11 Wrestlers WWE Failed To Capitalise On

6. Johnny Mundo

John Hennigan is someone almost every wrestling fan is familiar with in some degree. Currently headlining Lucha Underground as well as a few other independent promotions, Hennigan is without a doubt a rockstar inside and outside of the ring. WWE tried their best to make him a big star during his tenure between 2005 and 2012, awarding him the Intercontinental and a few Tag Championships on many occasions. Yet for some bizarre reason,he somehow became the Marty Jannetty out of him and The Miz.

Hennigan had his moments, and some pretty fantastic feuds along the way, but wasn’t meant to be a top guy amongst a crowded roster that struggled to find a way past John Cena.

Admittedly, leaving WWE has matured him into something beyond what he could have achieved as part of the mainstream, but one can wonder what might have happened if they capitalised on his popularity after turning face in 2008. He was marketable, charismatic and had an undeniable unique style that has yet to be replicated. Seemingly being a hybrid of Shawn Michaels and Jeff Hardy, it’s hard to imagine why they gave up on making him into a big star.

Personally, I think Hennigan hasn’t seen the last of the WWE ring. In fact I’d say we’ll see him back as part of NXT by the end of next year. Considering they’ve reached out to other dropped balls such as Drew McIntyre and Jinder Mahal, seemingly making them into championship material, then I’d definitely see John Hennigan being on their radar. In the meantime, Johnny Mundo continues to take luchadore dragons and demons to Slam Town and make the big Hollywood bucks on the set of Boone the Bounty Hunter.

 

7. Dolph Ziggler

So these next few are going to be somewhat premature assumptions, thinking of current WWE stars that have clearly lost their spark and edging closer to the pink slip. The first one that comes to mind is unfortunately Dolph Ziggler. The Show Off has slowly become an afterthought on the Smackdown roster, somehow managing to be the first eliminated in the 4th of July battle royal before even The Ascension(small victory for me).

Looking back at the sheer momentum Ziggler had behind him in 2012, prior to cashing in his Money in the Bank contract on Alberto Del Rio, it’s hard to figure out where exactly it all went wrong for him. A lot of people point to his untimely injury which sidelined him for a few months before his first world title defense, but even after that it wasn’t like he lost popularity. Fans still cared for Dolph and wanted to see him reach the pinnacle, after continuing to (actually) steal the show well into 2015.

Dolph’s natural ability to work a good match with anyone slowly wore thin, after constantly being denied big match victories. It’s hard to disagree with the bitter attitude he puts across online when discussing his position in the WWE. Now transitioning into a grisly veterans role on Smackdown Live whilst putting over newer sensations like Nakamura, it’s tough to find a way for him to crawl out of the undercard and back into the hearts of the fans.

Even when given the chance to do what he does best and ‘steal the show’, his heart just doesn’t seem willing anymore to push him the extra mile to create something great. His match with Nakamura was disappointing, as was his title match with Dean Ambrose back at Summerslam last year. Ziggler had the potential to become a cornerstone of the mid-card, but played second fiddle to The Miz who was riding through his most successful period so far.

Ziggler has always been good at reinventing himself visually, creating new looks and new signatures to keep him fresh. He has without a doubt got the talent to hang with some of the best wrestlers in the entire industry, but you can’t make someone comply if they’ve lost faith in the system.

 

8. Kassius Ohno

The man formerly known to the independent scene as Chris Hero originally began with the company in 2012, competing as part of the rebranded NXT along with current main eventers Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns. Kassius Ohno was a popular act at Full Sail, often competing in matches which were both hard-hitting and exciting to watch. Ohno was never capitalised upon as an NXT Champion – and it wasn’t long before Ohno decided to return to the greener pastures of PWG and other American indies.

Time passed and Ohno revealed he was struggling with personal demons as well as medical issues throughout his time with NXT, which left him with drastic physical changes. However, Ohno was quick to work with his bigger build and adapted his style into a burly heavyweight as opposed to his more gaunt, athletic look. As Chris Hero, he reestablished himself as a huge name all over the world, competing against the likes of Zack Sabre Jr, Pentagon El Zero, Marty Scurll and Tommy End.

In 2017, Kassius Ohno returned as part of NXT and immediately began feuding with Bobby Roode for the NXT Championship, essentially picking up where he left off. But then he lost.

Ohno has since fallen from grace and despite still being granted a decent spot on the card, his stock seems to be rapidly dropping as a credible star. I for one adore Kassius Ohno’s matches, and believe he is currently performing at his peak. But one too many forgettable mid-card feuds could do greater damage than he deserves. Currently sparring with former friend and fellow missed potential in Hideo Itami, it seems his chances at returning to former glory are fading and he’s unlikely to find himself resurfacing anytime soon. Now that Aleister Black is slowly being pushed as a big star, one can debate whether Triple H sees potential elsewhere.

Now I’m not saying that Kassius should decide to leave once again. Once more spots open at the top of the NXT roster then he could probably sneak his way in, but he really should focus on keeping himself over with the crowds in his matches in the meantime. His feud with Itami has the potential to steal the show at the next Takeover, but both he and Hideo should be making the most of this opportunity before another passes them both by.

If what CM Punk said was true, and that prior to Vince falling in love with Roman Reigns, Kassius Ohno was destined to be the third member of The Shield trio, then there is a future for him on the main roster. But if he turns up on Raw or Smackdown as someone that coasted through NXT, then I see this wasted potential becoming even worse as time goes on.

