10 Most Improved WWE Superstars Of 2016

10. Heath Slater

Heath Slater started 2016 as the Social Outcasts’ de facto leader, but a stable comprised of four of WWE’s biggest losers was never going to take-off, and Slater, Bo Dallas, Curtis Axel, and Adam Rose seemed doomed to an lifetime of eternal jobbings. Rose was released in the summer, however, and the Outcasts officially went their separate ways when Bo and Axel were sent to Raw in July, and Slater went undrafted.

That’s when Slater’s rise commenced. His “free agent” story was an oddball highlight of SmackDown’s early post-draft shows, and as Slater continued his quest for a contract, his popularity slowly started growing. The One Man Band eventually found a willing tag partner in Rhyno, and after entering the SmackDown Tag Team Title tournament, Slater did the unthinkable, and became a WWE champion for the first time in five years.

Once one of the most reliable enhancement talents in the business, Slater has taken it to another level in 2016. He has raised his game as a championship-calibre midcarder, and while he still veers into comedic territory every now and then, he has become a vital cog in the SmackDown machine. A hopeless cause a few months ago, the charismatic Slater has never been in a better position than he is today.