The Prodigal Sons: WWE Superstars Missing in Action

[NegativeFeedback]

With WWE's television expansion, everyone has gotten time to shine on at least some show on the WWE Network. With Raw, Smackdown, Main Event, Superstars, and NXT, almost 100 superstars have been sharing ring time throughout the whole year. But there are some people who have just disappeared from TV. With WWE trying to fit every single roster member on the WrestleMania card, it's become even clearer to notice who exactly has been MIA. Here are WWE's 10 prodigal sons:

1. Evan Bourne:

His last match main roster match was on January 16, 2012 which was 2 years, 2 months, and 10 days ago. He competed in a tag title match with Kofi against Primo and Epico. After that, he was suspended for 60 days, and broke his foot in a car accident. He returned at an NXT live event over a year later on March 28, 2013, which was over a year ago. He has yet to be booked on TV, be it on NXT or WWE.

2. Ezekiel Jackson:

Ezekiel's last appearance on one of the main shows was on July 3, 2012, 1 year, 8 months and 23 days ago. He worked a battle royal on Smackdown won by Zack Ryder. After that, he suffered an injury and was out for almost a year. He returned during WrestleMania weekend where he worked a match at Fan Axxess on April 4, 2013. He was unaccounted for all year until he announced he was getting another surgery on January 4, 2014.

3. Curt Hawkins:

Curt Hawkins' last main roster match was on August 17, 2012, which is 1 year, 7 months and 9 days ago. He beat two jobbers on Smackdown alongside Tyler Reks. After that, Tyler quit and Curt suffered an injury. He came back on January 26, 2013 for a match on Saturday Morning Slam. He's worked exactly 3 Superstars matches since. Two in 2013, and one on February 6, 2014.

4. JTG:

JTG's last appearance on Raw was on December 17, 2012, 1 year, 3 months and 9 days ago. He jobbed to Brodus Clay in a squash match. He had 4 matches on Superstars in early 2013, with his last appearance on April 4, 2013. He has worked strictly live events ever since. He hasn't even gotten on NXT.

5. David Otunga:

David Otunga was a consistent main roster member for all of 2011 and 2012 appearing weekly for 2 straight years. However, something happened upon the New Years, because the guy disappeared for 3 months. He came back for one final main roster appearance on the March 18, 2013 edition of Raw which was 1 year and 8 days ago.

He has made tons of media appearances since though. In the past month, he's been on Eurweb, Massachussetts Lawyers Weekly, Harvard Gazzette, The Grio and Complex.com. He was also on the cover of Muscle & Fitness in November. Last week, he was apparently having dinner with Jay Cutler and Mayor Rahm Emanuel of Chicago. I don't know what his new official role is, but in all those interviews, he keeps calling himself a WWE wrestler despite being MIA from WWE for over a year.

6. Yoshi Tatsu:

Yoshi's last match on Raw was on March 8, 2013 in a squash by Mark Henry. But he also worked 2 Main Event matches a month later, with his last appearance in a battle royal on April 17, 2013, which was 11 months and 9 days ago. He jobbed 3 times on NXT in May 2013 before disappearing for almost a year. He came back to NXT on March 6, 2014 for a Count-Out loss against Corey Graves. He hasn't appeared on any show since.

7. Wade Barrett:

Well, all right, Wade Barrett hasn't been off TV, but he definitely hasn't worked a match in a loooong time. Wade's last main roster match was on August 23, 2013, which was 7 months and 23 days ago! He's been working all live events though and appears for weekly "Bad News Barrett" segments, but now that he's been excluded from the Battle Royal, I have to wonder what exactly is up with his in-ring career.

8. Ricardo Rodriguez:

Ricardo's last main roster appearance under this persona was 5 months and 19 days ago on October 7, 2013, when he defeated World Champ Alberto Del Rio in a non-title match on Raw. Later that month, he had 2 appearances on Main Event alongside as "El Local #1". He hasn't appeared on TV since.

9. Tyson Kidd:

Last year, Tyson Kidd had a short storyline with Natalya and Fandango to tie in with their Total Divas appearances. So despite having not been used since December 2013, he got to work twice on Raw and once on Main Event, with the last being on November 13, 2013. That was 4 months and 13 days ago. He returned on January 2, 2014 in a loss to Jack Swagger Superstars, and he has also worked 2 editions of NXT in January. Despite his screen time on Total Divas, he hasn't been on the main roster since.

