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After weeks of anticipation, Butch finally reverted to his old gimmick as he made an appearance as Pete Dunne during the latest episode of WWE SmackDown. After making his main roster debut on March 11, 2022, Dunne changed his gimmick to Butch and aligned with Brawling Brutes along with Sheamus and Ridge Holland.
However, when Triple H took over creative in the company, there was a high belief in Butch returning to his old gimmick. The star did emerge as Pete Dunne as he teamed up with Tyler Bate during SmackDown. The former WWE NXT United Kingdom Champion and Bate went on to face Pretty Deadly.
The last time Dunne was seen in his old character was back on March 1, 2022, when he clashed against Carmelo Hayes. However, after suffering a loss in this match, he made his SmackDown debut as Butch on March 11, 2022.
The return of the Pete Dunne gimmick is something that seems to be a positive indication for the singles push of the 30-year-old star in the near future. Overall, as we are on the Road to WrestleMania 40, it will be interesting to witness how things will unfold in the upcoming weeks and how the company will book the Bruiserweight.
Will Sheamus reunite with Pete Dunne after his return?
As of now, Sheamus is currently sidelined from action with an injury. This raises the question of whether The Celtic Warrior will reunite with the former NXT UK Champion upon his comeback.
The answer to this question seems to be no, as reverting Butch's gimmick seems to be an indication that the company wants to push him in a different direction which makes it highly unlikely to have a reunion with Sheamus after his return.
However, both The Celtic Warrior and Pete Dunne may share a segment that is likely to be a torch-passing moment for the young star. As of writing, there is no report regarding the timeline for the return of Sheamus, but Royal Rumble 2024 might be considered the ideal location if he recovers on time.
For those unaware, Royal Rumble 2024 is the next marquee premium live event of the company, which is set to emanate live on Saturday, January 27, 2024, at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Florida.
