Getting a push from WWE management can sometimes be a better career move than organically getting support from the crowd. When a wrestler has the backing of WWE management to become a star of the future, there is little that can stop the company from trying to make them a star, even when fans start to consider them overrated compared to other wrestlers.
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There have been many examples over the years of wrestlers who fans have not been interested in, even if they are pegged as the next big thing. Ultimately, fans will voice their opinion if they think a wrestler is overrated based on how they are being presented, but WWE may still continue to try and cram them down the audience's throat.
10 Braun Strowman - Lost His Luster
Braun Strowman's initial WWE run seemed like an improbable success - it did not seem likely that monster-type wrestlers would become popular in the modern era. However, Strowman became a success story despite not being the most athletically-gifted wrestler.
Unfortunately, following his WWE release in 2021, Strowman struggled to maintain his popularity outside of WWE. Once he returned in 2022, he lost much of what made him an exciting performer despite WWE trying to shoehorn him back onto television like he never left.
9 Ronda Rousey - Seems Uninterested
When Ronda Rousey burst into WWE following the 2018 Royal Rumble, fans were elated to see the former UFC World Champion inside the ring. Despite her minimal experience in the ring, there is no denying that she was very popular with fans and had a very successful rookie year with the company.
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Since returning to WWE in 2022, Rousey may have had reigns as Smackdown Women's Champion, but has not appeared to be interested in improving anymore. Her latest run with the company has been considered disastrous, even if WWE management continues to push her to the top of the card.
8 Baron Corbin - Still Struggles
Since Bardon Corbin's early days in NXT, he has been considered to be a favourite of WWE management. Despite not having the same amount of skill as other wrestlers on the roster, he maintained a very strong position on the card for his entire run.
While he has improved since his early days, fans have never exactly bought into Corbin as a main event act. However, this has not stopped him from being featured even more heavily since he moved to the main roster, even if fans are still not buying what he is selling.
7 Lacey Evans - Not Interesting
When WWE wants to push a star even though they have not had success with the audience before, they often resort to repackaging that wrestler in order to find the right gimmick for them. While they sometimes cut their losses with a performer, if the wrestler can find their sweet spot then things can turn out well.
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Unfortunately, neither has happened with Lacey Evans as of yet. Despite numerous opportunities for repackaging, WWE does not seem to want to give up on Lacey Evans yet. While she has a great story as a former marine, there are few fans interested in seeing her return to television in any way.
6 Hit Row - Has Not Shined Since Returning
The amount of talent who were released during the global pandemic was upsetting, and wrestling fans were hoping that the affected wrestlers would find their footing. Due to the regime change in WWE in 2022, many of these familiar faces started to appear on WWE programming again, which was a very exciting time.
Despite returning to WWE with much fanfare, Hit Row has not had a successful return to the company. With Shane Strickland not returning with the group, the remainder of Hit Row has yet to impress audiences despite the time invested in them, leading fans to understand why they were released in the first place.
5 Dexter Lumis - One Note Character
Dexter Lumis' surprise return to WWE as The Miz's stalker was unexpected and an undeniably fun moment for fans. For fans who were familiar with his NXT run, it was great to see him return to television with his oddball character.
However, the feud with The Miz stretched on for an uncomfortable about of time and fans stopped caring about what was developing between them. Ultimately, the drawn-out feud only served to negatively impact Lumis as fans grew tired of him very quickly.
4 Gable Steveson - Not Kurt Angle
There is no denying that Kurt Angle had one of the greatest rookie years in WWE despite having no professional wrestling experience prior to his debut. As an Olympic gold medalist, Angle was a supremely special case that anyone would struggle to replicate.
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When WWE signed Gable Steveson to a developmental contract, they touted him as the biggest signing in years. However, his Olympic wrestling background does not necessarily mean that he is going to be as successful as Angle, even if WWE continues to hype him up as the future of the company.
3 The Schism - Has Not Impressed
Joe Gacy's politically correct character in NXT 2.0 was already a sore spot for NXT fans who were sick of how the character was presented. So when he expanded his influence into a group that has received plenty of television time, fans let out a collective groan.
The Schism has been a focal point of NXT since it has formed, but he was yet to impress audiences. With the inclusion of The Rock's daughter Ava Raine into the group, they are only poised to get more attention on a weekly basis, even if fans are not interested.
2 Raquel Rodriguez - Needed More Time In NXT
With several departures in the WWE women's division over recent years, there was a sense of urgency around creating new stars. Unfortunately, rushing up development wrestlers from NXT rarely goes well for anyone involved.
Despite showing a lot of promise in NXT, Raquel Rodriguez still required some additional time in NXT before being transitioned to the main roster to truly hit her stride. There are still plenty of holes in her in-ring abilities that could be filled with more training, but WWE seems hellbent on ensuring that she is a focal point of the division in regardless.
1 The OC - Better Off Outside Of WWE
After two stints in WWE that have had variable success, The OC - Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson - returned to WWE in 2022 alongside AJ Styles. While the group's New Japan Pro Wrestling status made headlines, the team has floundered in their recent WWE run.
While both wrestlers are very talented and have proven that they can be the cornerstone of a promotion's tag team division, they have not been able to prove that in WWE. At this point, they team would be better off staying out of WWE instead of trying to live up to their hype when the company is not invested in them.
