Number 3 on the top 5 returns in the WWE in the modern era is Kane’s return on RAW in 2011.
Kane’s return was special in many ways. First, it was the return of something that people have pined for since 2005, Kane back in his mask and looking dominant, and second, it swerved everyone and turned Kane heel by targeting the fan favorite (and simultaneous most hated) John Cena.
People had wanted and asked for Kane to return to his usual mask wearing self for over half a decade to this point, and to see it happen as a random surprise on a RAW that had Cena vs. Mark Henry (the guy who had JUST injured Kane) gave the return instant promise. Kane had returned and it looked like he had an even more imposing mask (though it turned out to be more of an entrance attire, a welder’s mask to hide his true mask) and was heading to the ring for an epic clash with the World’s Strongest Man: Mark Henry.
Not only was Mark Henry the man who put Kane out of commission, but he was on a bit of a monster run where he was nigh unbeatable, so Kane confronting him seemed like an inevitability. Masked Kane was ALSO known as a monster who was nigh unbeatable, didn’t feel pain, was freakishly strong, and so on and he had perfectly good reason to go after Mark Henry, initiating a clash of two monsters the world would want to see.
Instead Kane forwent Mark Henry, the man who put him out and who he had a logical grudge against, and targeted John Cena to the delight (and disappointment) of almost everyone. Masked Kane dominated Cena, hit him with the chokeslam, and then removed his mask, standing tall over the face of the company, a beast as he once was.
Kane’s return was great for nostalgia reasons, for the implications of what could happen in the ring (the two competitors in the ring both offered interesting options), because the way he returned established him once again as a monster, and because he once again had the mask. It was greatly anticipated, something nearly everyone wanted, and a return for the ages.
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