15 Great Wrestlers Who Had Very Brief WWE Careers

WWE can be a cruel mistress. Many wrestlers work their entire lives to earn a contract with Vince McMahon's company only for that dream to fall apart almost instantaneously. It's harsh, but if the bookers don't think they have what it takes then their time in the big league is likely to be very short.

On rare occasions seasoned veterans like Daniel Bryan and AJ Styles can reach the pinnacle of the WWE but other, equally talented wrestlers from the independents haven't always excelled. No matter what their ability level, their accolades or their achievements elsewhere.

Whether it's down to bad luck, personal tragedies or mismanagement, a good number of skilled performers have come and gone from WWE with barely a whimper, leaving fans to ruminate on what could have been.

These tragic lot are the perfect indicator that reputation can count for nothing among the sharks...

In the mid-90s few wrestlers were as unpredictable and charismatic as Brian Pillman. The former football player had flourished first in WCW's short-lived Light heavyweight division, then as a part of 'The Hollywood Blondes' with Steve Austin.

Towards the end of his run in the company, he became a member of The Four Horseman but his 'Loose Cannon' behaviour was possibly too progressive for mid-90s WCW, which was still obsessed with cartoon supervillains and Yeti's.

After a short spell in ECW, he signed for the WWE in June 1996. Immediately he was involved in big angles with Steve Austin and Goldust and even joined The Hart Foundation. Sadly, Pillman died in October 1997 after an undetected condition caused him to have a heart attack.

He was only 35 and had spent just over a year in the federation. Pillman's unfortunate demise is even worse when you realise that the Attitude Era was just around the corner. 'The Loose Cannon' gimmick would have been a guaranteed hit during that period but it will have to remain a huge 'What If?' Brian Pillman- a wrestler ahead of his time.