As the largest and most high profile wrestling company in the world. WWE needs to have significant turnover to keep its product fresh, including old faces getting phased out, and new talent being brought in. Sometimes the recruits aren’t exactly new, however, but rather returning stars. Sometimes it’s a legend like Kurt Angle being welcomed back into the fold after resolving personal issues or political differences with the company; sometimes it’s a more steady veteran hand like Shelton Benjamin coming in to ably fill a niche role.
Now more than ever, WWE has a lot of roster spots to fill, including separate Raw and SmackDown Live locker rooms that feature stars as well as reserves who can step into higher profile roles in the event someone gets injured or suspended. In addition, NXT is more than a developmental territory at this point, but a touring brand in its own right. On top of all of that, there’s 205 Live, as well as WWE Network specials that bring in talent on a mix of full time and temporary bases, like The Mae Young Classic, The Cruiserweight Classic, and the UK Championship tournament.
So, WWE needs talent, and while the company has recently sprung for fresh faces like Ricochet and War Machine, it’s also noteworthy that they recently welcomed back Rey Mysterio for a Royal Rumble appearance, and ECIII—the former Derrick Bateman, who totally reinvented himself in Impact Wrestling—for NXT.
Who’s next? One of the interesting parts of the equation is that Vince McMahon and Triple H—WWE’s top two power brokers when it comes to talent relations—don’t necessarily see eye to eye on everyone, and might be interested in bringing back a very different slate of stars. This article takes a look at seven wrestlers we expect Vince would like to see back, and seven Triple H may be invested in.
15 15. Vince: Batista
Across his decades in charge of WWE, several trends have become apparent in the types of talents Vince McMahon likes best, especially at the top of the card. Rather than prioritizing work rate or fancy acrobatics, McMahon famously appreciates muscular men who physically appear larger than life. Moreover, he places a premium on celebrity, appreciating the legitimacy and mainstream attention they garner.
Batista is among those stars hand picked by McMahon for a top spot nearly 15 years ago. John Cena and Randy Orton from his same developmental class have hung around to be two of the defining stars for a generation. Batista, by contrast, followed up his main event level WWE success by making it on his own, including an increasingly successful acting career that saw him featured in the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise, among other projects.
The Animal has expressed an interest publicly in one more WWE run. Given how warmly McMahon welcomed him back the last time—instantly slotted to win the Royal Rumble and main event WrestleMania in his first months back—there’s little question McMahon would love to have him back again.
14 14. Triple H: Mistico
One of the factors that has distinguished Triple H’s tastes from those of his father in law is a demonstrable commitment to diversity of wrestling styles and cultures. Hunter is credited with recruiting Japanese stars like Shinsuke Nakamura and Asuka, and indie darlings like AJ Styles and Kevin Owens.
The original Sin Cara was largely a bust for WWE—pushed heavily when he first arrived based on his major success wrestling in Mexico before he arrived.
The consensus seems to be that he didn’t gel with the American style and had political differences with WWE management. Under a new developmental system and with a more diverse cast of characters already in place, you can bet Hunter would love to give Sin Cara Azul another shot to succeed under the WWE banner.
13 13. Vince: CM Punk
While critics will find all manner of reasons to question Vince McMahon’s judgment and how he treats people, there is little questioning the core principle that he’s willing to put aside personal differences to make money.
CM Punk became an unlikely megastar for WWE in the early 2010s before taking his ball and going home over issues with WWE medical personnel and the creative team. Punk had been outspoken enough about his anger toward WWE, and has been particularly derogatory toward Triple H such that it’s hard to imagine The Game would ever trust him again. McMahon, however, who mended fences with Hulk Hogan, The Ultimate Warrior, Bret Hart, and plenty of other volatile main eventers who had serious issues with him, would surely be game to work things out with the Straight Edge Superstar for another run.
12 12. Triple H: Cody Rhodes
One of the fascinating pieces of Cody Rhodes’s career is that he got his start in wrestling directly in the WWE developmental system, hung around for a decade, and then exploded on the independent and international scenes. Rhodes was able to make that transition based on two factors: his impassioned talent for the wrestling business, and his family name.
