5 Best Surprise WWE Returns
This week on Raw, Dean Ambrose made his long-awaited return from injury to a thunderous reception from the live audience.
In times where the internet rules the wrestling world, a well-executed return is extremely difficult to do, with most fans already aware of what is about to go down.
Regardless of this, though, the WWE still manage to pull off some excellent surprises from time to time, and when things go right, there are fewer things more exciting than a familiar entrance theme hitting and a crowd losing their mind.
With Ambrose's return still fresh in the memory, let's take a look a look back at five of the best WWE returns of all time.
#5 CM Punk, Raw, 2011
While the WWE might have made a pig's ear of the 'Summer of Punk' in the long-run, the program is still cherished by wrestling fans around the world as providing us with some of the most original and daring pieces of television in WWE history.
When Punk defeated John Cena at Money in the Bank 2011, fans were genuinely baffled as to what was going to happen next.
Punk had announced that he was leaving the company, and was posting pictures on his social media of the WWE title in all sorts of weird and wonderful places.
The WWE reacting by announcing a tournament to crown a new champion. John Cena took on Rey Mysterio in the final on an episode of Raw, and would eventually defeat the former cruiserweight champion to lift the belt.
As Cena stood celebrating in the ring though, the unfamiliar sound of 'Cult of Personality' rang out and fans turned their attention to the entrance ramp.
Cena was then greeted by a returning CM Punk and his original WWE title belt, sending the live audience into a frenzy. The show went off the air with the two men holding their belts above their heads.
There is an argument to be made that the company should have waited a little bit longer for Punk's return to generate even more of a reaction from the fanbase, but this was still an awesome moment.