The WWE has the deepest and most talented roster in wrestling history, but due to the grueling schedule, there are so many who are currently injured and looking forward to making a comeback in the near future. Add on to that the number of future stars the WWE has performing down in NXT, and it should make the WWE one of the most unpredictable and exciting wrestling promotions in the world, but unfortunately, that isn’t the case.

Debuts and returns can happen at any time, and often result in some of the biggest pops in wrestling history. So, whether they are surprise returns/debuts or announced ahead of time, it’s something that the WWE fans always look forward.

Unfortunately, most of the time, we can predict where and when these things will happen (whether you read dirt sheets or not, as the WWE have become incredibly bland and predictable), and today, we are going to do just that; attempting to predict when these 20 wrestlers will make their WWE debuts or returns.

Note: This includes wrestlers returning from injury, returning from retirement/semi-retirement (e.g. The Rock, The Undertaker or Hulk Hogan), making their debut from NXT or making their debut in NXT.

20 Shayna Baszler, Jessamyn Duke & Marina Shafir: WrestleMania 35

If WWE does what the fans want heading into WrestleMania, they will pit The Rowdy One against The Man at WrestleMania, and going up against the fan favorite, it’s clear that Ronda Rousey is going to need help to defeat Becky Lynch. It’s not going to be a permanent call-up, as both Maria Shafir and Jessamyn Duke need plenty of time to develop, but doing this would allow Rousey to get the win, protect Becky Lynch and set up The Four Horsewomen bout that WWE has been teasing for years. This is going to happen sooner rather than later, and this is the best opportunity to expose Duke, Baszler, and Shafir to the wider WWE audience.

19 Heavy Machinery: Raw After WrestleMania

RAW’s Tag Team division is currently lacking, as there are really only three top teams (AOP, Lucha House Party, and The Revival). So following WrestleMania, they need to add another team to the division. The War Raiders, The Mighty, The Undisputed and other NXT teams all have much to do down there still, so the duo of Otis Dozovic and Tucker Knight, known as Heavy Machinery are a perfect candidate. They’re a very fun duo, and if pushed correctly, these two could become stars on the main roster and would be a genuine threat to the Authors of Pain.

18 Kassius Ohno: RAW After WrestleMania

Kassius Ohno (formerly Chris Hero) has been one of the best wrestlers in the entire world for several decades now, and despite the fact that he has never held the NXT Championship, he needs to be in line for a main roster promotion. He has the look, the fan base, and the work rate. H would fit in perfectly on RAW, and considering how much main event talent they’ve lost to injury, he could slide up or down the show. RAW after ‘Mania is always the place for NXT debuts, so why mess with what works? Ohno would be a great addition to RAW.

17 Bray Wyatt: Royal Rumble 2019

Bray Wyatt has been out of action for quite some time now, but with the injuries to several performers in the last few months, it’s time he came back. There’s a lot of intrigue surrounding that comeback. There have been rumors that his partnership with Matt Hardy will facilitate his return, or maybe it will be a reuniting of The Wyatt Family in some capacity. Either way, it’s coming soon. A return in the Rumble match would generate a big pop for the crowd, especially if the WWE finally get behind him in a creative capacity.

16 Jason Jordan: RAW After WrestleMania

Jason Jordan has had an up-and-down career with WWE, but lately, it’s been more down, as he’s dealt with career-threatening neck injuries. However, he’s expected to return soon, and the RAW after WrestleMania seems as good a time as any. His former tag team partner Chad Gable is involved with Bobby Roode right now, and if Roode is to shine, he needs to be a heel, so an American Alpha reunion makes so much sense. Before he left, however, JJ was shaping up to be one of the best heels in the WWE, so that’s always an option. Either way, we expect Jordan to return early in 2019.

