Backstage Update on Mustafa Ali Not Appearing on WWE SmackDown in Chicago

– As previously reported, WWE Superstar Mustafa Ali recently had a planned absence from SmackDown due to asking for time off for the birth of his third child. However, a new report by Fightful Select notes that Ali’s time off request has passed, and he apparently would’ve been available to work last Friday’s edition of SmackDown, which was held in Ali’s hometown of Chicago, Illinois.

According to the report, the WWE creative team didn’t have anything planned for Ali for the Chicago TV tapings. WWE also taped next week’s Christmas Eve edition of SmackDown last Friday following live FOX Network broadcast. Mustafa Ali did not make an appearance on either show.

Additionally, the report notes that WWE opted to send Ali home early for his paternity leave. He’s not been on the road with WWE since before the Survivor Series 2021 event, which took place on November 21 last month.