5 most shocking WrestleMania returns

#2 Roddy Piper (WrestleMania XIX)

Roddy Piper: never one for an inconspicuous arrival

When a near-50-year-old Hulk Hogan faced a near-60-year-old Vince McMahon at WrestleMania XIX, it was clear that this one was going to feature smoke and mirrors aplenty. That meant that it wasn’t too surprising when we saw some outside interference in the match’s latter stages.

What did prove to be rather more surprising, though, was the identity of that interloper.

With both Hogan and McMahon down for the count, a dark figure in a black trench coat strode to the ring, before removing his layers and revealing himself to be Roddy Piper—much to the delight of the home state crowd. After some brief theatrics, Piper then seized the steel pipe that lay by his feet and having initially looked set to strike McMahon, turned towards Hogan and nailed his former foe with the pipe.

Perhaps we should have seen that twist coming, given Piper’s history with Hogan, but having spent seven long years away from the company, the return itself was anything but expected.