10 Big WWE Returns That Could Happen In 2017

Source: ImpactWrestling.com

Technically, WWE isn't the only game in town - but for the past 16 years, it's certainly been the only one of its stature. Ever since WCW went out of business, there hasn't been another wrestling outfit that could offer the same sort of financial compensation that WWE can. As a result, the company can pretty much get any star that the management wants.

Take Goldberg, for example. The former WCW World Heavyweight Champion had a largely maligned run with WWE that lasted from 2003 to 2004, and nobody was more down on it than Goldberg himself. In the years that followed, "Da Man" repeatedly badmouthed Vince McMahon and his time in the company whenever he got the opportunity.

Still, years passed, and Goldberg got the itch to return to action - especially so his young son, Gage, could finally see him compete. With no other organization on the planet able to match his price, Goldberg was more willing to let bygones be bygones and return to the grandest stage of all. At Survivor Series, he came to back to action, beating Brock Lesnar.

What can we expect in 2017? Are there any similar returns that could get the same amount of press?

Here are 10 big WWE returns that could happen in 2017.

10. Rob Van Dam

Rob Van Dam was arguably still in his prime when he left WWE in 2007, and many fans expected that he'd be back in the company before too long. Instead, it was six years before the WWE Universe would see the high-flying former champion again, as he returned at Money in the Bank 2013.

RVD's return, which was a temporary thing, didn't go so well - it was mostly centered around a pretty bad World Heavyweight Championship feud with Alberto Del Rio. RVD left and came back again in 2014, but that short tenure was even less productive.

Like Goldberg, RVD has been vocal about not liking his recent usage, but he's also gone on record as saying that he'd be open to a return to the company if certain circumstances were right. Given that the brand split has been reinstituted and that Smackdown, especially, has issues with talent depth, could we see Rob Van Dam come back for one more run? It's certainly not impossible.

9. Shelton Benjamin

This one, admittedly, is a bit of a cheat - we already know that Shelton Benjamin is coming back in 2017. Still, when he does return to the Smackdown brand, it should give the show's roster another excellent worker.

Benjamin was supposed to make his WWE comeback over the summer - in fact, a vignette aired on Smackdown hyping his return. When he took his requisite physical before returning to the company, though, it was determined that the former Intercontinental Champion was suffering from a torn rotator cuff, and would need surgery before competing.

Benjamin has since had his shoulder repaired, and he's been convalescing. He won't be back anytime soon - he recently took to Twitter to announce that he's months away from being able to do anything physical and so any rumors of him being in the Royal Rumble are false - but he will be back once he's able.

8. Cody Rhodes

ody Rhodes spent 10 years in WWE, but his career progression wasn't a solid path upwards. Though there were times during his tenure when it looked like he was on the verge of becoming a major player, there was also a ton of frustration. For two years, he had been playing the "Stardust" character - which he hated - and so in May of 2016 he requested and was granted his release.

Since his no-compete clause ended in August, Rhodes has been working pretty much everywhere - New Japan Pro Wrestling, TNA, Ring of Honor, EVOLVE, and of course, WhatCulture Pro Wrestling. He's done an amazing job of self-promotion, creating and strengthening the perception that he's the hottest free agent in the sport.

All of the buzz around Cody could be a reason for WWE to eat some crow and try to rehire the star. Cody seems very happy doing what he's doing, and has gone on record as saying that it would take a lot to bring him back to WWE, but maybe "a lot" is what the company is willing to offer.

7. Rey Mysterio

Rey Mysterio was one of the most talented and beloved stars in WWE history, but like so many others, his career with the company ended not with a bang, but with a whimper. The injury-prone Mysterio spent so much time on the shelf that, while his contract expired in 2014, WWE kept him locked in until 2015 to make up for lost time. That made the eventual split acrimonious.

Mysterio joined Mexico's AAA promotion for an easier schedule, but financial troubles suffered as the company lost top stars meant that before long, they could no longer afford to pay the former WWE Champion. Suddenly, WWE looked like greener pastures, but Mysterio was locked into a contract with AAA's sister organization, Lucha Underground.

Mysterio's contract is up when season three of LU is finished airing, which should be this summer. After that, he can go back to WWE - and to be sure, the company would love to have a star of his caliber. That said, the 42-year-old might opt for a light schedule, which could preclude him from joining the company.

6. Drew Galloway

The current WhatCulture Pro Wrestling Champion, Drew Galloway's history with WWE is well documented. The Scotsman debuted on Smackdown in 2009 and was immediately given a huge push based on his look and size, but he was in over his head. Before long, he was exposed as not ready and he fell to the bottom of the card. He then improved tremendously, but it was too late, and he was fired in 2014.

