There's still some time before one of the biggest upcoming WWE events of the year, Summerslam 2023, but not much. Pretty soon, some of this year's biggest storylines will play out in Detroit, and we might even see a new champion crowned. Surprises are also sometimes a part of the festivities, and what better way to celebrate the major event than with the return of a wrestler who has been gone for a long time?
Unfortunately, and yet perhaps fortunately too, the WWE has a healthy roster of big names that have been out of the ring for quite a while. The following is a short-list of big names who might come back before or during Summerslam and why we have reason to believe we'll be streaming a big match with them with our Peacock Premium subscriptions.
Drew McIntyre
Drew McIntyre is one of the WWE's top stars, and yet he's had a notable absence from television since WrestleMania 39. The latest word from Bleacher Report is that McIntyre is headed back to television once he can figure out alongside creative what they want to do with his story.
With McIntyre's contract set to expire in 2024, there's a chance this could be his final run before moving to another company. Of course, he could always re-sign, and might do so if what he's offered creatively is in line with his interests.
Bray Wyatt
Bray Wyatt has been out of the WWE since before WrestleMania 39, and he's reportedly dealing with an undisclosed illness. There have been various rumors lately though about him returning, however, and they recently got a lot more interesting when his former stablemate and former WWE superstar Erick Rowan dropped a cryptic tweet just following the end of SmackDown.
Rowan shared a photo of him in a sheep's mask, which was a nod to his time in the Wyatt Family. Could this be another clue that Bray Wyatt will return soon? We got a lot of clues about his arrival last time, so I certainly hope so.
Randy Orton
Randy Orton has been out of the WWE since he was injured in 2022, which resulted in him having back surgery. The Viper has made various appearances online, and we've heard good news from Orton's loved ones, but we haven't seen him get any closer to appearing in the ring.
However, thanks to The Kurt Angle Show, we did hear that Randy Orton is healed up from his surgery. Angle went on to say that he believed the superstar will return soon, though to do what we don't know. I know that I would love to see him reunite with his RK-Bro Matt Riddle, but will things be the same with Riddle's possible heel turn on the horizon? I guess we'll find out if he comes back.
Nia Jax
Nia Jax made a surprise return during the Women's 2023 Royal Rumble match and was eliminated, and that was it. Since then, however, Jax has been in the gym and looks a whole lot different these days. Based on her latest Instagram Post, I wouldn't be surprised if she was planning for a return to the ring, maybe in the WWE.
In a women's division where Rhea Ripley and Ronda Rousey are booked as monster champions, we need Nia Jax returning to be the great equalizer that lays them out. I'd love to see her return for something at Summerslam and maybe usher in a new era that can silence critics of her past runs.
Matt Cardona/Zack Ryder
Not every wrestler is a star on their first run in the WWE; sometimes they need some time elsewhere to get that chance the next time. Matt Cardona has managed to do just that, and one could argue he has more name recognition now than he did back when he was Zack Ryder. Wrestling organizations should be interested in having him back, especially after WWE saw just how over Cody Rhodes has been in his return.
Matt Cardona recently told Notsam Wrestling that he hadn't received calls from major organizations, but if he was preparing for a return, obviously he'd say that. I think it'd be foolish not to believe the WWE isn't at least considering bringing him back, but we'll see if he does pop up eventually.
Braun Strowman
Braun Strowman has been out of WWE for a while after suffering a concussion, and then in June, he announced successful neck fusion surgery. Given the healing time, it's not impossible to think that Strowman could be back in time by Summerslam, but he'd need to likely wait until shortly before one would think.
Of course, nothing is ever guaranteed when it comes to recover times. We've seen wrestlers return from horrific injuries relatively soon, and some simple injuries take longer to heal. We'll have to see which side Strowman falls on, and whether or not he'll be set for a return match at Summerslam.
Robert Roode
We've been waiting some time on some "glorious" news about Robert Roode, but the wrestler continues to be out of commission. Last we heard, he received neck surgery back in November of 2022, but fans didn't learn about it until May of 2023.
Could Roode have teased the recovery because he's about to return, or is he just updating fans because he'll still be gone for a while? We have no idea, but I would love to see him back in the mix and hear that wonderful theme music all over again.
Kofi Kingston
There was once a time where The New Day was the hottest faction in the WWE. Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods even managed to keep the spirit of it alive when the WWE split Big E from the group, but now the injury bug has really removed them from relevance entirely. Big E has been out for some time after breaking his neck, and Kingston is out with a broken ankle.
The good news is that the superstar could make a return any week now. Kofi Kingston revealed on the Battleground podcast that he's been doing rehab on his ankle in Orlando. He's 12 weeks post-operation, so one has to think his return date is coming if it hasn't been officially set yet. I think he and Xavier Woods are past due for another tag-team title opportunity, and I'd love for Big E to be there too.
WWE's Summerslam will stream on Peacock on Saturday, August 5th. Right now, the match card is still fluid, but we have some ideas on some pairings we might see based on the first poster for the event.
