5 superstars WWE desperately need back in 2021

There are a handful of WWE superstars that have taken time away due to various reasons. Whether it's an injury or otherwise, these stars are those who have had big plans ahead. For one reason or the other, their momentum has been halted and WWE will be eagerly waiting to have them back in 2021:

---

#5. Becky Lynch - Away from WWE due to maternity leave

Becky Lynch was not only the focal point of WWE's women's division between April 2019 and May 2020, but she was among the company's biggest stars even before that. She has been out of action since May (Technically April, when WWE was taping RAW and SmackDown).

Viewed initially as the superstar with the lowest ceiling among the Four Horsewomen, Becky Lynch ended up outshining all three other women - with the pinnacle of her career coming at WrestleMania 35. Becky Lynch, along with Charlotte Flair and Ronda Rousey, made history by becoming the first women in WWE history to headline the grandest stage of them all.

She would make history by becoming the first woman in the RAW Women's title lineage to surpass a year as Champion. There's little doubt about the impact that she had on the WWE Women's division and post-Ronda Rousey, she proved to be the perfect person to run with the torch.

WWE's investment in Becky Lynch turned out to be a successful one as she ended up having the most impactful Women's title reign in years. She may not have won as many Championships as Charlotte Flair, but even The Queen wasn't able to reach the level of popularity that Becky did when she was the focal point of WWE's Women's division.

Becky Lynch vacated the RAW Women's Championship and has been away for half a year now. She has left a big hole in the Women's division that has yet to be filled and while she will be away for a while due to her maternity leave, there's no doubt that WWE will be desperate to have one of their big-money stars back on the active roster.

#4. Jinder Mahal - A second major surgery took him out of WWE in just a month

Jinder Mahal hasn't had the best luck in 2019 and 2020. Always viewed as just another enhancement talent, WWE decided to take a chance on him in 2017 in an attempt to strengthen the Indian market. The quick nature of his push and sudden ascent from enhancement talent to WWE Champion in just over a month didn't increase his popularity.

Some argued that Jinder Mahal had the potential to be a main eventer, but WWE chose to rush his push and didn't give him time to ease into the next level. Either way, he enjoyed a lengthy reign as the WWE Champion, and to nobody's surprise, he became an afterthought in 2018 despite winning the United States Championship at WrestleMania 34.

Jinder Mahal was absent for ten months between 2019 and 2020 and after having a good return, he would undergo another surgery to fix issues with his knees. It was a shame because there were rumors of Jinder Mahal becoming a WWE title challenger to Drew McIntyre.

The type of push Jinder Mahal seemed to be getting was quite different as well, and it would have been interesting to see where it went. WWE could utilize Jinder Mahal as a key player in 2021 and while he may not be popular, he fits into the roster well.

#3. Sonya Deville - Away from WWE due to personal reasons

Sonya Deville is a WWE superstar who many feel should have been pushed a lot earlier. While that may be true, the reality is that most pushes in the women's division come with time (Becky Lynch being the perfect example of that).

The peak of her 2020 run in WWE was perhaps the storyline with Mandy Rose, leading to an Otis vs Dolph Ziggler match. Mandy Rose and Sonya Deville would have a feud in the coming months and it would stretch and culminate only at SummerSlam 2020.

The storyline and initial stipulation was for a rare WWE "Hair vs Hair" match to take place. However, unfortunate circumstances on the week of SummerSlam saw Deville having to deal with a stalker in her house, and the legal issues surrounding the matter meant that she wouldn't be able to cut her hair (which would have been the original plan, anyway).

WWE quickly made sure to change the stipulation to a "No Disqualification loser leaves WWE" match and it ended with Mandy Rose beating Deville and the latter being written off to take time away from the company.

While her return certainly shouldn't be rushed back, she was gaining a lot of momentum in 2020 before her hiatus. She would be perfect for the WWE Women's division in 2021.

#2. Charlotte Flair - Away from WWE due to surgery

Charlotte Flair has been away since June 2020 and it's the longest hiatus she has taken away from WWE. While that has also coincided with some projects outside of WWE, the real reason behind Charlotte Flair's absence was to undergo another surgery.

2020 has been a year that has seen many WWE superstars take time away. WWE offered superstars the option to sit at home. Many took that option and spent time away, but Charlotte Flair continued and won her second NXT Championship at WrestleMania 36.

Charlotte Flair's second NXT Women's title reign, however, would last just two months and after Io Shirai won it from her, it was revealed that she would be taking quite some time away.

Charlotte Flair is the most pushed woman in modern WWE history and has surpassed the achievements of every woman before her - at least on paper. She has been among WWE's biggest stars, male or female, and will be a name that the company will desperately want back by 2021.

#1. Edge - Away from WWE due to a tricep injury

Who better to end the list with than WWE's own Rated-R Superstar Edge? The 11-time World Champion shocked the WWE Universe when he made his in-ring return in the 2020 Royal Rumble match - marking his first match in nearly 9 years.

Edge would have to wait until WrestleMania 36 to make his return to singles action, defeating Randy Orton in a Last Man Standing match. The two would clash heads at Backlash 2020 in what was advertised as "The Greatest Wrestling Match Ever". While it was a lot of pressure to live up to, the Backlash PPV catchphrase shouldn't distract anyone from the fact that the two veterans had an in-ring masterclass.

That masterclass, however, was at the expense of Edge, who suffered a bad tricep injury that would require him to undergo surgery. It canceled any plans of a potential SummerSlam trilogy match and an opportunity for Edge to face new opponents in WWE.

Edge is expected to return in early 2021 and resume his feud with Randy Orton - presumably concluding the trilogy at WrestleMania 37. He is a superstar who WWE will desperately want back in 2021.