All indications are that Vince McMahon got locked into viewing Rhodes as a mid card character actor.
After thriving in Ring of Honor, New Japan, and elsewhere, Rhodes has nicely proven himself as a guy who can be so much more. Particularly for his work rate and continued evolution of character, he’s someone who very much fits the mold of what Triple H appreciates in a talent. When the time is right, don’t be surprised if Helmesley makes overtures to get him back in the WWE fold.
11 11. Vince: Brodus Clay
In pro wrestling, like any sport, the old adage holds true that you can’t teach size. While WWE has largely had a shift in the last twenty years toward focusing on big, chiseled athletes, there’s still a place for guys who are just plain big. Enter Brodus Clay.
WWE introduced Clay on season two of the original NXT show, where he played a monster heel. He was later repackaged as the fun loving Funkasaurus, with Rikishi overtones. Despite some early successes, the character fizzled, dwindling to a totally forgettable second heel run.
Clay has gone on to some success on the indies and Impact Wrestling. Most importantly, he’s garnered more experience.
While Clay will probably never be a main event talent in WWE, he could fit nicely into the role of big man gate keeper to the main event scene, and McMahon may well appreciate having an old fashioned super heavyweight around for that purpose again.
10 10. Triple H: John Morrison
John Morrison was at the vanguard of upper mid card WWE veterans who chose to leave the company of their own volition. While there were rumored elements of Morrison being frustrated with his place in the company and never getting a meaningful shot at the main event, his main reasons for leaving seemed different. He was tired of the grind of the WWE travel schedule and number of dates he needed to work. He found more creative autonomy elsewhere—still making a comfortable living working fewer dates for companies like Lucha Undergorund and more recently Impact Wrestling, while also having time to pursue outside projects, including work in the film industry.
Morrison is still an incredible athlete and, in his time away from WWE, has proven his abilities time and again as both a ring general and character actor. The ship has probably sailed on him ever being a WWE main eventer. He is, however, a very well established hand who could fit right back into the mid card or pose an intriguing addition to the top of the card in NXT.
9 9. Vince: Darren Young
Darren Young wasn’t necessarily a can’t miss talent. While he had a great physique and good athleticism, he wasn’t exactly a wizard in the ring, and despite a few reboots, never fully connected with the crowd. He did, however, have the unique attribute of being WWE’s first active roster member who was openly gay. As such, Young helped break down some stereotypes about WWE and its roster, and presented a good public relations fit for the company in this modern era.
It wouldn’t have been a surprise for WWE to have let Young go, were it not for the PR concern, which means this may have been a case of the company and performer truly coming to a mutual agreement.
After Young has time away and with it, perhaps, the chance to grow more as a performer, it only makes sense that WWE would welcome him back as a performer and ambassador for the company.
8 8. Triple H: Serena Deeb
Serena Deeb’s WWE career comes across a bit like a cautionary tale. After doing well in the developmental system, she got the call up to work a featured spot in CM Punk’s Straight Edge Society. She was the victim of a largely arbitrary judgment when WWE let her go for breaking that gimmick, seen drinking in public, and thus banished from the largest wrestling company in the world before she really had the chance to accomplish anything.
It was a surprise to see her back in the Mae Young Classic, and the all the more so for WWE to fairly openly acknowledge her past with WWE, which they might have easily glossed over. In the tournament, Deeb did herself proud, coming across as a polished veteran—the kind of performer Triple H seems to value coming out of the indies. While it’s too late for her to be a top star in the WWE women’s division, she’d make an excellent veteran hand in something like Mickie James’s current role.
7 7. Vince: Hulk Hogan
For a younger generation of fans, it’s easy to dismiss Hulk Hogan as a has-been who gets himself too caught up in drama. For an older set, however, he’ll always remain the definitive wrestling icon of WWE during its national expansion. To put a finer point on it, he was the man when Vince McMahon took the reins of WWE from his father—and handpicked star who delivered on every expectations and was probably the single most important wrestler in making WWE the success it is.
Add on Hogan’s persistent value as a nostalgia figure during various runs over the last 15 years, and The Hulkster is pure money to McMahon.
There’s no reason for us to see another actual Hogan match, but as a guest star and ambassador, there’s still value that McMahon can understandably see in the Immortal one.
