As we welcome a new generation of younger WWE Superstars, there are still plenty of active veterans and legends out there that continually prove they still have the "it" factor to make a mark in the world of professional wrestling. Despite no longer being spring chickens, these stars have maintained impressive physiques and retained their star power amassed over the years. This rare breed of legend has the ability to captivate an audience on the microphone, and of course, still perform at a high-quality level in the ring when given the chance to shine. This elite list of WWE legends can still go with the best of them today.

Without further ado, let's take a look at 9 top WWE legends who wrestling fans would absolutely love to see have one more run in the WWE today.

Related: 10 Older Wrestlers Who Are Still In Great Shape And Look Incredible

9 Rob Van Dam

"The Whole F'n Show" has still got it at 52 years old. Rob Van Dam is a WWE Hall of Famer and has had an incredible career. First planting his roots in ECW back in the 1990s, Van Dam's jump to the WWE in 2001 gave a stage to one of the most popular stars of the 21st century. His WWE Championship victory over John Cena was historic. Van Dam was over from the moment he stepped foot in a WWE ring and still manages to connect with the audience when he makes the occasional cameo appearance today.

Rob Van Dam had a grossly underrated run as a heel in Impact Wrestling a few years back where he showcased his ability to reinvent himself even in the twilight of his career. His run even resulted in an infamous NSFW 'threesome' video that ended up getting Impact banned from Twitch and in trouble with YouTube. "Midlife crisis Van Dam" was peak TV entertainment. Van Dam has remained fairly active on the independent circuit since disappearing from the mainstream and recently wrestled for All Elite Wrestling on the August 9th episode of AEW Dynamite. Van Dam appeared in incredible shape and hasn't missed a step in his offense which will undoubtedly get the wrestling world talking about the potential of one more run in the WWE, and we would love to see it.

8 Bubba Ray Dudley

The 52-year-old Bubba Ray Dudley is still active in professional wrestling and still performs at a top level. While WWE fans may be most familiar with him as a tag-team wrestler alongside D-Von as the legendary Dudley Boyz, Bubba Ray has actually enjoyed a successful singles run in Impact Wrestling.

Known these days as Bully Ray, the outspoken hardcore veteran has mostly worked as a heel, a role which he absolutely thrives in. Bully Ray currently wrestles for Impact Wrestling, the company formerly known as TNA Wrestling that he and D-Von made their home back in the mid-2000s after being released from WWE. Bully Ray plays the role of a loudmouthed grizzled veteran to perfection and can still go in the ring. Filling a spot on the active WWE roster today would easily enhance and propel any younger stars on the roster that he works with.

7 Christian

For whatever reason, Vince McMahon never saw Christian as a main eventer in the WWE. He was never given the opportunities in the WWE that his tag-team partner, Edge was, but Christian never let that hold him back. His run in TNA Wrestling in the 2000s showcased his ability to main event. Some of his best career work of all time comes from his time spent outside WWE.

RELATED: 5 times Christian Cage was an absolute savage on the microphone in AEW

The 49-year-old Christian is still active today in AEW under the name of Christian Cage. He is in incredible shape and is one of the best talkers in the entire world of professional wrestling today. He would be an asset to the WWE roster as both an in-ring performer and as a manager or the leader of a faction. Not to mention, one more run with Edge in his fairytale comeback would be incredible to see.

6 Chris Jericho

"The Ocho" Chris Jericho is one WWE legend who has always been able to reinvent himself with ease. The 52-year-old wrestling icon and rock star has done it all and made WWE history too many times to count. Jericho's last run in WWE came to an end in 2018, but not before an incredible feud between Jericho and Kevin Owens that resulted in an awesome match at WrestleMania 33 in 2017. Since leaving WWE, Jericho once again reinvented himself in Japan and became a featured star in AEW, where he still remains to this day.

Chris Jericho is one of the top stars in AEW. His ability to adapt and entertain is unparalleled. While he looks to be happy in AEW, we should never say never on one more Chris Jericho run in the WWE. There are plenty of up-and-coming stars on Raw, SmackDown, and NXT who would benefit from working programs with someone like Chris Jericho. Just imagine the quality of the promos between Jericho and a superstar like LA Knight or Logan Paul.

Related: 10 Former WWE Superstars Aged 55 And Over Who Are Still Wrestling Today

5 Goldust

The 54-year-old Dustin Rhodes is perhaps better known to the WWE Universe as the enigmatic Goldust. Throughout the years, Goldust has been involved in some of the weirdest and most wonderful promos and segments in WWE history, and he always managed to pop an audience in the process. As Goldust, he was a major player in the WWE in the mid 1990s, but he has had stints with the company countless times over the years. His final run in the WWE thus far finished in 2019.

