone that worked for TNA while Brian Wittenstein was employed there.

Flair’s daughter, Ashley, is currently under a WWE developmental contract.

Tommy Dreamer returned to WWE for a 6-man tag team match on this week’s Raw, teaming with The Miz and Alberto Del Rio to face 3MB. Miz and Del Rio teamed with Brooklyn Brawler to face the trio at WWE TLC.

The idea at TLC was to use Brooklyn Brawler to generate a cheap pop for Miz and Del Rio given the show was in Brooklyn. The same thinking seems to be in order for this match with Raw in Philadelphia, the home of ECW.