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It is clear as day that a brand new era of WWE is underway with both RAW and SmackDown. RAW has a new commentary team, a brand new look and the return of pyro, while FOX moves to SmackDown, with a major change in presentation.
And these changes will correspond with the upcoming draft, where the roster will be split into two once again. I have a feeling that we could see some major returns from stars who've been missing from WWE television.
Please leave a comment and let me know which of these stars you'd like to see returning to WWE television. One thing that cannot be disputed is that the return of each one of these stars will cause a seismic shift in the WWE landscape, and shake things up in a major way.
So, without further ado, let's look at all the stars that could return during the upcoming draft!
#5 Bobby Lashley
Bobby Lashley should have been booked as a powerhouse right from the word go, upon his return to WWE from Impact Wrestling. Unfortunately, those in WWE Creative seem to have missed the memo on what an unstoppable beast he had seemed like during his last run with the erstwhile TNA, and booked him wrong from the very start.
The whole angle with Sami Zayn and his 'sisters' was cringeworthy to say the least, and it took a lot to wipe the stain of that storyline from Lashley's WWE career. Even though an injury is unfortunate, it allows him to reset and reboot again and return as an unstoppable monster.
Maybe he challenges the brand new WWE Champion Brock Lesnar after the man defeats Kofi Kingston to kick start a dream rivalry. Now, that would be super cool!
#4 Ruby Riott
Many had hailed Ruby Riott as a breakout performer who would, in time, be the face of the women's division on either RAW or SmackDown. Unfortunately, she came into the division at a time when Ronda Rousey was getting a monster push and she got relegated to the mid-card, as the leader of the Riott Squad, where she shone on every occasion. Unfortunately, a shoulder injury would hamper her chances of competing against the likes of Becky Lynch in the year 2019.
While reports indicate that she will be out till 2020, the photographs that she posts on social media seem promising and it does look like she could make a return to the ring quicker than anticipated. Even if she were to return in the form of vignettes, where she teases a new character, she could bide her time, until her eventual return happens.
We've seen this happen with characters like AoP and Aleister Black who've had to change their gimmicks and we know that Riott will have to do the same, considering that the Squad exists no more at the moment, at least.
Riott could certainly bring much firepower to the women's division.
#3 Drew McIntyre
Having interacted with Drew McIntyre, one thing that I can confirm is that the man's personality is quite close to his gimmick. He does believe that it takes a certain amount of hunger to rise to the top of the food chain, and this may have been the reason why he concealed his injury until it was late.
Apparently the fact that The Fiend was fast-tracked into the Universal Championship picture stemmed from the notion that Drew McIntyre had to take time away owing to sickness and surgery, as per Tom Colohue of Sportskeeda. From the reports that have surfaced online, it does not seem like it'll be too long before McIntyre makes a return to the ring, and it could happen as soon as the upcoming draft.
McIntyre could quite easily be the top heel on either brand and in time, when confronted against forces like Brock Lesnar, could even turn babyface. McIntyre was originally touted to be the King of the Ring and the number 1 contender for the Universal Championship contender, according to reports, and his injuries, unfortunately, derailed plans.
If he were to make a return during the draft, the audience would go wild!
#2 Matt Hardy
Matt and Jeff Hardy became the SmackDown Tag Team Champions shortly after WrestleMania, but an injury to Jeff Hardy has forced Matt to sit out for most of the year rather unfortunately. How do you have a legend like him not appear on the show when he's a part of your active roster? This problem could be easily remedied when the brand split happens.
I'm guessing that the Wild Card Rule will be gone with the brand split, meaning that there will be a lot more opportunities for a lot more performers, in coming weeks. We could always see Matt Hardy make a return to the ring, either in his Woken Persona or any of the other personas that he has adopted over the years (it may rival Chris Jericho's gimmicks in terms of sheer number). Hardy could also return as enhancement talent to put over new and young superstars like Andrade, who're hoping to make a name for themselves in the roster.
Remember the pop that the Hardyz received when they made a return at WrestleMania when the whole arena exploded with sheer intensity? It won't be the same if Matt Hardy returns, but I'm sure more than one person would be glad to see him back where he truly belongs.
#1 Finn Balor
Finn Balor was vanquished by The Fiend in his debut outing, but it turned out to be a happy sabbatical for the WWE Superstar and he ended up getting married during his time off. It may be time for Balor to return once again to exact revenge and retribution on the masked monster who has been terrorizing WWE, particularly Seth Rollins, over the past few weeks.
Balor could also return to face the likes of Shinsuke Nakamura and go on to have a great series of matches to elevate the Intercontinental Championship to the next level, with his in-ring prowess. Balor could also enter into a storyline with The OC, owing to their shared history in Japan, and the mutual respect the men share.
I know that everyone wants to see Finn Balor and AJ Styles clash again after the magic they made during their initial encounter. In short, there are many feuds and dream matches waiting for Finn Balor, if he does return during the upcoming WWE draft.
So, ladies and gentlemen, which brand would you like to see him end up on?
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One of Samoa Joe's colleagues had harsh words for him HERE
