Jon Moxley, better known to WWE fans as Dean Ambrose, was a prominent WWE superstar. But during the latter part of his career in the company, he had evidently become tired of the creative direction the WWE took for his character under Vince McMahon.
His frustration with those at the helm of affairs in the company is evident from the remarks he made towards McMahon during an interview with Chris Jericho on his podcast, ‘Talk is Jericho,’ where Ambrose shared:
We are Diet Coke and Mentos, Vince and I, and it was ever apparent.
With no end to his misery in sight, Ambrose left WWE when his contract ran out in 2019. But WWE has mended ways with several such superstars who left the company frustrated with the creative direction. In light of the manner in which Ambrose left, here are 3 recent high-profile returns that give us hope that Dean Ambrose might make a WWE return as well.
3. AJ Lee
The most recent example of why anything is possible in the world of professional wrestling. AJ Lee left WWE in April 2015 after the company released a statement to that effect following her high-stakes clash at WrestleMania 31. At that time, permanent damage to her cervical spine was the reason behind his sudden retirement and subsequent WWE exit.
For more than a decade, Lee remained out of the ring, focusing on other things in life, including her past struggles with mental health. But when Becky Lynch attacked her husband at Clash in Paris, everyone knew that this was it. AJ Lee’s return was kind of inevitable by that point.
That moment came during the September 5, 2025, edition of Friday Night SmackDown (via WWE) when Lee, looking as if she hadn’t aged a bit, made her iconic return to help her husband, CM Punk, out and straight away confronted Becky Lynch.
Her return is an example of the fact that no former superstar leaves WWE forever. This gave fans a sight of hope that someday, they will get to see Dean Ambrose back inside the WWE ring once again.
2. CM Punk
CM Punk’s case is glaringly similar to that of Dean Ambrose. By the time he was fired by the company in 2014, he was tired of working his way up in the WWE.
Several reasons eventually led to the fallout of relations between him and the company. Punk talked about it with fellow wrestler Colt Cabana during the Art of Wrestling podcast in November 2014, where he shared:
I would have been like great, fine, I’m going to go home because I have this staph infection that you refuse to treat and diagnose. Plus, I have this concussion, and I’ve needed time off for at least a year, and you won’t give it to me. So, I just kind of laughed at that.
CM Punk tried several other things, including a brief run in the MMA, writing for Marvel Comics, and even commentating. But wrestling was what he did best, and that is why he made a return to the squared circle at AEW Rampage: The First Dance in 2021 in his hometown of Chicago.
The WWE universe wanted him back to where he truly belonged ever since he went back to wrestling from that moment on. The sudden, unplanned chants from the crowd, reinstating his name, became a tradition of sorts in the WWE.
The moment everyone was waiting for came during Survivor Series: WarGames in 2023. In what is now one of the most iconic moments of modern-day wrestling, the Second City Saint returned and has not looked back ever since.
The writing on the wall is thus clear: if CM Punk can, why can’t Dean Ambrose make a stunning return to the WWE?
1. Brock Lesnar
Brock Lesnar’s WWE return is also an example of the fact that doors of possibility are never shut in the company, particularly not in Dean Ambrose’s case.
His last WWE appearance was back in SummerSlam 2023, where he lost a high-stakes clash against Cody Rhodes. Following that, his alleged involvement in the now-infamous Janel Grant lawsuit made him a liability to the company. His scheduled appearance post-SummerSlam 2023 was thus stalled, and he was kept out of WWE programming so that the company could avoid unnecessary controversy.
Everyone thought Brock Lesnar’s wrestling career was effectively over. This was evident from the remarks made by Daniel Cormier on the Mightycast podcast in July 2025, where he stated that Lesnar was banned by the TKO, meaning he won’t be returning to WWE or UFC anytime soon.
But those claims from Cormier were negated when, in an unprecedented turn of events, Lesnar made a return at SummerSlam 2025 and attacked John Cena with a thunderous F5 that shocked the WWE universe.
Later on, it was revealed that WWE legal cleared him a few weeks before his return, establishing the fact that the company can go above and beyond to include one of their own when it has to.
Dean Ambrose effectively is neither involved in any major controversy nor has he breached the terms of his previous WWE contract, so a return for the former United States Champion is very much possible.
The return of these superstars to WWE stands as a powerful reminder that no departure is ever truly final. In the world of sports entertainment, “never say never” has never rung more true than with these iconic comebacks inside the squared circle. Their resurgence has reignited fan excitement, reshaped storylines, and brought fresh energy to the WWE universe.
A table illustrating the initial year of these superstars and their return year is as follows:
Whether driven by unfinished business, passion for the industry, or the roar of the crowd, these superstars have proven that legacies can evolve, and chapters once thought closed can always be reopened. Their return is not just nostalgia; it is a testament to the enduring spirit of wrestling.
Do you think Dean Ambrose can ever effectively return to the WWE after an illustrious career in the AEW? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below.
