Shawn Spears is back with WWE, and fans should get used to hearing that name instead of his previous moniker Tye Dillinger.

Spears returned to WWE during the February 27, 2024, edition of WWE NXT. Spears was revealed to be the man behind weeks of mysterious vignettes. The former AEW star attacked Ridge Holland with a steel chair, much to the shock of the WWE Universe in Florida.


While he previously competed for WWE as Tye Dillinger, the Canadian Superstar will go by Shawn Spears in this run, Fightful Select reports. The veteran began using the Spears name before joining WWE and used it again when he joined AEW in 2019.

Few in WWE NXT were aware of Spears' return, with one describing it as a "complete shock." As of 8 pm EST, Spears was not listed on internal documents, nor was anyone else listed for Ridge Holland's promo. In terms of rehearsals, Shawn Michaels would fill Spears' role in rehearsals with Holland earlier today. One source told Fightful that Spears was signed to a deal for some time before the first 'Three Faces' vignettes began to air.