It’s quite a surreal time to be a WWE fan. We’re in the midst of a transition era that’s struggling to distance itself from the past whilst trying to establish the future. Vince McMahon’s Attitude Era stars are still heavily featured on the show, regularly taking the limelight away from Hunter’s NXT graduates. But regardless of how long Vince McMahon clings to the throne, Triple H’s time at the forefront of the company will come and it will come soon.

In this piece, we will analyze the potential returns of superstars that Vince and Hunter individually want. Obviously we can't know exactly what's going on in their heads (would you really want to be in Vince's head?) we can make some educated guesses based on patterns the two have followed in how they value talent. Through this, we’ll be able to gauge the difference in vision the two figureheads have for the company. We’ll see what they value in a competitor through who they want to bring back. By the end of the article, you’ll notice a huge difference in the ideologies of Vince McMahon and Triple H. It’s up to fans to decide who you identify with more.

Everyone on this list is former superstars who once worked for the company, but for whatever reason, they moved on to browner/greener pastures. But in the world of professional wrestling, you can never say never, and no return is off limits!

Here are 10 Big WWE Returns Vince Wants To Happen And 10 Triple H Wants.

20 Wants: Alberto Del Rio

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As the shrewd businessman he is, Vince McMahon knows the value of catering to international markets. There is money to be made outside of the United States and thankfully Mr McMahon broadened the horizons of the WWE further than his father ever envisioned.

Now the WWE tours every corner of the globe, but that wouldn’t have been possible if the roster wasn’t diversified. Figures like Rey Mysterio and Alberto Del Rio have allowed the company to tap into the Latino market. And for that marketability alone, Vince McMahon still wants the former World Heavyweight Champion to return to his roster.

19 Triple H Wants: Rich Swann

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Energetic, lively, fun, athletic and eccentric, Rich Swann had all the qualities a PG friendly sports entertainer needed. Not only was he an exceptional worker, but he also had the likability to appeal to the majority of the WWE Universe. Despite coming into the company as a nobody, the energy of his entrance shone bright and allowed him to stand out in a Cruiserweight division still finding its feet.

Although the high-flyer made his way to Impact earlier this year, a return to the WWE would be too hard to turn down. His name has been cleared and with the eye for the talent Triple H has, it’s only matter of time before we see Swann’s dancing feet back on Tuesday nights.

18 Vince Wants: Hulk Hogan

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Dolph Ziggler recently said in an interview that he feels Vince McMahon favours the creative opinions of the older guys more than he does of the current / younger guys. If that’s not a big indication of the Chairman’s bias towards the past, I don’t know what is. Despite being close to 70, Hulk Hogan is still viewed as a valuable asset by the chairman of the board.

Although he returned at Crown Jewel, Vince wants more than that, he wants an in-ring return! Rumour has it a Rusev vs. Hogan match could happen at Wrestlemania…. good grief. Vince McMahon ALWAYS finds a way to put the past at the forefront of his promotion.

17 Triple H Wants: Justin Gabriel

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Since the inception of wrestling, there haven’t been many more talented than the South African high-flyer, Justin Gabriel. The Nexus member was always the most exciting to watch in the group and his finishing move was regularly the highlight of the show for many casual viewers.

The former tag team champion revealed in an interview that him & Triple H didn't see eye to eye when he left. However, in order to ensure success, and keeping the roster as talented as possible, the Cerebral Assassin would sign Gabriel within seconds. I’m guessing Vince McMahon isn’t as keen, but still, we’re in the Reality Era now.

16 Vince Wants: The Rock

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To be fair, there are not many bosses in the world that wouldn’t want their most successful former employee to return. Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson has molded himself into a figure that’s bigger than the company he once worked for. He’s one of the few wrestlers that can safely say the WWE needs him more than he needs them.

According to reports, if The Rock returns, he’ll slot straight into the main event of WrestleMania 35. That’s how much Vince McMahon values him and the boss would do anything for the Hollywood superstar to incorporate wrestling into his busy schedule one last time.

15 Triple H Wants: Emma

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Before there was a women’s revolution, there was an Emma quietly but consistently putting women’s wrestling on the map. She was one of NXT's biggest female stars and then was a solid part of the Monday Night Raw set up and now that she’s gone, there’s a noticeable hole in the women’s division.

