Johnny Gargano has been the talk of the wrestling world ever since he made a shocking return to WWE on the latest episode of RAW. The star's appearance on the red brand surprised everybody while also exciting viewers worldwide. While his return has raised many questions about the future, one key focus has been on his wife's status with the promotion.
Many fans hope that Gargano's return to the company could potentially lead to the return of Candice LeRae. In August 2021, the NXT star revealed she was pregnant and had to step away from the ring. Her contract then allegedly expired in May of this year. Some believe that whenever she feels ready to return to action, she'll potentially find her way back to WWE.
Triple H recently brought back many wrestlers who were either released or their contracts expired. The long list of returning stars includes Dakota Kai, Karrion Kross, Scarlett, Top Dolla, Ashante "Thee" Adonis, B-Fab, Dexter Lumis, and Johnny Gargano. The impressive tally is likely to continue to grow in the near future.
Could Candice LeRae make a big return to World Wrestling Entertainment? Her return is certainly possible. If she does make a comeback, there are numerous routes the former NXT Women's Tag Team Champion could take.
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Below are five ways Candice LeRae could return to WWE following Johnny Gargano's appearance on RAW.
#5. She could return to WWE NXT to challenge Mandy Rose
If Candice Wrestling were to return to WWE, she might not instantly appear on the main roster. Instead, she may return to the former black-and-gold brand and establish her place on its talented roster.
NXT would be a suitable destination for LeRae, as she likely has some unfinished business on the brand. While she did find some success during her previous run, the star has only held one title thus far in her career with World Wrestling Entertainment. She, alongside Indi Hartwell, held the NXT Women's Tag Team Championship in 2021.
LeRae could potentially return on the NXT brand to challenge Mandy Rose. The former Golden Goddess has had an incredible run as the NXT Women's Champion. Challenger after challenger has lined up to take the belt away from her, but each has failed in their attempt. However, the 36-year-old could prove to be a formidable foe who dethrones Mandy Rose in the near future.
#4. She could return by joining the main roster as a singles competitor
Johnny Gargano was a member of the NXT roster when his contract expired. Upon returning to WWE, he became a member of Monday Night RAW. Dakota Kai and Dexter Lumis followed similar paths upon returning from their releases.
With Gargano, Kai and Lumis all returning to the promotion by joining the main roster, there's no reason LeRae can't do the same. She has plenty of experience in professional wrestling and spent years in the NXT system, seemingly preparing her for the big transition.
Due to multiple budget cuts and waves of releases from the company over the past few years, the WWE RAW and SmackDown rosters have become relatively thin. Candice LeRae would help beef up either brand with her talent and possibly bring more eyeballs to the product
#3. She could return alongside Johnny Gargano
The most obvious and direct way for Candice LeRae to return to WWE is for her to join Monday Night RAW alongside her husband. Johnny Gargano is now a RAW Superstar, so it would be logical for her to not only join the main roster but also be actively paired up with the former NXT Champion.
Logically, most World Wrestling Entertainment fans know that Gargano and LeRae are husband and wife. WWE NXT and RAW are both on the USA Network. Even if fans didn't watch the developmental show while the pair were a part of it, advertisements would have likely filled them in on the duo's relationship.
Even if the audience doesn't know about their relationship, it wouldn't be difficult to show them that they're a couple on the main roster's programming. Doing so will immediately give both stars' characters an added layer. If the opportunity arises, they could also have several exciting mixed tag team bouts.
#2. LeRae could team up with Indi Hartwell
On May 4th, 2021, Candice LeRae teamed up with Indi Hartwell to battle Ember Moon and Shotzi in a Street Fight for the NXT Women's Tag Team Championship. The tandem representing The Way ultimately won the bout and walked away with the coveted titles.
The duo dropped their title on July 6th during the WWE NXT Great American Bash event. Soon after, LeRae revealed she was pregnant; thus, the two haven't teamed up since. As the latest episode of NXT has proven, those close to Hartwell could potentially reunite with her moving forward.
Whether the two would be on NXT or the main roster, Indi Hartwell and Candice LeRae could team up again if the latter returns to WWE. They've already proven to be a formidable duo, and with a renewed focus on the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship division, they may be a perfect fit for the main roster.
#1. The Way could reunite on the main roster
The Way was a unique faction in NXT and consisted of five members. Johnny Gargano and Candice LeRae led the group and served as parental figures. Meanwhile, Indi Hartwell and Theory were the "children" of The Way. Later, Dexter Lumis also married into the faction thanks to his relationship with Hartwell.
There's a chance that the faction could reunite on Monday Night RAW. Dexter Lumis, Johnny Gargano, and Theory are all members of the RAW roster. If Hartwell is potentially called up, only LeRae will be left to join the brand.
While Theory and Gargano aren't seemingly seeing eye-to-eye following the events of WWE RAW, they can still reconcile. Perhaps it would take LeRae to truly bring everybody back together as one big happy family. Regardless, The Way on the main roster has a lot of potential to be entertaining and dominate the opposition.
Could Candice LeRae find herself back in World Wrestling Entertainment? For now, there's no indication of a possible return. Regardless, the talented superstar would be a great addition to any roster. Hopefully, LeRae will make a significant return just like her husband did.
Speaking of Johnny Gargano, click here for five possible opponents for him now that he's returned to World Wrestling Entertainment.