Top 10 Biggest WWE Comeback Stories

Ring rust can affect even the greatest WWE performers, but what about The Great One himself, The Rock? It had been nearly eight years since the real-life Dwayne Johnson had wrestled in a WWE ring, having successfully transitioned into the world of acting. Even Johnson’s final two years in the company showcased what was essentially a part-time Rock back in 2003 and 2004. That said, when Rocky returned in 2011 to feud with none other than John Cena, it was a BIG deal. The Face that Runs the Place collided with The People’s Champ at Wrestlemania XXVIII the following year, and it did not disappoint. Let’s just forget that this supposedly “once in a lifetime” match-up actually had 50/50 booking, shall we?

Chris Jericho possesses an uncanny affinity for reinvention. No other wrestler seems able to compete with the man, when it comes to consistently making his career feel fresh, vital and interesting. That said, Jericho has been able to return again and again from both a storyline and real-life point-of-reference. One of his greatest returns was following a series of cryptic binary code videos, Jericho would come back to confront WWE Champion Randy Orton. And let us not forget Jericho’s last WWE return and run from 2012 to 2018, wherein the man officially became a Grand Slam Champion. Truly, Chris Jericho is one of the GOATs.

It takes a certain, special kind of talent to not only return from injury, but to potentially be better than they had been in the past. Yet, here we are with “The Heartbreak Kid,” Shawn Michaels, a man who came back from addiction and a career-threatening injury to become an all-time great. Michaels’ back had been badly hurt during a Casket Match with The Undertaker in 1998, forcing him to retire. Taking nothing away from what Michaels’ did in his career prior to 2002, it’s not hyperbole to say that the Shawn Michaels we know today can largely be traced back to this post-injury return. The Heartbreak Kid absolutely killed it in the WWE between 2002 and 2010. It’s truly the stuff of legend.

Speaking of injuries, it normally takes wrestlers a lengthy amount of rest and rehab before they’re ready to make a return to the squared circle. That’s in part what makes this comeback story from John Cena so incredible. He Who Can Not Be Seen was the surprise number thirty entrant in the 2008 “Royal Rumble” event, a mere three months after suffering a torn pectoral muscle. The injury had occurred on October 1st, 2007 during a match with Mr. Kennedy, with absolutely no one expecting to see Cena back in the ring until at least six months. Yet, there he was, with the sort of swagger that said: “hey, I’m an inhuman dynamo that can’t be stopped. Let’s do this.” Incredible.

Triple H’s return from injury didn’t occur with the same sort of speed as John Cena. However, it could be argued that The Game’s return was just as validating. The man once known as Hunter Hearst Helmsley had suffered a completely torn quadricep muscle during a tag team match on May 21st, 2001. He was out of action for three-fourths of a year, before making a triumphant return on January 7th, 2002. This time, Triple H was a babyface, or “good guy,” and looked to be in incredible shape. He reminded the rapturous WWE faithful that he was, indeed, “The Game,” and that he was back in action. It was definitely a feel-good moment.

Not every WWE Superstar gets a second chance at glory. Then again, not every WWE Superstar is Drew McIntye. The Scottish Superman was legitimately let go from the company back in 2014, after sliding down the roster to “jobber” status. In other words: wrestlers consistently booked to lose. McIntye picked himself up by his bootstraps, however, competing in indie promotions, while also getting into the shape of his life, before finally making his way back home to the WWE. This time, his career was running in the opposite direction, all the way up from the company’s NXT division, to a World Championship run in 2020.

It was a moment many wrestling fans never thought they’d see: the long-time fan favorite Edge back in a WWE ring. The Rated R Superstar had been out of action for years, after neck injuries had developed into cervical spinal stenosis. Edge stayed retired for nearly a decade, before his return at the 2020 “Royal Rumble” shocked the world. Here was a healthy Edge, doing what he loved, and doing it well. It was a rapturous reception by the crowd in Houston, Texas, too, creating an atmosphere that was positively electric.

The very nature of this list means that we thankfully have a lot of “feel good” stories to relate. This definitely feels like one of those, since the WWE’s Head of the Table was once sidelined by a very real leukemia diagnosis. Sadly, Reigns was no stranger to battling the disease, as he admitted to the WWE audience during a promo on October 22nd, 2018. Roman’s leukemia had been in remission for eleven years before coming back, forcing the former Shield member into a temporary hiatus. The Big Dog proved resilient, however, and Reigns triumphantly returned to the WWE on February 25th, 2019. He informed fans that his leukemia was, once again, in remission.

Here was a man who gave everything he had to the wrestling business, who wanted nothing more than to compete in a wrestling ring. Concussion issues and a lesion on Bryan’s brain had resulted in an early retirement back in 2016. Yet, a little over two years later, Daniel Bryan was medically cleared to wrestle again during a very emotional promo on “Smackdown Live!”, and the WWE Universe couldn’t have been more excited. It was a truly emotional and wonderful moment in wrestling television.

Eddie Guerrero may be gone, but his legacy will never be forgotten. The man’s contributions to the wrestling industry will live on forever, as will this incredible moment from a career defined by incredible moments. “Latino Heat” had battled back from injuries, as well as personal demons, to become a man revitalized. This was Eddie Guerrero firing on all cylinders, delivering what could easily be described as the best work of his career. And it was all rewarded when Guerrero achieved the WWE’s top prize, during an iconic bout with “The Beast,” Brock Lesnar. True to fashion, Eddie lied, cheated and stole to beat Lesnar at “No Way Out” 2004, but the resulting celebration was nothing if not validating: Eddie truly was one of a kind.