10. Camacho:

Camacho is one of the luckiest of this bunch. Despite also being MIA from the main roster, he's getting some time on NXT. His last match on the main roster was a 1-on-2 squash by Great Khali against him and Hunico on the November 15, 2013 edition of Smackdown. That's 4 months and 11 days ago. But in 2014, he got back on TV and has worked 4 editions of NXT, the last being just a few days ago.

Surprise #11:Xavier Woods:

Xavier Woods was never a prominent superstar on Raw, but ever since his debut, he's been tagging with R-Truth on the lesser shows and on live events. But that all changed about 2 months ago. His last appearance on Raw was 1 month and 23 days ago in a six-man-tag with R-Truth and Dolph against The Wyatt Family. A few days later, he tagged with Mark Henry on two live events, with no mention of his tag team with Truth. He's been MIA from WWE live events ever since, and just recently popped back up on the NXT ones. With R-Truth being added to the battle royal and Xavier left out, I think it's safe to say that Woods has been sent back to the developmental roster.

----------------------------------------------------------------

So what do you guys think is going on with most of them?

Any theories on what's going on with guys like Otunga and Barrett??

What about Evan Bourne who Stephanie was supposedly high on?

Do you think Ezekiel is pulling a fast one and scamming WWE out of their money?

Comment below, let me know!

 

[Jack-Hammer]

In some cases, it might simply be a case of creative just not having anything particularly worth bringing them back for. I've heard that David Otunga is generally in the role of a legal adviser for WWE now and helps represent the company as sort of a face. He's a handsome, well built, Harvard educated African American attorney that's engaged to an Academy, Golden Globe, BAFTA and Screen Actors Guild Award winning actress. Makes the company look good having someone like that around.

As for Yoshi Tatsu, he's been helping train guys down in NXT, at least that's what he was doing the last time I read anything about him.

Ricardo sometimes appears in NXT as El Local and is now part of the Spanish announce team.

Camacho is also sometimes used in NXT, mostly to job out to other guys, and I think he also aids in training as well.

Wade Barrett pops up every now and then for the Bad News Barrett segments. I dunno why he isn't wrestling. I have a feeling he's gonna wind up doing commentary before too long.

As for Kidd, Bourne, JTG, Hawkins and Jackson, I have no idea what the story is there.

 

[L@RISANO]

JH has basically given an accurate rundown based on various reports about those guys...

Just have to say about Barrett: I have a feeling that the injury he sustained in that Battle Royal match(when Ziggler decided to spin in the air), has never fully healed. Call it unfortunate, but I feel Barrett's ability on the mic, means his new gimmick is purely as a personality until further notice.

Whether he gets back into the ring and is currently still in rehab is anyone's guess.
JH mentioned commentary, and I have to say, having him replace King would be interesting to say the least. Especially if the BNB gimmick stays.

 

[Punk_Aries_Daniels_Bryan]

God, do I miss Evan Bourne!! Somebody find this man and team him up with Kofi again so we can have entertaining high-flyers as a tag team and not a joke like Los Matardoras or whatever the f*ck they are called.
Back to the topic:

WADE BARRETT: I don't know what the WWE is doing with this guy. I could see him as an excellent upper-mid card draw. To be honest, I'd love for Wade Barrett, Drew McIntyre, and Sheamus to form a heel stable. Don't know how WWE would make it happen, but it would make two guys relevant again and the other guy interesting again.

Tyson Kidd : I love the guy but I don't know what they can do with him now that Harry Smith is gone and there is no Hart Dynasty. I've said it before: if the Lightweight Division was introduced again a lot of wrestlers would get relevant feuds.

I really don't care about the others.

 

[NegativeFeedback]

Just have to say about Barrett: I have a feeling that the injury he sustained in that Battle Royal match(when Ziggler decided to spin in the air), has never fully healed. Call it unfortunate, but I feel Barrett's ability on the mic, means his new gimmick is purely as a personality until further notice.

Like I said in the OP, Wade Barrett is still working live events. He works them every week without losing a step. I have no idea why they're keeping him away from the ring on TV. It would make more sense if he was feuding with someone and they were trying to get the fans to want to see him get his ass kicked in the ring. But nope, he just comes out and says random shit without feuding with anybody.

I'm guessing he might eat a Legdrop at Mania or something, but I'll never figure out why they're waiting so long to get him in the ring.

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

Been British, naturally I want Wade to do well and I think his time will come. He had some good matches with Sheamus and is a good worker, and definitely a good heel. I feel this Bad News thing is working up to a ring return.

I gotta agree with Punk_Aries_Daniels_Bryan re Bourne. I don't particularly like him or Kofi BUT I thought Air Boom was a great tag team and brought something back to the division. Los boringos can sling it for me.

