Best Surprise Return Ever

[michael.foulds]

It says it all in the title, what would you consider the best surprise return ever?

My personal one would be The Undertaker at Judgement Day 2000, but that was because I was only 8 and had only heard about The Undertaker, and when he returned I got to see what was so good about him as I was completely shocked that he would return and take on the whole McMahon/Helmsley faction. This was when I still thought wrestling was real as well so I thought he was amazing taking them all on.

So what are your personal favourites?

 

[Hulk Hogan's Brother]

gotta be hbk in 2002.i used to watch wrestling in 1998 and i thought he was done for.i was mighty surprised when he made his return to fight triple h in summerslam.the pop he got was huge too.the crowd was clearly surprised as well.and what a match he had.he didnt seem rusty or out of place for a single second and it was actually hard to believe he had been out for four years

 

[RD_21]

Well being live in Montreal for Austin return at No Way Out was amazing but it wasn't really a surprise.

Y2J debut was the best but it wasn't really a return.

HHH return was awesome but it too wasn't a surprise.

So as far as SURPRISE return I would say Cena in the rumble 2 or 3 years ago (if not more). I was already fed up with Cena at that point but his return was great and I was happy that he won because we didn't expect him to be there so soon.

 

[kazfan401]

I've gotta agree with you, Undertaker was a hero to me back then, and it was great for me to see him appear with the little girls on the titantron which kind of creeped me out and take on everyone, I marked out so bad in a little kid way I was only 9.

 

[Navi]

I have two returns which I just loved. Remember the Jericho "I've come to save you from Orton" return. Just great, the only problem is that it never went anywhere. So much hype and promise and so little result.

The second was Cena's coming in at number 30 at the Rumble. No one expected it as he was supposed to be out with a injury, and the roof blew off the place when his music hit. The look on HHH's face was priceless when he saw Cena come out, it was like he couldn't believe what he was seeing. Totally sold it for me. Huge mark out moment.

 

[Lancer]

My personal favorite surprise return would have to be when Kurt Angle returned to pro wrestling, making his debut in TNA at the same time. At that time, I was a huge Angle mark and thoroughly enjoyed his last few matches in WWE. I knew he was released for personal reasons, and I was disappointed because his future in wrestling remained uncertain.

One day, I was browsing the web and visited TNA's website. In the section reserved for announcements, there was a flash video that read "Our ring has six sides....but only one Angle," as it transitioned to a graphic of Angle, complete with an Impact! mouthpiece. I almost pissed my pants. I was psyched that my fave wrestler was going to be a part of my fave promotion.

My feeling of euphoria went on uninterrupted when I tuned into Impact and saw the debut. The interaction between he and Samoa Joe was priceless, filled with adrenaline and rage. Mike Tenay added a lot to the experience with his commentary, proving he can still provide memorable observances if the moment is right.

 

[Optimist Prime]

Ultimate Warrior at Wrestlemania 8 was pretty surprising. Nobody expected that at all. Totally out of no where. The only reason it wasn't more popular than it was...was because the Ultimate Warrior was significantly smaller, cut his hair shorter, and wore a body suit so people didn't even really think it was him at first. And this is also partially how the whole "the Ultimate Warrior died and there were 8 of them!" nonsense stories come from. But it was in fact the same guy the entire time.

 

[Alex]

Why the fuck was this not said


[YOUTUBE]VrJEKiUQzqg[/YOUTUBE]


For weeks a cryptic code had been going around WWE speaking of a saviour saying Save_Us.222 and when 19/11/07 Randy Orton said it was his time, but then came the return of Chris Jericho to a standing ovation, (and this was on free tv)

In all fairness most people knew it was Jericho before he came back but it was moreso the reception he got that makes this one of the best returns ever.

 

[daddyJ_t]

i have to agree with prime. the warriors return was one of thee best. i was at the hoosier dome(rca dome) at wm 8 and not only me, but 60,000+ jus marked the hell out when they heard that music hit and the place jus erupted even more so then when savage beat flair earlier that night.

