Lacey Evans makes in-person return on WWE SmackDown

Lacey Evans appeared in person tonight on SmackDown following weeks of vignettes.

After the latest vignette aired tonight, ring announcer Samantha Irvin instructed the crowd to “show the proper respect” to Evans as she introduced her. Evans then appeared on the ramp and thanked people for their reaction, hugging and posing with fans.

WWE has aired five weeks of vignettes highlighting Evans’ personal life story. She has talked about growing up in an unstable, abusive household with her father. On tonight’s episode of SmackDown, Evans talked about how her father passed away from an overdose right before her WWE tryout. She also talked about another family member who overdosed outside the parking lot on the night she had her first match in NXT. She said that now it was the time for her to break the cycle. She ended the promo promising she would become the next SmackDown Women’s Champion.

Evans has been out of action since February 2021 when it was announced she was pregnant. She had started a storyline with Ric Flair, who aligned himself with Evans and had started as her manager. She was set to face Asuka for the Raw Women’s Championship at last year’s Elimination Chamber when the pregnancy was announced, putting her out of action.