I loved Otunga, his look and his gimmick with the whole coffee mug thing. Bring this guy back and teach him to wrassle.

The rest....meh

 

[boozinjedi]

I am most puzzled on why they haven't put Barrett in ring yet,sooner or later someone will come up to Barrett's lift/stand and get on mic and say..
that's tough talk for someone all the way up there,come down and say it to my face!!!
If we don't see Otunga on TV for awhile....no need to be concerned,when one has a harvard law degree to fall back upon...I don't think one needs to schlep it from town to town on the indy circuit!!
and I don't see most of the others mentioned will find their way back to TV anytime soon

 

[kadroan]

Barrett is too talented as a wrestler to not be wrestling matches. I like the Bad News Barrett gimmick but I'd like to see him as a face since he's never done it before

 

[rbv13]

They most likely are holding Barrett out of the ring during tv events until after WM. It is really a good move for his character.

 

[oldschool26]

Have no idea what's going on. Especially with the likes of
Wade barrett and Tyson kidd. The others are talented but
Should be released with the exception for Evan Bourne.
After mania I'm really hoping creative gives wade barrett
The M.I.B brief case. He would fit in well main eventing ppv.
I for one am getting sick of seeing the same superstars
Every week. Bryan,cena,Batista,sheamus,usos,shield, Wyatt
Family. Same matches every week. Same spots. There is so many
More talent that can fill the cards. Angle, hardy, rvd , cm punk
Left because they were over worke performing 4 times a week..
Don't be suprised if some if main roster leave this year.

 

[L@RISANO]

Like I said in the OP, Wade Barrett is still working live events. He works them every week without losing a step. I have no idea why they're keeping him away from the ring on TV. It would make more sense if he was feuding with someone and they were trying to get the fans to want to see him get his ass kicked in the ring. But nope, he just comes out and says random shit without feuding with anybody.

I'm guessing he might eat a Legdrop at Mania or something, but I'll never figure out why they're waiting so long to get him in the ring.

Well, if that is the case, then like you, I haven't the faintest idea what will happen with Wade. Even the dirt sheets haven't said anything about a push for him.

Actually, whatever HHH meant with his "reality era" schtick, I think BNB's gimmick is perfect for this day and age as a heel, even if he is given a run as an Authority figure to build heat for his character.

 

[NegativeFeedback]

As follow-up, the fates of most of these prodigal sons have been revealed.

David Otunga, Xavier Woods, Tyson Kidd and Yoshi Tatsu returned to the main roster for the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal on April 6, just 11 days after posting this article. Of them all, Yoshi Tatsu was released on June 12, 2 months and 6 days after his appearance at WrestleMania.

Along with Yoshi Tatsu, June 12 also marked the releases of Evan Bourne, JTG, Curt Hawkins, and Camacho. Curt and Camacho both had a few appearances on NXT, but none of them ever returned to the main roster before their releases. They were released 2 months and 17 days after posting the article.

In addition to those mentioned above, Ezekiel Jackson was released on April 7, only 12 days after posting this article.

On the same day, Wade Barrett returned to the ring and defeated Rey Mysterio on Raw. This marked the beginning of his push that resulted in an Intercontinental title reign that is still going on today. He's the biggest success story of the list, which was expected considering he was the only one on the list who was still on TV in a non-wrestling capacity.

As for the others remaining with the company, Xavier Woods has had 1 Smackdown match since his battle royal return. While Tyson Kidd and Ricardo Rodriguez have yet to reappear on TV, they both have been fleshing out their characters on NXT.

David Otunga however is still missing in action.

 

[JoeFromTomsRiver]

While Tyson Kidd and Ricardo Rodriguez have yet to reappear on TV, they both have been fleshing out their characters on NXT.

I think Ricardo is part of the Spanish Announce Team now isn't he? I saw him at the desk a few weeks ago, not sure if he is a permanent commentator though.

 

[milkman12]

ave no idea what's going on. Especially with the likes of
Wade barrett and Tyson kidd. The others are talented but
Should be released with the exception for Evan Bourne.
After mania I'm really hoping creative gives wade barrett
The M.I.B brief case. He would fit in well main eventing ppv.
I for one am getting sick of seeing the same superstars
Every week. Bryan,cena,Batista,sheamus,usos,shield, Wyatt
Family. Same matches every week. Same spots. There is so many
More talent that can fill the cards. Angle, hardy, rvd , cm punk
Left because they were over worke performing 4 times a week..
Don't be suprised if some if main roster leave this year.