The Authors of Pain & Paul Ellering return on WWE SmackDown

The Authors of Pain and Paul Ellering are officially back in WWE.

One week after their return was teased, Akam & Rezar arrived back in WWE on SmackDown tonight. A new faction has formed with Karrion Kross, Scarlett, The Authors of Pain, and Ellering.

AOP ambushed Bobby Lashley and The Street Profits on SmackDown. Kross then joined them in the attack. AOP hit their Super Collider finisher on The Street Profits, then Kross laid out Lashley.

Two weeks ago, a vignette aired on SmackDown with Kross teasing that AOP and Ellering would be returning.

AOP had been signed with WWE for some time before finally returning tonight. Their initial run with the company lasted from 2016-2020.

AOP held the Raw Tag Team titles and NXT Tag Team titles one time each during their first WWE stint. Ellering, a WWE Hall of Famer from his time managing The Road Warriors, managed AOP when they were in NXT.

After their release, AOP tried to start a new promotion named Wrestling Entertainment Series. The promotion canceled its debut show and never got started.

AOP’s attack on Lashley and The Street Profits happened right after Lashley declared that he’ll be entering the 2024 men’s Royal Rumble match.

Scarlett debuted a new look on SmackDown with brown hair.