Giovanni Vinci to return on WWE SmackDown next week

After a nearly five-month absence, Giovanni Vinci is returning to WWE programming.

WWE has confirmed that Vinci will make his return on SmackDown next Friday (September 6). He’s been away since an angle where he was attacked by Ludwig Kaiser and kicked out of Imperium this April. Vinci moved to SmackDown in the 2024 WWE Draft while his former Imperium stablemates Gunther and Kaiser stayed on Raw.

The first vignette building to Vinci’s return aired on SmackDown three weeks ago. The Italian Vinci has been repackaged back into the character he played in NXT, wearing expensive clothes and driving fancy cars.

A new video was shown on SmackDown tonight with Vinci saying this isn’t his return, it’s his arrival. The video ended with the announcement that Vinci will arrive on SmackDown next week.

Next Friday’s SmackDown is the last episode on Fox before the show moves to USA Network. Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada is the venue for the episode. WWE has set up that there will also be a tag team match involving The Bloodline, DIY, and The Street Profits. It looks to be an eight-man tag with Solo Sikoa, Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa & Jacob Fatu facing Johnny Gargano, Tommaso Ciampa, Angelo Dawkins & Montez Ford.