With the influx of talent currently in NXT such as Adam Cole, Ricochet and Roderick Strong, the returning fan favorite Daniel Bryan, exciting indy veterans such as Finn Balor, Kevin Owens and Shinsuke Nakamura, it's clear that WWE's roster is by no means short on talent. Moreover, a more logical argument would be that WWE is actually too loaded with talent at the moment. The internet wrestling community has long clamored for Finn Balor to be elevated back to the main event status he saw prior to his devastating shoulder injury in a match against Seth Rollins at SummerSlam. The IWC has also been vocal about Samoa Joe being recognized as a prime player in the WWE Championship and/or WWE Universal Championship picture. These are just two instances and there's plenty more where that came from!

At the same time, if there's talent to be had, whether that's in NJWP, ROH, or TNA, WWE will be watching with a close eye and will be looking to ink said wrestler to their roster. Some of these wrestlers even once appeared in WWE! Here, we look at the top twenty-five former WWE wrestlers that fans would welcome back in a heartbeat.

25 Cody Rhodes

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Arguably the hottest item on the independent scene today, Cody Rhodes has had no problem establishing himself as one of the best wrestlers on the planet despite stepping away from the WWE. Rhodes, who felt his Stardust character had run its course had asked WWE management if he could revert back to his Rhodes persona. Furthermore, Rhodes is said to have pitched over a half dozen storylines to the WWE Creative Team in order to bring the Cody Rhodes character back to television. Rhodes wish was not granted and thus was released. Since then, he's joined the Bullet Club in New Japan and is billing himself as "The American Nightmare". Rhodes has taken himself to heights that many of his WWE fans probably anticipated he was capable of. Unfortunately, WWE never gave Rhodes a proper push. Rhodes outside of WWE is bittersweet; on one hand, he's thriving on the independent scene and on the other hand I'm sure most wish he was thriving in the WWE. There's reason to remain optimistic as Rhodes own blood, Goldust, is currently still with the company and not to forget his late father, "The American Dream" Dusty, had a strong history with the company.

24 AJ Lee

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On August 26th, 2013, AJ Lee cut a promo on the then WWE Divas Division in which she ripped apart those on the roster. Here's a quick excerpt of what Lee said, "I didn't get her because I was cute or because I was from a wrestling family or because I sucked up to the right people. I got here because I am good. I earned this championship and no matter how many red carpets you guys wanna walk in your four thousand dollar ridiculous shoes, you will never be able to lace up my Chuck Taylors. You're all worthless excuses for women and you will never be able to touch me. And that is reality". Score AJ Lee 1, WWE Divas Division 0. Lee has a following like no other and not just delivers on the mic but she also delivers in the ring as well. Furthermore, Lee is fully capable of excelling in both a face and heel role (a rarity in today's WWE). The amount of dream matches for Lee are endless as well. Whether the WWE throws her in there with young upcoming talent such as Ember Moon and Mandy Rose or established veterans such as Mickie James and Natalya or against the upcoming kingpins such as Asuka and Charlotte it's clear as day that Lee's return would be a big one for the WWE Women's Division.

23 Goldberg

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Regardless of how one feels about Bill Goldberg, one can't deny the fact that his most recent run in the WWE was a successful one. Having first disposed of "The Beast Incarnate" Brock Lesnar in under two minutes and then eliminating him with ease in the 2017 Royal Rumble, Goldberg did what practically any and every one on the WWE roster was unable to do- make Lesnar look human. In doing so, Goldberg actually looked superhuman as he didn't just defeat Lesnar but he did it without breaking a sweat. Goldberg gained prominence for his 173-0 win streak in WCW in which WCW masked Goldberg's weaknesses cleverly and keenly. Considering that Goldberg was far from the greatest ring general his matches would generally be short and would showcase him dominating his opponents. The WWE followed the formula that WCW created and reaped the benefits of a Goldberg return in 2016 which the majority of the audience seemed to be captivated by. Having Goldberg return full-time today is almost certainly out of the question due to his age (he's currently fifty-one) and also because wrestling isn't exactly his strong suit. Nonetheless, Goldberg has proven he can succeed in a part-time role and shouldn't have difficulty doing it again.

