8 Returns WWE Dropped The Ball On
Just when you thought it was impossible to fumble the ball, WWE did just that.
For some wrestlers, there's nothing better than some time away from the squared circle or some time away from a certain promotion. After all, absence makes the heart grow fonder.
The greatest example of this is Triple H. Despite being hated for years before his absence, The Game's return in 2002 received one of the biggest pops in the history of televised wrestling - and it resulted in Hunter going on to win the Royal Rumble and defeat Chris Jericho to become WWE Undisputed Champion at WrestleMania X8.
But not every great return gets the continued push and momentum of Triple H, of course. In fact, some performers can make a white-hot return to WWE, only to soon end up dropping off a cliff and finding themselves battling lower card guys on WWE Main Event.
It's on that standpoint where we're going to lurk here, as we look at some of those superstars who have had those ginormous, all-adored returns, where it seems as if they're destined for greatness and a permanent spot as a main event player, only to be painfully shafted by WWE's handling of them.
So with that in mind, here are eight such times that WWE has bungled the return of some ridiculously hot performers.
8. Alberto Del Rio
Alberto Del Rio is a bit of an enigma for wrestling fans. There’s clearly something about Del Rio – his in-ring work is great, he looks like a star, he can operate well as both babyface and heel – yet somehow he’s a performer that often feels nothing other than dull and bland.
If that wasn't enough, some of the Mexican's star real-life antics make it hard to fully get behind him. Adultery, restraining orders, violence, and the very public - and very toxic - relationship with Paige makes it a tough ask to get fans to pull for Del Rio.
After a nauseating final year of his first WWE spell, Alberto went on to become one of the hottest names in the business as he competed for the likes of AAA, Lucha Underground, and Impact wrestling. So hot and buzz-worthy did Alberto El Patron – the name he took on upon leaving WWE – become, he once again found WWE knocking down his door to bring him back in a major way.
That major way began by re-debuting as a surprise opponent for John Cena at 2015’s Hell in a Cell PPV. Del Rio would beat Cena and become United States Champion that night, and the crowd response to ADR was massive.
Following a win over WWE’s poster boy, it looked as if Alberto would be positioned as a top-tier player for this second stint with the company. Only that isn’t exactly how things played out, with Del Rio trading the US Title with Kalisto before settling into a spot with The League of Nations.
Alberto’s second WWE run fizzled out with a whimper and he’d be gone from the company within a year.