5 Superstars that WWE could bring back for a one-off surprise return

There's nothing more exciting in WWE than a surprise return from someone the company has recently released. This usually leads to some of the best segments on RAW, NXT or SmackDown. Maybe that has to do with the unpredictability of it all, or just seeing a beloved face one more time.

Again, it's just fun television to watch play out and gives WWE a variety of booking options when it comes to their top storylines. One example of this was the recent return of Health Slater, who helped make the feud between Dolph Ziggler and Drew McIntyre even more personal than it already was.

With Slater's recent appearance in mind, here are five Superstars that could return to WWE for a surprise one-off. As always, let us know your thoughts in the comments below and be sure to tell us who you would like to see back inside the squared circle one more time.

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#5 Curtis Axel

Wouldn't it be great to see Curtis Axel one more time in WWE?

Curtis Axel is a third generation WWE Superstar and someone that the fans care deeply about. Maybe not as much as they would of seeing John Cena or Bray Wyatt, but he still has his fans from his time as a part of The B-Team and his debut in the dominant Nexus stable.

With Randy Orton seemingly a ticking time bomb, it would be very interesting to put these two together in some capacity. In fact, it could be a great way to keep Orton's legend killer gimmick going while he awaits the recovery of Edge and gain him nuclear heat for taking out yet another Superstar.

In the end, it's the little things that matter in storylines and another person on Randy Orton's victim list would really help his angle move forward. It would also give Raw that "anything-can-happen" feel fans love so much, which is always a bonus!

#4 Curt Hawkins

Can we just see Curt Hawkins in WWE one more time?

Running jokes are still a big thing in today's WWE and while they do get old after a while, distance does make the heart grow fonder. With that being said and Curt Hawkins being released earlier this year due to budget cuts, why not bring him back and play with his winless streak a little bit?

Of course it probably wouldn't be primetime content and mostly consist of mid-card filler, but it would be nice to see Hawkins one more time. It would also be nice to see if he can showcase another side of his character since being released and can actually come out with a win against someone on the roster.

In the end, it would be some nice mid-card filler for the moment and allow fans to see Hawkins one more time. Maybe WWE could use him as a catalyst in one of the more upper level storylines or even as someone for Bobby Lashley to destroy during his reign of terror.

#3 Erick Rowan

Will Erick Rowan get involved in the swamp fight at Extreme Rules?

While Erick Rowan was released after a failed mid-card gimmick that saw him carry around a spider, one has to wonder if that was the last that the WWE Universe saw of him. In fact, with Braun Strowman set to take on Bray Wyatt in a swamp match at Extreme Rules, it is very likely that Rowan makes some kind of return here.

Interestingly enough, Wyatt previously posted a picture of himself, Rowan and Strowman, which seems to point to him being involved in the match in some way. Of course the picture could have just been used as a way of building for the eventual match, but wouldn't WWE have edited him out if they didn't plan to use him?

WWE would be missing a huge opportunity in not bringing Rowan back for a one-off appearance at Extreme Rules, which is why it most likely will happen. Either that or risk losing out on what could be one of the most legitimate surprises of the entire swamp match.

#2 EC3

It would be nice to see EC3 in WWE one more time.

It's no secret that EC3 never really got the fair shot he deserved in WWE, but he was sometimes successfully utilized as comedic relief in the 24/7 title picture. The former NXT Superstar even fought with R-Truth on a few occasions for the belt, which featured a running gag of him not talking during segments.

A big part of EC3's character has been his ability to cut white hot heelish promos. WWE could give him a stage where he hijacks Raw to air his grievance. If nothing else, it would be interesting to watch and give fans an "oh my god" moment for good measure.

In the end, EC3 deserves one more chance to show fans what he has in his arsenal and it would be very intriguing to see him come back to WWE in any capacity. Whether it happens or not remains to be seen, but if the company wants to continue this trend of bringing back released Superstars, he might be the man to call.

#1 Zack Ryder

What if Zack Ryder returned to WWE for one night only?

While this last pick might seem a little anticlimactic, especially with everyone else on this list, it has to be noted that Zack Ryder is one of the most beloved Superstars in modern day WWE history. He is a man that got himself over on his own terms and did everything in his power to make himself the next big thing.

Ryder is someone who can get a legitimate pop out of the audience, and he could perhaps be brought back to battle R-Truth for the 24/7 Title. Not only would it make for some nice midcard content, it would also be yet another great accolade in Ryder's career.

If nothing else, these surprise returns are something that WWE fans seem to look forward to. It also adds a little bit of extra excitement to the night's show, which is always fun. Maybe it doesn't result in anything too meaningful, but it's nice to have a little surprise packed in there for good measure.