Vaquer, Rusev Back In Ring; Logan Paul Nearing Return

WWE has quietly gotten two of its sidelined stars back into live-event action, while a third injured name may not be far behind.

Stephanie Vaquer and Rusev both wrestled over the weekend during WWE’s live events in Hawaii, marking their first matches back since picking up injuries earlier this year. Vaquer was hurt during her Triple Threat loss to Liv Morgan and Becky Lynch at Money in the Bank, where she dropped the Women’s World Championship. WWE confirmed the injury after the show, and while the Wrestling Observer Newsletter indicated she wouldn’t be out long, even that modest expectation turned out to be generous — Vaquer was back in the ring in Hawaii well ahead of the worst-case timelines.

Rusev’s absence stretched further back. The Bulgarian Brute hadn’t competed since the July 27 episode of Raw, when he was hurt in a match against Je’von Evans. He returned to action in Hawaii as well, teaming with Ethan Page against Chad Gable and Rey Mysterio. With live-event matches now under his belt, Rusev appears to be on track for a return to Raw television in short order.

Then there’s Logan Paul, who’s been a trickier case. Paul tore his tricep during the Street Profits’ title-winning match against The Vision at Saturday Night’s Main Event back in May, and the injury has kept him out of the ring ever since — even as he’s continued showing up on Raw in a non-wrestling capacity on a near-weekly basis. Paul has said doctors initially gave him a six-month recovery window, which would put his in-ring return around November, but he’s publicly pushed back on that timetable, insisting he wants to be cleared sooner.

Taken together, this is a notable stretch of good injury news for WWE heading into the fall. Vaquer’s absence had already reshuffled the Women’s World Championship picture once, and getting her back on the road so quickly suggests the company sees her as a priority piece for whatever comes next on that side of the roster. Rusev’s return gives the midcard tag and singles scene another veteran presence, and reuniting him with Ethan Page in Hawaii hints WWE may still see value in that pairing beyond a one-off live event.

Logan Paul is the wild card. He’s been a reliable needle-mover whenever he’s had a program, and his continued TV presence during the injury has kept him relevant rather than forgotten. If he beats the original six-month estimate, as he’s indicated he hopes to, his in-ring comeback could land anywhere in the next few weeks rather than waiting for a November target date.

None of these returns have been confirmed for Raw or SmackDown broadcasts just yet, but with both Vaquer and Rusev already tested at live events, it’s reasonable to expect both back on television soon. Paul’s timeline remains the most fluid of the three, but all signs point to WWE easing several banged-up names back into the fold as the calendar moves toward the end of the year.