Zelina Vega is back with WWE, but she isn't the only wrestler to return after a controversy. Over the years, some Superstars who seemingly burnt bridges with the company somehow found their way back to Titan Towers.
WWE has brought back wrestlers after a variety of controversies, whether it be holding up the company for cash, slapping a co-worker, or even stabbing a person. Vince McMahon can be a very forgiving man when that means there's money to be made. Compared to other wrestlers, Vega's controversy is pretty tame.
8 Zelina Vega
Zelina Vega was released on November 13 of 2020 for breach of contract, accused of violating WWE's policy regarding third-party providers. Moments before she was released by WWE, Vega took to Twitter to voice her support for unionization, a post that has since been deleted.
Much of the controversy surrounding her release was directed at WWE for making an example out of Vega as well as limiting the economic outreach of their independent contractors. Of course, WWE would argue that they had given their talent prior notice of this policy and they acted accordingly in regards to Ms. Vega's termination when she violated said policy. Varying sources pinpoint either Vega opening an OnlyFans account or her refusal to give up her Twitch as what forced WWE's hand.
On July 2, Zelina Vega made her surprise return to SmackDown. Vega was announced as one of the participants for the women's Money In The Bank ladder match.
7 Stone Cold Steve Austin
Stone Cold infamously "took his ball and went home" after refusing to do the job to Brock Lesnar in a King of the Ring qualifying match on Raw. Austin didn't like the idea of putting over a rookie on free TV without any build-up. The Texas Rattlesnake was already frustrated with the company's direction even before he was asked to lose to Lesnar. Stone Cold went on WWE Byte This in May 2002 to slam WWE's creative team.
After making an unceremonious exit from WWE programming in June '02, Austin disappeared for the remainder of the year. However, Austin would make his return in early 2003 for his last run as an active wrestler. During that time, he battled Raw GM Eric Bischoff at No Way Out and lost to The Rock at WrestleMania XIX.
Following his retirement, Austin was made the co-GM of Monday Night Raw. Stone Cold remained in that role until his team lost in the 2003 Survivor Series. After a short time as the sheriff of Raw, Austin has made sporadic appearances with WWE, including acting as the special guest referee for high-profile matches.
6 Jeff Hardy
The lifestyle of The Charismatic Engima has led to legal issues and drug addiction for Jeff Hardy. Jeff's issues with drugs led to his 2003 release from WWE. After leaving the company once more, this time in 2009, Hardy had a run-in with the law. The police found hundreds of illicit pills and they gave him numerous charges, including drug trafficking. However, two years later, his charges were reduced and he was given a 10-day prison sentence, two and a half years of probation, and a $100,000 fine.
Hardy's substance abuse issues continued during his time in TNA. This problem was particularly evident during the main event of Victory Road 2011. Sting quickly ended the match, squashing an intoxicated Hardy in their fight for the TNA World Heavyweight Championship.
WWE let Jeff back into their company at WrestleMania 33 in 2017. For his big comeback match, he and Matt won the Raw Tag Team Championship in a fatal four-way ladder match. However, in 2019, Hardy once again ran afoul with the law, being arrested for public intoxication in July and DWI in October. In 2020, Jeff's substance abuse issues were morphed into a storyline with Sheamus. That year, Hardy earned his fifth reign as Intercontinental Champion.
5 The Ultimate Warrior
The Ultimate Warrior's time in WWE was full of controversy, especially after he peaked with the company. In 1991, Warrior threatened to stay home during the lead-up to the main event of SummerSlam if Vince McMahon did not meet his demands. McMahon caved to Warrior but immediately suspended him following the pay-per-view. Warrior attempted to quit but McMahon refused his resignation.
At WrestleMania VIII, Warrior made his return at the conclusion of the event to save Hulk Hogan from Sid Justice and Papa Shango. In 1992, Warrior was reportedly in line for another run as WWE Champion. However, Warrior never won another title in WWE again and was let go by the company after being advertised and later replaced by Mr. Perfect for Survivor Series '92. Vince McMahon claims to have released Warrior for his use of growth hormones.
Warrior later testified against WWE in their federal trial involving steroids, claiming the vast majority of wrestlers in the company had taken steroids at one point in their careers. However, despite testifying against WWE in 1994, he returned for one last run with the company in 1996. In 2005, WWE released a hit piece on the former champion with the DVD known as The Self-Destruction of The Ultimate Warrior.