15 Chelsea Green: NXT TakeOver: Phoenix

NXT’s Women’s Division has produced a majority of the current RAW and SmackDown Live divisions, and it just keeps on getting better. After Io Shirai made her first NXT appearance at WarGames, former Impact star Chelsea Green is next. The Hot Mess is an incredibly talented and athletic performer, but it’s her character work and charisma that is going to get her over big with the Full Sail audience. The traditional way to introduce a new character in NXT is to have them sit in the audience, and for Green, that’s a simple way to get her a big pop in front of a big NXT crowd.

14 John Cena: Royal Rumble 2019

John Cena has been taking quite a bit of time off wrestling lately to pursue other avenues in Hollywood, and no one can blame him for that, but once WrestleMania season rolls around, expect Big Match John to return. We may only see him for a few runs every year from now on, but if he’s used to help get younger talent over, that’s perfect, and 2019 that should begin with a surprise return at the Rumble. There are many opponents that Cena can face going forward (Lars Sullivan, Braun Strowman, any number of performers from NXT), so he’s going to stick around part-time for a while, and his 2019 will begin with a bang at the Royal Rumble.

13 Matt Hardy: Royal Rumble 2019

After finally getting the chance to show off his Woken/Broken character in the WWE, news came out that Matt Hardy was retiring from the professional wrestling business, but recent rumors have fans excited at the prospect of seeing him in the ring once more. Those rumors have also continued to link him to Bray Wyatt, so even if his return comes in a non-wrestling capacity, it will be great to see him back on our screens. There have also been reports that he is being considered for the RAW GM position, but no matter what happens, we should all expect to see The Woken One back on our screens by Royal Rumble 2019, just in time for the Road to WrestleMania.

12 The Undisputed Era: Survivor Series 2019

The quartet of Adam Cole, Bobby Fish, Kyle O’Reilly, and Roderick Strong have been the hottest thing in NXT for quite some time now, and even though they’ll remain on the yellow brand, they need to be promoted at some point. As individuals, all four of these men have potential to be champions on the main roster, but together, these guys are going to sell an immense amount of merchandise, and they’ll be big stars. WarGames is the night before Survivor Series, so it makes sense for them to compete in War Games III, but a surprise debut at Survivor Series, just like The Shield would be a big surprise and a huge move.

11 EC3: Royal Rumble 2019

EC3 was once on the main roster known as Derrick Bateman, but he went to the indies and transformed himself, now returning to NXT known by his Impact persona, Ethan Carter III. He hasn’t had the best run in NXT, but with his look and his overwhelming charisma, he’s been rumored to be promoted straight back to the main roster, and it’s going to happen in the Royal Rumble. If it wasn’t for an injury, he would have been promoted following SummerSlam, but with the mid-card needing help right now, EC3 would be a star on either brand.

10 Aleister Black: SmackDown Following WrestleMania

Many people worried how the character of Tommy End would translate to the WWE, but Aleister Black has been amazing down in NXT, starring in every single story he’s been involved in. His in-ring performances are great, and he carries an aura with him that few people ever achieve, and on SmackDown Live with so many great potential opponents, he will thrive. Sure, many people worry about NXT stars being promoted to the main roster, but Black can overcome that, and he will once he debuts following WrestleMania 35, and expect him to be a Champion by Survivor Series.

9 Matt Riddle: WrestleMania 35

The Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal has become a staple of WrestleMania weekend over the last FOUR years, and it almost always features some kind of presence from NXT, and whether he wins or not, The King of Bros should be in this bout. Matt has an undeniable charisma and is a fantastic worker, and while this wouldn’t be a promotion to the main roster (he has a lot of work to do down in NXT), it would be a great way to introduce the world to Matt Riddle. Ideally, he would win the bout and head back down to NXT with all the momentum in the world, but whether this happens or not, he’s on his way to becoming a future World Champion in WWE.

8 Sami Zayn: RAW After WrestleMania

Sami Zayn has been out for a number of months now, but despite damaging both arms, he is expected back within the next few months. So, what better time to return than the RAW after WrestleMania? Zayn hasn’t been booked that well since his arrival on the main roster, but he’s so good that WWE can only hold him down for so long, and a hot return could really kick-start his career on the main roster. Whether he is again best friends with Kevin Owens or not, Zayn is a great performer, and it’s about time that he got what he deserves, and the WWE will see that when he returns.