Over the past few years, Rhodes has been competing for All Elite Wrestling. He worked an incredible match with his younger brother, Cody Rhodes, at the 2019 AEW Double or Nothing pay-per-view. He has been vocal about being in the best shape of his life and has been very supportive of Cody's current run in the Stamford-based promotion. The talented and charismatic ring veteran would certainly have a lot to offer at this stage of his career if WWE gave him one more run as Goldust. Not to mention, how good it would be to see Cody and Dustin share the stage together in the WWE once again.

4 Batista

Batista was one of the biggest names to arrive in the WWE during the Ruthless Aggression era. Along with John Cena, Brock Lesnar, and Randy Orton, it could be argued that Batista is one of the 'big four' from this era. Batista's first bout of fame came as a member of the legendary Evolution faction alongside Triple H, Ric Flair, and Randy Orton. From there, he rose to the very top of the WWE and became a major player. He is regarded as one of the greatest World Heavyweight Champions of all time. There were also talks in 2023 about Batista returning in time for WrestleMania, but sadly, plans fell apart due to scheduling conflicts.

These days, the 54-year-old Batista is a star in Hollywood. His last WWE run ended in 2019 following a match at WrestleMania 35 against his old friend and nemesis, Triple H. With a new World Heavyweight Championship added to the mix of main event titles in the WWE, it would certainly bring some eyes to the product if "The Animal" Batista returned to the WWE for a shot at once again adding another belt to his already impressive legacy. WWE currently has an open slot for a "special attraction" superstar since Goldberg left the company. It could be argued that Batista would be perfect for that role in today's era.

3 John Cena

He has been loved, he has been hated, but it simply cannot be disputed that he is one of the best to ever do it. John Cena is a WWE legend in every sense of the word. He carried the company on his back longer than any other franchise player in modern-day WWE history. Cena, much like The Rock and Batista, has been making waves in Hollywood since he left full-time wrestling, and he is doing very well for himself. His recent WWE return at the 2023 Money in the Bank premium live event, however, proved that he still has it and that he can still pop an audience with ease.

RELATED: Top 5 potential opponents for John Cena if he wrestles at WrestleMania 40

There will always be a spot open in the WWE for John Cena, whether he chooses to return for one more full-time run or on a part-time schedule as a special attraction. Despite his inactivity from the ring, Cena has maintained an incredible physique. His mostly safe wrestling style over the years also means he can quite easily pick up where he left off and perform at the level that the WWE Universe is familiar with. It could be argued that Cena should take the top spot on this list as he still has so much to offer in the WWE today. There is still a chance that the WWE could pull the trigger on having Cena win his 17th World Championship, surpassing the record of the legendary "Nature Boy" Ric Flair for the most recognized world title reigns.

2 The Rock

If there was ever a perfect time for The Rock to have one more run in the WWE, this is it. Roman Reigns is at the very top of the WWE. The Bloodline story between Roman Reigns, Jimmy and Jey Uso, and Solo Sikoa has been one of the best examples of pro wrestling storytelling in recent memory, perhaps of all time. The Rock, being a member of the family, has a spot in this storyline, if his schedule allows it. That would make for some incredible television to say the least.

The Rock once sat at the very top of the WWE on the throne where Roman Reigns now sits. Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is also one of the most recognizable faces in Hollywood today. One more WWE run for The Rock would benefit him, the WWE, Roman Reigns and everyone else involved. Rock's WWE return would attract eyes from all over the world to the product. The Rock vs. Roman Reigns would be a true clash of generations and has the potential to be one of the most important WWE matches of all time. When it comes to modern-day dream matches that have the potential to print money, this is probably the biggest one right now.

1 "Stone Cold" Steve Austin

The legendary Hall of Famer, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin shocked the world when he returned to the ring at WrestleMania 38 in 2022 to wrestle an impromptu match against Kevin Owens. Austin is up there with the biggest and best WWE Superstars of all time, and he is still a massive draw to this day. His merchandise is still rarely out of the top sellers. While a full-time in-ring run may not be on the cards for the 58-year-old beer-drinking icon, a special attraction spot similar to Goldberg and Brock Lesnar could be the way to go. Give him a microphone, give him some opponents, give him some beer, and watch the roof of the arenas explode.

Read next: 5 WWE Wrestlers Who May Come Out Of Retirement For One Last Match (& 4 Who Won't Return)

Austin himself has stated that he is open to working with the WWE more if the timing and the money is right for both parties. One more big run as a special attraction and feuding with the younger generation of stars would only add to the legacy of Stone Cold. Austin proved that despite years away from the ring, not only does he still have it, he can still do it better than most ever could. We are running out of time for one more Steve Austin WWE return run as the legend, believe it or not, will turn 60 at the tail end of 2024.