Ivan Putski
One day after departing the AWA, Atlas returned to the WWF at a TV taping for All Star Wrestling in Hamilton, Ontario and pinned Rene Goulet in a match that aired on November 17. Upon his return, Atlas was shunted to the mid card in the WWF and was undefeated against competition that included Mr Fuji, The Spoiler, The Iron Sheik, and Moondog Rex. He scored a win against Bob Orton and a non-title victory over WWF Intercontinental Champion Greg Valentine at the Steel Cage Turmoil round robin tournament in Hartford, CT on November 23, 1984 (a predecessor to the King of the Ring tournaments that were held later in the decade as annual house show events), but suffered his first defeat on his comeback when he lost to David Shultz. This would be his only loss for several months, as he would not be pinned again until losing to Paul Orndorff on Prime Time Wrestling on March 19, 1985. At this point Atlas began to transition to a mid-card performer and would lose several matches, including bouts with Bret Hart, Greg Valentine, Don Muraco, and Roddy Piper. The company also programmed him into several short-lived tag-teams with Ivan Putski, Lanny Poffo and George Wells.