5 superstars who left WWE on bad terms, but then returned
Over the years, many WWE Superstars have left the company due to creative differences.
However, there have been superstars who have settled these differences amicably over time, and eventually made a return to the company.
On this list, we will take a look at five Superstars who left WWE on poor terms but rejoined the company later.
#5. WWE Hall of Famer - Bruno Sammartino
Bruno Sammartino still holds the record for being the longest reigning WWE Champion of all time. He held the title for more than seven years after winning it in 1963. A beloved superstar, fans were deafeningly silent when he lost the belt to Ivan Koloff at Madison Square Garden.
The Italian Strongman was the stalwart of WWE for quite a while. So, it was all the more reason for him to snap when he found out that he was cheated of money. Apparently, Vincent K. McMahon gave him the incorrect gate percentages during his entire second title reign. This made him sue both McMahon Sr. and Capitol Wrestling Corporation.
Sammartino did return to WWE after a court agreement with the McMahons. He was initially in the role of a commentator. Later, he had feuds with Randy Savage and Rowdy Roddy Piper. He left again in 1988, this time for a longer period.
The two-time world champion became a crusader against the company. He publicly voiced his discomfort with WWE's use of steroids and mature content on The Phil Donahue Show, Geraldo and CNN.
Sammartino refused to even talk to anyone from WWE for years until the conciliatory efforts of Triple H in 2013. Fans saw the legendary Bruno accept an induction into the WWE Hall of Fame by Arnold Schwarzenegger.
#4. Alberto Del Rio
Fans were shocked when multi-time champion Alberto Del Rio left WWE unceremoniously in 2014. The decision was based upon an altercation between Del Rio and an employee from WWE’s Social Media division. He punched the worker over a racist joke and was released for “unprofessional conduct.”
(1/2) @VivaDelRio is responsible for his own actions. If you’re angry at anyone, be angry at Alberto.
(2/2) There’s no excuse for a pro athlete not to conduct themselves in a professional manner.
The Cross-Armbreaker Specialist drew massive sympathy and defense from the fans, especially because the aforementioned employee wasn't released. Del Rio returned to Mexico and had good babyface stints in Lucha Underground, Ring of Honor and AAA.
Meanwhile, in the fall of 2015, WWE was in a difficult position. Randy Orton was injured and John Cena was about to take some time off. This might have been the reason why the company decided to re-sign the veteran Alberto Del Rio. According to F4WOnline, he got a lucrative deal and had to wrestle for a limited amount of days.
Del Rio made a surprise return at the Hell in a Cell pay-per-view in October 2015. He defeated Cena to win the United States Championship. However, he left WWE a year later and has not returned since then. Apparently, he was unsatisfied with his position in the company and the “brutal schedule” it had for him. He was also suspended for 30 days before this decision, having violated WWE's wellness policy.
#3. WWE Hall of Famer - Bret Hart
WWE has described the Montreal Screwjob as "arguably the most controversial, most jarring moment in the annals of sports entertainment." The controversial incident that occurred in 1997 stemmed from Vince McMahon's paranoia. He did not want Bret Hart to take the WWE Championship to WCW and broke kayfabe to accomplish his wish.
At Survivor Series, Shawn Michaels faced off against The Hitman for the WWE Title. Bret had no idea about the ending of the bout while HBK, Vince and even the referee Earl Hebner knew what the plan was. While Michaels had Bret in the Sharpshooter, Hebner called for the bell even though The Hitman didn't tap.
24 years ago today, the Montreal Screwjob took place https://t.co/WsuDYqtKYf
Hart was a workhorse for WCW in the following couple of years and had a major run as the World Heavyweight Champion. However, he suffered numerous injuries which left him with post-concussion syndrome. It ultimately forced him to retire from professional wrestling.
After the takeover of WCW by WWE, The Hitman's legacy in wrestling continued to be remembered in video games. This is the reason why, out of respect, Hart started working with the company again.
He buried the hatchet with HBK and later was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2006. Bret Hart would eventually return for a storyline with Vince McMahon at the start of 2010.
#2. Stone Cold Steve Austin
Stone Cold Steve Austin was the biggest star of the Attitude Era. However, there was a sudden change in his push in 2002. He was defeated by Chris Jericho twice, both times due to interferences, and never got his hands on the Undisputed Championship. The megastar expectedly became disillusioned with his creative direction.
Problems began to surface backstage. Stone Cold reportedly refused to lose to Hulk Hogan at WrestleMania 18. He was replaced in the mega match by The Rock, while The Texas Rattlesnake fought with Scott Hall.
After the Shows of Shows, Austin took a week-long break citing exhaustion. He was prepared to have a feud with Eddie Guerrero but got paired with Brock Lesnar in a King of the Ring qualifying match.
It was then that Austin reached his breaking point. He walked out on the proposition of him losing against Lesnar without any build-up. According to him, the loss scenario was absurd for that very reason.
Following his exit, WWE scrapped all storylines planned for him. Vince McMahon even decided to bury the name Stone Cold from its history books.
The Chairman and Austin eventually settled their differences at the end of the year. Stone Cold was back in action as he defeated Eric Bischoff at No Way Out 2003. However, his walkout did cost him a fine of 250,000 dollars. This fact was revealed in a Stone Cold podcast in 2014.
#1. Brock Lesnar
Brock Lesnar was literally "The Next Big Thing" after his debut in 2002. His past dominance is a reflection of his current, having pulverized superstars like The Rock and The Undertaker. He became the second fastest to win the WWE Championship, doing so 126 days after his debut.
However, fatigue and burnout got the better of him. He decided to take a break from professional wrestling and achieve his longtime NFL ambitions. Unfortunately, WWE forced him to sign quite a restrictive non-compete clause. It prevented him from being a pro wrestler or competing in MMA anywhere in the world for the next decade.
Lesnar sued the company after he failed to make a breakthrough in NFL. In 2006, he apparently had the win, gaining the right to do anything he wanted through an agreement. He joined NJPW following that, before becoming a heavyweight sensation in UFC.
Medical problems caused The Beast Incarnate to abstain from MMA. WWE capitalized on this and gave him a lucrative deal in 2012. Since then, Lesnar is earning millions being just a part-timer. He is a 10-time world champion and seems almost unstoppable.