Shane McMahon: Top Moment and More for WWE Superstar of the Week of Feb. 27

This week, the WWE's prodigal son made his return—and the Road to WrestleMania looks a lot more interesting.

Last week, speculation about Shane McMahon reappearing on WWE television would have seemed like wishful thinking. In an unusually engrossing start to Raw, the fleet-footed heir to the throne booked his comeback much with some style.

On a week when we saw a homecoming many thought would never take place, there's no other WWE talent who deserves to be WWE Superstar of the Week as much as Shane McMahon.

WWE Superstar of the Week of February 27: Shane McMahon

Fans who weren't around for the Attitude era may well be a little confused about the enormous amount of hype surrounding Shane McMahon. For all intents and purposes, he's just another member of the family taking up television time—and at 46 years old, he's taking a spot from an up-and-comer.

However, that glosses over his strengths. Look to matches such as his war with Kurt Angle at King of the Ring 2001, or the engrossing Street Fight from WrestleMania X-7, and you'll see exactly why McMahon is so adored by those in the crowd who saw him at his best.

Credit: WWE.com

McMahon thrives when he's presented as the non-athlete who's placed in competition with a pro wrestler. In a straight match, he wouldn't have a chance, but his best performances have a certain logic to them.

More to the point, his willingness to put his body on the line has the potential to cover up all manner of weaknesses in his fundamentals.

Shane McMahon's Defining Moment for the Week of February 27: Making His Return to Monday Night Raw

The opening segment of this week's Raw will likely go down as one of the greatest, particularly if the WrestleMania match between Undertaker and McMahon lives up to the hype.

From the shock of hearing Shane's music hit and the energy maintained by an audience engaged for the entirety of the extended segment to that four-letter salvo dropped by a passionate Vince McMahon, this was a great way to follow up an unsurprising Fastlane pay-per-view.

Despite his six-year absence, Shane seemed completely at home stepping into the ring. His microphone work was confident and considered—if his efforts between the ropes on April 3 are anything similar, we're in for a treat.

McMahon isn't a wrestler, but he's demonstrated he's capable of putting on a great match when there's a stipulation to help grease the wheels. Given there was a distinct lack of potential opponents for Undertaker at this year's WrestleMania, he's something of an inspired choice.

His return needed to introduce him to newer fans, deliver a considerable amount of exposition and start the build to a likely co-main event. It accomplished all that and was entertaining throughout.

WWE television can often seem meandering and directionless, but segments such as this demonstrate the company is often at its best when the stakes are high and time is running short.

Social Response

To chart his progress on the Road to WrestleMania, McMahon registered a Twitter account. He's been sharing comments on his return and some insight into his training regimen with the tens of thousands of followers he's already managed to amass.

As well as his legion of fans, several WWE legends were quick to welcome Shane-O-Mac to Twitter.

Of course, it was his return on Monday night that caused the most ripples on social media. In an era when most big surprises are spoiled conclusively ahead of time, the fact most weren't expecting to see Shane represents a huge win for WWE.

That being said, not everyone was thrilled to hear we'll be seeing McMahon vs. Undertaker at WrestleMania. Expectations are obviously going to be high, but there is some doubt as to whether the bout itself can live up to that pressure.

One thing is for sure—having another McMahon in the mix certainly offers up some added interest for the next few weeks. WrestleMania looked predictable just a few days ago, but now there's much more left up in the air.

Who is your pick for Superstar of the Week? What's your immediate response to the return of Shane-O-Mac? Let us know in the comments section below.