WWE: From CM Punk to The Rock – 12 biggest returns in WWE history

The WWE is probably the most theatrical form of sports based entertainment you will ever encounter in your life and there is nothing more theatrical than a big WWE return.

Cast your mind back across your many years of WWE fandom and you’re going to remember a lot of very exciting returns that live on in your memory. Even just recently, we’ve had Daniel Bryan making us all fall in love with him all over again, The Hardy Boyz changing the whole of WrestleMania, Roman Reigns forcing Leukemia into remission and just two nights ago, CM Punk. What a time it’s been to be a WWE fan.

Knowing that there is a lot of excitement behind any big return, I asked on Twitter who everybody’s biggest return was and got a whole world of responses; far more than I was hoping for to make a top 10 list. So, I couldn’t even do a top 10 list. My plan has been ruined and I would like to start by blaming you all for ruining that for me. How dare you.

Knowing that I couldn’t simply rank just 10 after receiving all of your input, I immediately gave up while trying and decided to watch every return I could. What we have here is the end result; 12 major returns that are roughly ranked for you to peruse, enjoy and remember.

Let’s start with a little bit of the good old Team Extreme.

12. Hardy Boyz

During WrestleMania 33 two and a half years ago, the Raw Tag Team Championships were to be defended in a tag team ladder match between champions The Club, Sheamus and Cesaro and Enzo and Big Cass. Before the match began, hosts The New Day would enter the arena and declare that the match would be a fatal four way.

Now, they could have announced themselves as the fourth team. They have and still have an intense championship pedigree and they know how to add a few flips and throws to a match that was already very exciting. Instead, the music hit and Matt and Jeff Hardy made a long, long overdue return to the WWE fold.

Both men were as hot as could be coming into the company, with Matt’s Broken gimmick being a major component of his time in Impact. They would come in, win the championships and go on to have a very strong year. Additionally, when breaking up later during their run, we would see Woken Matt Hardy work with and then team with Bray Wyatt. Meanwhile, Jeff Hardy would go on to get his ear penetrated by Randy Orton in a Hell in a Cell match.

At the moment neither man is on TV, but it’s hard to deny the impact and intensity of this return on the biggest show of the year.