 

9. Sami Zayn

I feel the disagreements and hate brewing amongst you all already, believe me, it’s gonna get worse.

But let’s all be honest with ourselves here – is Sami Zayn ever going to make it to the main event scene at this rate? Currently shoe-horned into a nothing feud with Mike Kanellis on Smackdown Live, the kooky wrestling nerd with a flat cap simply exists as a means to be annoying backstage. Verging on comedy gimmick, Zayn is losing stock very quickly, which is an absolute travesty on WWE’s part.

Like I’ve stated before, and I will again, it’s hard to satisfy everyone who has an ounce of star power on the roster. Sami Zayn quite simply isn’t fitting into the landscape at this moment in time. Kevin Owens arguably stole his thunder right from underneath him after capturing the NXT title from Neville at Takeover: R-Evolution, and since then has steamrolled over Zayn at every occasion. Sami never truly had his babyface comeback against Owens, living in his shadow since Owens’ first day on the network. It’s hard to take him seriously as a threat to anyone else that isn’t considered lower on the totem pole than himself, which leaves very few of them to feud Zayn with.

Now I’m not discounting his occasional victories against Baron Corbin and other mid-card heels, but has it really done him any favours in the long run? Do you really see him as someone that can suddenly translate well into the main event scene as a popular babyface act? The fault lies with WWE’s decision to not split Zayn and Owens during the brand extension last year. Not having Zayn forge his own successful singles career away from his rival on Smackdown Live was the biggest example of them losing grip on his potential.

Of course, there’s always room for improvement, and Zayn is definitely someone that can slowly build momentum over time if they built the right story around him. But as of writing, I don’t see that happening with the likes of Styles, Nakamura and Kevin Owens all sharing the same space as him.

 

10. Enzo Amore

The certified G team of Enzo and Big Cass quickly became one of the most beloved acts on the entire card following their main roster debut last year. They managed to appeal to not just the smarky demographic but also fans of varying ages. It’s a rare feat in this day and age, spelling nothing but a successful tag career for the coming years.

Fast forward a year and they’ve already split, with Big Cass demolishing his former partner in a one-sided singles match at Great Balls of Fire, setting sail on his singles career. Gonna keep it 100 with you, I’ve never been the biggest fan of Enzo and Cass, but I genuinely felt bad for Enzo Amore throughout these past few weeks. Enzo single handedly got himself and a lumbering seven footer over in such magnificent fashion, and competed in really fun matches despite having very little technical or flashy wrestling ability. It’s something that you couldn’t help but appreciate, even if you weren’t their biggest fan.

Maybe it was the sudden acquisition of The Hardy Boys around Wrestlemania 33 which brought their championship prospects to a halt Or maybe it was the apparent heat that Enzo and Cass have found themselves in backstage. Or perhaps it was Enzo’s selling abilities which made Vince think that he’s gonna make it big as a jobber. Enzo Amore is someone I think is going to go down as one of WWE’s biggest mistakes in years to come.

I’m willing to give Cass a chance as an upcoming ‘big guy’ heel, but now that BRRAUNNN is becoming the Strowman that we all know and love, it’s hard to see how he’s going to fit in as a credible badass.

Enzo Amore could at least forge something of a singles career should he recover and maybe get a win or two over his former teammate, but I somehow don’t see them willing to give him that opportunity.

 

11. Shinsuke Nakamura

There I said it.

I’m hoping, in fact, I’m praying that I end up being 150% wrong about this here premonition. But as of right now, the ship has sailed for Shinsuke Nakamura.

The King of Strong Style -oh no wait, sorry- The Artist has been the biggest thing to walk into the WWE locker room in many many years. His talent and charisma know no bounds and he has the ability to create match of the year candidates as and when he pleases. Every single fan in a building can be drawn into his unique style and presence, and he would undoubtedly sell hundreds of tickets to some of WWE’s biggest shows if he were to be marketed correctly.

So why is he on this list? Quite simply, they’re playing it too safe.

Shinsuke Nakamura is something of an enigma to WWE writers. Somehow I don’t think they truly understand what they have on their roster. Someone who could and should symbolise this new era of wrestling, in which independent and international wrestlers are breaking through the glass ceiling and dominating in the big leagues. Not only are his in-ring performances coming across as restricted and limited by what WWE deem as appropriate for their style of wrestling, but his character is almost non-existent. They are keen to allow him to ride on the momentum of his own name, rather than establish him to fans that haven’t sat through the library of his matches in New Japan and other promotions.

If I were to take away all that I’ve seen from him over the years and simply go on what we’ve been shown so far on Smackdown, I wouldn’t feel the hype. I’d be very, very disappointed.

Shinsuke Nakamura is one of my favourite wrestlers on the roster, and I’d love to see him make it big in the WWE, having numerous runs with the world title and countless classic matches with the likes of AJ Styles, John Cena and Roman Reigns. Right now, I don’t see him making it that far, and it’s devastating.

Yes, a language barrier exists and could be potentially holding him back from “connecting” with the fanbase as much as others do. Yes, his strong style arsenal may not suit the WWE style of competing. Yes, he’s only been in a handful of matches on the main roster and has yet to truly unleash his potential. But ask yourself this: how long exactly does he have left as a full-time competitor?

Nakamura is someone that nobody should sleep on. So wake the fuck up.