This seems kind of cruel.
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WWE women's division star Emma has been off TV for a long time, all starting back in May when she suffered a legitimate back injury that require surgery. On Oct. 3, WWE started to tease Emma's return as "Emmalina" with a series of vignettes, but now over two months later, Emma has yet to be on television despite working non-televised live events since October.
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The reason she still hasn't redebut on television? Apparently it's all become an inside joke at WWE at this point.
It's an inside joke now https://t.co/oMni4kO1L1
— Dave Meltzer (@davemeltzerWON) December 20, 2016
Meltzer, of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, expanded a bit more on his Tuesday radio show. (subscription required)
"So Emma is like a rib [joke] now. She's now a complete heel at the house shows.... but I don't know when she's going to make TV."
WWE keeping healthy performers off of television isn't anything new. In fact, it is often used as a tool to build anticipation for when that wrestler actually does return, as it keeps that wrestler fresh for when they are ready for an actual storyline.
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However, this is getting close to three months of WWE teasing Emma's return. If they really aren't going through with it because it's a backstage joke at this point, then that is just sad. Emma is one of the best female in-ring performers in the company, and she could have been used to keep things fresh against the top women of the RAW division — Charlotte Flair, Sasha Banks, and Bayley.
Maybe 2017 will be the year for Emma... or Emmalina; whatever they want to call her. Just stop wasting a good, quality talent.
