Ranking All 29 WWE Returns And Debuts In 2022

3. Damage CTRL

Cody Rhodes
WWE.com

There are three main categories when it comes to debuts and returns: a new superstar hired from outside the company, an NXT wrestler debuting, and an injured superstar returning after a long absence.

With Damage CTRL, WWE hit all three buckets. Dakota Kai was rehired, Iyo Sky was called up, and Bayley finally made her long-awaited return.

We’ve been critical of the trio’s effectiveness and positioning, but Damage CTRL has been a central component of the Raw women’s division since SummerSlam, and the group has given regular TV time to three superstars, so those are all positives to note.

The real test will come when the group disbands and how they each move into the next phase of their careers. Will Kai get lost in the shuffle? Will Iyo’s talents be squandered?

In this post: 
Cody Rhodes
 
Posted On: 
Contributor
Contributor

Scott is a former journalist and longtime wrestling fan who was smart enough to abandon WCW during the Monday Night Wars the same time as the Radicalz. He fondly remembers watching WrestleMania III, IV, V and VI and Saturday Night's Main Event, came back to wrestling during the Attitude Era, and has been a consumer of sports entertainment since then. He's written for WhatCulture for more than a decade, establishing the Ups and Downs articles for WWE Raw and WWE PPVs/PLEs and composing pieces on a variety of topics.