Wade Barrett is happy with his current job as the WWE SmackDown color commentator. However, he isn’t ruling out an in-ring return and even has a WWE star in mind that could entice him to step into the squared circle again.
Barrett, who wrestled for WWE from 2006-2016, was the winner of the first season of the NXT TV series, became the leader of The Nexus, and is a five-time Intercontinental Champion. His last match was on April 4, 2016 during an episode of WWE Monday Night Raw.
While speaking with the Daily Star’s Matty Paddock, Wade was asked about a potential in-ring return. He named United States Champion Austin Theory as the guy who could bring him back.
He praised Theory for having the highest ceiling among the young WWE stars right now and could be a top star for the next 20 years. He put him over for having confidence on the mic and being good in the ring.
“That’s the kind of person I would certainly be looking at if it was to be a youngster I’d step in the ring with.”
Wade stated that Theory is a deplorable character on the show and easy to hate. He noted that he could relate to the heat the Theory gets from fans, as he did the same thing while in the Nexus. Barrett thinks Theory will keep climbing the ladder to the main event scene.
“There are so many youngsters coming through right now that I’ve been really impressed with. I’m going to cherry-pick one that I worked with a bit in NXT. He’s young, up and coming, and I think he’s got a huge future, and that’s Austin Theory.”
Barrett added that he’s not ruling out an in-ring return one day even if it's not against Theory.
“I’m not ruling it out – maybe one day it will happen. I’d be surprised if I ever got to a point where I wanted to do it full-time like a Sheamus or a Drew is still doing it. But on a part-time basis or a spot match, if the storyline made sense, it’s not something I’d rule out. In terms of my future within the industry, I 100% see it in commentary. I am probably having more fun now in my current role than I ever have in any point in my career.”
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