text: Noble returned to television on the June 8 episode of SmackDown!, teaming up with Chavo Guerrero and Daivari against Paul London, Brian Kendrick and Wang Yang in a losing effort. On the June 15 episode of SmackDown!, Noble competed in a Fatal Four-Way number one contenders match for the Cruiserweight Championship, which he lost to Jimmy Wang Yang and also involved Shannon Moore and Daivari. In July, Noble was unsuccessful in a triple threat match for the Cruiserweight Championship against then Champion Guerrero and Funaki. Noble then competed in the Cruiserweight Open at The Great American Bash but was pinned by Hornswoggle. Noble would then begin a feud with Hornswoggle that would see him lose in various humiliating fashions, usually by countout. Moore would constantly use his obsession with Hornswoggle to humiliate him as well.
  After his feud with Hornswoggle ended, Noble began an angle where he was easily defeated in his matches as punishment for being disrespectful to then-SmackDown! general manager, Vickie Guerrero. He was eventually placed in a match with Chuck Palumbo, which was expected to be yet another squash. Noble, however, defeated Palumbo, which began a feud between the two, as well as involving Palumbo's "friend" Michelle McCool. After his fourth win against Palumbo he came out when Chuck threatened to hurt McCool. Later in a tag team match, Palumbo attacked Noble and McCool, becoming a heel in the process. As a result of the double turn, Noble became a face character once again.