Ex-WWE star who begged to leave company years ago under Vince McMahon comments on possible return with arrival of RAW on Netflix
Former WWE superstar discusses potential return paths following successful TNA run and upcoming wrestling school venture in Chicago.
Mustafa Ali recently addressed speculation about his potential WWE return during an interview with Chris Van Vliet. Following his successful tenure in TNA and the independent circuit throughout 2024, Ali provided insight into the possibilities of rejoining WWE.
The former X-Division Champion shared his thoughts on potential pathways back to WWE:
I think there’s multiple paths, yeah. The thing is, there’s good relations there. The thing with them moving to Netflix is very interesting because it just opens up — I don’t know how much the show is gonna change as far as dynamic, as far as ratings, as far as what they’re okay with.
Ali elaborated on the factors that could influence a potential return:
Business is so good for them, I do think there is a pathway back there. There’s good relations, there’s good contact there. Even the release was like very nice, a lot of nice messages were sent. At the end of the day, it’s on me, right? If I built something that’s profitable and something that they see, oh this plugs in. With wrestling, everything is right place, right time. It’s gotta be right for them, it’s gotta be right for me, it’s gonna be at the right time, it’s gotta be at the right place. When one person is here — If I want to go do this, it doesn’t fit. If they’re going a direction where there’s no spot for me, it doesn’t fit. It’s gotta be right place, right time. So here’s the right place, right time.
Revealing the Truth Behind Money in the Bank 2019
Speaking of timing, Ali also shared a revealing story about his involvement in the 2019 Money in the Bank ladder match. During the same interview with Chris Van Vliet, he detailed the last-minute changes that led to Brock Lesnar’s surprise victory.
Ali described the dramatic shift in plans moments before his entrance:
All day we’re putting this match together. Everyone’s like, ‘Hey, man, Congrats.’ Yeah, man, this is awesome. I was like, ‘Oh, maybe I can get this briefcase to light up,’ because I was wearing the light of stuff at the time. I’m thinking this is one of those cloud 9 moments, I can’t believe this is happening, because it’s not happening.
The former WWE superstar recalled his final instructions from Vince McMahon:
Now, mind you gorilla is completely dark, so I just have these red lights that are flashing on Vince’s face. And he’s all shadowy. So you can see the picture that I see right looking up him, he goes ‘Change of plans. Do the match, everything you called. When the time’s right I want you to climb up the ladder and grab the briefcase. Someone’s going to come out. I want you to hold the briefcase and just have shock on your face. He’s gonna run down, tip the ladder over, and you stay down. Do you understand?’