Backstage WWE News: Bret Hart Nearly Misses Raw, CM Punk’s Absence Explained, SmackDown Rumors Addressed, Survivor Series Update

Bret Hart pushed through illness to make his much-anticipated return during the "season premiere" of WWE’s Monday Night Raw on September 9. The show, held in Hart’s hometown of Calgary, Alberta, Canada, saw uncertainty surrounding his appearance up until showtime. However, Hart ultimately decided to proceed with the appearance as planned, much to the delight of fans at Scotiabank Saddledome.

WWE veteran Natalya also made her return on the same episode of Monday Night Raw, marking her first backstage presence since signing a new multi-year contract with WWE. This return ended a rare two-plus-month hiatus in her legendary career. Natalya was present throughout the day with members of the Hart Family and was not hidden backstage, allowing fans and talent to interact with her before the show.

CM Punk’s absence from the September 9 episode of Raw was not unexpected, as WWE had planned for him to miss the show in advance. This follows the injury angle from the September 2 episode. Punk is expected to make his return to Raw on September 16 in Portland, Oregon.

Internal WWE sources have confirmed that SmackDown will remain a two-hour show when it debuts on the USA Network this Friday. Speculation had emerged that the show’s move from FOX to USA might lead to a three-hour expansion, but these rumors have been debunked.

WWE Senior Writer Alexandra Williams was credited with scripting the segment on September 9's Raw featuring Drew McIntyre, Wade Barrett, and Adam Pearce. Williams had previously been spotted backstage at the WWE Draft episode of Raw earlier this year alongside Stephanie McMahon-Levesque.

To promote the announcement of the WWE Survivor Series: WarGames ticket pre-sale for the November 30 event at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, WWE utilized the Black Sabbath and T-Pain version of “War Pigs” during the September 9 Raw broadcast.