7 Kevin Owens: Elimination Chamber 2019

Kevin Owens is one of the most well-rounded and versatile performers in the WWE, and his recent absence has certainly impacted the overall quality of RAW, but it’s expected that KO will be back in time for KO-Mania IV. If he needs enough time to get a genuine story going before WrestleMania, the Elimination Chamber needs to be the place, and he should be catapulted straight back to the main event. KO isn’t going to be wrestling for the top title at WrestleMania, but an appearance to cost someone a title or title opportunity could be the perfect way to re-introduce him to the WWE universe.

6 Hulk Hogan: WrestleMania 35

Following the constant controversy that Hulk Hogan has been through over the past few years, The Immortal made his return to the WWE at Crown Jewel, but now, he’s going to make an even bigger return. It’s unlikely that the WWE would allow Hogan to return in an in-ring capacity, but WrestleMania is all about the biggest stars in wrestling, and there’s none bigger than Hogan. Even if it’s just another one-off appearance, Hulk will be back with the company again, and a surprise appearance at WrestleMania is the next time it will happen.

5 Jonah Rock: NXT TakeOver: Phoenix

The WWE has announced a string of big-name independent signings over the past few months, and the latest is the Australian powerhouse, The King of Monsters, Jonah Rock. Rock has been in the business for around 10 years but has recently picked up traction due to his work in PWG, and now, he finds himself on the way to NXT, meaning that NXT TakeOver on the Royal Rumble weekend makes sense. Rock is a versatile performer, and can work as a solo act or with a group, and with two guys already in NXT from his stable: The Mighty Don’t Kneel, it’s hard to see WWE not pairing them together on that night.

4 The Undertaker: WrestleMania 35

Each year around WrestleMania, the legendary Undertaker is rumored to make his return, and each year, he comes back. So, sure enough, 2019 is going to be no different. Most people assumed he retired following his WrestleMania 33 loss to Roman Reigns, but that isn’t the case, and there’s a number of opponents out there for him. We’ve seen his recent matches with older guys, and that just doesn’t work, so this is a great opportunity to put a young star over, whether it be Finn Balor, Braun Strowman or other, but there’s no way The Deadman returns until very close to WrestleMania.

3 Batista: Royal Rumble 2019

Batista has been wanting a final run with the WWE for a number of years now, and after a recent appearance on SmackDown Live to tease a match with Triple H, it’s clear that it’s happening soon. Triple H may not be cleared by WrestleMania, but it’s likely he could make it back, so bringing The Animal back at the Royal Rumble would make that event more exciting, and set up that story. The Royal Rumble has lacked unpredictability over the last few years, and a return from one of the Ruthless Aggression Era’s biggest star would change that and would be a great way to begin his final run with the company.

2 Walter: NXT UK TakeOver: Blackpool

NXT UK has been off to a great start over the last few months, and it was announced that in early January, they’d be running their first TakeOver special, and what better way to introduce arguably Europe’s biggest star? Walter has been fantastic over the last year, wrestling for wXw, Progress, PWG and more, and now that he’s signed with the WWE, it’s clear he’ll be a huge part of the show going forward. Walter hits hard and looks the part, and assuming Pete Dunne retains at TakeOver: Blackpool, it’s clear that The Ring General will be his next challenge.

1 The Rock: Royal Rumble 2019

Every year around WrestleMania season, The Rock is rumored for an appearance, but if you believe the dirt sheets, The Rock has actually been a favorite to win the 2019 Royal Rumble. Either way, he’ll be back by this event. The rumor was that Rock vs. Roman Reigns was the WrestleMania 35 match, but with Reigns out with his unfortunate illness, it’s uncertain which way the WWE will go. Either way, an appearance from Rocky at this show will be a huge surprise and get the crowd and the rumors hot heading into the biggest part of WWE’s calendar.