Former WWE Wrestlers Who Should Make A Return

With the return of John Morrison to the WWE, it is time to look at some other wrestlers who would be a great addition to the roster. We are not just talking about any talent though, but about wrestlers who have been employed by the WWE in the past.

WWE Evan Bourne a.k.a. Matt Sydal

When you’ve watched WWE for a while, you are undoubtedly familiar with Evan Bourne. If not, you may know him from the indie scene, where he currently wrestles under the name Matt  Sydal.

Bourne was signed to World Wrestling Entertainment in 2007 and performed on the developmental brand. He defeated none other than TJ Wilson on his debut match and would be called to the main roster soon afterwards.

Bourne would eventually return to the developmental brand NXT; this due to a motorcycle accident which saw him break his foot in four different places. After a year, he defeated Sami Zayn on NXT. Unfortunately, he was released the next year after his debut match. A decision not many people understand to this day. As he is one of the wrestlers who is fully polished on the indie scene right now, he would be great for the main roster. Interestingly, he has not re-signed with Impact Wrestling, so this could happen on NXT or AEW.

Favorite Women’s Return – Kaitlyn

When it comes to former WWE wrestlers, we cannot forget about the women’s division either. There are many women who I would love to have back in World Wrestling Entertainment. One of them is undoubtedly Kaitlyn.

Former Diva’s champion Kaitlyn would be an outstanding choice for the women’s division. Even though she made a brief appearance in the Mae Young Classic in 2018, she has yet to sign a new contract with the WWE.

Interestingly, Kaitlyn left the company in 2014. She stated she considered herself retired and that she would focus on her marriage and new business. She would eventually divorce her husband and make an in-ring return on February 18. So, could there be a loophole that sees Kaitlyn back into NXT, Raw or SmackDown?

WWE Veteran Rob Van Dam

I know, you may call me nuts to bring in another veteran among wrestlers. But come on, he’s Rob Van Dam!

Van Dam has left and returned to the WWE multiple times over the years. He was already a big name in the wrestling world when leaving World Wrestling Entertainment, so he certainly did not need the indies to further his career. This is an example of a man who lives and breathes wrestling.

The relationship between Van Dam and World Wrestling Entertainment has always been tricky. However, their relationship cannot be described as unsaveable as he did some cameo appearances over the years, including during the Raw reunion. So, just maybe we could have another Rob Van Dam run?

Tiny But Dangerous – AJ Lee

When I mention former women’s wrestlers, I would be outright stupid not to talk about AJ Lee. After all, this woman has my favorite submission of all time “The Black Widow”.

One of the issues that plagued Lee a lot was her association with CM Punk, as the pair are married. It often lead to “CM Punk” chants, which I can imagine were annoying for her as an individual.

Lee left the company in 2014; this shortly after the problems between Punk and WWE. A serious injury also forced her to retire in the height of her popularity as a female wrestler.

Unfortunately, Lee is considered as retired and has made a career for herself as an author. Still, part of me is still hoping for a return for this amazing wrestler. It is not likely to happen though, as permanent damage to her cervical spine is allegedly the main reason for her retirement.

Justin Gabriel a.k.a. PJ Black

In our list of wrestlers we would like to see return is none other than Justin Gabriel. Do you remember Nexus? If not, no worries because we have you covered.

Justin Gabriel started his early wrestling career in South Africa – where the  wrestler was born – and the United Kingdom. He would eventually be signed to WWE’s developmental brand in 2008 and would remain there for two years.

Interestingly, Gabriel did not get his wrestling name until 2010. In February of that year, Justin was placed under the tutelage of Matt Hardy, who became his storyline mentor. He would make his debut in NXT alongside Hardy and faced the team of William Regal and Skip Sheffield.

As Gabriel came up to the main roster with guys such as Bad News Barrett and other young talent, he would become a member of the most recognized heel wrestling stables, Nexus. The stable would become a suitable start for many superstars in WWE.

Unfortunately, things went downhill for Gabriel after Nexus. He would be considered as a lower tier wrestler by management and was mainly used in a jobber role. He would later reveal they even used him to be the “bunny” in the Adam Rose Exotic Express, even though the Adam Rose persona was supposed to be his character.

Gabriel would eventually leave the WWE in 2015 and make his mark at Impact Wrestling. He would rebrand himself as PJ Black and have great matches with Drew Galloway (now Drew McIntyre in the WWE). He also spent four years at Lucha Underground, where he faced Johnny Mundo (John Morrison) for the Lucha Underground Championship.

Who Else Should Make This List Of Wrestlers?

Needless to say, there are countless former WWE wrestlers we would love to see again. From Carlito to Eva Marie and Barrett, I think there is a lot of wasted potential in the former WWE wrestler pool.

So, why does the WWE release these people in the first place? Unfortunately, the wrestling world is a cutthroat world where even good wrestlers are forgotten. Sometimes, it is a matter of luck and catching the eye of Vince McMahon and other higher management.