22 Emma

For those who are unfamiliar with Emma’s in-ring work, do yourself a favor and take a look at her work in NXT. Despite having the ability to go in the ring and having a look that WWE covets and one that fans are fond of, WWE dropped the ball with Emma time and time again. Who could ever forget the failed “Emmalina” gimmick which was literally dead on arrival? Who can forget Emma’s debut in which WWE decided to align the Australian bombshell with Santino Marella? No offense to Marella, but when you’re the WWE’s resident comedic character any and everyone who’s aligned with you is looked at as nothing but a comedic character as well. Remember Vladimir Kozlov? He was once a hated foreign heel at the top of the card and who even defeated The Undertaker. But, when Kozlov was aligned with Marella that all went out the window. Emma’s name constantly and consistently is one rumored to be one associated with the Bullet Club. For many, this is a match made in heaven as Emma can play the heel role (which she is better suited for) as a part of the hottest faction in wrestling today. It’s unlikely WWE has much interest in bringing back Emma any time soon and this is due to them being unable to capitalize on how to utilize her. But, it’s likely that Emma will have much more free reign on the independent circuit which will only help her thrive. Emma could be reintroduced as a bad ass heel (a la a returning Drew McIntyre) or even as a member of the Australian duo known as the Iconic Duo. Well, that would make them the Iconic Trio!

21 Austin Aries

When it became known to Austin Aries that WWE officials had no plans in pushing him further than WWE's Cruiserweight Division, he made it known that he wished to be released. His release was granted. First thing's first, in order for WWE to entice Aries to come back they'd have to assure him that there would be bigger plans for him beyond the Cruiserweight Division. Speaking of the Cruiserweight Division, 205 Live has recently undergone a makeover with the former Rockstar Spudd playing the role of 205 Live Commissioner as Drake Maverick and Triple H taking over creative control of the show. Unsurprisingly, 205 Live has improved dramatically. Aries, who never captured the Cruiserweight Championship could initially return to 205 Live to claim the aforementioned belt that alluded him. Upon having a dominant run on 205 Live he could declare he has bigger fish to fry and make the jump to the main roster full-time. Ideally, Aries would become a top mid-card talent competing for the U.S. and I.C. belts. In addition, he's engaged to the recently called up manager of Andrade ''Cien'' Almas, Zelina Vega. With the hectic schedule wrestlers face, being on the road daily with his wife-to-be has to be enticing for Aries as well.

20 Trish Stratus

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At forty-two years of age along with being a mother of two, Trish Stratus hasn't given any indication that she has a desire to return to a WWE ring any time soon. Stratus, a seven-time WWE Women's Champion is often cited as one of the greatest female competitors in WWE history and is often even cited as the greatest female competitor in WWE history. During her tenure, the women's division was a far cry from today and the likes of bras and panties matches were far more common than competitive matches between female competitors. Today, the landscape of the women's division has changed drastically. The women's division is nothing short of full of intriguing competitors. Stratus may have the urge to return to show today's talent such as Asuka, Sasha Banks, Bayley, Charlotte and many many others who was running the show before they'd ever step foot in a ring. Stratus last appeared as the final entrant of the first ever Women's Royal Rumble and was greeted with a warm reaction from the Philadelphia faithful. The appeal for Stratus or "Stratusfaction" is still there as and the amount of new matches with unfamiliar faces to place her in are endless.

19 Carlito

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One of the best things about bringing Carlito back for WWE is that they could choose to utilize Carlito as a wrestler in the ring or utilize him in a managerial role. Let's discuss the latter prior to the former. A pairing that writes itself is having Carlito act as the manager for both Primo and Epico. Furthermore, this is more beneficial for Primo and Epico than anyone as they're nothing but afterthoughts in a deep tag team division. Not to forget, they're arguably the most under utilized tag team in the division and the likelihood of them being future endeavored has to be pretty high. By bringing Carlito into the fold and having him act as the duo's mouthpiece "The Shining Stars" instantaneously gain credibility and become viewed as a threat rather than jobbers. Carlito could also be an extremely valuable mid card talent for the company in either the Intercontinental or United States Championship picture. While Carlito is capable of playing both the face and heel role, he's much better suited to play the heel role. Carlito could reignite old feuds with the likes of John Cena and Jeff Hardy or could work with established veterans such as Samoa Joe and Dolph Ziggler. With Carlito, the options are endless.