She was the one that gave the once dominant Asuka her best matches on free television and it’s a shame how underrated her standing in the company was. To bring Emma back now would be a Triple H chess move and she’s a familiar face that could still reinvigorate the current women’s evolution.

14 Vince Wants: The Great Khali

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Vince’s fascination with ‘big’ men has never been shown to be more prominent than his pushing of the Great Khali. Never has there been a more unathletic and uncoordinated wrestler in the history of the business. Previously dubbed as the eighth wonder of the world, Vince McMahon literally used the Punjabi giant in a strange ‘freak’ show role in order to appeal to the wider public.

Even at that, Khali regularly found himself in the main event scene with high-profile programs against The Undertaker, John Cena, Batista and Big Show. In Vince’s eyes, there will always be a place for Khali in the WWE.

13 Triple H Wants: Batista

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For some strange reason, since succeeding in Hollywood, Batista’s achievements haven’t been celebrated by the WWE in the same way the Rock’s has. Why? I have no idea, but it is peculiar as the WWE usually aggressively attach themselves to the success of present and former superstars alike.

Regardless, prior to #SDLive1000, Batista had been very vocal on Twitter about the company refusing to return his calls and basically treating him as an outcast. Luckily, Triple H’s power in WWE has continued to increase and it's his influence that will allow Batista to return as a full-time worker again.

12 Vince Wants: Goldberg

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It’s not Goldberg’s fault, but his run two years ago was not something WWE fans would like to remember. The fact that Brock Lesnar’s unstoppable momentum was guzzled up by the 51-year-old not only rendered The Beast’s streak as worthless, but it also reflected badly on the rest of the roster.

It affected it so much so that by the time Roman Reigns finally pinned The Beast, nobody really cared anymore. The ‘unstoppable’ aura of Goldberg is still very much in the mind of Vince and every time he thinks of the 51-year-old, he sees a star. Sadly, the WWE Universe doesn’t agree.

11 Triple H Wants: Enzo Amore

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He may not have been the most technical wrestler, but on the mic, Enzo Amore was virtually untouchable. The realest guy in the room would come out week after week and thoroughly entertain the live audience and the millions watching across the world. He was beloved, cherished and adored.

However, legal issues ended up being the final nail in the coffin for Enzo, after he had already been in some hot water backstage. Since then, Amore has had his name cleared. While Enzo has said he's given up on wrestling, if he ever wanted to make a return in a non-wrestling capacity, Hunter may certainly entertain the idea.

10 Vince Wants: Chris Jericho

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The Ayatollah of Rock ‘n’ Rolla is one of the most iconic figures in wrestling history. With one of the most legendary debuts in WWE history, Chris Jericho’s name will forever be synonymous with the business Vince created. And for that reason alone, for as long he’s in power, Vince will continue to reach out to Y2J.

Recently, Jericho has showcased his talents in different New Japan, just showing how versatile he truly is. At 45 years of age, Jericho is a veteran that brings star power and legitimacy to wherever he goes, star power Vince desperately needs in an era where John Cena is no longer a full-time talent.

9 Triple H Wants: Wade Barrett

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It’s a shame that one of the most over acts of the past decade was booted out the door on his knees. He wasn’t released because he wasn’t over enough, it’s because he was too over. The WWE has never really taken too kindly to wrestlers who garnered great reactions from the crowd by their own doing, Bad News Barrett is one example, Damien Mizdow is another.

Daniel Bryan only got his championship run because the WWE Universe was literally about to revolt. One can’t help but think this outdated way of thinking stems from Vince McMahon. Luckily for us, Triple H knows talent when he sees it and gradually, he’ll start to bring back the wrestlers who were mishandled by his father-in-law.

8 Vince Wants: James Ellsworth

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Any man with two hands has a fighting chance,” was the slogan that the WWE used to sell the underdog story of James Ellsworth. Alongside cracks about his lack of a chin, Ellsworth was heavily featured during his days on SmackDownLive. With two wins over current WWE Champion AJ Styles, there’s no way Vince McMahon didn’t adore James Ellsworth.

In fact, it’s said there were even ideas floating around for Ellsworth to enter, and possibly win, the first ever women’s royal rumble. Vince has always been one to hold a strange sense of humor and Ellsworth’s antics will forever be the best representation of that humor. Of course, any thoughts of an Ellsworth return may have to be put on hold until his personal issues are cleared up.

