Your favorite "Eat those words" wrestler/diva.

[Trill Co$by]

Ok so, I started a topic a while back about how The Miz has metaphorically made us all eat our words about how we said "This reality TV Show star will amount to nothing!" and that topic was a hit. So I got to thinking... there's been quite a few who have done something like that. A few who we thought we would never like, but we did. For example, when I first saw Michelle McCool, I thought she was a nobody but now that she's showed some ring abilities, I've grown to respect her (yes as a wrestler).

So what I want to know is, who is your top favorite wrestler that made you eat your own words about them sucking. It doesn't have to be a popular one, just a wrestler.

For me, it would have to be Kofi Kingston. For some reason, when he came into the WWE, I thought he would be gone when the ECW Initiative was over, however this man has gone from ECW nobody to a Monday Night Upper mid-carder/lower main eventer. He's headlining his first Pay Per View this Sunday, and I'm waiting to see how well he will do.

 

[The Phenomenal One]

This person isn't my top favorite, but I'll admit that he made me eat my own words. And that's the one and only, John Cena. I remember watching SD, in 2002. I remember when I saw this dude. I admit...I thought that he'd be fired by the end of the year. I just didn't think he was going to last. But Cena proved me wrong. Here we are in 2010 and the dude is the modern day version of Hogan. Here we are in 2010, and Cena is running neck and neck with Taker as WWE's biggest PPV draw. 8yrs ago, I would have NEVER thought that would be possible.

 

[Via Armbar]

I hated Punk. I hated his look, his name, his gimmick...just about everything he offered. He totally screamed mid card for life to me and I never thought he had that IT factor that the top guys had. Until a couple of months ago I still thought this. I still believe his first World title run was one of the worst in history.

As of maybe 2 months ago however, ever since he started his SES, I've grown somewhat fond of him. He gives me the creeps now, and that's more of a reaction then I've ever gotten from him yet. the whole cultish vibe he has going on finally feels right to me, like I finally get now what people have been saying about him. He's clearly a natural heel and the straight edge lifestyle gimmick that I hated at first isn't as bad now. The whole gimmick seems a lot more Fraudian and eerie than before. It's still yet to be soon what becomes of it but as of now I see what could happen and I'm excited about it.

 

[Sean Valjean]

Hands down, The Miz. When The Miz first came, I couldn't stand the guy. He had no talent, looked dumb, and was annoying as hell (and not in a heel way). Every time I saw him I thought "This guy will NEVER be anything" and the little win streak he had when he started pissed me off. I figured he'd be released within a few months of his in-ring debut and I couldn't wait for it.

Then when he got drafted to ECW in 07, he started to show a little improvement, but I still wasn't into him. When he started teaming with Morrison I was furious because I thought he'd hold JoMo back. But then a few months into their run as a team, he started getting better and better and I began to really like the guy, and by the time they split, I was in love with him. He's one of my favorite guys on the roster now, and I still can't believe it.

 

[jmt225]

Easily John Morrison for me.

I hated the guy when he was Johnny Nitro. I thought he was a worthless piece of shit, fucking some ugly nasty broad, who could only do a nice flip every now and then. Boy, was I wrong.

It was honestly a 'hardcore' match against Tommy Dreamer on WWE's ECW that made me change my opinion of him. Before that, I had already dug the new Morrison gimmick, but still thought he was pretty worthless in the ring and man did I get pissed when he beat Punk for the Title after the Benoit incident. But, soon after that, he had this AMAZING match with Dreamer on some random WWECW episode. Now, I love Tommy, but let's face facts here, the guy hasn't been able to do much in the ring for quite sometime, but holy fuck did Morrison ever get the best out of him that night. It impressed the hell out of me. And of course... it was only a few weeks later where he would put on that absolute classic against CM Punk in San Antonio where Punk finally won the ECW title.

Since then... Morrison has improved and improved. Not only in the ring, but on the mic as well. WWE has been terrible with comedy this entire decade for the most part, but I'd be damn if The Dirt Sheet didn't have some of the funniest shit I've ever seen associated with pro wrestling. And most of that credit, in my opinion, goes to John Morrison.

 

[hatehabsforever]

In terms of the divas, my choice would be Maryse. When she was unsuccessful on the diva search, I wasn't surprised when she got hired anyway, because of her outstanding looks and the fact that she's French Canadian (instant heel heat for some reason). But I never expected her to develop as quickly as she did. When she was doing those vignettes on Smackdown, I never expected her to become a wrestler at all, never mind the most compelling diva on the entire roster. Her character is great, she's quite plausible in the ring, drop dead gorgeous, and she certainly surprised me and made me "eat my words."

