WWE Stars To Bring Back Old Characters

Published: Jul 11, 2026 by SP3 | Last Updated: Jul 11, 2026 by SP3

Born in Harlem, New York and now living in the Bronx, Sid Pullar III aka SP3 is a lifelong wrestling fan who has been covering the industry for over nine years as a podcaster and writer. His passion for the industry has been documented with over 3,000 videos on YouTube and 8,000 written pieces across multiple outlets, such as WrestleTalk, Sports Illustrated and more.
@TruHeelSP3

Over the past few years, there have been several stars on the WWE roster who have brought back old characters and gimmicks.

Whether it be Roman Reigns and The Usos reuniting The Bloodline, The Original El Grande Americano becoming Chad Gable again or Finn Balor bringing back ‘The Demon,’ it has become a theme of bringing back old themes and traits for the fans.

There could be even more talents who take this as a cue and reintroduce older elements of their persona to recapture some momentum in the company.

Here are six WWE stars to potentially bring back old characters.

6. Alexa Bliss

Alexa Bliss has been someone who has consistently been brought up by the fans to bring back her old character.

When Bliss first rose to prominence in WWE, it was as ‘Little Miss Bliss,’ who was the prototypical mean girl that made her the top villain in the women’s division.

After aligning herself with ‘The Fiend’ Bray Wyatt, Bliss became a darker side of her persona that embraced the supernatural.

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Whether it be her heel form or dark side, Bliss has plenty of options to make one of her old characters have their return to the limelight on WWE programming in the near future.

5. Matt Cardona

In January 2026, Matt Cardona re-signed with WWE after spending the past six years on the independent scene.

After being with WWE for over a decade, Cardona reinvented himself and was able to reestablish himself as a star in the industry.

Now that he is back in the promotion, Cardona should get the chance to break out in a meaningful way like he was able to do on the indies.

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Cardona bringing back his Zack Ryder persona or even introducing the WWE audience to his ‘Indy God’ and ‘Deathmatch King’ characters would be the best way for the former ‘Long Island Iced Z’ to climb the ladder back in the company.

4. Johnny Gargano

2026 has not been the best year for Johnny Gargano. Starting out the year, Gargano’s longtime tag team partner and best friend Tommaso Ciampa left WWE and split up their DIY duo.

After losing Axiom’s mask back to the star, Gargano became depressed and started to lay face down on production cases backstage on weekly WWE television.

Now going on months of his almost vegetative state, Gargano could wake from his slumber and bring back his old self.

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Gargano bringing back his ‘Rebel Heart’ would be a sight to behold and hopefully signal a renewed push for the former WWE Tag Team Champion moving forward.

3. Rusev

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Ever since he returned to WWE in 2025, Rusev has found himself in a peculiar position where he has established himself again, but also reminding fans who remember his previous stint with the company.

On the July 6 episode of Monday Night Raw, Rusev and Ethan Page defeated Dragon Lee and Chad Gable.

During the course of the match, the fans in Chicago started chanting ‘Rusev Day’ at ‘The Bulgarian Brute,’ reminding some fans of his ultra popular gimmick from his final years in the company.

Running back the character, Rusev could bring the return of ‘Rusev Day’ and see his stock rise in a similar fashion that it did with the gimmick in the late-2010s.

2. Tony D’Angelo

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Tony D’Angelo was introduced to the WWE audience on the NXT brand as a mobster character.

From Chicago, D’Angelo would become ‘The Don of NXT’ and the boss of his own crew, The D’Angelo Family. Alongside Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo, Adriana Rizzo and Luca Crusfino, Tony D showed his leadership skills and how to find success as a unit.

After the group split following the betrayal of Stacks, D’Angelo took several months away before eventually returning as this new “vigilante” persona.

Despite the success he has found with his new character as the current NXT Champion, Tony D might have been much more entertaining as ‘The Don of NXT’ and could bring back this character when he is ready to make the move to the WWE main roster.

1. Becky Lynch

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Ever since making her return at WWE WrestleMania 41, Becky Lynch has shown a new side of herself that has been more vindictive, jealous and paranoid.

Becoming ‘The Greatest Women’s Wrestler of All Time,’ Lynch has been the centerpiece of the WWE Women’s Intercontinental Championship picture and has feuded with young talent, such as Sol Ruca, Maxxine Dupri and Lyra Valkyria.

While she has played her role to perfection and helped countless stars she has worked with, Lynch feels long overdue a return to ‘The Man’ persona.

From ‘The Man’ to ‘Big Time Becks,’ Lynch has plenty of characters at her disposal to go to if she wants to feel the adolation of the fans once again.

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