WWE SmackDown - 5 Reasons why Triple H brought back Tegan Nox
WWE SmackDown fans were in for a treat this week when former NXT star Tegan Nox made her shocking return to World Wrestling Entertainment. While Liv Morgan attempted to fight off Damage CTRL by herself, Nox ran out to save the day. Liv and Tegan managed to thwart Bayley, Dakota Kai, and IYO SKY at least temporarily.
Tegan Nox's return to WWE SmackDown came just over a year after her release from the promotion in 2021. Prior to being released, she had a brief cup of coffee on the blue brand where Nox teamed up with Shotzi. The two were split up when Tegan moved to RAW, but she never wrestled for the brand prior to being let go by the company.
Now that The Girl With The Shiniest Wizard is back in World Wrestling Entertainment, the future will likely be bright for the Welsh superstar. Still, some fans who may not be familiar with Tegan are likely asking why she was brought back to the promotion. This article will offer several likely reasons for her surprise return.
Below are five reasons why Triple H brought Tegan Nox back to World Wrestling Entertainment on WWE SmackDown.
#5. Her return on WWE SmackDown was a pleasant surprise
Tegan Nox's return on WWE SmackDown was primarily met with positivity online. Naturally, there are some who aren't fans of the star or are unfamiliar with her skill level, but most fans who know Tegan's capabilities were thrilled to see her return.
Triple H bringing back Tegan was likely partially influenced by the desire to surprise the audience. Many believe that WWE was in a rut for quite some time. Nowadays, you never know what to expect or who you may see on WWE SmackDown and RAW each week.
Some may point out that a handful of the surprise returns haven't received gigantic pops from the live audience, but that isn't an issue, especially with talents who have limited main roster exposure. The surprise is still well worth it, especially for fans of these returning stars.
#4. Tegan Nox is a good wrestler
The obvious reason why The Game decided to rehire Tegan Nox is due to her being so talented. Simply put, Tegan is a good professional wrestler. She's likable, very good in the ring, and has a certain magnetic energy that attracts fans.
While it may go without saying to some, you need to hire talents who can go when the bell rings. The women's division in particular spent years focusing on female stars who were there solely based on looks. That time has long since passed and now the women's division across all three brands is more diverse than ever before.
Triple H bringing in a utility player that he trusts is extremely beneficial, but especially on Friday Night SmackDown. The blue brand is WWE's most-watched program and he needs quality wrestlers who can deliver in the spotlight. Nox can do exactly that.
#3. Her WWE SmackDown return has already seemingly boosted morale backstage
Comeback Crew 💙 https://t.co/lX6eOiShj5
Morale is important in professional wrestling. While healthy competition is always welcome, having wrestlers be job-scared only makes the backstage area tense and kills the passion of the stars. Additionally, having personalities who cause problems with a lot of in-fighting can be extremely detrimental to a promotion. AEW is an example of a company whose infighting has severely damaged its image and momentum.
WWE once had an issue with morale for quite some time. Between Vince McMahon's alleged erratic behavior, talents being overworked and mass releases, many wrestlers simply didn't want to compete on WWE SmackDown and RAW. Thankfully, that seems to have changed in the Triple H era.
Tegan Nox being rehired will only further boost the high morale of the locker room. She's well liked, with several superstars excitedly greeting her on social media following her return. Plus, Triple H rehiring stars who were fired helps ease the animosity and resentment felt by both wrestlers and fans over the unnecessary releases.
#2. She was never given a proper chance on WWE SmackDown or RAW during her previous run with the company
Part of the reason morale was so low in WWE for quite some time was the wave of releases the promotion had throughout the pandemic. Dozens, if not hundreds, of wrestlers and employees were released over a two-year period. Many of the superstars let go were hardly given a chance to succeed in the first place.
Tegan Nox is an example of a wrestler who didn't get much of a chance. She debuted on WWE SmackDown alongside Shotzi and the two were seemingly set for immediate success as they defeated the WWE Women's Tag Team Champions in non-title competition. Unfortunately, after only a few appearances, the team was split up and Tegan wasn't used again until her release in November 2021.
Triple H witnessed many of his NXT stars being phased out, buried, misused, and released on the main roster by the Vince McMahon-led administration and likely wants to correct the flaws from the past. Rehiring Tegan is another step in fixing prior mistakes made by the company and offering talent the opportunity to succeed.
#1. Tegan Nox helps boost the WWE SmackDown women's division
WWE SmackDown is the most-watched brand in pro wrestling, but they've had a difficult year with the women's division. While SmackDown started off 2022 strong, Charlotte Flair, Naomi, and Sasha Banks all left television around May. The six months since has seen the company attempt to rebuild the division after (at least temporarily) losing three of its biggest stars.
Thanks to returns, debuts, and roster moves, the SmackDown roster is starting to strengthen. Women now active on the blue brand include B-Fab, Emma, Lacey Evans, Liv Morgan, Raquel Rodriguez, Ronda Rousey, Shotzi, Sonya Deville, Tegan Nox, Valhalla, Xia Li, and Zelina Vega. Maxxine Dupri and Scarlett may also wrestle in the future. Plus, there's Natalya, Aliyah, Charlotte Flair, Naomi, and Sasha Banks who are all inactive but could return at some point.
While the five missing stars still hurt the brand, WWE SmackDown's women's division is finally finding steadier footing and the arrival of Tegan Nox only helps strengthen it.