Wrestlers Who Never Quite Reached Their Potential

[Ruthless-RKO]

Which wrestlers have you seen that you think have got potential but have never quite reached their potential?

In WWE, I would say Mr. Kennedy. He could have gone so far, but apparently he was still a bit green in the ring? I don't really know the full story, but I thought he was great.

Honourable Mention

• Shelton Benjamin
• MVP
• Muhammad Hussan
• William Regal
• Elijah Burke

 

[mister5000]

I would say Muhammad Hussan. WWE was gutless when they cut his character short. He drew mega heat and was good enough in the ring to put on entertaining matches. He is everything that Jinder Mahal isn't.

 

[#heel420]

Shelton Benjamin had all the potential in the world. He was agile, fast, and a great worker. I feel like he could of been a main eventer, but he was never given that push to the next level. Mr. Kennedy is another one that could have gone so much further than he did. He is magic on the mic. He knew how to work a crowd. Too bad he's so injury prone. He was given a few opportunities but injuries plagued his main event status.

 

[RKOrob]

Definitely Mr. Kennedy. Oh how I wish that supposed story of him being Vince's illegitimate son came into fruition. I always got excited for when he was gonna be on TV. It's just a shame he got injured and then almost ended up injuring Orton (which i believe was the final straw)

 

[Rampage Bentley]

In my opinion, the definitive answer is Drew McIntyre. While he's still on the roster, and can turn things around, he was touted as "The Chosen One." The only wrestler (in recent history) who Vince McMahon personally signed and scouted. He recieved a mega-push and then fizzled into jobbing on Superstars.

Granted, he's being punished because of the actions of his ex-wife, which is kinda B.S. But I hope he can turn it around, as I think he does have what it takes to be at the top.

 

[2Sweet_4Life]

Mr.Ass (Billy Gunn) They could of pushed so much but they never done it, it would of been good whilst in d-x in 1999 to turn on HHH and go for the title and really get him over. Honourable mention- Mr.Kennedy.

 

[geroge86]

If Kennedy wasn't hurt after he won Money in the Bank at Wrestlemania 23 & was revealed to be the illegitimate son of Mr.McMahon he would have easily been a main event player in 2008 & possibly been World Heavyweight champion at least once. Really there are quite a few guys who come to mind but Mr.Kennedy definitely stands out because there was so many plans for him to be a main eventer but for one reason or another the fates conspired against him.

 

[dtroppe]

I want to start off by saying that I don't think that Mr, Kennedy is a good candidate for this. The guy has all the opportunity to shine and he doesnt seem to be able to impress too many people. He has been in the game a long time now so maybe we have seen his potential- its hard to judge him as his career is still going.

I am going to get slack for this but my response is Warrior. While it was his own fault, I think that in the early 90s Warrior could have reached great hights. I think that in 96 if Warrior had stayed in WWE, he would have been a great addition to the opening of the attitude era. His promos at that time were getting better and his work with Goldust was probably some of the edgiest of its time. I also believe had he stayed on in WCW in 98 he could have been a could long term rival for the NWO. Had Warrior stayed on at any given time, his ring work would have improved. There is no doubt- Warrior was green most of his career and still reached amazing success, imagine if he had not taken himself out of the game so many times.

 

[Lazerball]

theres a reason none of these guys made it to the top, maybe they were at their full potential, benjiman on the mic was and still is awful, in the ring hes great, but u have to be able to talk. Anderson is nothing to gawk at either, bad ring work and a stupid gimmick that only idiots enjoyed, im glad things didnt work for him cause it woulda been disgusting having him in the main event picture, watch his title match with batista, he gets destroyed on thats how it should be, the only person on this list whose even worth a shit is Regal, and its sad that his personal prblms have held him back, the man can go in the ring, and is dynamite on the mic, the reaction he can draw from just a look is phenominal, so really this thread should be its too bad regal didnt make it to the top, forget the rest of these losers. oh maybe this is spam mods, ya better send me another warning, gota love the losers on power trips.

 

[DrakeTvGuy]

A lot of people are saying Kennedy and I agree with that. However, I thought they could do more with Shad. After splitting up Cryme Tyme, he went nowhere. I would have liked to have seen him drafted somewhere away from JTG and possibly as an enforcer for someone. I don't think he was World Title material, but I think he could have been bigger.

 

[The Fabulous Rougeau's]

Two guys instantly jump out. Shelton Benjamin and John Morrison.

They are alike in many ways and the thing that held them back was the same. Neither had the mic skills to push them to the top. Now Morrison was a better heel then Benjamin, and could have made it as a top heel, but he got stuck in a rut as a face and never escaped.

It's a shame because these guys were special and could do some of the craziest/creative things in and out of the ring.

 

[gunnascott]

Nobody is a better example of this than Mr. Kennedy. He was ready to take over 2007/08 but injuries and sloppiness took him out. If he had of been careful he could have been top 5 guys in the comany right now.

 

[LoudClearVoice]

Nobody is a better example of this than Mr. Kennedy. He was ready to take over 2007/08 but injuries and sloppiness took him out. If he had of been careful he could have been top 5 guys in the comany right now.

I agree. Kennedy was never that great in the ring but I think he was good enough on the mic and with his gimmick that he could have been an upper midcard to "sometimes" main eventer. The injuries took their toll of course and then the steriod/HGH allegations right around the time that he was supposed to be revealed as Vince's son, really killed his momentum. That storyline was laid out perfectly and I'm assuming they were going to give him a title run out of it.

