As 2015 begins, it's the missing-in-action Superstars who are dominating WWErumors, with questions about when Daniel Bryan will dropkick folks again and where Randy Orton has been.
Bryan fans may have to wait a few weeks before seeing him wrestle again. The same is true for Orton after word of him reportedly needing minor surgery has come out.
The wait for Rey Mysterio could stretch well beyond that. By the time he does soar again, it may be for Lucha Underground.
CM Punk, gone from WWE for almost a year now, popped up in rumors as well. This time, his likeness in a comic book is the center of the discussion. The removal of Punk from WWEcontinues.
WWE Reportedly Removing Punk From Comic Books
Punk fans can see him pen Thor annual or Startling Sports Stories, but they won't see him appear in WWE's own comics.
According to PWInsider Elite (subscription required, h/t Wrestling Inc) WWE has informed Paper Cutz, which produces the company's comic books, to take Punk out of any future reprints of its Superstar-centered graphic novels. The report notes that WWE doesn't have the right to use Punk's name or image.
As GameSpot reported last year, Punk's legal team discussed his possible removal from the WWE 2K15 video game. He didn't win that fight but appears to have scored a victory this time.
Either that or WWE just doesn't want to remind people of Punk not being around or all the negative things he has said about the company after his exit. Add to this to the collection of odd stories that have come out since Punk left.
Orton's Absence
Orton didn't show up on Monday's Raw nor did he wrestle on the Dec. 29 edition of the show despite being back from his movie-shooting duties. It looks like fans of The Viper will have to keep waiting for him to return from his hiatus.
According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (subscription required, h/t Wrestling Inc), Orton has a deviated septum. He is set for surgery soon and recovery is expected to last a few weeks.
That would explain why Orton has competed on live events as of late, but only for short matches. At a house show in Los Angeles on Dec. 30, he went just three minutes and 30 seconds against Kane, per ProFightDB.com.
Depending on when Orton has this reported surgery, he may be able to still make it back in time for the Royal Rumble.
As Nick Paglino of Wrestle Zone notes, Orton is still scheduled to appear at the Rumble and house shows on both Jan. 17 and 18 before the pay-per-view.
Is Mysterio Heading Elsewhere?
Mysterio has shown up in the rumor mill far more often than the wrestling ring over the past year. The latest word about his next move is speculation created by a comment from Chavo Guerrero.
When a fan talked online about Guerrero and Mysterio going to battle, Guerrero teased that it would happen before long:
Guerrero currently works for Lucha Underground, an offshoot of Mexico's Asistencia Asesoria y Administracion promotion. While one might dismiss Guerrero's tweet as him toying him fans, one AAA employee has already said that the Mysterio is headed back to Mexico.
In August, former WWE commentator Hugo Savinovich told KGB-Wrestling.com (in Spanish) (h/t Wrestling Inc) that Mysterio would be coming to AAA once he settled his contract situation with WWE.
It's not hard to believe either Savinovich or Guerrero. WWE hasn't brought Mysterio back to TV since April, even for a speaking role. And the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reported (h/t Wrestle Zone) back in November that a meeting between him and WWE officials didn't resolve any issues.
The Plan for Bryan
After Bryan announced last week that he is healthy enough to compete at the Royal Rumble, he didn't show up for the following edition of Raw.
The former WWE champ is rumored to not lace up his boots until the pay-per-view arrives. PWInsider.com's Mike Johnson and Steven Fernandes report, "We are hearing the current plan is that Bryan won't actually wrestle until The Royal Rumble match."
That makes one wonder about Bryan's health. Is this strategy born out of concern for Bryan? Is he not fully recovered yet?
Saving Bryan for the big moment makes sense from a booking standpoint, though. Delaying his return to the ring after months of being out of action will only ramp up anticipation for him. When his number is called, the crowd will erupt.
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