Candice LeRae has returned to WWE.
Tonight’s RAW saw LeRae defeat Nikki A.S.H. in singles action. The match was to be Nikki vs. Doudrop, but LeRae’s music hit instead and out she came to surprise the crowd. Nikki controlled some of the short match but LeRae got the pin after a swinging neckbreaker from the second rope.
It’s worth noting that the run sheet issued to WWE producers before RAW also issued Nikki vs. Doudrop, with no mention of LeRae.
LeRae first debuted for WWE in May 2017, and went on to work the Mae Young Classic. She signed a WWE NXT contract in January 2018, and worked the brand until announcing her pregnancy and taking time off in September 2021. LeRae remained under contract to WWE while on maternity leave, but her contract expired on May 6 of this year after it was not renewed. LeRae and husband Johnny Gargano welcomed their first child, a son, on February 17 of this year. Gargano left NXT back in December when his contract expired, but he returned in August of this year after taking some time off to be with his family.
It was acknowledged on commentary that LeRae and Gargano are married.
Gargano commented on his wife’s return tonight and posted a family photo, tweeting, “Okay.. maybe Quill hasn’t been my ony training partner this past month. [winking emoji] [heart emoji] Welcome back, @CandiceLeRae! #WWERaw”
Tonight’s win was LeRae’s first match since she and Indi Hartwell dropped the NXT Women’s Tag Team Titles to Zoey Stark and current WWE Women’s Tag Team Champion IYO SKY at NXT Great American Bash on July 6, 2021.
Below are several shots of tonight’s big RAW debut from Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, along with Gargano’s tweet and a backstage video from WWE:
Stay tuned to WrestlingHeadlines.com for more.
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