WWE fans have learned to "never say never" on returns. Scores of times, wrestlers who seemed like their days in WWE were over have not only come back but gotten major pushes to boot. It's famous how wrestlers can take years (sometimes as much as a decade) before returning to the company as Vince McMahon can surprisingly give someone a second chance. It can sometimes be part of an angle as CM Punk was always meant to be back quickly after leaving in 2011 as champion.
Yet it's still amazing how someone leaves WWE in a dark cloud with bridges seemingly burned only to come back in a few months. Sometimes, it's even faster as the fan reaction may push WWE to bring them back quickly. Without further ado, here are 10 wrestlers WWE released only to make shockingly quick returns and prove that some folks can buck the odds for a fast comeback.
10 Eddie Guerrero
Eddie Guerrero remains one of the more amazing comeback stories in wrestling. While amazingly talented, Eddie was saddled with scores of personal demons. It all came calling in November of 2001 when he was arrested on a DUI and WWE released him.
As it turned out, this was the wake-up call to get his life together. After time in the indies, Eddie returned in April of 2002, which seemed quick. During his first PPV back, he defeated Rob Van Dam for the Intercontinental Championship at Backlash. By February 2004, Eddie made it to the top of the mountain, becoming WWE Champion by defeating Brock Lesnar. Guerrero was still a star when he passed in 2005. Fans are happy WWE gave Eddie a fast second chance.
9 Drew Gulak
This was a return so fast that most fans didn't even know he was gone. A former star in CZW, Drew Gulak joined WWE in 2015 and soon became a highlight for 205 Live. He had a run as Cruiserweight Champion yet seemed lost in the shuffle despite a fun "campaigning" gimmick and a boost teaming with Daniel Bryan.
When it was announced Gulak's contract was up in early 2020, his departure seemed obvious. A week later, he was back soon in a feud with R-Truth, which made him an eight-time 24/7 champion. He's been low-key since so some have forgotten his brief WWE departure.
8 The Boogeyman
The Boogeyman's act was one of the weirdest in WWE at the time. It worked thanks to how committed Martin Wright was to the role, going wonderfully over the top with it. His weird appearances, from eating worms to smashing himself with a clock, oddly won fans over.
He wasn't a great worker and hampered by injuries which may have been why in September of 2006, he was released from his contract. Yet just two weeks later, he was hired back and pushed into a feud with the Miz. Like the horror movie character he played, The Boogeyman just wouldn't stay gone.
7 Cryme Tyme
While their gimmick as "street hoods' 'could seem stereotypical, JTG and Shad were actually a good team who could be effective in the ring. They feuded with Lance Cade and Trevor Murdoch and were just getting over with a face turn when they were released in September of 2007.
It turned out that an incident with a referee during a house show led to the release of Cryme Tyme. In March of 2008, they returned to defeat their rivals, Cade and Murdoch. That year they'd also aid John Cena against JBL. The team hung around for a while before disbanding in 2010. It's rare WWE hires back guys after a nasty backstage altercation but Cryme Tyme pulled it off.
6 Marty Jannetty
When the Rockers split in 1992, it became clear Shawn Michaels was the big star. He was rising as a heel when Marty Jannetty returned to attack him and set up a Royal Rumble match. However, rumors began to spread that he was drunk during the match, which led to his departure.
He was released, which ruined the plans for a feud. But on the 5/17/1993 episode of RAW, Jannetty made a surprising return to upset Shawn for the IC Title. Jannetty also vanished in mid-1994 but returned the next year. While he never got Shawn's fame, Jannetty had enough talent to earn second chances in WWE.
5 Drake Maverick
This is a bizarre case of a guy technically released but still wrestling through it all. Drake Maverick wasn't the biggest guy around, which worked for him being General Manager for 205 Live. He also managed the Authors of Pain for a bit before an angle as 24/7 Champion and his botched wedding.
In April of 2020, Maverick was announced as one of the many cuts in the wave of releases. This is why fans were confused when he showed up as part of the cruiserweight tournament days later. It was written into the storyline with Maverick eventually losing the tournament but winning back his contract for a "return" when he never left WWE TV.
4 Matt Hardy
It's still one of the most bizarre love triangles ever. When Matt Hardy was injured in 2004, Hardy's then-girlfriend Lita started hanging out with Edge and this turned into a love affair. When the news of it hit in April of 2005, Matt understandably didn't take it well. He was soon posting vicious messages online, so WWE had no choice but to let him go.
Matt kept it up online as he worked for Ring of Honor. Fans called for his return and, for once, WWE listened. In July, Matt showed up to attack Edge on RAW, pushed as a "rogue figure" before it was announced he was resigned. While the actual feud was a letdown, at least WWE let Matt handle a good return.
3 Daniel Bryan
Right after the Nexus angle kicked off, Daniel Bryan found himself out of a job with World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. During their debut attack, Bryan was shown strangling Justin Roberts with his tie and spitting on John Cena.
The USA Network was upset, so WWE announced Bryan was fired over the incident. Just a few weeks later, he was back aiding against Nexus. It's now believed that WWE was just letting Bryan go until things cooled down, but they did get him back for his terrific career.
2 Samoa Joe
This may be a record for WWE going back on a cut. While he never got the main roster main event run fans would have wanted, Samoa Joe was a good addition, reigning as NXT Champion. He was also a promising commentator before taking time off, and fans were upset when he was the biggest name in the April 2021 talent cuts.
While there were rumors of his return, it was still a surprise when he came back to NXT as the enforcer for William Regal. It may be that Joe can't fully compete yet, but WWE hiring him back shows they recognize his star power is better with the company.
1 Zelina Vega
While she was better known as the manager for Andrade, Zelina Vega was a popular face in WWE. That included her terrific cosplays for the Royal Rumble. She was also popular for her Twitch work, which may have been a key reason she was let go in November 2020.
It also sounded like her complaints about unionizing (long a touchy subject in WWE) didn't go over well. Plus, Vega launching an OnlyFans account seemed to be the last straw. That sounded like the end of it, which made it shocking that Vega was back in early July. It shows that WWE can be surprisingly forgiving.