Dolph Ziggler, Erick Rowan, Ryback Rehired by WWE on Monday Night Raw

Dolph Ziggler, Erick Rowan and Ryback were fired by The Authority on the Jan. 5 edition of Raw, but the Superstar trio returned in emphatic fashion Monday night on Raw.

John Cena beat Seth Rollins, Big Show and Kane in a three-on-one handicap match, which reinstated Ziggler, Rowan and Ryback:

Cena got a little help from Sting, who returned and ran distraction while the former WWE champion rolled up Rollins for the victory:

David Shoemaker praised the way WWE executed Ziggler's, Rowan's and Ryback's return:

Triple H and Stephanie McMahon were removed from power at Survivor Series when Cena's team defeated Team Authority. Ziggler, Rowan and Ryback were all part of Cena's squad, and they were in line to be fired if they didn't come out on top.

Big Show was initially on Team Cena as well, but after he turned on his teammates in favor of The Authority, it came down to Ziggler against three others. He miraculously pulled off the victory with help from Sting, but it ultimately delayed in the inevitable.

Cena was the only one with the power to bring back The Authority, and he did so when Rollins threatened to maim Edge. Once Triple H and Stephanie returned to power, they made good on their promise by terminating Ziggler, Rowan and Ryback.

It was ironic in some ways since The Big Guy admitted that he once looked up to The Game:

"

What was once my inspiration has now taken away my 1 love. Through hard work and positivity we will succeed. #Ryback pic.twitter.com/OBvKoxfY0g

— The Big Guy (@Ryback22) January 12, 2015"

From a fan-reaction perspective, there is no denying the fact that Ziggler was the biggest loss. His performance at Survivor Series allowed him to reach another level, as did his subsequent showing against Luke Harper at TLC.

He was poised to potentially vie for a main event spot, but The Showoff was cut down by The Authority. Following the firing angle, Ziggler tweeted about what being a WWE Superstar meant to him:

There was some hope regarding a return for Ziggler, Rowan and Ryback on the Jan. 12 episode of Raw as The Authority gave Cena a chance to get them their jobs back. He was put in a one-sided Lumberjack match against Rollins, though that featured only heels standing around the ring.

Cena went on to lose the match, and Ziggler tweeted about the result afterward:

From a storyline perspective, things certainly looked grim for three Superstars who had been fired. Ryback even teased potentially wrestling elsewhere following Cena's loss:

With that said, fans were always well-aware that Ziggler, Rowan and Ryback would return eventually. There have been countless firing angles over the course of wrestling history, and they are almost always resolved unless the talent's contract was actually up.

That wasn't the case with Ziggler, Rowan and Ryback, so it was only a matter of time before they appeared on WWE programming again.

The return of all three men bolsters the roster depth in a big way, and there is no question that Ziggler is poised to make a major impact.

Based on the manner in which he has been built, one can only assume that there are fairly big plans in place for him at WrestleMania XXXI. It remains to be seen if Ryback and Rowan will be put in a similar position, but it wouldn't be shocking to see them move forward as a tag team considering the dearth of talent in the tag ranks currently.

There are plenty of options for all three Superstars moving forward, and it stands to reason that most fans are glad the firing angle has essentially reached its conclusion.

Follow @MikeChiari on Twitter.