WWE Raw: Ranking the Debuts and Returns From Post-Mania Show

1. Jeff Hardy

Let’s face it, no one last night had a better unscheduled appearance than Jeff Hardy. Lashley had the shock factor, Moon had the great in-ring action, and Joe had the fire promo. But Hardy had a little bit of everything in his big appearance. Plus, he came back to join the main event match, and he’s setting himself up for potential inclusion in the Intercontinental Championship. Not a bad first night back, huh?

Jeff’s night started out by coming down to even the odds for Seth Rollins and Finn Balor, who were temporarily outnumbered by The Miz and his Miztourage. If Hardy was coming back, most had the odds pegged as being a part of the Matt Hardy/Bray Wyatt/Woken Universe angle. So seeing him as regular old Team Extreme Jeff Hardy was a bit of a shock.

The main event match was handled mostly by Rollins and Balor, but when Hardy got involved he was the Jeff Hardy of old. He moved like a man half his age for most of the match, and hung in there with the “young kids” Balor and Rollins. (Yes, I’m aware Balor isn’t exactly a “kid” these days.)

But perhaps the best part of the evening for Jeff was his encounter backstage with Matt and Wyatt. Matt pointed out that Jeff had beaten his “Broken condeeshun” before Wyatt addressed him as Brother Nero. And how about Jeff dropping in and out of the Team Extreme and the Woken Universe like it was nothing? The looks on Rollins and Balor’s faces were priceless, as was Jeff’s ability to keep a straight face. Big things are on the horizon for Hardy — especially if he does eventually get “Woken.”

Next: WWE Raw Review for April 9

Who do you think had the best surprise appearance on the post-WrestleMania edition of WWE Raw this year?