8 WWE stars who made a surprising return to the company this decade

#5 Maria Kanellis

Maria and Mike Kanellis

Left in 2010; Returned in 2017

Maria joined the WWE after one of its many 'Diva Searches' that took place in the 2000s. She didn't win but was one of the contestants that had a long run in front of the cameras. The Illinois native was used as both a backstage interviewer and as a love interest for the likes of John Cena, Matt Hardy, and Dolph Ziggler.

Once she was released from her deal in 2010, she did something that most former 'Diva Search' participants didn't do - stay in the wrestling business. Candice Michelle, Ashley Massaro, Joy Giovanni, and Amy Weber all had stints in the WWE, but none of those women continued pursuing wrestling once they were finished in the company.

Kanellis went on to be a part of a featured act in Ring of Honor from 2011-2015, managing her husband Mike Bennett in the Kingdom alongside Matt Taven and Adam Cole. She was also a fixture in both New Japan Pro Wrestling and TNA up until 2017.

The married couple joined the WWE in 2017 with the 'Power of Love' gimmick. Prior to this return, Kanellis had claimed that the Bellas were preventing her and the likes of Maryse and Kelly Kelly from returning to the company due to their "political stroke." It appears to be all in the past now as all the women worked with the promotion in some capacity in 2017.