 

[The Brain]

I’m more of an old school guy, but I have to go with John Cena’s return at the 2008 Royal Rumble. This really was a surprise. It’s amazing that this took place during the age of the internet where even the smallest of secrets are let out. The fact that this huge secret remained a secret is what made this really special. Cena wasn’t expected back for another six months and there was no indication that he would be at the rumble. The roof blew off the Garden when his music hit. It was great to see all those smarky New Yorkers lose themselves in the moment and give Cena a standing ovation. They were booing him a few minutes later, but it proved that they really did respect him. I remember thinking it was some kind of tease when his music hit and was legit stunned to see it was actually him. That’s one of the few times I’ve legitimately marked out as an adult fan.

 

[Undertaker the 5th]

I have not been watching wrestling for many years so I will say that Cena's return at the rumble. I truly never expected that return and I was watching the play by play results here because I did not have money to buy the Pay per view. All of a sudden the results were frozen for like 5 minutes and when they posted the final results it said John Cena at 30 entrant. I was surprised like hell and could not believe it. I think I would have screamed my lungs off if I had been there that night.

 

[edgecution123]

I've gotta go with Cena at the 2008 Rumble also. It was the last time I actually got goosebumps watching wrestling(before the initial Nexus attack on Raw). The pop he got from the crowd was one of the loudest I can remember. The best part was the guys in the ring were legit shocked when his music hit. I'm sure HHH was the only guy that knew he was coming out. All in all just a classic moment in WWE history, which makes it the best to me.

 

[Mitch Henessey]

No one is going to mention Shawn Michaels return in 2007?

Triple H had just lost the WWE Championship to Randy Orton in a Last Man Standing match the night before. Vince wanted the entire Raw locker room to congratulate Orton, but Triple H was no where to be found. As Orton heads up the ramp, HBK's music hits. Shawn got an insane pop, and everyone was happy to see him back. As far as the storyline goes, Orton had punted Shawn a while back, but in real life Shawn had to have knee surgery. It was such a great moment. Seeing Shawn was a complete shock, and the crowd went nuts. His return that night is definitely one of my favorite wrestling moments ever.

[YOUTUBE]0RJsp4jS13g[/YOUTUBE]​

 

[Aeon Mathix]

Like a lot of people already said, Cena's return surprised me the most. No one saw it coming at all. Me and my brother had picked our favorites to win the rumble, then when 30 was counting down i was wondering who was left but never ONCE did Cena cross my mind, then his music hit and both me and my brother shouted we change our pick! lol it was an awesome moment.

Another good one and please forgive me for not remembering hardly at all i was pretty young was when shane came out and told vince about something and vince said "the HE you are talking is not stone cold then who the hell is the HE you are talking about??!" and i was upset cause i was a huge austin fan, then seconds later "IF YOU SMELL..." and that whole crowd came unglued along with me watching. Again sorry for not remembering, but that was a hell of a return by the rock. I believe he came back after filming the rundown.

 

[Hollywood Naitch]

I am going to go with Goldberg making his return to wrestling and interrupting and in-ring promo by The Rock in 2003.

Noone had heard from Goldberg since the end of WCW, and while everyone had expected him to appear in the WWE, nothing had happened in nearly 2 years. The Rock was in his last heel run in the WWE, when suddenly Goldberg's epic music starts playing and the WCW legend appears on the titantron, before coming down to the ring and nearly breaking The Rock in half with a spear.

For me this was a great moment in wrestling history, as I had always wanted to see Goldberg in the WWE, and I liked how it was done. No countdown, no pre-warning of what was going to happen, no announcement of Goldberg signing with the company, just a great surprise debut.

 

[LitasRevenge79]

I will say there was quite a few that impressed me. For starters, yes, Jerichos' return in 2007, although it turned out to be the worst kept secret, however, the marketing gimmick behind it was probably the most GENIUS thing behind it. I loved the moment he appeared interrupting Orton's little spotlight. Another one, I don't know if you'd call it a real comeback or not, but RVD at I think Raw's 15th anniversary show when Santino challenged anyone from the back to come out, and then RVD made that ONE NIGHT ONLY appearance at the Royal Rumble (Sorry, I don't remember what year it was.) But I was totally like . I was so screaming my head off. Then of course, when Christian came back out of nowhere as Swagger was making his th-peech at the beginning ECW one night, I think the whole audience was taken by surprise too, as well as announcers. Most people were anticipating him at Royal Rumble earlier that year as part of the Hardy Bros story, but since he didn't appear then, we though he just wouldn't show up until WAYYYY down the road.