Since then, he's been one of the top stars on the independent scene, with runs in TNA and EVOLVE that have seen him make the most of his talent. Given that he's done so much in the past two years - and that he's still only 31 - he's obviously on WWE's radar.

According to reports, his TNA contract is up in February, and Ring of Honor has interest in him. While he could continue to make a good living on the indies, there's no reason why he couldn't mount a successful comeback to WWE this year.

5. Kurt Angle

It's hard to believe, but it's been more than 10 years since Kurt Angle was in WWE. In 2006, he left the company in a move that was originally spun as a mutual decision, but later turned out to be WWE's call. They felt Angle's substance abuse issues were severely impacting his quality of life, and decided to cut him loose.

In TNA, Angle found himself, though it took some time. Still, he never closed the door on a WWE return, with the Olympic Gold Medalist repeatedly talking about his desire to come back. Last January, the then-47-year-old left TNA, effectively ending his full-time career.

Still, there's nothing stopping Angle from coming back to WWE for a couple of matches, a la Goldberg (except, possibly, for a troubling medical examination). If he could do it - and there are rumors circulating that it will happen this year - an authority position segueing into one more match with Brock Lesnar would be too good to pass up.

4. Bobby Lashley

Bobby Lashley was getting a huge push in 2007, so his departure from WWE while convalescing from an injury later that year came as a huge shock. Still, the fact that he was unhappy that his then-girlfriend, Kristal Marshall, was fired - as well as rumors that he was underpaid for WrestleMania 23 - made his leaving more understandable, along with the fact that he hasn't been back since.

After leaving WWE, Lashley had a brief stint in TNA, though he began to devote most of his time to MMA. He showed a quick acuity in the sport, and eventually signed with Bellator, paving the way for a return to TNA (both companies were on Spike TV at the time).

Since then, Lashley has been a two-sport superstar, with many fans agreeing that he's been doing the best wrestling work of his career. Lashley has held a host of titles in the company, and reportedly, WWE is interested in signing him when they can. The ball would be in Lashley's court, as he'd likely have to give up MMA to return to the company.

3. Jeff Hardy

There's something about Jeff Hardy that makes him irresistible to wrestling fans. For nearly 20 years, the star has been an innovator in the sport, with his unique charisma making it clear that the Hardy you see on TV is the Hardy you get in real life. Not only has that endeared him to crowds, but it made him a bona fide superstar and former WWE Champion.

For a long time, it looked like Hardy would never be back in the company. He left in 2009, citing a need to take some time off to rest, but days later, he was arrested on drug-related charges that were ultimately dropped. Still, while they were pending, WWE wouldn't touch him with a 10-foot pole, so he went back to TNA.

Hardy finally managed to get cleaned up, and with his contract supposedly coming due in February, the 39-year-old could make a return to WWE. For Hardy's part, he's expressed interest in two long-held goals that never materialized during his earlier runs - headlining WrestleMania and competing in a Hell in a Cell match.

2. Matt Hardy

When it comes to burning bridges, even Jeff Hardy could learn a lesson from his brother, Matt. After Jeff left the company and joined TNA in 2010, the increasingly poorly-used Matt was clearly unhappy in WWE. He began posting YouTube videos criticizing WWE's product and expressing his interest in leaving, and before long, he was fired.

Matt showed up alongside Jeff in TNA, and it seemed like a match made in hell. Both brothers were clearly battling addiction, and Matt was fired after being arrested for driving under the influence. Like Jeff, though, Matt got his issues straightened out, then made a return to TNA.

Matt's rise since then has been impressive, but it reached new heights last year when he unveiled the "Broken Matt" character - an erratic cultist of sorts with a wacky family and a strange accent. Broken Matt - and his feud and subsequent partnership with "Brother Nero" - has become the talk of the wrestling town, and with his contract coming up in February as well, it seems like a given that WWE will make a play for him.

1. Kenny Omega

This one might be a bitter pill to swallow for New Japan Pro Wrestling fans (myself included), but there is a definite possibility that Kenny Omega - who just had one of the greatest matches of all time against Kazuchika Okada at Wrestle Kingdom 11 - could be heading to WWE this year.

Omega previously worked for the company, with a developmental tenure in Deep South Wrestling that he criticized after the fact. While he was grateful to Dave Taylor for lessons learned in development, Omega cited Bill DeMott, Jody Hamilton, and Bob Holly as bullies who made the experience unpleasant.

Still, WWE has made several offers to Omega over the years (including three in 2015), and now that the star has become arguably the best wrestler in the world, their interest has to be higher than ever. With Omega tweeting that he's taking a break from wrestling in Japan, and his contract rumored to be coming up soon... well, he's probably staying in New Japan, but if 2016 was any indication, anything can happen.