7 Triple H Wants: Adam Rose

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If you ever needed an example of Vince McMahon burying a Triple H talent, here it is. In NXT, Ray Leppan was the vindictive, sadistic Leo Kruger, a heel that sent shockwaves throughout the developmental brand. However, upon call-up, Vince made the call that this character wasn’t fit for the PG era and proceeded to form one of the worst characters in modern history: Adam Rose.

Rose was meant to be this fun-loving, party-go lucky figure but it was never clear whether he was heel or face due to his strange mannerisms. The sheer face the ‘bunny’ was more over than him says it all. Basically, Vince ruined a man’s career and once he’s gone, I’m sure Triple H will look to revive a once-promising heel persona.

6 Vince Wants: AJ Lee

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We don't have to speculate about this one because Vince in fact, has reached out to AJ Lee about a return to the company. While CM Punk's contentious relationship with the company makes matters complicated, Vince would be willing to put that aside, since AJ still offers a lot of potential value to the product. She retired fairly young and was one of the pioneers of the women's revolution we're now seeing in WWE. Vince tried to get AJ to return for Evolution, but for one reason or another, it didn't happen. Chalk this one up as being a return both Vince and Hunter would welcome.

5 Triple H Wants: Neville

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At the height of his Cruiserweight Championship run, it could’ve been argued that Neville was not only the best wrestler in the company but the best on the planet. He was that good. The Englishman literally showcased a level of wrestling that we’d never seen before on a weekly basis. On top of that, his character development was stupendous.

Why did he leave? He didn’t see why a wrestler with the skillset of Enzo Amore should become champion over him in the division he built. Based on those creative differences, Neville left and never looked back, much to the dismay of Hunter. However, Neville is too valuable an asset for Triple H not to reach out to.

4 Vince Wants: Eva Marie

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Does anyone else remember Eva Marie’s hilarious entrance on SmackDown Live? The entrance literally typified Vince McMahon’s sense of humor and showed how invested he was in the Red Head. It’s unfortunate for the Total Divas star that she had health complications that abruptly put her wrestling career in the bin.

This was probably a bigger blow to Vince than it was to her. But as we all know, the boss will do anything to make a dime and if we’re being honest, Eva Marie has a marketable look that could be translated into star power. She has that it-factor and Vince McMahon would never give up on such a commodity.

3 Triple H Wants: Cody Rhodes

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With a mindset that very much looks to the future, Triple H is always looking at younger talents to occupy the main event scene. Having worked with Cody Rhodes during several feuds with Legacy, Hunter knows better than anyone how good the son of Dusty Rhodes is.

His time outside the WWE has not only shown how talented he is but proven he’s a legitimate draw. As the face of Ring of Honor, Cody Rhodes has headlined several pay-per-views, including All In that drew an astonishing 10,000 people. If the IWGP United States  Champion were to return to the WWE, he’d fulfil his rightful place in the main event scene.

2 Vince Wants: CM Punk

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Where there's a will there's a way...When the former WWE Champion revealed all his frustration in that explosive Colt Cabana podcast, a lot of his anger was directed at Triple H, not Vince McMahon. In fact, the 38-year-old even went into great depths to explain how he had a 1-on-1 relationship with the boss and how Vince had tears in his eyes on his final day.

Now, regardless of what has been said, Vince McMahon values business over anything. As the only man to outsell John Cena’s merchandise in his peak years, CM Punk is still a main event draw, a draw that the WWE desperately needs right now. If Punk were ever willing to make a return, Vince would put past issues aside and welcome it in a heartbeat.

1 Triple H Wants: Austin Aries

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Why Austin Aries was released from the WWE, we’ll never know. It's unclear which party initiated it. He and Neville literally put the Cruiserweight division on the map. It was exactly the caliber of feud needed to legitimize the show. His wrestling skills were exceptional, his ability to tell a story is brilliant and his on the mic skills were fantastic.

Altogether he was a top-quality worker that deserved more than to be shoved out the side door. As Vince McMahon grows closer to retirement, Hunter may slowly but quietly build a talent pool worthy of carrying the WWE into a new era.