Former WWE Stars To Re-Sign With NXT

WWE

WWE fans are more than used to seeing new faces show up in NXT, and 2026 has been no different, with Zilla Fatu, Cruz Montana, Lizzy Rain and Naraku among the newest arrivals on the NXT brand.

What is less common, but has still happened from time to time is NXT alumni returning to the brand immediately upon re-signing with the company.

Shawn Spears was the last to do this in 2024, but rumors have been abound regarding more names potentially following suit.

Here are three former WWE stars to potentially re-sign with NXT:

Eric Young

On July 1, Eric Young confirmed that he had requested and been granted his release from TNA Wrestling.

The former TNA World Champion had been back with TNA since his first WWE release back in 2020, however, he did briefly return to WWE in 2022 before exiting once again the following year without making any appearances on TV.

Young stated after that spell that he couldn’t “morally” work for WWE anymore  – with reports stating that this request to be released was due to Vince McMahon returning to the creative fold in 2023.

Three years on from then however, and it appears as if Young may be set for another stint in WWE, albeit this time in a new role, as it has been reported that the 46-year-old is set to take up a player/coach position in WWE NXT – similarly to the aforementioned Shawn Spears. This has not yet been confirmed, but if true, then it would certainly be a coup for NXT given Young’s vast experience.

Mara Sadé

Another recent TNA Wrestling departure was that of Mara Sadé, fka Jakara Jackson in WWE.

Exiting the company in August following the expiration of her contract; Sadé remains a free agent at the time of writing, but has been linked to both AEW and WWE.

A move to All Elite Wrestling – where her boyfriend Kevin Knight currently works – appears the most likely move based on recent reports, however, a return to NXT cannot be ruled out totally.

Her former tag team partner Lash Legend has gone on to establish herself on SmackDown, but there might be some unfinished business for Sadé in NXT, especially as a singles star; a role she never truly got to shine in before her WWE release in May 2025.

Enzo Amore

While Big Cass is re-establishing himself on WWE Raw as a singles act, questions regarding the whereabouts of his former tag team partner Enzo Amore have persisted.

Like Cass, Enzo was reported to be WWE bound earlier this year, and interestingly it was stated that he would be returning to the NXT brand when he did so.

Plans can of course change, and WWE nor Enzo have ever confirmed he is indeed coming back, but it does feel like a missed opportunity from WWE to not make it happen, even if they intend on keeping him seperate from Cass, at least initially.

Enzo is among the best talkers around even still, and he could potentially help the young stars of WWE NXT hone their skills should he return to the Performance Center.

To make sure you stay up to date with all the biggest wrestling and WrestleTalk news, follow us on Threads by clicking this link!

• nxt
• wwe

Share this article with friends