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WWE is feeling the heat now that AEW has added a number of big stars such as CM Punk, Bryan Danielson, and Adam Cole to its roster. The upstart promotion harbors grand ambitions, and Dynamite has even beaten Raw in the 18-49 demographic in recent weeks.
The two companies will go head-to-head when the last 30 minutes of the Super-Sized SmackDown airs at the same time as Rampage this week. Now that WWE is in a battle, they will be more determined than ever to boost their ratings in the lead-up to Survivor Series, one of the traditional big four pay-per-views.
When Vince McMahon is looking to add more eyeballs to the product, he inevitably brings back the stars of yesteryear. Some of them have even teased a match with current champions.
With that being said, here are five legends who could return heading into Survivor Series:
#5 Seven-time WWE Women's Champion Trish Stratus
Trish Stratus' most recent WWE match was against Charlotte Flair in her hometown of Toronto at SummerSlam 2019. This came as a bit of a surprise considering the Hall of Famer had a confrontation with Sasha Banks at the 2018 Royal Rumble that looked like it could lead to a feud.
Banks even called out Stratus during a recent interview with WWE Deutschland:
"Man, this girl is dodging me. I'm waiting for Trish. I'm ready, I'm here. Whenever she's free and wants to fight The Legit Boss, the greatest of all time, she can come find me, she knows where I'm at. She has my number, she has Vince's number too," said Banks.
With her old rival Lita also teasing a return to the ring, the seven-time Women's Champion could possibly be coerced into having one last match. While Stratus hasn't demonstrated a desire to lace up her boots again, a Survivor Series classic against Sasha Banks in front of an electric New York City crowd would be a fitting end to her career.
#4 Four-time WWE Women's Champion Lita
Lita and Becky Lynch recently had a Twitter interaction after the WWE Hall of Famer shared a Sportskeeda article about dream match scenarios for her return.
Lynch replied to the Tweet and offered to give Lita a broken arm.
The former Team Xtreme member didn't shy away and challenged Lynch to a match, which the Irish star accepted.
Becky Lynch and Lita are pioneers of professional wrestling and have inspired women to chase their dreams inside the squared circle. A clash between the two icons could give the product a shot in the arm and a Survivor Series main event that the audience can look forward to.
WWE has come under criticism recently for booking the women's division poorly. This dream match will put the spotlight back on the women's division and, once again, make it the talking point of the professional wrestling industry.
#3 Four-time WWE Champion The Undertaker
After The Undertaker's final match against AJ Styles, he returned at last year's WWE Survivor Series to announce the end of his in-ring career. However, the moment just didn't feel right as there were no fans in attendance. It didn't feel like a fitting farewell to one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time.
This year's Survivor Series will take place in WWE's home market, New York City, in front of a thunderous audience at the Barclays Center. The show presents an opportunity for The Undertaker to finally address a sold-out arena and receive adulation from the fans. He could even announce his induction into the WWE Hall of Fame.
#2 Six-time WWE Champion Stone Cold Steve Austin
Whenever WWE wants to boost television ratings for a particular week, building a show around Stone Cold Steve Austin is usually a safe bet. Austin entertains the crowd on the microphone, drinks a few cold beverages, and everyone has a good time. It's a tried and tested formula.
The Texas Rattlesnake hasn't been in front of a live WWE crowd since he appeared at Madisson Square Garden for a segment featuring Seth Rollins and Braun Strowman over two years ago.
Austin's last appearance to declare 3:16 day as a holiday was in front of an empty arena and served as a stark reminder of how much professional wrestling can suffer without a live audience. An Austin reunion with the fans would be an amazing spectacle. It's always a win-win situation for everyone.
#1 Eight-time WWE Champion The Rock
According to several insiders, WWE wants the character arc of the heel Roman Reigns to culminate in a WrestleMania bout with The Rock. If Vince McMahon can entice The People's Champion to return to the ring, they should lay the groundwork for this match well in advance.
According to Andrew Zarian of the Mat Men podcast, The Rock is scheduled to make his comeback at Survivor Series in the Barclays Center.
"Hearing from a Source that The Rock is currently planned to be at this year's Survivor Series." said Zarian.
It should be noted that there have since been conflicting reports indicating the People's Champion may not be returning, after all. Regardless, a potential showdown between Roman and The Rock promises to be one for the ages.
A confrontation at Survivor Series would give them plenty of time to let their storyline simmer and come to a head at WrestleMania. When done properly, a slow build can enhance a program and amplify the fans' anticipation for a match.
