Shocking returns aren’t a particularly common occurrence when it comes to WrestleMania.
Considering it’s the biggest show of the year, the company naturally does all it can to plug and promote its marquee matches and main event names well ahead of time, and this year’s been no different.
The writing’s been on the wall for a Brock Lesnar vs. Goldberg rematch ever since their previous meeting at Survivor Series, while Seth Rollins vs. Triple H has been earmarked for the show for the better part of a year. And going back to previous events, WrestleMania XXVIII saw its main event meeting between John Cena and the Rock confirmed some 363 days in advance.
But over the years, some major names have managed to slip by unnoticed, only to return at the pay-per-view and catch just about everybody unawares.
From old adversaries coming out of the woodwork to others making early comebacks from injury, and of course the odd nostalgia pop from a legend or two, WrestleMania returns—though few and far between—have provided us with some of the better moments in the event’s history. And where better place to begin than at last year’s event with not one, not two, but three returns in one…
#5 Mick Foley, Shawn Michaels and Steve Austin (WrestleMania 32)
With WrestleMania 32 taking place in the 100,000-seater AT&T Stadium, the company unquestionably wanted to pull out all the stops to ensure the show lived up to the occasion. And one of those stops was the surprise appearance of the star-studded team of Shawn Michaels, Mick Foley and Stone Cold Steve Austin.
After the League of Nations had beaten the New Day in six-man tag team action, Wade Barrett started running his mouth, boldly claiming that there weren’t any three men in history who could ever go toe-to-toe with his boys.
Clearly, someone was going to have to shut this guy up. Ultimately, though, it wasn’t any one of the New Day. Nor was it anyone else from the current roster. Instead, it was Michaels’ music that filled the stadium, and he was soon joined on-stage by Foley, before the arrival of Stone Cold sent the fans, and JBL on commentary, into raptures.
The trio made their way to the ring where they made short work of the League of Nations, as well as Xavier Woods after Austin reacted poorly to being invited to dance.
Of course, that wasn’t the only return we were treated to at WrestleMania 32...
#4 John Cena (WrestleMania 32)
Ahead of the big day at AT&T Stadium, the Rock had been busy on social media teasing an appearance at the show, so while his eventual emergence wasn’t too surprising, the identity of the man who joined him was.
After an impromptu match with Erick Rowan, as well as an odd segment in which he used a flamethrower to set alight a massive billboard with his name on it, the Rock found himself surrounded by the Wyatts.
Rather than burying the faction by himself, though, he suddenly found himself flanked by John Cena. That’s the same John Cena who’d been out of action for three months with a shoulder injury, and the same John Cena who’d had such an infamous feud with the Great One at WrestleManias XXVIII and 29.
The return from injury, plus the unusual pairing of these former foes, made this one shocking in more ways than one. And even though the Wyatts came out looking like chumps, Cena’s arrival had at least provided a pretty sweet WrestleMania moment.
#3 Matt Hardy (WrestleMania XXIV)
At WrestleMania XXIV, in a Money in the Bank ladder match that featured CM Punk, Chris Jericho, Shelton Benjamin, Carlito, MVP, John Morrison and Mr Kennedy, somehow it was Matt Hardy who would provide the biggest surprise of the match.
Despite not officially being a part of the action, Hardy made his presence felt with a surprise run-in to cost MVP what had looked like an inevitable victory.
With everybody else down and out, MVP found himself climbing a ladder unimpeded and seemingly on the verge of grabbing the briefcase. However, what he—and just about everyone watching on—hadn’t bargained for was Hardy’s impromptu arrival, which led to him hitting a massive Twist of Fate from the top of the ladder to his former tag team partner.
Hardy had been out of action since the turn of the year after undergoing surgery for appendix issues, but what really added to the shock value of this one was the fact that he emerged from the crowd, rather than via the entrance ramp with his lights and music blaring.
#2 Roddy Piper (WrestleMania XIX)
When a near-50-year-old Hulk Hogan faced a near-60-year-old Vince McMahon at WrestleMania XIX, it was clear that this one was going to feature smoke and mirrors aplenty. That meant that it wasn’t too surprising when we saw some outside interference in the match’s latter stages.
What did prove to be rather more surprising, though, was the identity of that interloper.
With both Hogan and McMahon down for the count, a dark figure in a black trench coat strode to the ring, before removing his layers and revealing himself to be Roddy Piper—much to the delight of the home state crowd. After some brief theatrics, Piper then seized the steel pipe that lay by his feet and having initially looked set to strike McMahon, turned towards Hogan and nailed his former foe with the pipe.
Perhaps we should have seen that twist coming, given Piper’s history with Hogan, but having spent seven long years away from the company, the return itself was anything but expected.
#1 Ultimate Warrior (WrestleMania VIII)
After a pay dispute at SummerSlam 1991 saw the Ultimate Warrior suspended, things weren’t looking too rosy for him regarding his future with the company.
The suspension led to months spent idle on the sidelines, but come the following year, with WrestleMania on the horizon and Hulk Hogan about to take a leave of absence, Vince McMahon came calling once more—he needed one of his star attractions back.
Though all of these negotiations took place behind the scene, rumours soon started circling about a possible return for Warrior. Nothing was confirmed for certain, though, so when he finally showed up at WrestleMania VIII, coming to the aid of Hogan after his main event victory over Sid Justice, the return was every bit as shocking as intended.
With Sid fetching a chair, Warrior’s music filled the arena, and within seconds the man himself was sprinting to the ring before taking out Papa Shango, sending Sid scampering and embracing Hogan to send the fans home happy.
Any WrestleMania return tends to be a big one, but for that return to arrive in the closing minutes of the greatest show of the year makes for a moment that’ll take some beating.
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