Former NXT Stars To Return To WWE

At WWE NXT Homecoming, several former NXT stars will be making their return to the brand and the company overall.

While DIY, Rhea Ripley, Stephanie Vaquer, Carmelo Hayes, Charlotte Flair, Alexa Bliss and Lyra Valkyria are all coming down from the main roster, Tyler Breeze will be making his first appearance on WWE TV in four years.

There could be even more former NXT stars who can make their way back and make their mark on the brand.

Here are seven former NXT stars to potentially return to WWE.

7. Duke Hudson

Back in February, Duke Hudson was released from his WWE contract, becoming a free agent for the first time in six years.

After a successful four-year run on WWE NXT, Hudson has some momentum as he makes his return to the independent scene.

Now known as Duke Hanson, the former NXT Tag Team Champion has showcased his combination of size, look and agility to great effect back on the indies.

Making a return to WWE, Duke could finally get a legitimate shot on the main roster where he could potentially take Andre Chase and the Chase U faction to a reunion on Raw or SmackDown.

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6. Cameron Grimes

Following a six year stint with the company, WWE released Cameron Grimes back in 2024.

While Grimes had found upward mobility on NXT, he did not have the same luck on the WWE main roster which led to him being lost in the shuffle.

Returning to the independent scene, Grimes has once again become Trevor Lee where he is appearing in multiple promotions all over the world.

WWE could give Lee a call to come back where he could make a return to NXT and potentially get a real crack at the main event title picture this time around.

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5. Shayna Baszler

One of the more surprising names included in the latest round of WWE talent cuts in May was Shayna Baszler.

Not only working as a main roster talent, ‘The Queen of Spades’ also worked as a backstage producer for WWE NXT when she was under contract.

Surprisingly working as a producer again even after her release, it seems like Baszler might still be on good terms with the company.

This could lead to Shayna getting another opportunity with WWE where her veteran experience and knowledge can benefit the promotion long term in numerous ways.

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4. Giovanni Vinci

Giovanni Vinci started 2024 as a loyal member of the Imperium faction alongside GUNTHER and Ludwig Kaiser.

However, the group quickly made the decision to excommunicate Vinci at the hands of his own tag team partner Kaiser.

While both Ludwig and GUNTHER have gone on to their individual success, Vinci was released from WWE in February 2025.

After not wrestling since 2024, Vinci could make his return when he is healthy and ready to go to potentially have another run on WWE NXT where they had only scratched the surface with him as a singles star.

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3. Donovan Dijak

When he departed WWE in June 2024, Donovan Dijak was seen as a huge loss for the company considering his acclaimed run on NXT.

Hitting the ground running outside of WWE, Dijak has showcased why he was known as a reliable in-ring performer who can be counted on to deliver time in and time out.

Dijak has not only been a major star for the indies, but he has also established himself as one of the top talents on the Major League Wrestling roster.

With his size, experience and name recognition, WWE would be wise to bring Dijak back in if they can, and he could be a strong contributor for the main roster right now.

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2. Dakota Kai

No other name included in the latest round of WWE releases in May 2025 was criticized more than Dakota Kai.

The former Damage CTRL member has long been known as the WWE women’s division’s most underrated in-ring performer.

Since exiting WWE, Kai has been quite quiet in regards to what her next move will be in the pro wrestling world.

After nearly a decade with WWE across two separate stints, the company may try to re-sign Dakota at some point and bring her back into the fold where she could fill a litany of spots on the roster.

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1. Karrion Kross & Scarlett

Following WWE SummerSlam 2025, Karrion Kross and Scarlett announced that their contract with the company had expired, thus making them free agents.

Kross and Scarlett have already started booking appearances for conventions and independent promotions in the weeks and months to come.

It seems like both stars would like to make their return to WWE at some point down the line.

Kross and Scarlett returning to WWE could see them placed on the NXT brand where they can reestablish their dominance or back on the main roster where they could become the anti hero act that their fanbase wants them to be.

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