5 Underwhelming return pops in WWE history
The first SmackDown of 2020 saw no less than 3 big returns to WWE TV - Sheamus, John Morrison, and The Usos all returned to the company, but none of them evoked the strong reaction from the crowd that we expected. The last major return pop that a returning superstar received might be what Matt and Jeff Hardy received when they made their return at Wrestlemania 33.
One return that would have gotten a spectacular reaction was that of CM Punk, but the fact that he returned on a show without a live audience robbed us of that moment. For all the noise that Punk makes that he is is signed to FOX and not the WWE, it seems likely that he will indeed step foot inside a WWE ring again.
This list takes a look at 5 underwhelming return pops in WWE history.
#5 Rusev (RAW - September 16, 2019)
When Rusev made his return to WWE TV late last year, he did so on an episode of RAW which, probably not coincidentally, ended the Maria & Mike Kanellis pregnancy angle before it could get off the ground. Rusev would charge the ring and absolutely destroy Mike before becoming a regular fixture of RAW programming.
The return was unexpected, but the pop that the hugely popular innovator of 'Rusev Day' got was underwhelming. His eventual storyline has surprisingly earned him a good deal of support from live audiences, as WWE moved on from tormenting one real-life married couple (Mike & Maria) to another as Rusev found himself in yet another love triange, this time with his real life wife Lana, and Bobby Lashley.
The angle is still going on, with diminishing returns each week. Last week saw Liv Morgan added to the mix in yet another disappointing return to WWE TV.