AJ Lee stunned the world when she briefly returned to WWE on the September 5 episode of SmackDown. Beyond her, five names whose return could shock the wrestling world if they reappeared in a WWE ring. Each has history, star power, and unfinished stories that would electrify fans.
#5. Samoa Joe
Joe joined AEW in March 2022, on a reportedly three-year deal. If that’s correct, his contract expires this year. Despite the uncertainty, the wrestler continues to perform in the AEW ring. As of now, he is the current AEW World Trios Champion, which he recently defended on the August 27 episode of AEW Dynamite against Rocochet, Bishop Kaun, and Toal Liona.
Joe has had a long history with WWE, especially with the NXT brand, where he used to perform before his main roster debut in 2017. Memorable feuds include Finn Balor, Shinsuke Nakamura, AJ Styles, and Roman Reigns.
#4. Karrion Kross
Before his release from WWE on August 10, 2025, Kross was a fan favourite. Despite being a heel character, everyone cheered for him. Just one look from a backstage interaction was enough for the fans to go crazy in the arena. He was the leading merchandise seller on the WWE shop due to his popularity. Now, following his release, Kross is a part of independent wrestling circuits, but if he decides to come back to WWE, that would generate a massive pop.
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#3. Claudio Castagnoli
The Swiss superman, or Cesaro, was one of the beloved and respected stars in WWE. His tag-team with Sheamus, The Bar, was loved by the audience, and it was one of the most successful tag-teams of all time. His current contract with AEW was signed in 2022, but there are no reports as to when it expires. If it is to expire any time soon, and Castagnoli decides to make his return to WWE, his and Sheamus’s face-off would be a spectacle to witness.
#2. Saraya
Known as Paige, she had a notable career in WWE. She signed with the company at just 19 years of age in 2011. She was the inaugural NXT Women’s Champion in 2013, and later became one of the youngest Divas Champions in WWE history. In 2017, she suffered a serious neck injury, which led to her retirement from professional wrestling. She joined AEW in 2022, and her contract expires in September this year. Given the recent return of AJ Lee, Saraya could pick up her wrestling boots again, to face her ‘sister’ in the ring.
#1. Chris Jericho
Jericho had a long career in WWE, debuting in 1999 against The Rock till 2018. He had a strong run in the company initially, winning major championships multiple times. He also had notable feuds with the likes of The Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Triple H, Shawn Michaels, and Kevin Owens. Fans still remember his popular gimmicks, such as Y2J, ‘The List of Jericho,’ and his serious heel turn in 2008.
His contract expires in December this year, and he has not dismissed speculation about a potential WWE return.