It is now confirmed that WWE and John Morrison have parted ways.

The self-acclaimed Shaman of Sexy, the Monday Night Delight, the Prince of Parkour, has found times a little hard of late, being exposed to WWE’s flagship show only to take the odd beating or squash.

With reports flooding in that this is mostly a mutual decision, with Morrison’s contract being run down and neither party interested in renewing, the question has to be asked of what went wrong?

It is not so long ago that Morrison emerged victorious from what many considered a break-out feud with Sheamus to become number one contender for the WWE Title, which at that time was held by his former tag-team partner The Miz.

The two then went on to put on a stellar match, full of the high drama spots you are guaranteed with Morrison, but also with examples of the psychology and in-ring work that his critics had suggested he was not capable of.

Then in the Royal Rumble, despite going out with around 10 superstars remaining, Morrison emerged with a vast amount of plaudits due to an incredible stunt where he was almost eliminated, only to leap from the apron to the fan barrier, Spider-Man like, balance his way along the barrier, then leap back in. And this was just one highlight.

He was then honoured with a Wrestlemania spot, though in perhaps questionable circumstances. Asked to team with legendary Diva Trish Status (never a bad thing) and Jersey Shore’s Snooki (just a terrible idea), against next big thing Dolph Ziggler, Layla and Michelle McCool in a tag match. In an average match that was always about the star status, in the loosest use of the phrase, of Snooki, Morrison and Ziggler managed to create some highlights.

However, after this, it all seemed to start going downhill.

Rumours emerged that there had been friction with Trish caused by Morrison’s girlfriend, WWE Diva Melina, a notoriously difficult performer. She was later released, inspiring Morrison to run his mouth on Twitter. Never a smart move when you are indeed still employed.

Then in the midst of a potentially lucrative feud with R-Truth, Morrison seriously injured his neck and required surgery. He disappeared from the scene, and then rushed back too soon. His feud with R-Truth was muddled and didn’t work, and then he found himself with nothing to do and sinking into the background.

Rumours of backstage heat continued to abound, and Morrison faced embarrassing defeats on both Raw and Smackdown. Despite a recent PPV slot for the US Title against Ziggler at Survivor Series, that only ever seemed to be as part of a wider story arc involving Ziggler and Zack Ryder.

And now it seems he is nearing the end, and is probably destined for the wasteland of TNA. So what went wrong?

His stunts and spots have never been questioned, and Morrison always brought an excitement and edge to a match that at his peak was unrivalled. He sometimes drew comparisons to the great Shawn Michaels, but the truth is Morrison never managed to match the charisma and accessibility of HBK.

His mic work was woeful, with a delivery the dark side of wooden. His rock and roll gimmick was dated to say the least, with his in-ring gear doing nothing for his attempts to be taken seriously and flowing locks giving him the look of an action doll as opposed to a wrestler who comes across as a threat.

Yet despite all this, he could wrestle. His in-ring psychology needed work, but in the past year Morrison stepped up his work from simply a spot machine to what was approaching a full package.

If Morrison had been given the chance, like Ziggler, to work with a manager, even if he’d turned heel and joined Vickie Guerrero, it may have given him the chance to shine, to work on his in-ring display well Guerrero did the work and generated the heat as she does to such effect with Ziggler, and now Jack Swagger.

There was a raw talent and athleticism available to the WWE in Morrison that was never fully developed. Whether he will be back one day remains to be seen, though now there are rumours he is set to later join TNA, as well as pursuing non-wrestling related entertainment.

For now, I guess we will all just have to sit back and watch him face the token crushing defeat in his final appearance for WWE and wonder what could have been.

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