6 6. Triple H: Brian Cage
Known simply by his last name in Lucha Underground, Brian Cage is a new arrival in Impact Wrestling, slowly but surely building a legitimate national reputation for himself. As a guy strong in ring skills and surprising agility, his journeyman rise to prominence is not so unusual. It becomes more surprising, however, when you factor in that the guy is jacked to the gills and actually was under a WWE developmental contract.
It’s unclear why Cage never got a chance to advance in the WWE system, but with the accumulation of more experience and a track record now of putting on stellar matches, you have to assume the company would want him back. Triple H, in particular, who appreciates guys with work rate, who can adapt to work international styles, would surely put a premium on ultimately bring Cage back into the fold.
5 5. Vince: Carlito
If there’s one quality that Vince McMahon seems to have privileged above all others across time, it’s charisma. While Carlito was, understandably, accused of being lazy at times, and didn’t have the most impressive physique, his strongest attribute was his personality.
Carlito is the son of Carlos Colon, and be it genetics or exposure from an early age, seemed to master a sense of character from the beginning of his WWE tenure. WWE pushed him strongly, including beating John Cena for the United States Championship in his first match and becoming a mid-card tittle mainstay and occasional tag team champ.
Carlito’s attitude is probably the biggest factor holding him back and he purportedly happy working for his father’s promotion outside of the WWE system. If he chooses to come back though, and demonstrates he has his head on right, there’s every reason to think McMahon would bring him back.
4 4. Triple H: MVP
Early in his career, Triple H famously walked away from a bigger money deal with fewer working dates from WCW to ply his trade in WWE where he felt he’d have more opportunities to learn his craft and better mentors to guide his way.
His work ethic defines The Game’s ethos as a wrestler and as a man, and it’s evident he appreciates seeing it in other wrestlers.
After rising to stardom and sitting under Chris Benoit’s learning tree, MVP left WWE out of an interest in working elsewhere—particularly in Japan. While he doesn’t have the star power or in ring chops of the best in the industry, he remains a recognizable character with good size, charisma, and fundamentals. Triple H would appreciate having a veteran hand like him around to help steer today’s locker room.
3 3. Vince: Kelly Kelly
Kelly Kelly was the de facto face of her generation of women in WWE. It was a generation defined by WWE hiring models on the hopes they might train them to wrestler, but feeling more or less OK if they didn’t really catch on in the ring, because their primary purpose was to serve as eye candy.
It’s not Kelly’s fault she was brought in under this mindset, and it’s a credit to her that she actually did demonstrate improvement over her itme on the WWE roster.
As WWE has moved along with a more serious women’s division, there’s no real place for someone like Kelly.
Just the same, McMahon has always had a soft spot for beautiful women and Kelly is still just barely over 30, meaning she could well be factored back into the mix.
2 2. Triple H: Ted DiBiase Jr.
Ted DiBiase Jr. was a solid enough hand with a great look. Unfortunately, he never really escaped his Million Dollar Man father’s shadow, through a mix of struggling to connect with the fans, and yo-yo booking that saw him alternately booked as an upper card threat and a lower card joke, depending on the whims of the booking team week to week.
Triple H and Shawn Michaels may have done more to help DiBiase than anyone, as they participated in an ultra-competitive feud with him and Cody Rhodes across several months in 2009. Surely, Hunter would like to make good on that investment and welcome the third generation wrestler home to the wrestling business, and all the more so back to the WWE locker room.
1 1. Vince: Rey Mysterio
Rey Mysterio was a big enough superstar for a long enough period of that most fans would have no reservations at all about labeling him a legend. There’s a real argument to be made that he influenced the direction of mainstream wrestling large, paving the way for other high flying, fast paced cruiserweight talent first in WCW, then in WCW, where he ascended all the way to legit main event status.
Mysterio made a one night return at the 2018 Royal Rumble and looked to be in phenomenal shape.
He’s exactly the sort of big name Vince McMahon would love to have back under contract, even part time, and is especially desirable for his appeal to the clearly coveted Latino demographic of WWE fans, especially in the absence of many other Latino top tier stars on the current roster.