11 MORE WWE Returns That IMMEDIATELY Backfired
None of these shocking or "epic" WWE comebacks worked out as planned.
There are few things in wrestling quite like the rampant social awkwardness of a comeback that just doesn't hit. Spare a thought for workers suffering through those moments, and for creative team members who thought it'd be handshakes, hugs and back pats all round once their carefully-written plan came to fruition in front of the cameras.
Their faces must've been a picture once everyone realised that oh...oh no - *insert return here* just didn't click with fans who bought tickets or those watching en masse at home on TV. Brian Christopher's cringeworthy 2011 comeback is a prime example of this, and so were so-called renaissances for the likes of Shane McMahon, Davey Boy Smith and even Hulk Hogan.
It's time to serve up more of that pain.
Honestly, it sometimes doesn't take long for things to go south. Every pro wrestling comeback is supposed to play before wild cheering/booing, frantic social media chatter and even maybe some mainstream media headlines (depending on the size of the star in question). Then, there are these flubs. They might've received a cheer/boo here or there in the heat of the moment, but things rapidly fizzled out as it became obvious to everybody that dark days lay in wait.
There are some huge names here too. We've got olympians, MMA revolutionaries, multi-time World Champions and even guys who carved out a niche for themselves in the original ECW. What's that old Paul Heyman trope? Maximise someone's strengths and hide their weaknesses? Yeah, well those weaker points were unfortunately laid bare for all to see.
Get ready to cringe hard.
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11. King Kong Bundy (1994)
The 'New Generation' had kicked off by 1994. Dynamic in-ring workhorses like Bret Hart and Shawn Michaels were leading the way, but they were ably backed by The Undertaker, Diesel, Razor Ramon and others. Basically, anything other than what conjured up images of Hulk Hogan and the Hulkamania boom of the 1980s was in-fitting with the WWF's fresh direction.
That's why rehiring one of Hulk's biggest foes was a real head-scratcher.
Egg-shaped behemoth King Kong Bundy returned in late '94. He worked his first match for a Wrestling Challenge taping on 30 August, but that actually aired a day after the Superstars match he filmed on 31 August. Then, his first bout on Raw came on the 10 October episode. It wasn't long before Bundy had joined Ted DiBiase’s Million Dollar Corporation, but he looked 100% past his prime.
Even the big guy's squash matches were dull and lacked the oomph a new breed of monster like Diesel had shown when ripping enhancement workers a new one. Later, Bundy's 3 minute showing in the 1995 Royal Rumble was pathetic. Somehow, in spite of looking totally out of sorts since his comeback, the WWF thought he’d be ideal fodder for The Undertaker at WrestleMania XI anyway.
Nothing about this return worked, and it was apparent instantly that Bundy wasn't going to fly in a fresher federation. He linked up with one of the worst factions ever (sorry, 'Million Dollar Man' fans!), wrestled like he was moving through sludge, and his presence continued the agony inflicted on 'Taker during his earliest 'Mania performances.
Bundy's comeback should've been toast as soon as everyone saw his initial flurry of squashes.