10 Best Second Runs In WWE History
If at first you don't succeed, try, try again... although work the indies first.
They say you only get one chance at a first impression, but that doesn't mean that second chances aren't important too.
Whilst wrestling history is full of performers who nailed it first time, there are are plenty of examples of wrestlers who took multiple tries to reach the top.
Whether they were released unceremoniously, fired for wrongdoing, or just needed some time to sort their lives out, the following ten wrestlers all left WWE at one point, only to be brought back and excel.
We've ranked this list based not only on the success of these wrestler's second runs but also how they stack up against their first. If a wrestler won championships and had stellar matches in their second run, but also did the same in their first, then they'll be lower down the list that somebody who flopped first time around and soared on the second.
So, with many former stars returning under the Triple H era, let's find out whose example they should follow to ensure a successful second go around in the WWE.
10. Brock Lesnar (2012 - Present)
Brock Lesnar's first WWE run was one of the most unique and controversial in all of wrestling history.
Debuting the night after WrestleMania X-8, Lesnar was pushed to the top of the card at light speed, securing a Royal Rumble win, a WrestleMania main event, and the WWE Title all within his first year.
Then, just one year later, he was gone. Lesnar had grown tired of the WWE lifestyle and he left after WrestleMania XX, leaving a huge Beast-shaped hole in the company.
After a career that took him to NJPW, the NFL, and the UFC, the Beast Incarnate eventually returned to WWE a full decade after his debut. What followed was yet another controversial run, which saw him hold the company's top prize hostage multiple times and become one of the most divisive figures the industry has ever known.
Still, there's no denying the success that Brock has had since his return. He's won far more titles, had far more big matches, and made a boatload more money than he did in his first run and, for that reason, he deserves a spot on this list. No matter how much you may hate Suplex City.