Aleister Black is not expected to take part in today’s Men’s Royal Rumble match, despite being in Saudi Arabia for the premium live event.

Although Black made the trip for the show, plans ultimately shifted behind the scenes and he will not be featured among the 30 competitors battling for a WrestleMania title opportunity. Instead, the current direction is for Black’s on screen return to take place on SmackDown television rather than inside the chaos of the Royal Rumble match itself.

Black has been absent from WWE programming since early January following a brutal storyline exit. His last appearance came on the January 2 episode of Friday Night SmackDown, where he headlined the show against Damian Priest in a punishing Ambulance Match.

The bout ended in dramatic fashion when Priest threw Black from the roof of the ambulance through a table before locking him inside the vehicle to secure the victory. The angle effectively wrote Black off television, with no follow up appearances in the weeks since.

With WrestleMania season now underway, attention will turn to when and how Black resurfaces on SmackDown and what direction awaits him upon his return.

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