4 former WWE stars who can return to NXT following Shawn Spears' surprise appearance

WWE NXT was a big show this week. There was a contract signing that took a surprising twist in the main event, plus Noam Dar defended his Heritage Cup against Charlie Dempsey of No Quarter Catch Crew.

This week's edition of the white and gold brand also featured a massive surprise that caught everybody off guard. Ridge Holland first interrupted a segment with Lyra Valkyria and Tatum Paxley. His intentions were to apologize for snapping and destroying Gallus with steel chairs.

While in the middle of his unconvincing apology, the same text that has been used in recent mysterious vignettes appeared along with a voice-over reading it. Then, out of nowhere, a hooded figure smashed Ridge with a steel chair. The mysterious figure took off the hood, and it was Shawn Spears.

Triple H and Shawn Michaels bringing the former Tye Dillinger back to World Wrestling Entertainment was a massive surprise. Naturally, fans are wondering who could follow in his footsteps and make a return to the white & gold brand next. In this article, we will look at a handful of names who could make a comeback in the future.

Below are four former WWE stars who can return to NXT following Shawn Spears' surprise appearance.

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#4. Peyton Royce & #3. Billie Kay, The IIconics could make a comeback in the future

Peyton Royce and Billie Kay were two of the most charismatic performers in WWE during their tenure with the company. Whether it was on RAW, SmackDown, or NXT, they were often the show stealers whenever they appeared.

The IIconics would be a major boost to WWE in a number of ways. The most obvious is the Women's Tag Team Championship picture. Even if they returned to NXT, they could still challenge for the prized titles.

Alternatively, a team like them may encourage Triple H and Shawn Michaels to bring back the NXT Women's Tag Team Titles. They could make the titles matter if the belts were to be brought out of retirement.

While fans are desperate to see the pair return to World Wrestling Entertainment, The IIconics won't be back in the immediate future. Peyton Royce, who is Shawn Spears' wife, is currently pregnant with their second child, and Billie Kay just gave birth to her first. Still, the pair could conceivably return to the company within the next year or so.

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#2. Tyler Breeze is still affiliated with WWE

Tyler Breeze is one of the most underrated performers in NXT history. He rose to fame as a male model wrestling alongside the likes of Neville, Sami Zayn, and others. He eventually moved to WWE's main roster but sadly had less success.

Unfortunately, Breeze was one of the many releases from the Vince McMahon-led era of WWE. While he was let go from the promotion, he has since returned in some capacity. He works with Fanatics and UpUpDownDown. Breeze is a mainstay of UUDD's popular "Battle of the Brands" series alongside Xavier Woods.

Given that Tyler is already affiliated with the promotion, Triple H and Shawn Michaels should absolutely bring him back into the fold as a performer. He has a unique charisma and could deliver in the ring. As a trainer, he would also be able to help up-and-coming stars as he knows how to help them improve while competing in the ring.

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#1. Mustafa Ali is one of the company's biggest dropped balls

Mustafa Ali at Night of Champions 2023.

The IIconics and Tyler Breeze's releases from WWE came during the pandemic when Vince McMahon was constantly cutting talented performers loose, but this next entry was cut much more recently.

Mustafa Ali's release from WWE still doesn't quite make sense. He was never utilized anywhere close to his full potential. Ali was finally seemingly in a quality position to potentially succeed while on NXT, but unfortunately, his run was cut short once again. Many believe he was a matter of days away from winning the North American Championship before the move was made.

Needless to say, letting go of somebody as talented as Ali was a mistake. Shawn Michaels liked him a lot as a performer, and Triple H likely did too. If he isn't signing with any other promotion, the pair bringing him back sooner rather than later is the right move. He could follow Shawn Spears as a major surprise comeback.