CM Punk delivered an all-time great match against Drew McIntyre at Bad Blood. (Credit: WWE/Getty … [+]
Getty ImagesWWE named Triple H its creative head more than two years ago, and the company has undergone a complete booking transformation since then.
Perhaps the most notable change in Triple H’s booking style from the previous regime is long-term storytelling, with the former world champion doing a tremendous job of letting storylines play out over months and sometimes years. Of course, Triple H also had made a habit of running just five matches per pay-per-view card, which is a double-edged sword that cuts back on costs but also reduces the number of available spots on the PPV cards.
Another marquee—and perhaps the most impactful—change Triple H has made is bringing back a number of former stars who were previously released, whether that was due to cost-cutting measures or simple roster clean-up. Certainy not all those stars have panned out, but a plethora of stars brought back by Triple H are making a significant impact on Raw or SmackDown.
Which stars brought back under Triple H’s regime have been the best rehires? Let’s take a look at the biggest comeback success stories in Triple H’s WWE.
Andrade
A former NXT and United States Champion, Andrade is one of many prominent stars who signed with AEW early on in the company’s existence, but within roughly two years of inking a deal, he unceremoniously exited AEW after a less than memorable stint there.
Even when Andrade was still in AEW, the overwhelming consensus was that his success in NXT—where he was booked incredibly well by Triple H—made him a virtual shoo-in to return to WWE in some capacity. Now, Andrade finds himself in the upper midcard on SmackDown, where he’s had a wildly entertaining rivalry and series of matches with Carmelo Hayes on Friday nights over the past few months.
That feud has really elevated both stars, who are now a notch below the upper tier stars on the blue brand. It will be difficult for Andrade to surpass stars like Roman Reigns, Cody Rhodes, Randy Orton and even LA Knight on SmackDown, but he has settled in nicely as a believable United States Championship contender.
Andrade appears destined to tangle with Knight at Survivor Series in some capacity, perhaps a triple threat match also involving Hayes, and a title win would certainly cement his WWE return as a rousing success.
Nia Jax
Nia Jax was released by WWE in 2021 before returning roughly one year ago, and hardly anyone could have envisioned the success she’s already had and continues to have week in and week out.
The current WWE Women’s Champion, Jax has been booked like the dominant force WWE hoped she’d be during her previous run while also improving significantly as an in-ring performer. Especially over the course of 2024, Jax has been downright unbeatable, which has made her into a loathed heel who is going to help launch whatever babyface ultimately defeats her into a massive fan favorite.
What’s more, Triple H—and no surprise here, due to his penchant for long-term storytelling—has clearly laid the framework for Jax’s reluctant sidekick Tiffany Stratton to be the one who dethrones her, likely by cashing in the Money in the Bank briefcase in what promises to be an unforgettable moment.
That wouldn’t be possible without Jax being a stellar heel and one of the bright spots of WWE as a whole in 2024, something that was essentially unthinkable just a couple of years ago.
Chelsea Green
Also released in 2021, Chelsea Green returned to WWE in 2023, and though she isn’t booked like a world title contender, she turns everything she touches into absolute gold.
Green has been widely praised as one of the most entertaining stars in all of pro wrestling, with a slew of stars past and present taking notice of her incredible abilities as an entertainer. Most recently, Green received widespread applause backstage for her “dumpster match” on SmackDown, where she took what could have been a terrible gimmick match and made it a wildly compelling one instead.
The next step for Green is for WWE to find a way to balance her unmatched comedy skills with her talents in the ring, which aren’t always highlighted as much as they should be. It’s obvious that Green has the comedic chops to pull off virtually any material she’s given, but numerous high-profile stars throughout WWE history—ranging from Kurt Angle to Eddie Guerrero—were able to do the same while also winning world titles.
There’s no reason to think that Green can’t do the same. After all, she knocks it out of the park week after week already.
Bronson Reed
Like Green and Jax, Bronson Reed was released by WWE in 2021, and when he returned in 2022, it wasn’t clear how well he would fit in on Raw and SmackDown.
While it took a while to get there, Reed has spent the past several months establishing himself as one of the most must-see acts on Raw. A remarkable athlete for a man who tips the scale at well over 300 pounds, WWE has highlighted his unmatched athleticism and agility with a plethora of showcase matches on Raw, especially his recent bouts against Braun Strowman.
Reed’s amazing high spots and feats of strength have also gone viral, proving that there is still a market for big men in today’s era. Of all the stars on Raw who haven’t been pushed as world championship contenders yet, Reed is clearly the closest to breaking through to the next level. He’s in the early stages of the biggest feud of his career with Seth Rollins, a rivalry that could elevate him to the main event level.
Reed is tremendous in the ring, and if he can match that with above average promo ability and/or find a good mouthpiece, he could end up going from released star to world champion in a matter of just a few years.
CM Punk
A massive draw during his brief stint in AEW, CM Punk, since his shocking WWE return last November, has been everything WWE could have wanted—and then some.
In fact, WWE was reportedly even negotiating a new deal with Punk a few months ago because he had essentially exceeded all expectations since he came back. Literally signing with WWE at the last minute before his epic Survivor Series 2023 comeback, Punk has proven to be a significant TV ratings draw, which should come as no surprise given that he’s been involved in two huge feuds despite spending much of the year injured and unable to wrestle.
Punk’s feud with Drew McIntyre has been pro wrestling’s best feud of 2024 and one of the most captivating ones in company history, with a slew of memorable promos and a Match of the Year frontrunner at Bad Blood just this month. In addition, Punk has had an on-and-off feud with Rollins that should be reignited come WrestleMania 41 season, giving him a top spot on Raw for the foreseeable future.
Even with a somewhat limited schedule, Punk’s elite mic skills and big-match abilit, combined with his great reputation backstage in WWE, prove that WWE made the right call in bringing him back—despite all the bad blood and reasons why his return could have failed miserably.
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