5 WWE Superstars who might do better elsewhere
WWE has long been considered The Promised Land of Professional Wrestling. It's big time, bright lights and big money. It's New York, baby... If you can make it there, you can make it anywhere.
At least that's how it's played out for dozens of WWE Superstars, Legends and Hall of Famers for generations. Many men and women have found money and rock star fame as part of the promotion's massive marketing machine.
But what about some of the performers that haven't had things work out quite as planned? What about all the talented stars in the company today that might need to become a different character or merely start a new chapter in their career?
In the wild world of sports entertainment, you have to be like a chameleon, always ready to change your colors in a new environment. Sometimes, you have to re-group, reinvent and return.
Here's a list of five current WWE Superstars that might be looking for a change of scenery.
#5 - Shelton Benjamin
Seldom used and not really much of a major player anymore, Shelton Benjamin seems like a guy who just treads water in WWE. He did receive a decent singles push many years ago, but it was bogged down with ridiculous storylines.
Some say Shelton Benjamin's Momma started the Divas Revolution. #wwe06 https://t.co/ZlXBHP5XHi
In the last few years, he's been mostly used as a tag team wrestler, as part of a faction and as an enhancement talent for bigger stars.
If this grappling great wants to do one run were he can get some more time in the spotlight and stir his creative juices, he might look towards Ring of Honor. Claudio Castagnoli (fka Cesaro) is currently flying high there and seems reborn as the promotion's World Champion. Benjamin could follow that same trajectory.
Maybe that would be a good place for Shelton to ride on the rocket ship one more time. He will likely then return to WWE to retire and become a coach or agent.
#4 - Nikki A.S.H. should revert to her old character or look at departing the promotion as a realistic option
Nikki Cross was considered an enigma in NXT. She wasn't supposed to be as good as she was, but far exceeded some observers' expectations. Her kooky, crazy character was perfectly matched by her aggressive ring style. She had the skill and the persona. In essence, she was packaged up and ready-made for the main roster.
RT if you're a Nikki Cross fan and can't wait for crazy Nikki to make her return #Raw https://t.co/pmDIKmLRas
Now saddled with the awful superhero gimmick, she's nowhere near being viewed as a serious title contender. She's mostly been tagging (rather unsuccessfully) with Doudrop, which is a far cry from where many thought she would be at this point in her career.
In some form of her old gimmick, Nikki could do really well as part AEW's women's division. Ruby Soho seems to have found a new life there; perhaps Nikki Cross can as well.
#3 - Robert Roode
Roode was supposed to be a singles sensation when he was added to WWE's roster. Even the fanfare of his 'Glorious' entrance seemed custom-made for a man who was going to wear a lot of gold.
Bring back Glorious Bobby Roode https://t.co/agjqJ8Mwq7
While Roode's run with the promotion hasn't been a total flop, it has certainly fizzled from those early predictions. Sadly, it really wasn't anything that the superstar did; he's wrestled at a high level in his entire time there.
It's more like he got shuffled around so much that he got lost in the mix. Much like his tag team partner Dolph Ziggler, Roode falls into the 'what might have been' category.
At 46, Roode may be content to just ride out the rest of his career cashing WWE paychecks. That's fine, because he's earned it. However, if he wanted to try something different, he could look for a sweetheart deal from Tony Khan and All Elite Wrestling, or do a homecoming tour in IMPACT.
#2 - Lacey Evans
There's no need to beat around the bush on this one: Lacey Evans' entire time on the WWE main roster has been a trainwreck. She was a snobby southern belle who was clearly a heel. She then participated in some vignettes, touting how she overcame a rough upbringing to thrive as a soldier, athlete and role model.
So, logically, they made her a heel again out of all that. Weeks and weeks of promos for nothing, and for no reason whatsoever. And obviously, it failed miserably. Now, Lacey Evans is stuck in storyline purgatory, with no real direction at all.
Lance Storm says it’s ‘completely asinine’ to turn Lacey Evans heel after recent vignettes wrestlingnews.co/wwe-news/lance… https://t.co/Tn7eRDp3vN
Lacey DOES have an intriguing backstory, and she has talent as an in-ring performer. But her last two years have been (professionally speaking) essentially torched and burned. They were a complete waste.
At 32, she still has a chance to be a star, but she's been poisoned by her time in WWE. She should explore IMPACT Wrestling as a chance to re-create herself and possibly return to World Wrestling Entertainment a couple of years down the road.
#1 - Ricochet could soar far above his current status in WWE
When The King of the Indies signed with WWE in 2018, it was a long time coming. For quite a while, critics and observers were dubbing him and Will Ospreay as two of the most innovative aerial artists of the modern era.
Ricochet had a great look and athletic ability that was off the charts. He seemed destined to become a household name when he finally got his shot in prime time.
It still amazes me how athletic Ricochet is.
#WWE #MITB
https://t.co/G773f3OUQm
Something happened on the road to fame, however. The gravity-defying sensation has a solid - but definitely NOT spectacular - run thus far with WWE. He's certainly fallen short of the massive expectations that were placed on him.
New Japan might be a great place for Ricochet to reinvent himself. There is much more emphasis on physicality and reality in the Land of the Rising Sun. So an extended run of success there would up the ante for any company that would try to sign him and bring him back to the States.