It wasn't until CM Punk started berating WWE executives (kayfabe or not) that he started to gain traction as a legitimate main eventer. Zack Ryder didn't get the exposure he's getting now without immense pressuring from the Internet Wrestling Community. Mark Henry is celebrating his first World Title reign after fifteen tireless years of work with the company (don't worry, he'll be dropping the title soon enough).
In light of the recent developments in WWE's "walkout angle" against acting WWE COO Triple H, I've opted to present for the readers' consideration a list of ten superstars on the roster that would be fully justified in walking out on the company.
These guys continue to buried, held down and generally ignored in favor of the Cenas, the Ortons, the Triple Hs of the company, over and over again. Consequently, they have the greatest difficulty breaking into the upper tier because WWE management is hesitant to take a gamble on a blue-chipper. Instead, they cling to "the sure thing" for the sake of ratings. Presenting the short list of talent WWE is pushing to the side without a fair shake:
10. Alex Riley
One of the standouts from NXT Season Two, Riley finished third behind the now virtually anonymous Michael McGillicutty and champion Brandon Silvestry AKA Kaval AKA Senshi AKA Low-Ki (Remember Low-Ki?, indie wrestling fans do, even if WWE management could care less).
In any case, Riley is an extremely talented member of the roster who took to the microphone better (and quicker) than most. He spent the better part of last year as The Miz' lackey, which was critical to building his character and building toward his eventual feud with the Miz. Things looked promising early on in the summer as Riley was defeating Miz at every turn.
But since his feud with Miz concluded, Riley has been relegated to main eventing WWE Superstars and regularly jobbing to guys like Jack Swagger and Dolph Ziggler. A solid run as United States Champion would be enough to get Riley back on track, but he needs to get face time on RAW again first. Riley hasn't been in action on RAW since September 12.
9. Wade Barrett
What happened WWE?
You had a really hot commodity on your hands here. Under the tutelage of the one and only Chris Jericho, Wade Barrett ascended the ranks to become the champion of the inaugural season of NXT. He went on to head up a revolution that had some calling The Nexus the 21st Century incarnation of the nWo. Barrett even had cynical fans believing again when he defeated Cena, forcing him to join the Nexus and raising hope that perhaps a Cena heel turn was on the horizon (it never happened).
At his peak, Barrett was chasing the WWE Championship and ran Cena from the company. But when Cena inevitably drove Barrett's push into the ground, the first NXT champion went on to become Intercontinental Champion and in a perfect example of "we can't think of anything to do with you", promptly dropped the belt to Ezekiel Jackson. The top heel of 2010 has become a footnote in just under a year. Despicable.
8. The Usos
Remember when these guys were going to revive the suffocating tag team division? After what was a highly underrated program with the Hart Dynasty, The Usos were repeatedly pushed to the side by teams like Santino Marella and Vladamir Kozlov (since released) and Otunga and McGillicutty. With Jimmy Uso's recent DUI charge, don't expect a tag title run for the Usos anytime soon, either. It's a shame, honestly, as the latest in a line a very talented superstars from arguably the most decorated wrestling family in history, The Usos deserve FAR better than what they're getting from WWE brass.
7. Tyson Kidd
While on the subject of the Hart Dynasty, the solo careers of all three have been handled more irresponsibly perhaps even than the Usos. Go ahead, do a Google search. See how sloppily David Hart Smith's departure from WWE was executed. Natalya had a Diva's championship run that lasted all of two months and Tyson Kidd has been through a manager carousel that included a failed appearance by FCW talent Jackson Andrews (who? exactly) and has since been fodder for the latest season of NXT that no one's watching.
When Kidd split from DH Smith on The Old School episode of RAW, he seemed bound for a great start at mid-card feud with Daniel Bryan over the U.S. Title, but it was apparently more important to give the belt to Sheamus instead.
Anyone who knows Kidd's in-ring ability knows he deserves better than losing on a weekly basis and not appearing on television. He even shaved off that ridiculous rooster comb, so that's not even a basis for ridicule anymore. WWE needs to pick up this ball and several other balls that they carelessly dropped.
6. Tyler Reks
Just call him Mike Knox, part two. A superb monster heel with an excellent Burning Hammer that some observers (particularly Matt Striker) seemed to really be getting behind. In short, Reks had the chance to be in the same position that Mark Henry is now. But it was too easy for WWE creative to say "we have nothing for you" and shove him to the back corner of the locker room.
If WWE execs follow Twitter at all though, there may yet be hope for young Reks. You see, Vickie Guerrero has been adding to her clientele as of late and has been exchanging messages back and forth with Reks on Twitter. With Mason Ryan creating problems for Vickie lately, Reks' career might benefit greatly from having "The Mouthpiece of El Paso" in his corner.
5. Curt Hawkins
The theme is "In The Middle Of It", but it's quite clear Curt Hawkins is at the bottom of WWE's priority list. Does anyone remember the last time Curt appeared on WWE television? Let me rephrase that; Does anyone remember the last time Curt appeared in a match that didn't say "buffering" on the bottom of the screen?
Here's a guy that appeared first in WWE alongside Zack Ryder as a member of the Major Brothers and would garner his greatest level of attention as one of Edge's cronies in his later title runs. If Ryder is just now breaking through the WWE's talent barrier, perhaps Hawkins isn't too far behind. If Vickie Guerrero plans on constructing a stable, imagine the pull she would have if Tyler Reks and Curt Hawkins joined the ranks of Ziggler and Swagger.
