5 Superstars who came out of retirement in WWE

Daniel Bryan returned to in-ring action, after a gap of two long years, and the WWE Universe could not be more excited! Bryan is coming back to in-ring competition after suffering a potentially life-threatening injury, but he is not the first individual to do so.

We have seen several such instances of a retired Superstar making a triumphant return to the ring, and Bryan joins a long list of such wretlers. The likes of Batista, Hulk Hogan, The Rock,etc, have made their way back after spending years away from the promotion.

We look at five such Superstars who returned to the ring after announcing their "retirement".

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#5 Bret Hart

The Hitman had a controversial relationship with WWE.

Bret 'The Hitman' Hart was one of the greatest Superstars in WWE back in the 90s and became the top heel in the company during this period. Bret Hart left WWE for WCW amid controversial circumstances in 1997, taking part in the infamous 'Montreal Screwjob'.

Bret Hart had a sour relationship with WWE for a long time, before making a comeback in 2010. He made a heartwarming return to the company, in which he sorted out his differences with Vince McMahon and Shawn Michaels. He had one final run as the United Stares Champion, before bowing out one last time.

We would always love to see the Hitman return to put one more superstar in a sharpshooter!

#4 Ric Flair

WOOOOO!

The Nature Boy, Ric Flair, arguably the greatest professional wrestler to have ever stepped foot in a ring, has had a long and storied career. Ric Flair became a household name back in the 80s, and his return to WWE in 2002 garnered a lot of attention.

Fondly known as the 'dirtiest player in the game', Flair went on to have a great second run in WWE. His second run in WWE ended in a delightfully good WrestleMania match against Shawn Michaels. A match that left every wrestling fan teary-eyed, signalled the end of a career spanning four decades.

However, Flair made a return to wrestling in 2010 on TNA. Many consider this to be a bad decision made by Flair, which spoiled his great retirement match against HBK at WrestleMania 24.

#3 Mick Foley

Mick Foley. Cactus Jack. Dude Love. A man of many names!

Mick Foley is one of the most beloved Superstars in WWE. His career featured matches that are still remembered for their significance in putting an end to the Monday Night Wars between WWE and WCW. Mick Foley has suffered multiple injuries due to the hardcore nature of his matches, and had to retire at the age of 35 in 2000.

Mick Foley remained an active member of WWE for quite some time, before moving over to the independent promotions. However, he returned to in-ring competition in 2004, to have a rivalry with Randy Orton who was then portraying his 'legend killer' gimmick. Mick Foley continued to wrestle on the indies and in TNA even later, showing his continued love for professional wrestling.

#2 Goldberg

YOU'RE NEXT!

One of the most iconic superstars in WCW history, Goldberg is fondly remembered due to the destructive nature of his matches. Goldberg squashed Superstars with relative ease, and rose to the top of WCW in a short period. He faced off against a plethora of legends, and became a household name in the late 90s.

Goldberg's arrival in WWE was met with much fanfare back in 2003, and his feuds with the likes of The Rock, Triple H and finally Brock Lesnar were momentous. Goldberg had all the tools of a perfect sports entertainer, and he did his job in the best way possible.

Goldberg returned to WWE recently in 2016 against his former rival Brock Lesnar. He won the Universal Champion to become the third-ever Champion in the title's history. Goldberg lost the Universal Title in a match against Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania 33, which ended up being his last-ever match in WWE (at least for now!).

#1 Shawn Michaels

The Heart Break Kid

Shawn Michaels was a massively talented professional wrestler, and even that's an understatement. Michaels debuted in WWE in the early 90s, and had a great run in the tag-team division with Marty Janetty.

His breakup with Janetty and subsequent run in the singles division became a major highlight of his career. Michaels, along with Bret Hart, led the WWE singles division in the mid 90s.

HBK retired from in-ring competition in 1998 due to an injury, and remained out of action for over four years. He missed the entirety of the Attitude Era, only making non-wrestling appearances from time to time. He returned in 2002 as part of the nWo, and had a very successful run after his comeback.

His returning feud with Triple H, the DX reunion, feud with Chris Jericho in 2008, matches with The Undertaker at WrestleMania 25 and 26, made his second run with WWE memorable and historic.