8 Retired Wrestlers WWE Is Begging To Make A Comeback (And 7 They'll Never Talk To Again)

STAY AWAY: Daniel Bryan

In some respects, it doesn’t really make sense that Daniel Bryan is on this list. He’s the only person here who still works for WWE, and if the company wanted Bryan to come out of retirement tomorrow, all they would have to do is ask. However, it’s the fact they clearly don’t want him to do so that makes him a lock for the “stay retired” category, as WWE is basically forcing him to do so until his contract runs out. When that happens, Bryan will probably go back to wrestling for an independent promotion or head to Japan. Right now, it looks like WWE is going to let him, too worried that his history of injuries could be a major liability. For Bryan’s sake, we hope they’re wrong because it really seems like they’re just trying to stop the guy from accidentally paralyzing or killing himself in the ring.
STAY AWAY: Raven

In his own words, Raven says he’s only “semi-retired,” but now that he’s made a practice of wrestling twice a year or less, it looks like that “semi” part is slowly fading away. Not that this really matters to Vince McMahon or anyone else in WWE, as they wouldn’t want the former ECW Champion around no matter how active he thought he could be. This is unfortunate, considering Raven’s incredible gift of gab and brilliant mind for the business could be used to the company’s great advantage either as a manager, trainer, or producer. Though Raven was never a huge name in WWE, he was a top star for ECW and occasionally flirted with the main event in WCW, meaning his name still has a little value in it no matter what capacity he’s used in. Again, however, this is all irrelevant because the McMahon family have been open about their distaste for Raven ever since his friendship with Shane ended in the mid-’90s
COME BACK: Beth Phoenix

Only 36 years young at the time this article is being written, there’s arguably a bigger chance for Beth Phoenix to make a comeback than anyone else on this list. That goes double considering the fact she recently became the youngest person inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame, a clear-cut sign the company still respects her talents. The one thing stopping her is that similar to Trish Stratus, Beth left the wrestling business primarily to start a family, which she’s since done with fellow-Hall of Famer Edge. Not that WWE has ever felt like a wrestler having a personal life should prevent them from being a full-time star, as its commonplace in the industry for performers to leave their families behind while traveling on the road. Beth’s youth also means there’s a chance she’ll spend a few years with her family and decide to step back in the ring later on, a decision WWE would almost certainly welcome with a big smile.
STAY AWAY: Mick Foley

Look, we’re not saying that if Mick Foley had another book to promote, he wouldn’t make a short return for the requisite cheap pop and nostalgic run through all the old catchphrases. At this point, though, there’s absolutely nothing WWE can gain out of forcing his broken, defeated body back into the ring one last time. His latest run in the company as the GM of Raw was met with highly mixed emotions from fans, who never felt he quite fit in the role. Not that things would’ve been any better if Foley was wrestling because, again, he’s just too injured and beaten up to put on a good performance anymore. While Foley used to be able to show up and give an epic promo now and again, even that skill seems to be disappearing now that he’s older and less relevant, so his latest dismissal from the company may well finally be his last
STAY AWAY: Scott Steiner

Holler if you’ve heard this one before: Scott Steiner is a ticking time bomb of human insanity. Sure, Big Poppa Pump’s unhinged personality is exactly what made him a huge star in the dying days of WCW, and it continued to entertain fans during his stints in TNA/Impact Wrestling. However, most reports indicate Steiner’s mania extends far outside of the ring, making him a public liability to WWE and whoever coworkers would be forced to work with him. On top of that, Steiner himself probably isn’t all that interested in coming back to wrestling