WWE is going back on the road and badly needs some more star power to bolster Raw and SmackDown.

The company will be returning to its traditional live events with a 25-city tour beginning with the July 16 episode of SmackDown, marking the first time since March 2020 that the world’s top pro wrestling organization will tour the country. July’s Money in the Bank event will be WWE’s first pay-per-view outside of Florida in more than a year, and tickets for the show are reportedly already selling well, with the event expected to be a sellout.

Exactly how WWE will fare for its extended run on the road is still to-be-determined, but there is widespread optimism in the pro wrestling community that leaving the stagnant ThunderDome will improve WWE’s main roster TV programming. Over the past year-plus in the midst of a global pandemic, the company has struggled to consistently produce quality programming for Raw and SmackDown. Yet, that must change when fans are back and the pressure to deliver is even greater, especially after Raw just drew its worst audience of 2021.

With WWE now having the tough task of trying to consistently sell out arenas across the country for its upcoming shows, the company will undoubtedly need some bigger names who can put fans in the seats. Here are five major stars WWE should bring back in time for its return to live events.

Daniel Bryan

Daniel Bryan’s WWE contract has legitimately expired, which, of course, is why the former WWE Champion was recently written off SmackDown following his Universal title match loss to Roman Reigns.

Since then, there has been no definitive word regarding the status of Bryan, who over the past year had been arguably WWE’s best overall performer and its most popular star—so much so that he worked his way into a triple threat main event match at WrestleMania for the second time in his career. Bryan is a once-in-a-generation type of talent with a history of being a top merchandise seller and a PPV draw, making him invaluable to WWE at a time when the company doesn’t have a ton of top-tier babyfaces.

While Bryan could parlay his popularity into a fun run in New Japan Pro-Wrestling or even AEW and could potentially end up wrestling for both WWE and NJPW, WWE would be wise to make every possible effort to re-sign him ASAP because the company needs stars like him to headline live events and to carry the fan favorite side of the main event picture on Raw or SmackDown.

Bray Wyatt

Once WWE’s No. 1 merchandise seller ahead of marquee stars like Reigns and Becky Lynch, Bray Wyatt has been absent from WWE programming since WrestleMania 37 without a confirmed explanation as to why he’s been gone.

Although Wyatt has been plagued by downright awful booking throughout his main roster run, he remains one of WWE’s most likable stars, with a passionate group of supporters who know that his undeniable talent is often overshadowed by short-sighted creative decisions. Despite all of the issues with Wyatt’s stint as “The Fiend,” he remains the type of mystical character who stands out during an era in which over-the-top gimmicks are few and far in between.

WWE is like the McDonald’s of pro wrestling in that it offers a little bit of everything for its consumers, and though Wyatt isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, he is a pivotal piece of the puzzle and a unique star who undoubtedly belongs in a high position on the card.

Brock Lesnar

Brock Lesnar hasn’t been seen in WWE since way back at WrestleMania 36 in March 2020, which comes as no surprise since his impact is significantly limited when fans aren’t around and the WWE product has been on autopilot.

At last check, “The Beast” is no longer under contract with WWE, but over the past decade, the company has proven time and time again that it will bring him back in a second when business needs a boost. That’s precisely what WWE will need when it hits the road again next month, and even though Lesnar isn’t going to return on a full-time basis, he could and should continue to be used as a special attraction in much the same way he has been since he returned to the company in 2012.

While Lesnar remains a controversial star because of how strongly he is typically pushed, his aura is unparalleled in WWE and he remains of its most polarizing stars. When WWE gets back to its fan-filled events, he will certainly be needed as both an attendance and TV viewership draw, whether that be on Raw or SmackDown.

John Cena

John Cena recently expressed his desire to return to WWE, and the company is “working” on bringing him back soon.

Cena will reportedly have a break from his busy acting schedule soon, one that aligns perfectly with WWE’s return to the road and would allow him to appear on the first fan-filled SmackDown in 15 months on July 16. That seemingly makes Cena the perfect foe for Reigns, who has developed into an incredible heel during Cena’s absence and is the hottest act in all of pro wrestling at the moment.

Given that “The Champ” is just one win away from a record-breaking 17th world title win, Cena could return and seamlessly enter a feud with either Reigns or Bobby Lashley, who has also developed into a dominant world champion on Raw. The timing of Cena’s potential return, in other words, couldn’t be better—both for the sake of the quality of WWE’s programming and for Cena himself.

Becky Lynch

While incredible talents like Bayley, Sasha Banks and Bianca Belair have held it down during the year-long absence of Becky Lynch, it’s obvious that WWE’s women’s division—and really, the company as a whole—misses “The Man.”

Lynch has been a trailblazer for female superstars, paving the way for all-women’s main events to become a more regular occurrence while shining a spotlight on all of the talented women currently in WWE. Once WWE’s No. 1 merchandise mover ahead of the likes of Reigns and Cena, Lynch has had an immeasurable impact on pro wrestling, and the women’s division simply hasn’t been the same without her.

With Ronda Rousey out of action indefinitely due to her pregnancy, Lynch is, quite easily, the biggest star in the women’s division, and she has a number of potentially great feuds with the likes of Bayley, Belair and Rhea Ripley waiting for her whenever she comes back after rumors of a potential WrestleMania 37 return failed to pan out.

And when she does return, Lynch will almost assuredly give WWE the spark it needs and the top babyface it must have for live shows.