 

[DX Mols]

I think Big Zeke is a wasted talent. He could have ushered in the new Nation of Domination I still don't know why they haven't brought back. But he stinks on the mic and has the wrong voice for a body that large.

Ziggler really needs to get to that Main Event level. He's got it all.

As for other underused talent, D'Angelo Dinero is another one that comes to mind. And he's not even being used on TNA anymore.

 

[Ryberg]

Ziggler really needs to get to that Main Event level. He's got it all.

Ziggler has it all but 1) Mic skills 2) anyone outside of wrestling forums who actually care about or react to him. Thats why I think he should be included on this list. Lots of talent who will NEVER reach his potential in the WWE. As MUCH as I dislike Ziggler I think he should be more over than Cody. Cody is a boring in the ring and on a mic. Where Ziggler is great in the ring and but boring on the mic.

 

[deslok]

How about Terry Taylor. Good on the mic, great worker, but got saddled with one of the great horrible gimmicks.

 

[jamallo]

For me it is Carlito.
He had everything: a good look, descent promo skills, a good move set.
I really enjoyed seeing him in the ring, or on the mic.
He had some good fueds with guys like Cena, and i really thaught he was main event material.

But Carlito wasn't passionate enough.
Talking about not reaching your potential.
He had tons of it, but wasn't quit interested to use it.
He could be a real big star by now, i'm sure abou that.

I'm very surprised that none of you pointed out Carlito so far.

Some other honerable mentions are: Shelton Benjamin and MVP

 

[Dynamitekid2012]

My pick is Goldust. Everyone on here seems to think Cody Rhodes is great, but Goldust is light-years ahead of Cody in terms of mic and in-ring work. Adding to that he has one of the most unique characters in the history of the WWE. Truly underrated and I've never understood why he never got a bigger run.

 

[MillionDollarMan]

Everyone's favorite gimmick, the Devil's Advocate, Shawn O'Haire. Guy had the look, had the gimmick, had the athletic ability and with the scripted interviews had the interest of the crowd. Then in a month's span, he had a bad live promo, they stuck him with Roddy Piper and then he was gone...

 

[HBsam31]

Haasan is one on the list that I think could have been mega over, but the WWE didn't want to risk media backlash for his character. He had great heat, and was in a feud with Taker. He was definitely going to be a champion if the push could have continued. I was always surprised he wasn't repackaged and brought back in some way, but I don't think he would have been as effective with another gimmick anyway.

 

[michaelrr1]

I'm going to go back a ways with Brutus Beefcake. He was in line to take the Intercontinental Title off of Honky Tonk Man at SummerSlam before the parasailing accident. I don't know if he would have ever been up for the World Title during that era, but he was a pretty hot commodity that never got close to that level again.

 

[Fansince1992]

Dolph Ziggler!

What is happening to him? He sells moves like Shawn Michales or Mr Perfect did. He has a tremendous look about him. Get rid of Screech bag Vikkie and that clown Swagger and he could go places.

It does seem like a Billy Gunn clone. Zigs reminds me so much of old Mr Ass. Dolph still has a chance i guess he is jobbing to push fat man with Mohawk at present. After we might see a push. Can't see him getting over Tensai, Punk, Jericho, Brock, Sheamus, Bryan, Cena, Rock, Clay, Jeez so many infront of him.

 

[Radical Canadian Goose]

I am going to have to go with other on this one.

If you mean never reaching world title status, then I would have to go with with "Mr.Perfect" Curt Hennig or "Million Dollar Man" Ted Dibiase. Yes I know that they are both legendary now, but come on, do you really think that they ever reached their full potential while in a WWE(F) ring?

If you are referring to "superstars" in the past 10 years or so that have not reached their potential, then look no further than MVP. They held a press conference to announce the signing of this guy. He was stellar on the mic, pretty damn good in the ring , I'd say he had the fans behind him, had the look. The only thing (in my opininion) that held him back was that Vince and co. did not want to push an excon to championship status. Again just my opinion

 

[ProWrestlingFan84]

For me I'd have to go with a tie between Mr. Kennedy and Shelton Benjamin. Kennedy has the mic skills with his catch phrase and I feel was over to some degree in WWE and I think the same in TNA. Shelton has the obvious in ring skills. I he had more of a mid card push in WWE winning a couple IC reigns but no one cared for his promo ability which never came. It sucks, because some stars have all the in ring ability in the world but because they can't speak on the mic, they never get used. Then well you have guys Khali who can't wrestle or cut a promo and he still has a job? But back to topic, my vote goes to those two for sure.

 

[smokeyjoe414]

i vote other as iv a few names that have been missed so far;

Test.. Had the build of a champ and i always liked his mic work especially as heel

Nathan Jones; remember undertakers tag team partner for his WM match vs big show and Albert?? Probably not lol WWE promoted this guy for months then dropped him from the mainia card, gave him a pointless feud against the F.B.I faction before pushing him into obscurity. guy had so much to give that wasnt used.

Christian.. This guy had to join another company to prove his main event status, with his abilitys in the ring and on the mic, why oh why did WWE wait so long before giving him a deserved push

Mark Henry.. yes he finnally got his title reign, but is now back to his usual "dominate jobbers but get pushed aside by the main eventers" tag which has followed him his whole career. Surely WWE can use this man as a more effective title contender than that scrawny little cat shit daniel bryan (who's only contribution to our lives is gettin people to chant YES :/) Mark Henry has always been and probably always will be under rated and its a damn shame

just my thoughts anyway