10 Hypothetical WWE Signings (And Whether They'd Have Succeeded Or Failed)

10. Austin Aries

As one of the most outstanding wrestler to ever come to TNA, Austin Aries made a career out of being a ‘complete’ wrestler. He can work virtually any style, has a wide variety of maneuvers under his belt, has excelled as both a babyface and as a heel and he carries himself as a true World Champion should.

Success or Failure in WWE: Failure

Despite Aries’ obvious talent, his size works against him. He'd most likely end up wrestling in NXT with the other smaller wrestlers, as the main shows are still, for the most part, centered on larger superstars. 

Aries would be working with wrestlers with similar body types and wrestling styles, but since he doesn’t stand out in the eyes of WWE’s most powerful figures (especially since he tried for, and was cut from, WWE Tough Enough 2011), the highest point he’d reach is either the NXT Championship or a mid-card title on WWE’s main programs.

While there has been an increase in smaller wrestlers gaining widespread acceptance in WWE (Bryan, Zayn, Neville, etc.), in Aries’ case, unless he were to have some special gimmick or theatrical uniqueness à la Finn Bálor bestowed upon him by WWE’s management, his chances of reaching the highest echelons in WWE would always be slim at best.