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It was revealed earlier this week that the Icon himself, Hulk Hogan, would be returning to WWE TV soon. The Hulkster is set to appear at WWE Crown Jewel this Friday night and it will be his first appearance for the company since WrestleMania 31, where he, accompanied by Scott Hall and Kevin Nash, attempted to assist Sting in his match with Triple H.
Hogan was reinstated into the WWE's Hall of Fame earlier in the summer on the same day of Extreme Rules. Since then, fans have been waiting to see the Immortal One reappear on WWE TV. Now, with Hulk Hogan set to serve as the host of WWE's Crown Jewel on November 2nd, it's time to take a look back at some of the most incredible returns in WWE history.
Sometimes the wrestling community can be a little tense, and more times than not the community is often critical of many moves made by the WWE. However, when most of the WWE Universe is caught off guard, they can't help but roar throughout whatever arena they may be in.
Multiple superstars and legends have left the WWE Universe speechless, with those in attendance mouth agape. From Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock to John Cena and Rey Mysterio, we're here to bring you five of the greatest returns in the history of the WWE.
#5 John Cena shocks Madison Square Garden at Royal Rumble 2008
Why not start this list off with one of the biggest returns in the Ruthless Aggression Era? Back in October 2007, Cena suffered a torn pectoral muscle, where the muscle was torn completely from the bone. After surgery, it was assumed that the Chain Gang Leader would be out for at least seven months.
Cut to three months later, and the WWE was officially on their road to WrestleMania. Without Cena in the picture, Monday Night Raw's main event for the show would feature Triple H and Randy Orton. Orton, after all, was the one who (kayfabe) injured Cena. The Viper feuded with Triple H, Shawn Michaels, and Jeff Hardy.
At Royal Rumble 2018, it seemed that Triple H was destined to challenge Orton for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania XXIV. The Game, who entered at #29, only had to outlast those left over in the Rumble and the freshest man in the event. Too bad for him it was the returning leader of the Cenation.
For months, the WWE Universe was told that Cena would be out of action at least until after WrestleMania. His injury was gruesome, yet Cena proved to everyone that night why he's considered the Superman of the WWE. You can't keep the Champ down.
#4 Hulkamania returns to the WWE in 2014
There are several moments that could've been chosen in regards to a Hulk Hogan return for this list. The Icon has never gotten a poor reaction from the crowd, so at this point, it's easy pickings.
In 2002, Hogan brought back the red and yellow, walking out to Jimi Hendrix's Voodoo Child on an episode of SmackDown, shedding the nWo colors while bringing back the "Hulk Rules" gimmick.
At WrestleMania 21, Hogan saved Eugene from a beatdown by the evil and malicious Muhammad Hassan and Khrosrow Daivari. The Hulkster received a standing ovation from the Hollywood crowd that night, as Eugene accompanied him in posing for the crowd.
However, his return to the company in 2014 was a moment that's often overlooked and underappreciated. The WWE was working on bringing together the biggest stars of its history. With WrestleMania XXX fast approaching, the company was in dire need for a host that would draw eyes to their event, especially with the launch of the WWE Network that year.
With some older fans returning tuning back into the WWE to see what legendary stars might return, there was no bigger star to bring in than Hulk Hogan.
After a six-year absence from the company, with a few of those years being spent in TNA, the Hall of Famer came back to the company that made him a household name.
Hogan's speech at Monday Night Raw on February 24, 2014, helped promote the launch of the WWE Network while also reliving the great memories that he held, reaching all the way back to the first WrestleMania.
Regardless of personal feelings in regards to the man, it's hard to deny just how big of a moment this was in the WWE's history.
#3 Triple H blows the roof off of Madison Square Garden in 2002
While it was basically known that The Game would return to the WWE at the January 7, 2002 edition of Monday Night RAW, the raucous crowd at MSG erupted when his music hit.
Triple H had been out of action for eight months with what was considered a career-threatening injury. Back on the May 21, 2001 episode of Raw is War, Triple H defended the WWF Tag Team Championship alongside his partner Stone Cold Steve Austin against Chris Jericho and Chris Benoit. Two of the WWE's baddest villains held all the gold as The Two-Man Power Trip, which could only be undone by the alliance between Jericho and Benoit.
