A Hall of Famer; Former World Champion - 5 greatest mysterious WWE returns and debuts

WWE is known for having more than a handful of mysteries throughout the company’s history. Some of these mysterious segments revolving around returns and debuts have had fans speculate as to who or what would be arriving at the company. They were recently teased with a series of build-ups suggesting a superstar’s arrival.

The angles were fun to watch play out on WWE television as they gave us a good excuse to tune into the upcoming SmackDown.

So, without any further ado, let’s take a look at the five greatest mysteries surrounding WWE returns and debuts.

#5. “Save_Us Y2J”

At the beginning of September 2007, strange “Matrix style” coding were being used randomly on WWE television. The videos would tell fans to “break the code”, using key references like “2nd coming” and messages like “The code is the answer”.

The anticipation as to who the Superstar could be built for over two months, until the November 19th edition of Monday Night RAW. Randy Orton was in the middle of cutting a promo when the video began to air one last time with the code spelling out: “Save_Us.Y2J”.

Chris Jericho’s music would begin to play, and he would receive a thunderous pop from the WWE Universe. He and Orton would exchange words to end the show.

#4. A double return to WWE programming on “2-21-11”

In February 2011, a series of videos were being played, showing a dark, stormy environment with an abandoned shack. A figure with a long black coat and boots was seen walking up the steps with the numbers: “2-21-11” appearing on screen.

This continued over the next several weeks leading up to the given date. Some wrestling fans speculated that Sting was making his debut for WWE, as he was undergoing contract negotiations with TNA at the time.

On the date of February 21, 2011, the final vignette revealed that it was The Undertaker. As “The Deadman” made his way down to ringside, the WWE Universe got the shock of a lifetime as Triple H’s theme music began to play! The Game had been out of action for almost a full year due to injury.

Both men would have an epic stare down, finally pointing up at the WrestleMania logo, signifying that a match between The King of Kings and The Deadman was imminent for WrestleMania XXVII.

#3. “I am coming to nite”

"The Rated R Superstar" Edge made his fiery return at Summer Slam following an epic buildup.

A few months ago, in July 2022, a series of vignettes began to play, showing some bizarre imagery and symbols throughout each video. Certain objects were thrown in as easter eggs that were related to the WWE Superstar associated with the videos, including Kurt Angle’s “Gold Medals” and the Hardy’s “wristbands”, as examples.

The videos continued over the next several weeks leading into SummerSlam. On that night, we would get our answer, as “The Rated R Superstar” Edge made his dramatic entrance in a blaze of glory, as fire erupted all around as a nod to his days in The Brood.

Edge would then go on to feud with The Judgment Day, a faction he created, and yet the same group that took him out in the first place.

#2. Return of the “The American Nightmare”

Unlike the other picks on our list, the return of “The American Nightmare” Cody Rhodes didn’t feature any mysterious vignettes or segments. Instead, the art of pure internet speculation and rumors kept the mystery going all the way through WrestleMania 38.

Seth Rollins was looking for an opponent with Vince McMahon promising that he would get an opponent by WrestleMania. However, Rollins was left hanging as to who it was. Around the same time, Cody Rhodes was a free agent and had left AEW shockingly in February.

The anticipation began to grow until we reached WrestleMania 38. As Rollins made his entrance, the lights in the arena went out. After several seconds of silence, the opening lyrics to Cody Rhodes’ theme song, “Kingdom” by Downstait started playing and Rhodes came out from under the stage entrance in a dramatic fashion.

#1. “The Millennium Countdown”

Back in July 1999, WWE began running the “Countdown to the Millennium”. At first, fans thought it was literally a countdown to the year 2000, but we soon noticed the video airing more and more numerously up until the August 9th edition of Monday Night RAW.

On that episode of RAW, The Rock was out in the ring cutting a promo when the video began to play on screen. The countdown reached zero, and a video associated with theme music began to play.

The words "JERICHO" flashed across the screen in the video as fans erupted and Jericho appeared at the stage entrance. At the time, Chris Jericho had left WCW barely a month ago and was now standing in WWE territory to feud against The Rock.