As professional wrestling approaches the final stretch of the pandemic era, the companies and their fans grow eager to get back on the road in front of live crowds. WWE Money in the Bank on July 18th, 2021 will be the first WWE show with live fans since WrestleMania 37 in April. Not only will MITB have a live audience, but it marks the beginning of the touring schedule and the end of the ThunderDome. 

In the time that WWE has spent in the ThunderDome, some superstars have thrived without fans in attendance. Certain talents such as Drew McIntyre and Roman Reigns have had the opportunity to perfect their craft and fine tune their character and mic skills for when crowds do return, and found great success at the top of the card in doing so. Other talents have suffered throughout the pandemic era with the lack of a live reaction giving WWE a gauge of where to go with the character. 

WWE has taken a chance on pushing some talent without an indication from the live crowds of whether they approve. Superstars such as Bobby Lashley and Riddle have flourished after being thrust into the upper card, and will likely be met with the reaction that creative is hoping for when crowds return. On the other hand, some superstars seem to have become an afterthought to the company with no direction, and could see their careers take a new trajectory when fans can let WWE know that they have something special and want a push. These are five WWE superstars that will benefit most from the return of live crowds. 

5. Eva Marie

Eva Marie is one of the most natural heels in wrestling, with fans disapproving of her from the beginning due to a lack of wrestling ability. Her character plays off of that, as she rarely wrestles and usually has someone else do her dirty work. Marie recently returned on Monday Night Raw with sidekick Piper Niven from NXT UK, now renamed as Doudrop. 

So far, Doudrop has been the one doing work and scoring the pins as Eva Marie announces after the match that she is the winner. Recent reports claim that Vince McMahon is all in on the Eva Marie/Doudrop storyline, and the merciless boos from the fans will likely be a green light for WWE to push Marie as a top heel. 

4. Shinsuke Nakamura

Shinsuke Nakamura has been coasting in WWE for some time now, with his number of matches and win percentage declining each year since his 2018 heel turn. Though he saw some mid-card title success as a heel, the two year run has felt unfulfilling and turned stale. Fans have adored Shinsuke ever since he appeared in NXT, so WWE asking fans to turn against one of the most beloved superstars in the company seemed like an odd choice.

Nakamura turned face once again in January 2021 after he nearly went the distance in a gauntlet match to determine a challenger for Roman Reigns. Shinsuke is now receiving a well-timed push as he finds himself on a three-match win streak and dethroning Baron Corbin for his King of the Ring crown. Along with the push, he has been paired with former NXT superstar Rick Boogs, acting as Shinsuke’s personal guitarist and hype man. If Pat McAfee’s dancing on the announce desk is any indication of fan reaction to the electric duo, expect the 41-year-old to see more success on Friday nights. 

3. Liv Morgan

Liv Morgan was in desperate need of some direction after the Riott Squad was brought to an end due to the release of long-time partner Ruby Riott. Morgan’s career as a singles competitor looked to be off to a rocky start as her first match ended in a two-minute loss to Carmella on SmackDown. Since then, Morgan has tallied three wins in a row, defeating Carmella twice and Zelina Vega on her WWE return. 

Morgan will likely fill one of the two remaining spots for the women’s MITB ladder match, where she will receive loads of support from the live audience. Don’t be surprised to see the roof blow off the arena if Morgan is able to come away with the briefcase. She is one of the most talented in-ring competitors on the blue brand, and fans recognize it. 

2. Jeff Hardy

The Charismatic Enigma has seen little success in 2021, with the bulk of his recent work coming in the form of losses to lower mid-card talent on Main Event and Raw. He is fresh off of winning a lackluster feud with Cedric Alexander, but has recent losses to John Morrison and Jinder Mahal henchman Veer. Hardy is one of the most beloved superstars of all time, and although he’s approaching 44 years of age, Jeff is still a great worker capable of entertaining both the older fans who grew up with him and a newer generation. 

Expect to hear some huge pops for the crowd when they get to watch Jeff Hardy live again. There’s a buzz throughout the IWC of wanting him to have another world title program. While we may not get that, WWE could use another top babyface on Raw other than Drew McIntrye, and support from the crowd each week should show WWE that Hardy can be that guy. 

1. Elias

“WWE stands for… I SAID WWE STANDS FOR…”

It’s no secret that Elias heavily relies on crowd interaction. Everything from prompting the crowd to shout “walk with Elias”, telling them to shut their mouths, and insulting them during his songs, all for a huge pop when he is ultimately interrupted. These segments are always entertaining and make for a great addition to any show. 

With no crowd to feed off of, Elias has been lost. The ThunderDome has been rough for the drifter, with his highlights consisting of losing a feud with Jeff Hardy and being paired with (and split from) Jaxson Ryker. Elias hasn’t seen a victory since the April 19th edition of Monday Night Raw, and has been given the unfortunate task of putting over Ryker, losing every match involving the two. With Elias once again having the opportunity to insult every city he visits and being met with crowd feedback, he could return to the upper mid-card before too long.