Shortly before his death, Warrior would finally get back in the good graces of WWE. In 2013, Warrior returned as a pre-order bonus for WWE 2K14. He was later inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, Class of 2014. Warrior appeared on the Raw after WrestleMania XXX but died the following day. A year after his death, the company introduced the Warrior Award to their HOF ceremony for inductees who, according to WWE, "exhibited unwavering strength and perseverance, and who lives life with the courage and compassion that embodies the indomitable spirit of The Ultimate Warrior."
4 Alundra Blayze
Three-time WWE Women's Champion Alundra Blayze would take part in one of the most iconic moments of the Monday Night Wars. On a December 1995 episode of WCW Nitro, Blayze arrived with the competitor's Women's Title which she promptly placed in the trash. This sign of disrespect has been replayed numerous times in video packages about the war that took the wrestling world by storm in the 1990s.
After being away from WWE for about 20 years, Alundra Blayze returned to be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, Class of 2015. At WWE's first female-only pay-per-view Evolution 2018, Blayze came out of retirement to compete in a battle royal for a shot at a woman's championship. She would be eliminated by the match's winner, Nia Jax.
In July 2019, Blayze would win the WWE 24/7 Championship by making Candice Michelle tap out. Rather than throwing this title in the trash, she opted to sell it to "The Million Dollar Man" Ted DiBiase. During her time in WCW, known as Madusa, the only title she was able to win was the Cruiserweight Championship.
3 Sycho Sid
Sid walked away from WWE in 1992 shortly after main-eventing WrestleMania VIII. But the big controversy surrounding Sid would happen during his 1993 run with World Championship Wrestling. While on tour in the United Kingdom, Sid and Arn Anderson got into a disagreement at the bar. Both men would return to their hotel rooms, but Sid would come to Arn's room, looking to escalate the situation.
Arn and Sid got into a bloody fight that would involve scissors. Both wrestlers were stabbed in the exchange. Sid got stabbed four times while Arn was punctured 20 times. Sid was let go by WCW and Ric Flair has admitted to protecting Anderson from a similar fate. Flair would then take Sid's spot at Starrcade '93 and defeat Vader for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship.
Jim Cornette claims to have helped coin the name of Sycho Sid after asking Vince McMahon why he was rehiring that "psycho." In February 1995, Sid reemerged on WWE programming, becoming the bodyguard of Shawn Michaels. However, this relationship didn't last long as he'd betray the Heartbreak Kid on the Raw after WrestleMania XI. At Survivor Series '96, Sid would defeat HBK to capture his first WWE Championship. Sid gained one more reign with the WWE Title in February 1997 and then went onto once again main event WrestleMania, this time against The Undertaker.
2 Matt Hardy
WWE's firing of Matt Hardy on 4/11/2005 was a highly controversial decision and one that stirred up the WWE Universe. Many of the fans who went to WWE events were aware of what happened to Matt and they made it known that they wanted him back and that Edge and Lita were the ones to blame. This controversy would end up becoming one of the hottest angles of 2005, if not the hottest.
Matt's release came after he went on the web to vent about how his longtime girlfriend Lita cheated on him with his longtime friend Edge. WWE didn't approve of Hardy's behavior, as his reaction to the betrayal led to him being let go. However, WWE couldn't ignore the vocal support he was receiving each night from fans. On July 11, 2005, Hardy was back on Monday Night Raw, as the drama from real life turned into a rivalry that would last all summer.
1 Alberto Del Rio
Alberto Del Rio was let go by WWE on 8/7/2014 after allegedly slapping a co-worker who was said to have made a racist joke. The co-worker was not a wrestler. The incident quickly escalated after word got back to the two-time WWE Champion that he said that it was Del Rio's job to clean his plate, a statement that was looked at as disrespectful to Alberto and his Hispanic heritage. After the co-worker refused to apologize to Del Rio, he reportedly got slapped hard.
WWE released Del Rio for unprofessional conduct for how he handled himself in a situation that turned violent. However, it wouldn't be long until Del Rio was back with the company. On his first night back, The Mexican Aristocrat won the United States Championship, defeating John Cena at Hell in a Cell 2015.
However, Del Rio's biggest controversy came in May 2020 when he was arrested for charges ranging from kidnapping to sexual assault. But by that time, Del Rio had not been in WWE since September 2016. Most recently, Del Rio has made it clear that he thinks he'll be WWE Champion again one day.