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Over the years, there have been countless individuals who just simply haven’t made it work in WWE, flopping and becoming a jobber down at the bottom of the card. Often, less serious and jokey gimmicks are the first fall from grace, and that was no different when it comes to No Way Jose, who competed in WWE from the year of 2015 all the way until 2020 when he received his release. Despite some initial success and popularity during his time in NXT, WWE’s developmental brand, he couldn’t find his feet on the main roster, ultimately failing during his time competing on Monday Night Raw.
The No Way Jose Gimmick Was Set Up To Fail On The Main Roster
The first thing fans would likely point to in regards to why No Way Jose failed on WWE’s main roster, would probably be his gimmick and character. For the most part, Jose had a very thinly layered gimmick, with his personality often described as someone ‘who just wants to have fun’. Jose would bring a dancing conga line to the ring, who would chant along with his music, with the words ‘No Way Jose’ playing over and over.
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Unfortunately for Jose, these sorts of gimmicks have very little life in WWE, with other examples including Adam Rose, who just a few years prior would also bring a conga line to the ring, with his love for partying and having a good time preventing him from climbing up the card to become a serious competitor, despite putting his all into the role and showcasing charisma. That is the same with Jose, who played his role to absolute perfection, bringing unteachable energy and rhythm as he danced his way to the ring for his matches.
With no character depth or development, Jose’s character was set up to fail almost immediately. It wasn't even a comedy gimmick, which gave him even less to build from. He quickly became a joke and a jobber, barely getting any time to shine before he fell right down the card. It took him just three matches on Raw to lose his first match, which began a chain of events which saw him become nothing more than an afterthought, used for putting others over, with the conga line often used as punching bags for monster heels. However, the failure of Jose shouldn’t all be blamed on the gimmick.
In NXT, The No Way Jose Character Worked
When Jose debuted in NXT, it was in essentially the same way as he did so on the main roster. The NXT Black & Gold audience were very accepting of every new gimmick, giving everything a chance. Jose won several matches to build himself up, with the crowd growing louder for him each and every week as his booking was strong. After a few months in which he was used sparingly, so as to not overuse him, inciting energy every time he made an appearance, Jose entered a feud with Austin Aries.
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The mistake WWE made on the main roster was not even giving him a proper rivalry. Aries allowed Jose to bring out a more serious side, which was further showcased in their match at NXT TakeOver Brooklyn 2, in which his in-ring work was given more of a chance to shine. Jose proved himself to be capable of dishing out hard-hitting offense whilst also utilizing his infectious energy. This added some legitimacy to his character, despite him being more of a lower card performer. No sort of breakout performance took place on the main roster, once again setting him up for failure as he was given no chances.
WWE Made No Attempts To Utilize No Way Jose In A Better Way
Jose’s complete neglect on the main roster is surprising, given that he does have a rather impressive size compared to others on the roster, fitting the mold of what Vince McMahon would usually want in a superstar. With an altered gimmick, more intensity, and better booking, Jose could have conceivably been either a midcard heel or babyface at the very least. Instead, he was just left to rot with a failing gimmick, with zero attempts to repackage him or salvage him as a performer.
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Since leaving WWE, Jose has performed elsewhere in the professional world following a brief hiatus, appearing in the likes of Impact Wrestling and DEFY, with Wrestling Observer also reporting that he is set to appear on an episode of AEW Dark after showing up at a set of tapings from Orlando. With these appearances, there is still a chance for him to make a name for himself in wrestling, and without being shackled to a gimmick in which he couldn’t showcase more than one personality trait, he could certainly find success in some way shape or form. He may have failed in WWE, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have talent, and his lack of a push wasn’t his fault when all was said and done.
