SHOCKING: Former Intercontinental Champion to Make WWE Return

WWE NXT has announced a huge return for its next edition. Former five-time Intercontinental Champion Wade Barrett will return to the Black and Gold brand.

Wade Barrett was one of the first Superstars to make his name in NXT along with Daniel Bryan. However, back then, NXT wasn’t a third brand like now but more of a reality show which Barrett won.

The bare-knuckle fighter left the WWE in 2016 after being a five-time Intercontinental Champion. WWE offered him a new contract; however, he refused as he wanted to focus on his acting career.

Unfortunately, there is ‘BAD NEWS’ for Barrett fans. The former Intercontinental Champion has only signed a part-time deal and not a full-time one.

In a recent interview, Barrett confessed that a full-time return into pro-wrestling wasn’t his priority.

“Part of my issue is that I’m close to 40 now. I’m 40 in two months, so the prospect of going back and working a full-time professional wrestling schedule isn’t particularly high on my agenda at the moment. That might change… I am really excited about the explosion in opportunities in the professional wrestling world.”

Also Read: WATCH: Another Former TNA Superstar Makes Surprising Appearance on WWE SmackDown

WWE was planning to bring back The Nexus this year

The Nexus made their explosive debut in the WWE in 2010. Back then, it was one of the most talked-about groups and created chaos whenever and wherever they showed up.

As it completed 10 years, WWE felt like bringing Nexus back for a short stint at WrestleMania. We all know that didn’t happen. In another interview, Barrett explained why it didn’t come through.

“I was called in January or February by the Talent Relations team in WWE about something they wanted to do during WrestleMania to coincide with the 10th anniversary of NEXUS. I actually turned it down as I didn’t like the offer or the plan.”I saw Darren just after that and he said he was gonna go and do something with them. But I wasn’t going to be involved in whatever it was.”

Barrett further spoke about not feeling right about the Nexus return. This was just a one-off thing that turned off the former Nexus leader. Hence, he wasn’t interested.

“In all honestly, if it had been something more significant, I would have paid it more attention. But it was something, to me, that I wasn’t interested in doing. There was no benefit at all, for me, in doing it and I wasn’t excited about it, so I turned the offer down.”

We will see Wade Barrett on WWE TV after a long gap of 4 years – even if it’s only as an announcer. NXT streams live this Wednesday on the WWE Network and on USA.