During the match, Jericho had Austin locked in the Walls of Jericho in the middle of the ring. When it looked like the Rattlesnake was finally going to submit, Triple H ran in to make the save. However, something went wrong, as his leg buckled and he fell down to the mat. Triple H's left quadriceps muscle tore completely off of the bone.
Somehow, the Game managed to finish the match, even, famously, allowing Jericho to lock the Walls of Jericho in on him atop the announce table. On an episode of Talk is Jericho, Triple H would look back on that moment, jokingly, as a "really bad decision."
The injury couldn't have come at a worse time for the Cerebral Assassin, as he would have to miss out on one of the biggest angles of his career, the Invasion.
However, on that cold night in January 2002, The Game would receive the biggest ovation of his career, as fans throughout Madison Square Garden screamed for Triple H.
The fans recognized the toughness and the grit of Triple H the night he tore his quadriceps. They understood how much it took for him to finish the match in the manner that he did, and he was heavily missed by them during the Invasion storyline.
During his entrance, Jim Ross mentioned how he'd never heard a reaction as loud as this night. The Hall of Famer said no sporting event he'd attended had ever been as deafening as that night at MSG.
Triple H would look back on this moment at Raw 1000 in 2012, calling it his most memorable moment on the show.
#2 The Undertaker leaves Kane mortified at WrestleMania XX
Prior to WrestleMania XX, The Undertaker's final appearance in the WWE was at Survivor Series 2003. After being cheated out of the WWE Championship by Vince McMahon, The Phenom challenged the Boss to a Buried Alive Match at the event. McMahon demanded that new SmackDown General Manager Paul Heyman do something about the match, and went so far as to threaten The Undertaker's life.
At Survivor Series, though Big Evil completely dominated McMahon, he would ultimately fall to the Chairman after his brother, Kane, betrayed him. Thanks to the Big Red Machine, The Undertaker was buried six feet under, and Kane announced that his brother was officially dead.
Several months later, Kane was haunted by visions of his dead brother. In the months leading up to WrestleMania XX, the Big Red Machine was constantly harassed by the sounds of a bell tolling and various images of The Undertaker appearing before him.
Kane repeatedly told The Undertaker, and the WWE Universe, that he was not scared of his brother. However, whenever that bell would toll, and whenever anything supernatural occurred, The Devil's Favorite Demon had a hard time keeping it together.
At WrestleMania XX, Kane's worst nightmares came to life. The crowd erupted when a familiar voice said, "Ohh Yes!" as Paul Bearer walked down the ramp, carrying the urn and accompanied by the druids of the Deadman. Eventually, The Undertaker would emerge, now draped in a black jacket and hat, walking through several torches held by the druids. His entrance was captivating, awe-inspiring, and downright terrifying.
By the time The Lord of Darkness reached the ring, Kane was shaking in his boots, unable to grasp the situation at hand.
Going back and watching it now, the return of the Demon of Death Valley will still send chills down your spine, just like it did to Kane on that fateful night in Madison Square Garden.
#1 The Rock returns to host WrestleMania XXVII
Whether he ever wrestles for the WWE again or not, The Rock will go down as the most electrifying man in all sports entertainment. The way he captivates a crowd is truly incredible.
And it's easy to see why, when the Brahma Bull returned to host WrestleMania XXVII, the crowd ate out of the palm of his hand. The Rock never lost a step, though he was gone from the company for seven long years.
When a comment from John Cena about The Rock's dedication to the fans of the WWE made headline news, the former WWE Champion decided it was time to come back home. Ahead of Elimination Chamber 2012, it was revealed in Anaheim, California that he would host WrestleMania XXVII.
When those iconic words echoed through the arena, the crowd completely lost it, as the Great One graced them with his presence. The Rock ran through all of his iconic catchphrases and even had a chance to take a few shots at Michael Cole. Near the end of his promo, The Rock called out John Cena for the comments made about him in the past. Eventually, the two would go head to head in back to back WrestleMania main events, with the final match involving the WWE Championship.
The return of The Rock brought pure excitement and universal joy to the wrestling world. It's hard to imagine any other return making the impact that the WWE Universe felt on this night.
However, it is possible we could see something similar with the return of Hulkamania at WWE Crown Jewel. Hulk Hogan is set to host the event taking place in Saudi Arabia on Friday.
Are you excited for Hulk Hogan's WWE return? What other returns made you jump out of your seat? Let us know in the comments below.
