Dawn Marie Returning To WWE For NXT At ECW Arena

Dawn Marie will make a surprising return to WWE next week.

It was announced during Halloween Havoc by NXT General Manager Ava that Lola Vice will face Jaida Parker in a Hardcore Match at the NXT TV taping on Wednesday, November 6 from the 2300 Arena (FKA ECW Arena). That wasn't all, though, and Ava revealed that Dawn Marie would serve as the special guest referee for the match.

Dawn Marie was previously signed to WWE from 2002 until 2005 when WWE released Marie while she was on maternity leave. Marie is best known for her time in ECW where she managed the Impact Players of Lance Storm and Justin Credible, and later Simon Diamond & Johnny Swinger.

Marie has largely been away from pro wrestling since 2012, although she was in attendance at the WWE Hall of Fame ceremony earlier this year which took place in Philadelphia and saw Paul Heyman be inducted.

ECW Arena is in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. WWE reportedly booked the venue for NXT as the company wanted a hook for the show due to the episode going head-to-head with AEW Dynamite. NXT will also take place one day after the United States presidential election, which is expected to dominate TV viewership next week.