Then, I will say, after HBK was punted out by RKO, when he showed up after Orton was instructed to go to the backstage and bring HHH out to congratulate him, I think the whole audience freaked out, as well as me.

But one, that I think many people are overlooking, or at least in my eyes, has to be No Mercy, 2006.
Regal is having TERRIBLE night. He just has run in after run in with star after star backstage, and then gets chased out backstage nude and runs into Teddy Long who orders him to a match. Then he goes out to the ring. Nobody knows who he's going to fight. It seems like forever, then all of a sudden, you hear the familiar music of "Whatever" by Seven Mary Three, and out walks Chris Benoit, and the PPV is in the home state of Atlanta (where he lived.) and the arena goes apeshit, even JBL and Michael Cole are going nuts. I was floored, and still do get starry eyed, Benoit had gone on a little sabbatical for a while and that was his return match.

 

[Dr. Stinger A. Zoidberg]

For me, it's definitely Cena's return. Nobody had any idea that he was going to be the #30 entrant in the Royal Rumble. I remember listening to a podcast a few months earlier with John Cena on it. He said that there would be absolutely no way he would be ready in time for the Royal Rumble, or even No Way Out. I had already picked Triple H to win that year's Rumble, and when Cena appeared as #30, I was genuinely shocked. He was the last person I would think to have appeared at #30. The WWE did such a great job of not leaking it out to spoiler sites, and even keeping it a secret from the competitors in the Rumble. It was so perfectly executed, so unexpected. But it sure as hell was a big surprise.

Another return that surprised me was when Steve Austin returned at the end of RAW one night back in 2003. It was Triple H vs. Shawn Michaels in a match that was brutal. It left Triple H a battered mess outside of the ring. HBK had walked out the winner. As Shawn was walking to the back, Eric Bischoff announced that Michaels was fired. The crowd booed the hell out of him. Then, as Bischoff turns around to speak, Austin's music hits and the whole arena goes nuts. I really dont think anybody expected Austin to come out and proclaim himself as a Co-GM of RAW. Again, this one is just a personal preference of mine.

 

[Mr. Artistic guy]

Might just have to tag along with the original posters idea, takers one was amazing. The way it played out with the whole video before his entrance that played the whole way through and was very eerie and the fact that when he returned he looked very different but hes one of those wrestlers just like HHH in 2002 that you know how good they are when they exit as a heel and return as a face. The crowd reaction was awesome and made taker look like a god.

I also have to give props to when kane returned in 2000 after the whole x-pac angle when he had become institutionalised again. I always say this and people will dispute it but when my eardrums are working correctly to me it appears to be the loudest pop ever, honestly ever, read my lips .....EVEEER!! honest check it out, no real good quality vids but from the moment paul bearer walks out.... anyway..

LOD against RVD and Kane in 03, they got a pretty sensational pop and as possibly the biggest tag team of all time and knowing hawk died not long after it was pretty special that they did it when they did, while they still could

Yes Ok I'll admit it Cena's royal rumble return was pretty good, when hes standing in the entrance ramp with his arms crossed doing a robot impression, watch it youll see what I mean. (this is a side not but does anybody know where I can see a video of the deranged fan in the yellow shirt at that rumble, every time a wrestler came out he would go mental and start grabbing his face and things its hilarious.......no.....well if anybody does let me know).

Ric flair in TNA, I'll let you decide, for me this really signalled many considering this as the other company because everybody knows his ties with WWE and even still he saw the potential that lay there and honest to god every time I watch ric do ANYTHING in TNA right now he looks like hes having the time of his life, like hes about 30 again, I really feel happy for him that he has had a chance to work with the guys there and help them, but als that TNA has helped him find his passion for th biz again, bless.

Surely Y2J,s first WWE appearance was a suprise no? I dont know if people already knew he was coming or not, they only APPEARED to realise once his name came on the titantron but I could be wrong. Unlike the second time where everybody knew about 2 minutes before ortons stupid lump, poor segment, I'm sorry but jerichos second coming was inadequate, build up great, delivery poor. I liken it to tazz's WWF debut when EVERYBODY knew before he came out that it was him.