18 Kharma

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If you blinked, you probably didn't even notice that the dominant woman billed as Awesome Kong in TNA debuted in WWE under the ring name of Kharma. However, shortly after her debut Kharma had to step away from the ring as she announced she was pregnant. Upon giving birth, Kharma returned in a surprise appearance at the Royal Rumble. However, after this point she was given her walking papers. When Kharma debuted she was expected to be one of the most heavily pushed superstars on the women's roster, if not the most heavily pushed superstar. Today, it's crazy to say that Kharma may not even be in the top ten biggest commodities WWE has as part of it's women's roster. Sasha Banks? Charlotte? Ronda Rousey? Asuka? The list goes on an on. And this is not a dig at Kharma; on the contrary, it's a node to the influx of talent WWE's Women's Division currently has. One of the most intriguing matches WWE could showcase Kharma in is one against Nia Jax. With both women possessing far from WWE's ideal mold for a female, it would speak volumes in showing how far the WWE Women's Division has progressed and continues to progress.

17 John Morrison

It's crazy to think that at one point many thought that John Morrison was the next Shawn Michaels. While this indeed comes off as nothing short of laughable and ludicrous today, let's not stray away from the fact that Morrison's return is one fans would get behind. Possessing one of wrestling's most crowd pleasing top-rope finishing maneuvers in "Starship Pain", Morrison is likely never one WWE would give the ball to in regards to having a WWE Championship or WWE Universal Championship reign. But, this doesn't mean they can't use Morrison in a high capacity. Morrison is completely fit of being one of the top faces or even heels in play for the United States or Intercontinental Championship. He also has past history with those on the WWE roster, most particularly, The Miz. The two could reunite and try to replicate their tag team success they enjoyed a decade prior or could begin feuding instantaneously with The Miz boasting about him being a success story in WWE while Morrison had to find work elsewhere. Those are just two storylines the WWE could have play out on television if Morrison were to resurface and those only include one superstar Morrison has past history with.

16 Neville

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When Neville walked out of WWE shortly after WrestleMania 33 in 2017, fans were stunned. At the same time, when it was revealed that the reason behind Neville walking out of WWE were because WWE officials had informed him that he'd be dropping the Cruiserweight Championship to Enzo Amore. To make matters worse, this would be the second time Neville would be dropping the title to Amore. Amore, who wasn't perceived as a legitimate threat or a wrestler of substance to Neville would only further damage the standing of the Cruiserweight Division in the eyes of Neville. Neville had a reign which lasted a total of 197 which is still the longest Cruiserweight Championship reign since the belt was brought back in 2016. Neville as the kingpin of the Cruiserweight Division brought intrigue to the division as Neville's heel like persona compiled with angry and menacing facial expressions was something that the crowd ate up. Not to forget, Neville was beloved by fans in his face run also. One way or the other, WWE has options. With the Cruiserweight Division looking better than ever with Triple H now calling the shots, it's about a good time as ever for the WWE to reach out to Neville.

15 Michelle McCool

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Whether Michelle McCool is even capable of coming back to the WWE is a question that only her and doctors have the answer to, considering she was recently diagnosed with a serious illness, but would fans welcome her back with open arms? To quote "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, "Give me a hell yeah"! McCool, a two-time WWE Women's Champion and a two-time WWE Divas Champion had her most successful reign when she aligned herself with Layla to become one half of the duo "LayCool". As LayCool, the two were both recognized as WWE Women's Champion and would defend the belt a la the "free bird" rule in the WWE Tag Team Division. Speaking of tag teams, what's rumored regarding women and tag teams? That's right, you guessed it- Women's Tag Team Championships! What better way to introduce the tag belts then by putting them on McCool and Layla? The two garnered heat from the fans when they were initially paired together and the return of both would bring for a fresh breath of air and nostalgia to WWE programming.

14 Evan Bourne

A former WWE Tag-Team Champion alongside Kofi Kingston as one-half of "Air Boom", Evan Bourne was last seen in WWE in 2012. In 2012, Bourne had been in a hell of a car accident as it left him sidelined until 2013. In the car accident, Bourne had broken his foot in four places and dislocated the same foot in five places. in 2013, Bourne returned- albeit to NXT. He never returned to WWE programming as he was released in June of 2014. Bourne is billed at 165 pounds which is forty pounds below the Cruiserweight limit. While Triple H taking over creative control of NXT and the addition of Drake Maverick as General Manager of 205 Live has brought new life to the show dedicated to Cruiserweights it's clear as day that the Cruiserweight Division could benefit from more star power. This is especially true due to the relatively recent departures of both Austin Aries and Neville who were at the top of the pecking order of the Cruiserweight Division. Bourne's shooting star press finisher is one that instantaneously captivates crowds and adds to making him a crowd favorite. It's safe to say that Bourne's initial run with the company didn't end as he wished for it to. Thus, why not give it another go and rewrite the narrative?

