Since Impact Wrestling's inception in 2002, the company has experienced many highs and many lows. The company's roster has always been a mixture of homegrown talent and established stars from other promotions. Due to all of this talent cycling through the roster, it is inevitable that the company would release talent over the years.
However, due to the transient nature of professional wrestling, some of this talent would walk back through the doors of Impact Wrestling years later in their career. While it would be great if each of these wrestlers continued their success in Impact wrestling upon their returns, not all of them are so fortunate. In fact, some of these wrestlers would end up regretting returning to the company.
10 Made A Mistake - Sean Waltman
At the peak of his wrestling career during his WWE stint, Sean Waltman enjoyed considerable success as a member of D-Generation X. When he was released from the company in 2002, he used his star power to gain a spot in the early days of the Impact Wrestling roster and had multiple short stints with the company.
Unfortunately, Waltman went to the well too many times and joined the company for the final time in 2010. Far past his prime and unable to hang with the younger talent on the roster, Waltman stuck out like a sore thumb for all the wrong reasons, and only damaged his legacy.
9 Made The Right Call - Scott Steiner
Scott Steiner's career is usually remembered for either the extreme highs or extreme lows of his career. Whether fans remember his WCW World Championship run or disappointing WWE stint, it makes Steiner a polarizing character. In addition, Steiner's Impact Wrestling stints are very similar.
Steiner's first Impact stint included one of his most memorable moments during his "Steiner Math" promo, but it was for all the wrong reasons. Thankfully, he returned to the company on two different occasions to prove that he deserves the respect of wrestling fans due to his contributions to the business.
8 Made A Mistake - Austin Aries
There is no denying how talented Austin Aries is inside of the ring and he deserves the accolades he earned from his in-ring work. Aries' introduction to the wrestling world during his first Impact Wrestling stint as a member of the X-Division served to showcase what he could accomplish in the ring.
However, when Aries rejoined the company later in his career and became Impact World Champion, he made headlines for all the wrong reasons. Aries infamously ended his final Impact stint by going off script during a match with Johnny Impact, and marked him as someone very difficult to work with that has impacted his career ever since.
7 Made The Right Call - Christian Cage
While some wrestling fans feel that Christian Cage was never considered a top wrestler during his WWE stint, he has proven what he is capable of during his runs with Impact Wrestling. After becoming NWA World Heavyweight Champion during his first run with the company, he proved just how great he could be.
Once Christian rejoined WWE later in his career, fans once again questioned his spot in wrestling history. Thankfully, Christian joined Impact Wrestling one more time and enjoyed another run as Impact World Champion, once again proving what he could do if given the opportunity.
6 Made A Mistake - Dustin Rhodes
Dustin Rhodes has enjoyed multiple ups and downs in his career and has traveled through many different companies during his pursuit to find greatness. After joining Impact Wrestling for the first time in 2004 under his real name, he would bounce back to WWE before his personal demons got the better of him.
While he is now enjoying a career renaissance in AEW, Rhodes' return to Impact Wrestling in 2007 was met with nothing but eye rolls. Now known as Black Reign, he was seen as nothing but a cheap imitation of Goldust, which only served to damage his legacy, which was difficult for him to come back from.
5 Made The Right Call - Mia Yim
The Impact Wrestling Knockouts division has always been one of the cornerstones of the company due to how much of a focus they have placed on women's wrestling over the years. As a former Knockout's Champion, Mia Yim has proven just how valuable she could be to a women's division.
Unfortunately, her short stint in WWE did not showcase her talents and she wound up being consistently under-utilized during her entire run. Thankfully, she returned to WWE in 2022 following her release and is proving once again that if she is used in the right way that she can help carry an entire division.
4 Made A Mistake - Jeff Hardy
Jeff Hardy's impact on the wrestling industry has been going on for over twenty years now, and his runs in both WWE and Impact have helped contribute to a great legacy. Unfortunately, his personal demons have gotten in the way of his own success, and he sometimes ends up being his own worst enemy.
Jeff's first run in Impact came in 2002 and he became a cornerstone for the company and helped use his name value to put Impact on the map during its early days. However, when he returned in 2010 for another run, his own lifestyle got in the way and severely damaged his legacy.
3 Made The Right Call - Rhyno
The former ECW World Heavyweight Champion has worked hard to keep up his legacy over the years, and stints in both WWE and Impact have helped fans remember how powerful The Man Beast can be. While Rhyno did not reach main event status during his runs in WWE, he did make his presence felt in Impact Wrestling.
Rhyno's first run resulted in a reign as the prestigious NWA World Heavyweight Champion before he departed for a run on the independent circuit and then a tag team run in WWE. His recent return to Impact Wrestling has proven to be a smart decision as he is continuing to remain in the spotlight in a company that treats him well.
2 Made A Mistake - Ken Shamrock
Long-time Impact Wrestling fans remember that Ken Shamrock was once meant to be the cornerstone of the company and was actually the promotion's first world champion. After a solid mid-card run in WWE, this Impact run helped establish Shamrock as a legitimate professional wrestler along with his legendary MMA career.
However, there were few fans clamouring for a Ken Shamrock return to wrestling in 2019. In fact, Shamrock burned his bridges with most wrestling fans after his MMA career ran too long that he overstayed his welcome.
1 Made The Right Call - Deonna Purrazzo
Deonna Purrazzo's wrestling career has proven that the grass is not always greener on the other side. After a solid stint in the Knockouts division, Purrazzo left the company in 2014 to begin working in WWE developmental, which only ended up being a detriment to her career.
Despite her years of experience, Purrazzo was not used on WWE television and wound up being released without much thought. Thankfully, she returned to Impact Wrestling and showed the world that she is not only among the best in the world but is in charge of her own destiny.