10 First Years In WWE That Went From Amazing To Awful
Year Of Hate.
"This is entertainment, but the hazards are real", trumpeted the longstanding 'Don't Try This At Home' WWE public service announcement the company ran ad nauseam during and shortly after their mainstream zenith. The videos were rooted in painful truths, but injuries haven't been the only thing to derail performers as they have done to Bayley with just weeks to go until her SummerSlam Women's Title clash with Alexa Bliss.
In like proverbial lions, many recent arrivals find themselves as lambs to the slaughter in record time, succumbing to the whims of indelicate decision-makers, lousy booking or a combination of the two in a destructive path that stains a potentially legendary legacy before its even been fully established.
A common problem in the modern era, a superstar's trajectory has never been more fraught with potholes and plotholes thanks to Vince McMahon's increasingly fragile grip on long-termism, and the company's broader failings in embracing patience over pandemonium. Dream debuts turn to nightmare non-sequiturs, whilst 'can't miss' prospects somehow sail high and wide.
The former NXT Women's Champion is a recent source of deep chagrin, but her frustrating main roster arc is sadly not half as unique as the bond she once shared with WWE's vast and varied 'Universe'.
10. Bray Wyatt
A busted flush in 2017 (and 2016...and 2015), Bray Wyatt's mysterious promos weren't always damaged goods. A limited in-ring arsenal that routinely failed to resonate with his actual character was always going to leave 'The Eater Of Worlds' falling short at the highest level, but a false start foreshadowed a rapid decline despite an initially scintillating introduction.
With vignettes drawing comparisons to cult 1995 persona Waylon Mercy and a healthy dose of support from the comparatively small collection of fans that followed NXT at the time, Wyatt's hotly anticipated debut went up in flames following a p*ss-poor match with Kane at SummerSlam 2013. Decked out in his own WWEshop.com t-shirt whilst sluggishly going through the motions against an ageing 'Big Red Machine', Bray looked more like an aggrieved merchandise vendor than the demonic cult leader his words and pictures had previously promised.
A choice feud with babyface duo CM Punk and Daniel Bryan over the Autumn helped him turn a corner, as did the 'Yes Man's brief affiliation with The Wyatt Family and their superlative Royal Rumble 2014 clash. However, an angle with Bryan's real-life brother-in-law sunk him for good.
His debut WrestleMania clash with John Cena set the standard for all of his 'Show of Show' encounters. As he would against The Undertaker in 2015 and Randy Orton in 2017, Bray did little to maximise his minutes and captivate an audience predominantly in support of his opponent. The contest (and the feud in general) stunk, and Wyatt was suddenly just another wrestler.