For the men, it's the Miz. With his history in reality TV, his lack of wrestling experience, his lack of size and definition, and the annoying nature of his character, combined with apparent backstage heat, I never expected him to last. I felt he survived being future endeavoured because he was tagged up with other more plausible guys.

Then he moved to RAW, and I figured he was screwed altogether. Lost in the shuffle, buried behind all of the established stars, but actually that's not been the case at all. He's carved his own niche, and is in no risk whatsoever of being released. He may never main event, but he has certainly established himself and earned some job security. Made me "eat my words" for sure.

 

[Mitch Henessey]

My choice is The Miz. I absolutely HATED him when he first debuted in WWE. The first time I saw him on TV I said, "Isn't that the guy from the Real World/Road Rules challenge show?" I thought Miz being in WWE was a complete joke. I used to hate every thing about him. His ring attire, his music, and his matches. but over time, I 've began to see that the guy is a pretty good heel. He has a catchphrase, is pretty good on the mic, and his wrestling skills have improved over the years. Some people will say he's the next Rock, but I STRONGLY disagree with that, but still he's a good heel.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

As for a wrestler that I didn't have faith in that did make me eat my words, I'd probably have to say The Miz as well. I didn't like the guy at all for the reasons that have already been stated by other posters. I just had no faith in the guy and wanted nothing more than to see him gone. I have to say, however, I was dead wrong. In my view, The Miz is one of the best young guys in wrestling today. He's pretty good in the ring and damn near golden on the mic. He generates great heat and you always find yourself interested in whatever story he winds up in.

However, I think there's also another wrestler that I think deserves mentioning and that's Sheamus. While the jury is still ultimately out on him overall, I think that Sheamus has proven a lot of haters wrong thus far. For months, I'd heard the constant "WWE is stale" or "WWE is too predictable" whining going on. So, when the WWE goes and pulls off two of the biggest surprises of 2009, namely Sheamus winning a shot at the WWE Championship and then going on to win the WWE Championship, it stars an absolute barrage of hate directed towards Sheamus. Sheamus wasn't this ultra dominant champ or anything but he managed to do something that the WWE sorely needed: he got people interested and caring about the main event scene on Raw by adding a fresh new face and element to it. Sheamus did have a good showing overall as WWE Champion, not great, but better than what MANY were predicting.

 

[One of a kind]

For me hands down CM PUNK because he didn't really have any type of gimmick to me. I mean he had a gimmick he was a straight edge superstar so what you're straight edge I don't give a crap. But hold on he wins Money in the bank, he's drafted to smackdown, he cashes it in on Jeff Hardy he turns heel. Then that's when I started believing in the guy. He tells you he is straight edge but now that makes him better than you and that's when his gimmick developed. So now I a give a crap that he is straight edge and he tells why we should. CM Punk definetly made me eat my words.

 

[Schizophrenic]

Without question, The Miz. When I first saw him I recognized him from MTV and I was just appauled that WWE would ever hire this guy. Forward a few years to 2010 and I am a big supporter of his and I constantly defend him to all my other wrestling friends. I even use his "I'm Awesome" just to annoy them at times. Mike Mizanin has no doubt made me eat my words....MMMM crow!

I think another one who made me think twice was Austin Aries. When I first saw him I thought nothing more than a generic guy with that awesome headstand/dropkick combo. I thought he'd last maybe a few months in ROH then never be heard from again....Holy shit was I wrong. He's the greatest man that ever lived! I dig Aries now and I am a huge mark for anything the man does.

 

[Slowdude]

The man known as John Morrison, formerly Johnny Nitro.

I despised him when he was in MNM. Besides Melina MNM was just terrible. I did not believe in him as a tag team champion, I didn't in believe in him as a IC Champ and then he started teaming with Kenny and i figured his days were numbered. He got drafted to ECWWE, became a last minute replacement for Benoit. Wins the title and I still wasn't convinced. I was so glad when he finally lost the title and got suspended, I thought finally he would be getting fired. Once he came back he started teaming with The Miz. I didn't think much of either man but they quickly shot me up. They had so much chemistry together and it just worked. The WWE just let them do their thing for a year and a half. It was the only time the Tag Titles have been entertaining over the past 6-7 years. The Miz and Morrison helped and elevated each other during their time together and it payed off.