We have gone through one week of the brand split. It was clear with how different the rosters were that RAW ended up getting the better hand over Smackdown. Well, it seems that there are some old faces making comebacks to both brands in the next few weeks.
This past Tuesday night on Smackdown, we saw a vignette of Shelton Benjamin returning, and Rhyno also returned in an in-ring segment with Heath Slater. It is being reported through various wrestling sites that other wrestlers from the past are returning. There are several being rumored, but two are confirmed.
According to PWInsider, former WWE superstars Jinder Mahal and Melina are coming back to the WWE in the next few weeks. Jinder Mahal was released from his WWE contract in 2014, following his time as being a member of 3MB with Heath Slater and Drew McIntyre. Mahal joined the WWE in 2011 and was put into a program with The Great Khali, as a heel. Over the next year, Jinder would end up feuding with various Superstars like Ted Dibiase Jr., Sheamus, Randy Orton, and Ryback. Jinder Mahal’s most significant part of his time in WWE was when he had his undefeated streak in the then-newly launched NXT, which came to an end at the hands of Seth Rollins in the finals of the Gold Rush tournament.
Melina would last perform in the WWE in 2011, marking the end of six-year absence from the company. A former model, she is a five-time WWE Women’s Champion. Since Melina left the WWE, she has worked several of the independent promotions like Family Wrestling, World Wrestling Council, and Maryland Championship Wrestling. She even made a cameo appearance in Lucha Underground as she helped WWE colleague John Morrison ( Johnny Mundo) defeat Alberto DelRio (El Patron).
The other reported names to be in talks to making a comeback include MVP, Jeff Hardy, and Stevie Richards. It will be interesting to see how it all plays out over the next few weeks as we are on the road to Summerslam.