WWE descends upon Cleveland on August 3 for SummerSlam, its annual summertime spectacular and home to several unforgettable moments since its inception in 1988.

Many of those moments include significant returns, with the first coming in 1994 with the first appearance of The Undertaker after seven months away.

Since The Phenom stepped through the curtain and engaged his evil doppelganger in the center of the ring, the event has been home to several returns that have propelled storylines forward, ignited others, and in some instances, started the road to WrestleMania.

It is a trend that is likely to continue in 2024, with four high-profile Superstars potentially stepping back into the WWE Universe.

Who are they and why might the annual extravaganza be the perfect time for them to reappear?

Find out with this early preview.

Historic SummerSlam Returns

In recent years, the summertime spectacular has become the home for memorable returns. Several have had long-reaching effects or been the catalyst for lengthy programs that have laid the groundwork for the product to be as hot as it is today.

These are just a few.

Roman Reigns (2020)

After staying away from WWE during a global pandemic that shut the entire world down, Reigns exploded back onto the scene in 2020, attacking The Fiend and Braun Strowman at the end of the show and setting in motion the heel turn that would both reinvent him and lead to one of the greatest runs any Superstar ever embarked on.

Becky Lynch (2021)

The Man kicked off a year-long heel run that saw her transform into "Big Time Becks" with her SummerSlam return in 2021. Taking to the ring to replace Carmella in her Raw Women's Championship Match against Bianca Belair, Lynch defeated The EST in 26 seconds and emphatically announced her comeback to the wrestling world.

Brock Lesnar (2021)

Seconds after Reigns defeated John Cena, Brock Lesnar returned to WWE and confronted The Tribal Chief, kicking off the latest chapter in a rivalry that had much earlier been played out. Still, Lesnar's return was unforgettable and set up the program that would ultimately put Reigns over as the undisputed top guy WWE had been attempting to present him as for years.

Damage CTRL (2022)

After missing a year away from the squared circle, Bayley returned at the conclusion of Belair and Lynch's rematch, but she was not alone. The Role Model was flanked by NXT's Iyo Sky and the returning Dakota Kai. Together, they were Damage CTRL and that incarnation of the group would wreak havoc on the women's division in WWE for well over the next year.

Roman Reigns

Reigns is the most obvious candidate to return at this year's event, thanks to the ongoing and overarching storyline involving The Bloodline.

Upon his loss to Cody Rhodes back at WrestleMania XL, The Head of the Table disappeared and has not been seen or heard from since.

Solo Sikoa, the former enforcer of the family, has risen to power in his absence, asserting himself as the new Tribal Chief and introducing Tama Tonga, Tanga Loa, and Jacob Fatu to the WWE Universe.

Worse, Sikoa and his new band of villains laid hands on The Wise Man, Paul Heyman, brutally assaulting him before driving him through the announce table.

Reigns made his love and admiration for Heyman apparent when he inducted him into the Hall of Fame. The Bloodline's level of brutality inflicted against him surely caught the eye of the one, true Tribal Chief and should necessitate his return.

A return that will generate an enormous ovation and officially mark the babyface turn of the longest-reigning world champion of the last four decades.

Reigns vs. Sikoa and The Bloodline is the most logical direction for the story to take next and the second-generation son of the late Wild Samoan Sika may not be the only competitor involved in making his return to the company at the August 3 event.

Jimmy Uso

Jimmy Uso was the first competitor to feel the wrath of Sikoa as he was beaten down and laid out by the new Tribal Chief. Seemingly blamed for The Bloodline losing the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship at WrestleMania, he was made an example of.

Not only by Sikoa, but also by the debuting Tama Tonga.

Uso has not been seen since and while there have been no hints at a return or teases of a reunion with brother Jey, those would appear likely to happen at some point, with the first one coming as soon as August 3 in Cleveland.

Jimmy interfering in Sikoa's expected WWE title match with Cody Rhodes and costing his attacker the championship before reuniting with Reigns in their attempt to take down the new, more dangerous Bloodline makes sense.

Whether it would be too much at one time is the question.

Uso is someone who could conceivably be held off until another WWE premium live event while Reigns' return seems rather primed for the grand stage that a show like SummerSlam provides.

Still, fans cannot rule out the possibility that Uso will pop up in Cleveland in an attempt to halt the dominant run of the self-imposed Tribal Chief and his merry band of cronies.

Charlotte Flair

The most intriguing return unrelated to The Bloodline is that of Charlotte Flair, who has been out of action since last December when she suffered a torn ACL, MCL, and meniscus during a match with Asuka.

The Queen has put in the work to get back to the ring but we have not seen any hint of a return in quite some time.

With Bayley slated to defend the WWE Women's Championship against Nia Jax, and Money in the Bank winner Tiffany Stratton lurking, perhaps Flair returns to even the odds.

The Queen has a history with Jax and has yet to formally introduce herself to Stratton, but that pairing plays the perfect foil for the second-generation star and their in-ring styles would seem to set up potential quality matches with Flair.

If played right, WWE could even lay the groundwork for Flair to challenge Bayley down the line and move ever so closer to eclipsing her father's record of 16 world titles.

Not a given based on how the company has seemingly made it a point not to mention her on television often, it is one of those returns that would shock fans and provide a spark for the SmackDown women's division.

The Rock

It feels entirely too early in the story for The Rock to return and reveal himself as the mastermind behind Sikoa's rise and the reinvention of The Bloodline. Perhaps that is why SummerSlam would be an excellent time for him to step out of the shadows and back into the forefront.

It makes even more sense when you take into consideration his warning to Cody Rhodes that their story was only just beginning when they stood across the ring from each other on the Raw after WrestleMania XL.

Showing up and costing Rhodes the title, thus ensuring the continued domination of The Bloodline as its benefactor and the man behind the new era of the group after Reigns' loss in Philadelphia, would certainly be a development and twist that few see coming.