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Kurt Angle is regarded as one of the best the industry has ever seenWWE is a place of second chances. Just when fans think a talent is gone never to return again, the company surprises everyone by bringing him back. Sometimes the returning guy in question had left of his own accord and sometimes he had been “future endeavored.” But despite how he left, it always makes headlines when he comes back to the fold. There have been a lot of those returns in recent years. From Goldust to The New Age Outlaws to Batista, WWE has often gone back to the past to help the present. It’s a move that was made again recently with the return of The Dudley Boyz and now that WWE’s ratings continue to slide, Bubba Ray and D-Von may not be the last veterans to be called back. The best part about that is many stars outside the company are currently still working, which means they’re in great shape and ready to make a splash in the house that McMahon built once again.The timing has to be right of course. Contracts must be up, the desire to leave must be there and a plan must be in place to return. Guys have to be comfortable with the offer and the situation and when both of those things are right, then it’s the right move to make.It will not happen in every case of course but for the most part, guys want to finish on top. Working one last match on WWE’s main event stage is perhaps the best way to go out and that is surely true of the ones on this list. WWE is not only a place of second chances, it’s a place to entertain and do it at the highest possible level. For any pro wrestler committed to being the best, the only way to properly cement a legacy is to have a great run in WWE and for many, it’s to come back and have one more great run.
#5 John Morrison
John Morrison could perhaps not have been called a major star when he was in WWE before. But that was then and this is now; Morrison has never looked better and he’s absolutely killing it in the ring.
From the moment he debuted in Lucha Underground, John has been at the top of his game. Gone are the long winded promos and the reckless abandon in his move-set. Any doubts fans may have had about his dedication to the business and to improving between the ropes must surely be gone now. The man now known as Johnny Mundo has proven himself as a main event star.
As of now he does seem happy in Lucha and thanks to season two of the program on the horizon, it’s likely he’s not going anywhere any time soon. But if the opportunity does present itself to come back and do business with WWE once again, it’s a move both he and they should definitely make. WWE could use him for his experience, his ring savy and his new found ability to draw money, which was perhaps just not there before.
Morrison did the best thing by staying the course and he’s done the smart thing by getting better. He is now the complete package and eventually WWE should see it that way too and truth be told, that may already be the case.
#4 Trish Stratus
Trish Stratus is the Michael Jordan of the Divas division; she is considered the greatest of all time. Like Jordan, there just has been no one to do it any better though many have certainly tried.
The fact is Trish was one of a kind. She understood the business in a way very few women had before her. She knew how to combine image with hard work and promo skills to become everything fans had never seen from women in the business. She was much more than just eye candy and she was not just a solid worker; she was everything WWE could have hoped for in a Diva and much more.
Despite how many times WWE has tried to re-create the magic that existed around Trish as well as between Trish and Lita, the fact is it’s not possible. Combining that with renewed focus on the women’s division through the Divas revolution could perhaps open the door for Trish to once again come back and stratusfy. She may not be at the same level she was before but like Michael Jordan, she perhaps would not need to be.
She would be more of a teacher, a motivator, a sounding board for the women looking to get better and a starting point for a division that needs a bit more star power to realize its full potential.
#3 Alberto Del Rio
Alberto Del Rio may have left WWE in a bit of controversy but that has never really stopped anyone from coming back before. While it’s impossible to say he will come back, the fact is anything can happen.
The best thing about Alberto is his ability. He is such a good all-around performer, a guy that is capable of drawing immense heat as a heel. He can make the crowd absolutely loathe him and there is arguably no one better at being a heel when he’s firing on all cylinders. The smug way he looks at the audience, the arrogant way he talks down to his opponent, everything about him just screams “villain.”
He’s also very good at running babyface. The cold heartless eyes he used as a heel can be very warm and understanding. The condescending smirk he flashed at fans can also become a smile of gratitude and humility. Del Rio is very talented and he can do just about anything a promoter needs him to do. Like Morrison, Del Rio found his second wind in Lucha Underground and at some point, the door may open for him to return to Vince McMahon’s company.
If that does happen, then WWE will be better for it. Some may have felt his last run grew a bit stale at the end but that would not be the case a second time around. WWE needs as many talented veterans as it does talented newcomers and Del Rio should definitely be considered if he becomes available.
#2 Kurt Angle
He’s regarded as perhaps the best pure athlete in the history of WWE and one of the best the business has ever known. The fact that he and controversy seem to go hand in hand has perhaps hurt his cause before but there is no doubting Kurt Angle would be a great fit for WWE right now.
This is the day of the new star, the fresh face, in WWE. NXT has practically taken over and while fans marvel at the ability many of the newer talents have shown, it’s guys like Angle that can truly take them from stars to mega-stars. Tomorrow’s main event players must learn from the best today and there is perhaps no better in-ring teacher than the Olympic gold medalist.
But Angle would be back for much more than just prepping the next generation. He may be 46 but being one of the most naturally gifted stars in the industry does not decrease with age; Angle can still go in the ring and he is still fully capable of drawing big money. WWE would surely be very smart with his booking, using him in key spots and presenting him as the future Hall of Famer he is.
WWE may be the company of Seth Rollins, Kevin Owens and Dean Ambrose but those guys would surely love nothing more than to mix it up with a legend like Kurt Angle. Angle would be there to not only give back but to get back to top form on WWE’s worldwide stage.
#1 Jeff Hardy
Jeff Hardy is called one of the most enigmatic stars in WWE history and with very good reason. At first glance, he looked like just any other ordinary hot-shot daredevil talent in the ring. But he was the first of his kind and inspired a legion of like-minded talents that followed. More importantly than that however was Jeff himself; he was never ordinary.
There’s just something about Jeff Hardy and only fans know what that means. Despite not having the best body or the most articulate mic skills, Hardy has always just had “it.” There’s no teaching it and there’s no learning it. A guy either has it or he doesn’t and Jeff has it by the truck load. Fans look at him and they know he’s something special and that has been the case from the very first day he began in WWE.
Hardy has made a nice career for himself in TNA and has basically become more of an extension of what he was in WWE. Both companies see what he can offer and have capitalized on that but WWE is the best company to truly spotlight Hardy in the way he deserves.
In this day of veterans being brought back to the fold in WWE, it’s a perfect move to bring Jeff in. But like Angle, Jeff would not be there just to pop the crowd, he would be there to help carry the load. WWE is in desperate need of as many top stars as it can get and if Jeff Hardy is in the game, he’s one of the hottest stars the company could possibly bring in. He has it and WWE definitely needs more of it.