13 Layla

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A one-time Women's Champion (alongside Michelle McCool) and a one-time Divas Champion, Layla was last seen on WWE Superstars in June of 2015 in a losing effort against the recently retired and new Smackdown General Manager, Paige. Then thirty-seven, Layla had asked WWE for her release in the following month- which was granted. Layla has since gotten married to former and rarely remembered WWE wrestler Ricky Ortiz and hasn't stepped in the ring since departing from the WWE. However, if WWE presents her with an angle that's intriguing enough for her to listen to who's to say that she wouldn't have a burning itch to return to the ring? An ideal angle for Layla would be for WWE to pair her with Michelle McCool and the two could wreak havoc over the Women's Tag Division. Currently, there isn't really much of a Women's Tag Division. But, with Women's Tag Championships rumored to be coming to WWE sooner rather than later, this is the perfect opportunity for WWE to reintroduce Layla and McCool. Not to forget, even when the Women's Tag Division becomes reality it isn't like the division is one that'd be full of talent; on the contrary, the division needs as much talent as it can get its hands on.

12 Christian

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Technically, Christian is retired. However, similar to Daniel Bryan, Christian's retirement was a "forced retirement". In a fatal four way match against Dolph Ziggler, Alberto Del Rio and Sheamus in March of 2014 on Monday Night Raw, Christian came out victorious and earned the right to face off against Big E for his Intercontinental Championship. While this was good news, the news that came after was not. Christian had suffered a concussion in the match and this inevitably ended up being the last time he laced up his boots for the WWE. Due to Christian's concussion history, WWE refused to clear him to the ring and in May of 2016 it had become public knowledge that Christian had been released due to his concussion history. While Christian certainly doesn't have age on his side (he's forty-four), he didn't exactly get to go out on his own terms. With Daniel Bryan having returned two years after he was told he'd never receive clearance from WWE it lets fans be optimistic and let them know that all hope isn't lost. Whether Christian returns for a one-time appearance or for multiple times it would be equal parts nice for Christian and for the fans to see him go out on his own accord.

11 Mr. Kennedy

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Now forty-two years of age, it's hard to believe that Mr. Kennedy was once the third winner of the coveted Money in the Bank briefcase. It's even harder to believe that Mr. Kennedy was supposed to be revealed as Mr. McMahon's illegitimate son before the WWE decided to swerve everyone due to the rumor mill reporting that Mr. Kennedy would be revealed as the illegitimate son of the self-proclaimed "Genetic Jackhammer". Instead, the WWE decided to go with Hornswoggle and let's just say this is a regrettable decision for all parties involved, especially the WWE brass. Mr. Kennedy was released due to two reasons with the first being his injury history. The second was a little more controversial and depending on how you feel about Randy Orton will likely dictate how you feel about Mr. Kennedy's release. Having complained to WWE brass about Mr. Kennedy dropping him on his head and neck as opposed to his back when performing a backdrop, Orton proclaimed that Mr. Kennedy was a hazard to work with in the ring. After Orton reported Mr. Kennedy to WWE brass he was released shortly after as he didn't wrestle a match after Orton had reported him. Never trust a snake!

10 MVP

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In North American sports MVP is known as the acronym for Most Valuable Player; in the wrestling business, MVP is known as the acronym for Montel Vontavious Porter. A former two-time WWE United States Champion and a one-time WWE Tag Team Champion with Matt Hardy, MVP is patent made for the WWE mid-card. Having the ability to play both the face and heel role, a lost art in today's WWE, MVP would be a highly valuable (pun intended) addition to the WWE roster. In the same breath, we may be much closer to an MVP return than we may think. On January 18th, 2018, the WWE's official Twitter account revealed that MVP would be returning to the company but failed to indicate in what capacity that he'd be returning in. Four days later, MVP was indeed on WWE programming as he appeared on the twenty-fifth anniversary special of Monday Night Raw. Now, close to four months later, we haven't seen or heard anything regarding MVP. Thus, it isn't exactly out of the question to think that MVP's return was just a one-off appearance. Hopefully, more light is shed on MVP's engagement with the Stamford, Connecticut based company sooner rather than later.

