Mic skills are crucial in WWE. As a matter of fact, the vast majority of legends had excellent mic skills, such as The Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin, John Cena, Hulk Hogan, Randy Savage, Ric Flair, among others.
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Yes, it is possible to be successful without cutting outstanding promos, but it is unlikely. And throughout WWE history, there have been several wrestlers who should have been megastars, but were mediocre talkers, and that prevented them from reaching the top of the mountain. So, without further ado, let's take a look at 10 WWE wrestlers whose poor mic skills held them back from being top stars.
10 Jack Swagger
Certainly, Jack Swagger won the World Heavyweight Championship, but he was never a top star. That was just a failed WWE experiment, and he failed as champion because he couldn't cut a promo to save his life. In the ring, Swagger was no big deal either, but he could have good matches with the right opponent and he did look like a World Champion. Unfortunately, Jack Swagger's poor mic skills held him back from being a top star.
9 Shelton Benjamin
If there is one wrestler whose lousy mic skills held him back from being a top star, it is Shelton Benjamin, hands down. Benjamin was a true athlete, with outstanding skills, strength, speed, agility, and if that wasn't enough, he knew how to sell and how to tell a story in the ring. He had everything it took to be a main eventer, except promo skills, and that's what kept him from having a greater legacy.
8 Cesaro
Cesaro is one of the best wrestlers ever who never won a WWE World Championship, and it's safe to say that push never came because his mic skills weren't good enough. Despite his lackluster promo skills, Cesaro did manage to be over with the fans, and that's not surprising, as he delivered several incredible matches and the fans learned to appreciate him. Cesaro deserved better, but admittedly he needed better mic skills.
7 Ricochet
Ricochet is one of the best high-flyers in WWE history. His in-ring skills are outstanding, and he always delivers, especially when he has the opportunity to steal the show with a breathtaking stunt.
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Unfortunately, Ricochet's mic skills are lousy, he can't cut entertaining promos, and he can't connect with the audience when he speaks, which is why he hasn't become a top star and probably never will.
6 John Morrison
John Morrison was always an excellent performer, his wrestling style was great and entertaining, and he had several very good matches throughout his career. Morrison was charismatic and had a convincing appearance. So, basically what held Morrison back from becoming a megastar was his promo skills. Do you remember any great Morrison promos? Probably not. On the contrary, it's easier to remember some of his mediocre promos.
5 Ahmed Johnson
Ahmed Johnson should have been a megastar, but his mic skills were non-existent. Johnson looked like a million bucks, like a multi-time world champion, and his wrestling skills weren't great, but he had intensity and explosiveness that could have gotten him into the main event picture.
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Unfortunately, Johnson couldn't talk, he seemed to forget his lines and at times it was hard to understand him, not to mention he didn't know how to express his emotions through words.
4 Lance Storm
Lance Storm was one of the best technical wrestlers of his time, he rarely botched, and his grappling skills were great. In addition, his sense of in-ring psychology was good, and he was a good seller. However, Storm was a mediocre talker, and he wasn't charismatic at all, and without those two things, it's very hard to get over in professional wrestling. That's precisely why Lance Storm spent his entire career in the tag team division and the mid-card.
3 Liv Morgan
When Liv Morgan won the SmackDown Women’s Championship, fans thought a star was born. Morgan deserved it, and it was finally her time to shine, there was a new top superstar in the women’s division, or not? The weeks went by, and people started to realize that she was not yet ready to hold the title, because when she took the mic, she didn’t know what to say, her promos were lackluster, and she was exposed. That’s why Liv didn’t become a top star, but she still has time to fix it.
2 Dana Brooke
Dana Brooke is in good physical shape; she is stronger and more athletic than the average wrestler. With those tools, she could deliver good matches, but she never received opportunities. And why is that? Because Brooke's mic skills are non-existent, and she's not charismatic at all, so maybe WWE thinks there's no point in pushing her if she's not going to connect with the audience. If Brooke's mic skills were good, she could have made it to the top of WWE's women's division.
1 Neville
Neville, now known as PAC in AEW, was always a terrific in-ring wrestler. He was practically the complete package within the ropes, with an extraordinary offense, which consisted of high-flying moves, power moves, and technical moves as well. In addition, his matches were always intense and dynamic. Nevertheless, Neville is also one of those WWE wrestlers whose poor mic skills held him back from being a top star, and that same thing is happening in AEW.
