Which Formerly Released WWE Star Could Win World Title Next?

Cody Rhodes finishing his story at WrestleMania XL didn’t just cap off one of the most talked-about redemption arcs in WWE history — it reinforced a pattern the company has leaned on again and again. Rhodes and Drew McIntyre both left WWE at low points in their careers, sharpened their skills elsewhere, and came back to eventually capture the world title. With both men now firmly established as proof of concept, attention naturally turns to who might be next in that lineage, and a handful of current roster members fit the profile.

Bronson Reed stands out as the most obvious candidate. Released in September 2021 during the wholesale roster cuts that came with the shift from NXT Black & Gold to NXT 2.0, Reed spent time rebuilding his reputation under the JONAH persona in promotions like TNA and NJPW before WWE brought him back in December 2022. Since rejoining, he’s picked up notable pinfall victories over both Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins, and his current spot in the Vision faction puts him squarely in the orbit of the main event scene. Of everyone on this list, Reed arguably has the clearest runway to a world title shot given his recent momentum and the credibility those wins have built.

Matt Cardona presents a different kind of story. Cut loose in 2020, he reinvented himself on the independent circuit as the self-proclaimed ‘Indie God,’ building a cult following and a reputation as one of the hardest workers outside WWE. He returned to the company in January of this year and has been open about citing Cody Rhodes as inspiration for his own ambitions of one day becoming WWE Champion. An injury has since sidelined him and paused whatever momentum he’d built, but a healthy return could give WWE a natural opportunity to reset his push with an eye toward a longer-term title chase.

Then there’s Baron Corbin, who spent years in and around main event pictures under the old regime without ever claiming a world championship. He left WWE in January 2025, spent time on the independent scene and in MLW under the Bishop Dyer name, and returned to WWE television in July, immediately capturing the United States Championship. With his program against Trick Williams now behind him, the door is at least theoretically open for Corbin to pivot toward bigger things.

What makes this trend worth watching isn’t just nostalgia for a good redemption arc — it’s a reflection of how WWE’s storytelling philosophy has shifted under current creative leadership. Time away, especially time spent proving oneself on the independents or in rival promotions, has become a viable path back to relevance rather than a dead end. Whether it’s Reed’s underdog monster persona, Cardona’s blue-collar work ethic, or Corbin’s veteran main event pedigree, each represents a slightly different flavor of the same story WWE has already told twice to great success. None of these three is guaranteed anything, but the blueprint exists, and WWE has shown it isn’t afraid to use it again.