Ranking each return on the last episodes of WWE Raw & SmackDown in February 2019

The episodes of WWE RAW and SmackDown aired on the last week of February showed quite some superstar returns. These names are among the biggest stars in the business.

It stirred nostalgia and excitement among the fans. A superstar return is not a small thing. It is a bit of fresh air and shakes up the overall product. The product has not been good over the past couple of months. WrestleMania period is where the product becomes exciting as many superstar returns happen over this period.

Legends make a return for one-off WrestleMania matches and major superstars return from injury just in time for the show of shows. There may still be a handful of possible returns in the coming episodes. As of now, we have four major superstars who are ready to shake-up WrestleMania season.

Each of the four superstar returns is ranked on the basis of audience response and potential of their upcoming storylines. Find out where the surprising returns of Batista and Roman Reigns are ranked among the four big returns that happened.

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#4 Matt Hardy's return and the reunion of the Hardy Boyz

The Hardy Boyz will always be loved by WWE fans. This tag team is the last remaining tag team from WWE's most successful period, the attitude era. They need to stay in WWE till they decide to call it a day on their wrestling careers.

Matt Hardy made his return on SmackDown and made a reunion with his half brother. The Hardy Boyz defeated their rivals, Sheamus and Cesaro. The 44-year-old looked very agile in the ring.

It is evident that he has used his time out well and is more physically fit than he was last time around. Matt's return may not affect major storylines, but the Hardy Boyz can be an asset on the road to WrestleMania.

#3 Kevin Owen's return from injury on SmackDown

The return of Kevin Owens was unexpected. It happened in the midst of a contract signing between Daniel Bryan and Kofi Kingston for the WWE Championship. As per McMahon's order, Owens replaced Kingston as the #1 contender for Bryan's title at Fastlane.

It is a welcome move as Kingston's title coronation can be reserved for WrestleMania. Kevin Owens' return would definitely improve ratings. Most of his hardcore fans would have been waiting to watch the product when he comes back.

Now that Owens is back, it is unclear as to how long he would stay at the top of the mountain. Kofi Kingston's popularity is undeniable at the moment. He will get his rematch at WrestleMania, regardless of who wins at Fastlane. There is a huge probability for Bryan to win the match.

It will be interesting to see how KO is utilized after his big match at Fastlane. However, he will be a major fixture heading to WrestleMania.

#2 Batista's return to crash Ric Flair's Birthday celebration

Batista made a huge comeback to WWE RAW. The video of the Animal's return received over 7.2 million views on WWE's official YouTube channel. The success of Batista's return rests on the surprise factor associated with it.

Nobody expected the veteran to make a comeback. Fans did expect someone like Becky Lynch to crash Ric Flair's birthday celebration, but it was the Animal who destroyed the party, bringing back so many nostalgic memories in the process.

It is unclear how frequently Batista will appear on WWE TV ahead of WrestleMania. The Animal received a lukewarm response from the fans on his previous WWE return in 2014.

Triple H is currently a heel, so they have to decide who plays the face. Having both of them as tweeners may not help the feud if it is slated for WrestleMania. Someone needs to have positive reactions from the fans.

If they choose to go with Batista as a face then they need to justify his attack on Ric Flair in the weeks to come. The Animal's ruthless attack on the 70-year-old also needs to have a very compelling justification which should not make the fans hate him.

#1 Roman Reigns' return following his leukemia remission

Roman Reigns' emotional comeback after his battle with leukemia finds the number one spot on our list. This is attributable to the emotional aspect of his return. The crowd received him well. There are mixed viewpoints over his return on the internet, but everyone seems happy for his success against leukemia.

The crowd finally started supporting Roman Reigns. This is a positive sign on the road to WrestleMania. There is long term potential with Reigns. While Batista's return is beneficial for the product's ratings, it is Reigns who has to ultimately carry the company in the long run.

There are many storylines that can be explored with Roman Reigns. A possible Shield reunion, a heel Roman Reigns against Seth Rollins or vice versa on the post-WrestleMania season, or a storyline against trending stars like McIntyre or Lashley. The possibilities are endless with Roman Reigns.

If the crowd reaction towards Roman Reigns stays for a longer period then he can be set up for a title reign for SummerSlam or a major pay per view after that.