Bad Bunny Brought Absent Star Back to WWE

Carlito credits Bad Bunny with his WWE Backlash return.

October 17, 2023, 3:35pm

WWE has made an extra effort to elevate their “B-shows” this year. Traditionally filler premium live events like WWE Night of Champions and WWE Elimination Chamber have been praised by fans for creating unique atmospheres that allowed those shows to stand out on their own. One of the most praised WWE PLEs of 2023 for that reason was WWE Backlash. Taking place in front of a rowdy and passionate Puerto Rican crowd, WWE Backlash boasted some of the best matches and moments of the professional wrestling year, headlined by the ground-shaking contest between Damian Priest and Bad Bunny.

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This Puerto Rican Street Fight saw the rapper get the win in his first singles wrestling match ever thanks to the support from his hometown crowd and a few familiar faces. Latino World Order, WWE Hall of Famer Savio Vega, and fan-favorite Carlito all hit the ring to fend off Priest’s stablemates in The Judgment Day to ensure Bad Bunny had a fair fight.

Carlito Credits Bad Bunny For His WWE Return

Caribbean Cool was brought back to TV by Bad Bunny himself.

Speaking to The Ringer’s Cheap Heat, Carlito credits Bad Bunny for his originally one-off appearance at WWE Backlash.

“That’s all Bad Bunny. He’s a fan. Puerto Rican, he’s a fan of mine growing up,” Carlito said. “I think it was one of his ideas. Him or Hunter (Triple H). They said it would be a great idea for me to be a part of it. Being from Puerto Rico, it just makes sense.”

In the months since, Carlito has made a full-time return to WWE. Earlier this month at WWE Fastlane, Carlito popped up on WWE TV again, this time as the mystery partner of Latino World Order in their six-man tag battle against Bobby Lashley and the Street Profits. Following LWO’s victory, Carlito’s profile was moved from WWE Alumni to the WWE SmackDown page, making him an official member of the blue brand going forward.

Last week on WWE SmackDown, Lashley confronted Carlito, welcoming him back to WWE before instigating a three-on-one attack. This is seemingly setting the stage for Lashley vs. Carlito at a later date, possibly WWE Crown Jewel next month.