From top-to-bottom, the main rosters, as well as the NXT roster are all jammed packed, full of some of the best performers in the entire world.
One would assume that with so much great talent under one banner, everything must be perfect.
However, that is not necessarily the case, especially when you become one of those who possess a plethora of talent, but because of whatever reasons, you are constantly being overlooked.
When you look at the top of the main roster, things look pretty good. It’s hard to argue against having Kofi Kingston and Seth Rollins as your top two Superstars, especially considering how well they are performing at this stage in their respective careers.
It’s the rest of the field where things get cloudy and essentially, some guys who should be near the top, are being slept on for some reason.
So, with that said, who is actually being overlooked at the moment? Is your favorite WWE Superstar being held back, unjustly? In this article, we take a closer look at 7 current WWE Superstars who deserve better, but they are being overlooked.
These are the 7 WWE Superstars WWE should not be sleeping on.
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in the article belong to the writer and doesn’t necessarily represent Sportskeeda’s stand.
#7 The Ascension
Just a couple of years ago, I had the opportunity to meet both Konnor and Viktor of the Ascension. WWE was in my town for a SmackDown Live taping and I was staying at the same hotel that some of the WWE Superstars were spending the night.
I sat and spoke briefly with Konnor and the one takeaway that I had from our impromptu conversation was that he absolutely loves the sport of professional wrestling. Just spending five minutes with him will confirm that he considers wrestling not only a job but also a passion.
He and Viktor were both very approachable and extremely humble. To be honest, it was one of the best Superstar interactions I had ever had.
Looking back at what The Ascension accomplished in NXT, at how destructive they were and how much they dominated the rest of the roster, then comparing that to how much of a joke they have been relegated to now…it’s pretty disheartening, to be honest.
I have no doubt that these guys have much more to offer than what they are being allowed to show. The company is in desperate need of a tag team revival as it is, why not capitalize on the talent that we already know The Ascension possesses as it is?
Viktor and Konnor were easily one of NXT’s greatest tag teams ever. However, once they made the jump to the main roster, they were met with a very lackadaisical effort on behalf of WWE’s creative powers-that-be.
Fans had a difficult time taking The Ascension serious, especially considering the company had now begun booking them as comical enhancement talent. It’s really a sad mistake made on behalf of WWE’s brass. Why book these guys so strong in NXT, only to elevate them to the main roster and treat them as ridiculously as they have.
There is money on the table that Konnor and Viktor could be making. Unfortunately, it does not appear those in control have any interest in giving this one a chance.
#6 Fandango
Let’s take a trip back in time, back to the end of 2012, through early-2013. There were various vignettes being aired regarding the future debut of a new WWE Superstar who was known as ‘Fandango.’
Suddenly, we started seeing more of this unique persona and eventually, we were privy to a few lessons in scuffed ballroom dancing. Until Wrestlemania 29, very little was known about Fandango and even less was known about the direction the company was taking with him.
Finally, the fire was lit at Wrestlemania as Fandango went over against Chris Jericho in a very underwhelming contest. While the match itself lacked substance, it’s still a big deal when you can get a win over one of the best living wrestlers, on the grandest stage of them all. Surely that big win would go on to materialize into a huge future for Fandango, right? Well…not so fast.
Following Fandango’s upset win over Chris Jericho at Wrestlemania 29, fans around the world would soon gravitate to Fandango and create a new dance craze called “doing the Fandango,” or “Fandango-ing.”
The upstart Superstar was suddenly turned babyface by the fans themselves, which is the purest and most organic way to evolve into a fan favorite. The WWE Universe was completely behind Fandango and seemingly ready to push this guy to the moon.
In fact, Fandango’s popularity had exploded so much, that his entrance song went from number 175, all the way to number 11 in one single day. That is something that was completely unheard of and never been done before.
Sadly, Fandango never got the proper push that the fans had begged to see. He went from going over at Wrestlemania 29 to jobbing out on a weekly basis, to eventually partnering with Tyler Breeze as they created “Breezango,” which was nothing more than a joke itself. Since then,
Tyler has gone back to NXT and it appears Fandango may also be headed back to Orlando as well.
If this is the case, I sincerely hope that things begin to turn in a positive direction for both of these mismanaged Superstars.
Hopefully, they enjoy a short stint with the NXT roster before being called back up and given the proper run that they both deserve.
#5 Bo Dallas
I hate to keep harping on how certain WWE Superstars did extremely well in NXT, only to fall flat on their faces on the main roster, but it’s simply hard to deny the evidence that is right under our noses.
Bo Dallas is definitely one of those Superstars who excelled in the developmental process but has yet to see any sort of hope as a main roster star.
When Dallas arrived on the main roster, I was very hopeful for the third-generation star. After all, they brought him up with the same “Bo-Lieve” gimmick which had garnered him so much success during his time with NXT.
In fact, I’ll boldly go a step further and say this- Bo Dallas is the most entertaining NXT Champion in the brands’ young history.
By no means am I suggesting that he was the most athletic or even the most physically impressive, but he added an extra element of raw entertainment which helped propel NXT into the position it’s currently in.
Since he’s been on the main roster, he has been forced to live in the shadows of big brother Bray and that’s too bad, especially considering they both have polar opposite styles and both have something special to offer the business.
There have been brief moments of hope, but those hopes have been quickly and abruptly railroaded for the sake of some sort of comical angle. Bo Dallas is much more than just a side-show attraction.