9 Rob Van Dam

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Often cited as the greatest wrestler to come from the ECW banner, Rob Van Dam has always been a fan favorite due to his high flying capabilities. Now forty-seven, RVD has essentially been his biggest detractor as he's failed a number of WWE wellness policy tests related to marijuana. RVD has been a strong proponent and supporter of marijuana for years now as he cites it as an athletic enhancer. With stances on marijuana softening and legalization having taken place in states such as Colorado, Oregon and Washington it's not out of the question for WWE to eliminate marijuana from its wellness policy down the road. The Battle Creek, Michigan native hasn't officially retired as of yet, but is currently temporarily retired. The reason for this is that RVD is in the midst of putting together a show titled RVD TV. RVD TV will focus on how RVD's life away from the squared circle actually is. In addition, the show will also profile some of RVD's wrestling buddies with some notable rumored names being Sabu and Samoa Joe. RVD may very well hang up his wrestling boots because quite frankly there isn't much left for him to achieve in the wrestling business. At the same time, this doesn't mean fans wouldn't love to see him back in the ring.

8 Batista

Having made a successful jump to Hollywood (most notably for playing the Drax character in the Avengers series), it's hard to fathom why Batista would want to return to the squared circle. It would be even more difficult to fathom why Batista would want to return in a full-time capacity. But, rest assure, that's exactly what the former Evolution stablemate wants. In November of 2017, Batista, who was a guest on the Ross Report podcast with everyone's favorite WWE commentator, Jim Ross, stated the following, "yes, I would love to go back.’ But the reason I have not gone back is because I don’t want to do a one-off. I want to go and I want to wrestle, man. I want to do some house shows and I want to be a part of the program." Batista returning in a full-time capacity would open the door for many new and intriguing feuds such as ones with Shinsuke Nakamura, Kevin Owens, Samoa Joe and AJ Styles, to name a few. Not only does Batista want a full-time return, but he even revealed a program he'd like to work. In the same podcast with Ross, Batista said the following, "I've talked to Vince recently, and he knows what I want. I’ve made it very clear that I wanted to go back and run a program with Hunter. I’ve been very public about it. That’s the thing that would get me back." Ball's in your court, Mr. McMahon.

7 Lita

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The yin to Trish Stratus' yang, Lita's look and persona were something fans weren't used to upon her debut in 2000. Lita's debut is likely something most fans (especially younger ones) do not remember. While most know Lita as the manager/valet of the Hardy Boys and one known for her in ring ability, this isn't the Lita that fans were introduced to. Instead, she was actually the manager of a much lesser known superstar. That superstar was Essa Rios who didn't exactly have lasting power in WWE as Lita did. However, once Lita and Rios broke apart is when Lita really began to find her footing. Similar to Stratus, the competition and lack of intriguing feuds available to Lita during her tenure were minimal. But, that isn't the case today. With more and more unorthodox females being in the company than ever before (i.e. Ember Moon and Ruby Riott) the amount of feuds for Lita are endless. Along with the forenamed Moon and Riott who wouldn't be on board to see Lita face the likes of Alexa Bliss, Becky Lynch, Naomi and Ronda Rousey? At age forty-three a comeback is likely unlikely; but, this doesn't mean it isn't something that fans wouldn't welcome- some fans would even salivate at the thought coming to fruition.

6 Wade Barrett

While portraying the Bad News Barrett gimmick, Barrett would commonly say the catchphrase, "I'm afraid I've got some bad news". Little did fans know this was a bad omen as Barrett would be released from the company in 2016. When Barrett first debuted alongside fellow Nexus members Daniel Bryan, Skip Sheffield (better known to fans as Ryback), Heath Slater, Darren Young, Michael Tarver and Justin Gabriel, he debuted in dramtic fashion along with his fellow Nexus members by taking out the likes of CM Punk, John Cena, Jerry Lawler, Justin Roberts and Matt Striker. While the jury was out on who the leader of the group was when the Nexus first debuted (with the majority going with Barrett with others going with Otunga) it was clear in following weeks that Barrett was the face of the stable. Many even thought Barrett would one day become a future WWE Champion as he had a great look and he had mic skills that complimented his wrestling ability. Unfortunately, Barrett never received the WWE Championship run many saw coming in a matter of time. Yet, this isn't because he didn't possess the necessary talent; this is because the WWE dropped the ball with Barrett.