Make no mistake, WWE's roster is by no means short on talent. WWE has acquired some phenomenal performers and created a lot of stars over the years. With a plethora of talented sports entertainers such as Adam Cole, Ricochet, Velveteen Dream and Roderick Strong, the current NXT roster proves it in the best possible way.
In the recent times, we have seen some absolute fan favorites returning to perform for WWE like Daniel Bryan, EC3, and Bobby Lashley. Veterans like Brian Kendrick, Goldberg and The Hardy Boyz were welcomed back by fans with an great joy.
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WWE, being the largest pro-wrestling promotion on the planet, sure keeps a sharp focus on the talents working for various other promotions like NJWP, ROH, and Impact. We have seen a lot of returns in the past couple of years which has made us ponder upon the possibilities of witnessing the return of some other celebrated names in this industry under the WWE banner.
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Let's take a look at 5 terrific ex-WWE performers that fans would welcome back with open arms.
#1 Wade Barrett
From being the Nexus leader to playing the "Bad News Barrett" gimmick, Barrett portrayed every character effectively. In 2016, his catchphrase "I'm afraid I've got some bad news", which usually was greeted by cheers from the crowd, turned out to be true when he was released by the company after the League of Nations storyline.
He had everything one looks for in this industry. From good looks to mic skills, he had it all but could not succeed. A whole lot of fans would absolutely love to see him return to WWE someday.
#2 John Morrison
Morrison has made a lot of fans with his performances in WWE and Lucha Underground. From adapting some unique parkour-style moves in his wrestling style to some of the most fluid and easy-on-eyes maneuvers like Starship Pain, Morrison made quite a name for himself.
He can work effectively both as a heel or a face. He has done it for years and enjoyed great success. He won the tag team gold on 4 occasions, 3 with Joey Mercury and once with the Miz. He captured the Intercontinental title thrice in his WWE career and wrestled exceptional matches with the likes of Rey Mysterio and Sheamus.
#3 Austin Aries
Austin Aries made a huge impact when he arrived in the WWE. He wrestled some amazing matches with the likes of Shinsuke Nakamura, Neville and others. Fans loved him, both in the ring and on the commentary booth. It was shocking to know that he requested his released. He later revealed that the WWE officials had no plans in pushing him further than WWE's Cruiserweight Division and hence he made it the choice.
Austin has been on a roll after getting released. He won a lot of titles on the indie circuit. He made his return to the ROH and Impact Wrestling this year. Austin was perhaps the best thing on 205 live during his stint. It would be great to see him return to the WWE and compete with some of the best performers in the business like Daniel Bryan.
#4 Cody
Cody has worked wonders on the independent scene after quitting WWE. He is one of the hottest acts in this business today. Facing all the doubts and losing his last ring name after his release from WWE, he established himself as one of the finest performers on the planet. He was released by WWE in 2016.
He wrestled for various promotions like Impact, ROH and PWG, after his release. Later on, billed as "The American Nightmare", he made his debut for the New Japan Pro Wrestling as a member of the Bullet Club. Owing to his performances and self-belief, Cody has garnered praise from fans and industry veterans like Paul Heyman and Steve Austin.
Currently, he is at the peak of his career. He, along with the Young Bucks, planned the independent show "All In" which is scheduled on Sept 1, 2018, at the Sears Centre Arena in Chicago which has been sold out. He is thriving on his own and this is for a fact that he would be gladly welcomed by the fans when he decides to make a return to WWE.
#5 CM Punk
The likelihood of this happening is very low as of now, but as they say, Never say never. CM Punk revolutionized the landscape of the pro-wrestling business in the later years of his WWE career and created a buzz like very few have. Punk was unbelievably good in the ring and on the mic.
Punk signed with UFC after his release. He fought Mickey Gall and lost in the very first round. Punk was widely appreciated by a lot of people from both MMA and Pro-wrestling community for his courage and efforts. He is scheduled to face Mike Jackson at UFC 225 on June 9, 2018.
Although he has made it clear that he has no intentions of going back to WWE ever, still a lot of people believe he would make his return to the pro-wrestling industry at some point in his career. If he does, without a flick of doubt, fans would welcome him back with open arms.
Are there any other Superstars you would like to see come back to WWE?
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