Bo has all of the tools needed to be very successful, at the highest level. I have faith that someday, someone with some clout will realize the resources that are being squandered by limiting Bo Dallas, creatively.
#4 Tyler Breeze
I can still remember being in that old warehouse in Tampa, watching what was then Florida Championship Wrestling and suddenly a young man named “Mike Dalton” came out and completely dismantled the man we now know as Roman Reigns.
During that match, Dalton out-classed, out-wrestled and out-worked the seemingly superior foe. Little did we know then, but Mike Dalton would eventually go on to become known as Tyler Breeze.
The evolution of Tyler Breeze is something that I have become genuinely invested in. Watching him evolve as FCW became NXT and the competition got even more intense, it was an era of some of the most entertaining wrestling I have ever witnessed.
Tyler Breeze went on to become one of the top contenders for the NXT Title, but he would be called up to the main roster before that dream would ever become a reality. Nonetheless, Tyler still had an incredible developmental ride and he left nothing on the table as he progressed as a WWE Superstar.
Needless to say, I was very excited to see ‘Prince Pretty’ on the main roster, hoping to see his momentum continue from NXT, on to the bigger stage. Unfortunately, Breeze has yet to enjoy the fruits of his NXT labor, as far as success on the main roster is concerned.
Now Tyler has been sent back to NXT, which only adds excitement to the Gold and Black brand, but why? What else does Breeze need to prove before he is seen as a worthy main roster Superstar? Does he have to actually carry the NXT title this time?
Regardless, Tyler Breeze is indeed a star worthy of the main roster, top billing. Maybe this NXT run will prove what many of us already know, which is that Tyler Breeze has been vastly underutilized and severely underrated.
#3 Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows
Where do I even begin with this one…It is extremely rare to come across a tag team as solid, charismatic and fundamentally sound as Anderson and Gallows.
These guys came to WWE as one of the very best tag teams on the entire planet. The hype was there, they were joining the same company as there fellow Bullet Club alumni, AJ Styles, and the stage was set for what should have been something absolutely brilliant.
However, that notion never materialized and The Good Brothers quickly became “just another tag team.”
As time went on, I continued to hold out hope that someone, somewhere would eventually come to their senses and realize just what they had within their grasp. Well, I’m still waiting. Folks, anytime you have a team join your roster with the accolades that these guys have, collectively, you run straight to the end zone with them.
After all, when a duo goes to Japan and captures the elusive NJPW Tag Team Championships not once, but three times…there is probably some substance behind them.
Unfortunately, if the rumors are indeed true, Luke and Karl are likely leaving WWE soon and when that happens, WWE fans will once again be forced to watch this incredible team succeed and provide top-notch entertainment elsewhere.
#2 Luke Harper
When The Wyatt Family began to turn heads in NXT, I knew then that we had something special on our hands with these three guys, especially Luke Harper.
Of course, Bray Wyatt was the patriarch and leader of the clan, but Harper was undoubtedly the beast in tow. In the months that followed the Wyatt Family split, it appeared WWE officials were finding it hard to find a place, creatively, for Harper and Rowan.
But once they reunited them as The Bludgeon Brothers, hope was restored in this writer. Unfortunately, the duo didn’t stand the test of time, for whatever reason. It was obvious that the two monsters had dynamite chemistry and an undeniably fierce presence in the ring, but someone thought they were better off apart and that’s too bad.
For the most part, Harper has struggled to gain any sort of momentum as a singles competitor and that is definitely not his fault. After all, the man is being asked to make a chicken salad…with chicken crap.
Back in April, Harper made it known via Twitter that he had indeed asked for his release from WWE. He went on to praise his experience and thank the fans, citing that he felt this decision was best for him and the company.
Personally, I strongly disagree. While it may turn out to be a wise move for Harper, especially when someone like AEW picks him up, it will likely prove to be a foolish move on behalf of WWE.
I believe Harper will move on and get an opportunity to shine with another promotion and when that day comes, Vince, Trips and anyone else responsible for the mishandling of this incredible star will be forced to eat a huge serving of crow.
#1 EC3
EC3…or as he was formerly known “Ethan Carter III” is a proven, world-class athlete who should have been fast-tracked to the main roster and put directly in line with the likes of AJ Styles and company.
EC3 is not your average newcomer who needs NXT to get adjusted and used to doing things the WWE way. In fact, EC3 could have easily taken his talents to Japan or Ring of Honor, where he would’ve easily tasted a plethora of major success. However, that was not the case.
EC3 felt he had unfinished business with WWE. If you will recall, EC3 had a previous run with the company, but he never reached his full potential and was eventually released after spending several years in the developmental system.
Life after WWE would prove to be pretty nice for EC3 as he was one of the most influential stars who contributed to TNA’s best run that the company ever saw. Nonetheless, the top of the mountain is and likely always will be the WWE.
To make it to the WWE and then achieve even minimal success is much more than what most will ever accomplish in professional wrestling. But EC3 is worth a lot more than minimal success. In fact, I could easily picture EC3 with one of the company’s top belts around his waist, for a significant tenure as well.
WWE officials desperately need to acknowledge the talent that is right under their collective nostrils. EC3 possesses the entire package necessary to have a top-tier run as one of WWE’s great Superstars.
He just needs to be given the opportunity and if that time does come when they finally pass him the ball, stack all of your chips on this guy and bank on EC3 to be a gigantic success story.
0 votes