I think goldust and Mr perfect in 2002 both deserve a respectable mention because nobody really saw that coming and it got nothing but good reception. Went nowhere but thats another story.

Can we count the return of mick foley as cactus jack or for that matter the return of mick foley when he was re-entered into the main event of WM 16, both very legendary.

Kindof avoided WCW but surely the return of sting with the black and white facepaint after going away in his old costume is something right up there?

Well I've named anough, there are plenty of them and honestly I'm glad this was posted as 'suprise returns' and not just returns becasue it made the thread more pensive and interesting, well played chief.

 

[LamaNamaneumi]

Back in 2001/2002 Eddie Guerrero had been let go for some reason(I think he crashed his car while drinking, I could be wrong.) He was gone for a few months and totally out of my mind. Then one night on RAW RVD was having a match with someone, RVD was getting ready to hit his Five Star Frogsplash when Eddie ran from the crowd, knocked him off the turnbuckle and then hit his own Frogsplash on RVD.
This was great on two levels for me, Eddie made a surprise comeback and the two started a feud over a finishing move. That is something we don't get to day.

 

[Ferbian]

[YOUTUBE]jMrMRH_XFd8[/YOUTUBE]​

Edge had been gone due to a groin injury for a longer period of time. While it might not have been one of the biggest, or for that sake it might not even have been the best surprise return ever, it was certainly big.

I mean, listen to the crowd go absolutely crazy for this guy. From what I believe he left as a face, so obviously he was getting cheered as hell. But this also marked the return of the awesome heel Edge that went on to feud with John Cena and mess around with Lita. So I certainly feel that it is more than warranted to have a mention in this thread.

 

[Eyebrows]

I certainly got excited for Edge's return. It was when I was younger and anticipated Raw every night and I'd only gotten back into wrestling in autumn 2003, forgetting all about Edge.

Anytime Rock, Austin or Foley makes a surprise return it gets the hairs on my neck standing up, partly helped by the entrance music. The car screeching, the glass breaking or The Rock yelling into the mic. before you see them gets you excited before you even realise what's happening...it's like a reflex action.

I enjoyed The Big Shows return at Royal Rumble 2001. Not sure if that was a surprise or not? At that time I could only watch the PPVs from my friends VHS's as I didn't have the channel that broadcast Raw/Smackdown.

 

[The Crock]

Oh wow, so many to choose from... I'll have to say my all-time favorite would have to be John Cena at the 2008 Royal Rumble. He was the last guy I expected to show up. It was a great moment, an extremely loud ovation as well. You know, Cena is just one of those guys that electrifies the entire crowd, so when he made that return there was just something special about the moment.

My runner up would have to be Jericho. Sure, it wasn't all that shocking, but it had been so long since he'd been in the ring that it just absolutely stunned me. The cryptic code was also brilliant, it was a dead giveaway, but it didn't matter. Orton really helped it along with his reactions though. Very well done by the WWE.

 

[Lee]

I was tempted to post umpteen rock appearances like against Evolution or la resistance. I could post any of Stone Cold's, my mark out at legion of Doom's return, heck any by Hogan, HBK 2002 or 07, Paul Bearer's recent return or Jeff interrupting Edge. All will pale in comparison to this:

In the abscence of that Kurt, allow me as the sole owner of the World wrestling federation

WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

The night after SS01, the invasion has ended the Naitch returns to the WWF. The mark out, the legacy it helped build for him with the modern fan. Just watch the return:

 

[Simmo]

I am going to have to go with HHH's return after he was out for almost a year with that quad tear....

From memory it was MSG, JR went completely nutso screaming "it's THE GAME, THE GAME IS BACK...."

When he walked down to the ring he just looked super massive (like he had swallowed a truck load of roids)... and everyone in the place went crazy...

I remember sitting with my brother and the 2 of us fell of our sofa in shock...

 

[The Holy One]

Seeing how everybody's taken Cena at RR 08 (which was my original choice). I'm gonna go with Edge in 2004 WWE draft. Before he was injured, Edge was probably my favorite face at the time. I had almost forgot about him until he was drafted that night. Then when I heard "You think you know me", my inner Edgehead awoken again and I almost woke up my mom who went to sleep about an hour before it happened by screaming so loud.