5 Former champions who may never return to WWE

#2 Four-time WWE Champion Bryan Danielson

Bryan Danielson is undoubtedly a WWE legend, and he's one of the greatest professional wrestlers of the modern era. He was a top star in WWE for many years, but he amicably left the company when his contract expired earlier this year.

Danielson then joined Tony Khan's promotion, and The American Dragon has noted that intends to spend his last three years as a full-time in-ring competitor there. Even if Danielson continues to wrestle sporadically later on, he seems to be enjoying a new lease on life in AEW. Though he had a good relationship with Vince McMahon during his time in WWE, a return probably isn't in the cards.

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#1 Two-time WWE Champion CM Punk

CM Punk's return to professional wrestling has been the biggest highlight of 2021, as many fans rejoiced when he made his AEW debut. But The Straight Edge Superstar was also in talks with WWE before he signed with Tony Khan's promotion. He later stated that the deal never came to fruition because his former employer was "playing games."

"I remember one of the first things I ever said to them was, ‘Above all, don’t play games,'" said Punk. "And they played games. Some things never change. … When you enter a conversation with people you have a past with and you know who they are, how seriously can you take it? I know exactly who they are and they just continue to prove it."

Punk also recently expressed his disapproval of Vince McMahon's template for booking returning stars. His decision to work with AEW has paid off, as Punk has been revitalized by facing fresh opponents and having creative freedom. For these reasons, don't expect to see the former world champion in a WWE ring anytime soon.