10 Things Everybody Got Wrong About WWE In 2015

It's never easy to predict what's coming in WWE. One of the many company taglines states that "anything can happen" in the promotion, and that's not far from the truth - over the past few years, fans have seen shocking moments ranging from The Undertaker's loss to Brock Lesnar at WrestleMania XXX to CM Punk's "Pipe Bomb" promo to the debut of The Shield. In those three cases - and in dozens of others - not a single viewer expected what WWE delivered. Despite all of the uncertainty - and the fact that WWE's creative team can change plans whenever they want to, for any reason - we still can't help but make predictions. After all, our favorite movies and television shows usually follow a pretty regular path - the hero emerges and establishes himself, faces a crisis that threatens to undo him, then comes back to save the day. It's a time-tested form of drama that's so common, it even applies to the structure of individual wrestling matches. It doesn't always apply to booking, though. Pro wrestling simply has too many moving parts - such as fan response, internal politics, and the health of its participants - to follow the three-act structure or any other consistent rules of storytelling. For that reason, some of the most obvious-seeming predictions don't come to pass.

10. Hideo Itami Did Not Dominate NXT

WWE's acquisition of former GHC Heavyweight Champion KENTA was huge news to fans who had followed the world-class talent's career in Japan and the U.S. Debuting on NXT as Hideo Itami, the Japanese star's arrival meant that WWE was truly committed to ensuring its future as a haven for the best in the world. Itami's prowess was evident, but he was soon overshadowed by his tag team partner, Finn Balor - not in terms of ring work, but in presentation. The charismatic Balor was given a one-of-a-kind ring entrance to suit his tremendous skill, and before long, it became clear that WWE saw him as the future champion of the pairing. Itami, meanwhile, still had to adjust to learning English and working WWE style. Itami scored a victory over Balor to gain entry into WrestleMania 31's battle royal, but many assumed that was just for the sake of a photo opportunity with new Hall of Famer Tatsumi Fujinami. Shortly after the event, Itami suffered a shoulder injury from which he has yet to return. During his absence, Balor won the NXT Championship, Samoa Joe became Balor's main rival, and Apollo Crews debuted and was established as a challenger down the line. Itami is in danger of being lost in the shuffle upon his return.