Wesley Blake stepped back into the ring on Tuesday night, and for the first time in years, he wasn’t standing on the sidelines as a coach.
Before WWE NXT went on the air at the Performance Center in Orlando, Blake competed in a dark match against Kale Dixon, who had spent the pre-show getting under his skin before the two finally squared off. While the bout wasn’t televised, it marked Blake’s first match in three years—and his first inside a WWE ring in more than five.
Blake has remained part of WWE since returning to the company in April 2024, working behind the scenes as an NXT producer while also coaching at the Performance Center. Although he’s been helping develop the next generation of talent, he hadn’t competed since a 2023 independent match alongside Steve Maclin at West Coast Pro.
Tuesday’s appearance also marked his first WWE match since his release in April 2021. Longtime fans will remember Blake as one-half of the former NXT Tag Team Champions alongside Buddy Murphy, now known as Buddy Matthews in AEW. Managed by Alexa Bliss, the duo became one of NXT’s standout tag teams before Blake later joined Steve Cutler and Jaxson Ryker in The Forgotten Sons, a faction that eventually made its way to SmackDown in 2020.
Whether this was simply a one-night return or the beginning of something more remains to be seen. WWE regularly uses dark matches before NXT television tapings to evaluate talent and prepare performers for future opportunities, but the company has not announced any additional matches for Blake. After spending the past two years helping others prepare for their moments, however, the veteran producer finally got one of his own by stepping back between the ropes.
Do you think Wesley Blake should make an on-screen return to WWE, or is he better suited to his backstage role? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
