5 Superstars who succeeded in their second WWE stint more than their first

There have been multiple times when stars of WWE have left and later returned to the company. Reasons why Superstars have departed the company, often include leaving to work for a new promotion, embarking on a new career, and sometimes even being released from the company itself.

Some WWE Superstars have left the company for good and become stars elsewhere. At the moment, former WWE Champion Jon Moxley is thriving in AEW, and a handful of stars have carved out careers as top Hollywood actors, most notably The Rock.

In some cases, WWE Superstars leave the company for some time and wind up returning at a later date. Some can take years away from the company, whereas others took mere months working elsewhere. On some occasions, Superstars have left WWE and returned to be more successful than ever. Here are WWE superstars who did just that.

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#5 Matt Hardy left the WWE and returned to become a singles champion

Matt Hardy has come back and forth to WWE

From 1994, Matt Hardy worked as an enhancement talent in WWE, before signing a full-time contract with his brother Jeff in 1998. The Hardy Boyz rose to fame with their unique high-flying style in the ring. The pair enjoyed three reigns as WWE Tag Team Champions, and during a singles run, Matt Hardy had a short reign as WWE Cruiserweight Champion.

Hardy was released by WWE in 2005, and he briefly wrestled in Ring of Honor, before making a WWE return later in the same year, igniting a huge rivalry with Edge, who was now with Lita.

Jeff Hardy also came back to the company in 2006, and the Hardy Boyz were reunited, where they once again became WWE Tag Team Champions. Matt Hardy later emerged as a singles star. He became WWE United States Champion and later won the ECW Championship from Mark Henry at SummerSlam, his first-ever world title.

Since this, Hardy has moved between WWE and other companies numerous times and now wrestles on AEW.

#4 Eddie Guerrero had a hugely popular second run in WWE

Eddie Guerrero became a huge WWE star in his second run

Eddie Guerrero made his WWE debut in 2000, and quickly set his sights on Chyna, who he dubbed his "Mamacita". Guerrero had a short reign as WWE Intercontinental Champion after "accidentally" pinning Chyna in a match, leading to a feud between the pair. He often resorted to cheating to win, and then was later caught canoodling with two different women.

Guerrero was also WWE European Champion for a short while in 2001, before being fired from the company due to being arrested for drink-driving.

Eddie Guerrero then had a brief spell on the independent scene, appearing in Ring of Honor, World Wrestling All-Stars, and New Japan Pro Wrestling, before returning to WWE in 2002. Upon returning, Guerrero won the Intercontinental Championship for a second time.

After losing the title, he engaged in many feuds, including against Big Show. He earned a shot at the WWE Championship after winning a fifteen-man rumble match on SmackDown and defeated Brock Lesnar to win his first-ever world championship in WWE.

Guerrero later teamed up with his long-time friend Rey Mysterio to become a tag team champion. He had many high profile rivalries, most notably against former partner Mysterio, who later dedicated his 2006 Royal Rumble win to Guerrero following his death.

#3 Jeff Hardy won multiple championships after a break from WWE

Jeff Hardy has been a multiple-time champion in his WWE career

Jeff Hardy was first signed to WWE in 1998, alongside his brother Matt. Together they performed as the high-flying Hardy Boyz and gained notoriety for their huge stunts.

The pair even had a few reigns as WWE Tag Team Champions, and Hardy later had a stint as a singles star. During this time, Hardy had a short reign with the WWE European Championship, before he lost it to Rob Van Dam a few weeks later.

In 2003, Hardy left WWE after he was released by WWE due to his substance abuse issues, constant no-shows and lateness, and refusal to go to rehab.

Following this, Hardy began to work for different promotions, including a successful two-year run in Total Nonstop Action Wrestling from 2004 to 2006. Towards the end of his time at TNA, he no-showed an event, leading to his suspension briefly before his release.

Later in 2006, Jeff Hardy returned to WWE and the Hardy Boyz reunited. Following their return, Hardy had two reigns as Intercontinental Champion. In 2008, Jeff Hardy captured his first-ever world title in his WWE career, after fending off competition from Edge and Triple H at Armageddon to become the WWE Champion.

Like his brother Matt, Jeff Hardy has come back and forth to WWE multiple times in his career.

#2 Daniel Bryan became a top star of WWE in his second stint in the company

Daniel Bryan won multiple championships after a disappointing first run in WWE

After making a handful of appearances in WWE in the early 2000s without being contracted to the company, Daniel Bryan signed a contract in late 2009, making his official debut on NXT, which at the time was seasonal competition series where "Rookies" were paired with "Pros", who were already established WWE Superstars.

As a part of the NXT "Rookies" group, The Nexus, Bryan made appearances on RAW. On one episode of RAW, The Nexus invaded and attacked John Cena before wreaking havoc on the show. During the segment, Bryan appeared to strangle ring announcer Justin Roberts with his own necktie, which forced WWE to let him go. The angle was worked into a storyline where The Nexus kicked him out of the group.

Following this, Bryan spent a year working for independent promotions, before making a return to WWE a few months later. Upon his return, the star was thrust straight into the title scene, winning the United States Championship from The Miz, and he enjoyed a 197-day reign with the belt. The next year, Daniel Bryan won the Money in the Bank ladder match and became the WWE World Heavyweight Champion.

After losing the championship to Sheamus at WrestleMania, Daniel Bryan became a WWE Tag Team Champion alongside Kane, and after losing the championships, the famous Yes Movement began. Daniel Bryan became the top babyface of the company when he came up against The Authority - Triple H and the McMahon family, who did whatever they could to antagonise the star.

Daniel Bryan got his big moment at WrestleMania XXX, where he managed to win the WWE Championship against all odds, defeating Randy Orton and Batista, as well as the authority to come out on top.

#1 Drew McIntyre left WWE and came back to become the face of the company

Drew McIntyre is now one of the biggest stars of WWE

Drew McIntyre had a rocky start in WWE. He made his RAW debut in late 2007, at 22 years of age. He was quickly moved to WWE's then development territory, Florida Championship Wrestling, before moving back to the main roster in 2009, dubbed The Chosen One.

In the years that followed, McIntyre floated around the SmackDown and RAW rosters, without causing much on an impact. He was a part of a handful of number one contender's matches but was unsuccessful in winning a championship. In 2012, McIntyre became a part of the Three Man Band with Heath Slater and Jinder Mahal, with the trio having a half-hearted rocker gimmick that flopped despite the talents of the group.

McIntyre was released from his WWE contract in 2014 and began working on the independent circuit all over the world, including in the UK-based Preston City Wrestling, where he fueded with future NXT UK star Naom Star, and most notably wrestled in Insane Championship Wrestling, and EVOLVE shows. The star even joined Total Non-stop Action Wrestling in 2015.

McIntyre returned to WWE as an NXT superstar in 2017, and defetaed Bobby Roode to win the NXT Championship. Most notably, Drew McIntyre won the 2020 Royal Rumble and defeated Brock Lesnar to win the WWE at WrestleMania, becoming one of the company's top stars in the process.