It wouldn't even need to be that angle. Hawkins could reunite with Ryder and find himself in the middle of the tag team title hunt again (The Major Broskis, picture it!) but WWE needs to leave the door open first.
4. Daniel Bryan
Okay. This one shouldn't be this hard. Bryan Danielson is hands down one of the most sound technicians in the game and easily the best one in WWE. He won Money In The Bank, which was a good start. But since that night in June, Bryan has lost practically every match he's been in, most of which have been matches against a superstar that WWE can't decide on who should play the role (so they gave the role to both of them).
The insufferable commentary of Michael Cole and the impossibly generic choice of theme songs haven't helped his character development either.
Come on, WWE. This guy was at one point (and I'd wager still is) one of the most feared wrestlers on the independent circuit. But somewhere between being fired for tie violence, being kept from using Cattle Mutilation save for one occasion (only Dolph Ziggler has felt its wrath) and being called a nerd for the umpteenth time by the criminally unimaginative Michael Cole, WWE has effectively halted his credibility.
Bryan Danielson is supposedly on the path to cash in Money In The Bank and become World Champion somewhere down the line. How about making us believe it by putting him over in matches for a change?
3. Ted DiBiase
This is the portion of the countdown that really starts to anger me. Another example of the lineage of a great wrestling family going to spoils. The son of arguably one of the most colorful characters in WWE history, Ted DiBiase has been largely ignored since Randy Orton kept him from going over at Wrestlemania 26. While it's true that Ted DiBiase will in all likelihood never escape the shadow of nor be as charismatic as his father was, WWE has never bothered to give him space to let his mic skills or in-ring personality develop. WWE instead decided to make up for it by serving as Cody Rhodes' yes-man for a few months before giving him ONE shot at the Intercontinental title, only to lose and get shoved back to the back burner.
WWE may know from money, but ignoring talent such as this indicates that they don't know from class.
2. Drew McIntyre
Where should I start? Should I begin with the repeated losses to Zack Ryder on the no-longer-televised WWE Superstars? Perhaps I should first mention the eight minute embarrassment to Randy Orton last Monday on RAW. Or maybe the fact that his previous two appearances on RAW included getting accidentally tossed from the stage in a collision between The Big Show and Mark Henry and being the first participant tossed from the ten-man battle royal for Cody Rhodes' IC Title during the September 26 show.
The plain and simple fact is that this guy was allegedly "hand-picked" by Vince McMahon to be the future of the business. "The Chosen One" they called him. He was the favorite to win Money In The Bank at Wrestlemania 26. He has arguably the best theme song in the business and an equally effective finishing manuever. He may well be the most marketable superstar that WWE isn't marketing. Unfortunately, he's looking more "Future Endeavors" than "Future Shock" at the moment and his continued spiral to the bottom is nothing short of infuriating.
1. John Morrison
Two years ago, I submitted an article for Bleacher Report to largely positive reviews entitled "WWE Creative needs to take a field trip to the Palace of Wisdom". The article discussed how John Morrison has been ignored and kept out of the spotlight that he so rightfully deserves and has been held at bay from prospective World Title shots.
Two years later, practically nothing has changed.
With his backgrounds in Parkour and Capoeira, Morrison is still one of the most physically and athletically gifted superstars WWE has ever seen and continually provides WWE fans with the spot of the night that they're talking about the next day. And he's still being brushed to the side. But not outright, it's worse. His fans are being encouraged with bright spots of opportunity only to have them yanked away, and THEN he's ignored.
Perfect examples-Dating back to December, John Morrison has:
-Been put over Sheamus in a Ladder Match at TLC for a shot at the WWE Title, only to be defeated in a Falls Count Anywhere Match on the first RAW of 2011 (it wasn't even the main event, but the first match of the night).
-Had the most impressive moment of Royal Rumble 2011 snuffed out by being the tenth eliminated in a group of forty.
-Had yet another incredible performance at Elimination Chamber wiped out so that WWE could give another title shot to John Cena (a match Cena lost at Wrestlemania by the way...)
-Was shoved into a match with Snooki. I really don't need to say more. This was arguably the DUMBEST "celebrity" cameo in Wrestlemania history.
-Fans got a glimmer of hope when Morrison got a WWE title shot in a Triple Threat Cage Match with Champion Miz and John Cena only to have the belt go to...drumroll...CENA AGAIN.
-Spent the summer injured, which WWE gracefully explained as a vicious attack by R-Truth...twice.
-In the last three pay-per-views, Morrison has taken part in a match that was thrown together in the last five minutes before the show (Summerslam), a Fatal Four Way Match for the U.S. Title (in which he conveniently took the fall), and an impromptu match with Cody Rhodes for the IC Title, which he lost (shocker).
I get it. WWE will explain this push/de-push nonsense through the whole nasty Melina business. WWE shouldn't let personal relationships with their talent affect the professional career paths of other talent, but that's just the nature of the business. I understand that.
I've heard other people explain it as top WWE brass not being fond of Morrison's backstage attitude, which is another batch of fresh nonsense. WWE penalizing a superstar for having a gigantic ego makes about as much sense as the BCS. Ego is good. It feeds character. Let this side of Morrison show, even if it means a heel turn. The man is FAR too talented to let his ability just sit on the shelf and go to waste.
You want to see the ratings spike WWE? Want a jump in attendance? Then heed this advice: Stop benching the players that the fans want to see in the ring. Who knows? Taking a chance on an unproven prospect could pay dividends.
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