10 Potential Megastars That Never Recovered From WWE Burials
No Going Back
The John Cena/Roman Reigns storyline heading in to No Mercy has been a transparent reflection of conversations that have taken place online about the pair for years. It's as if WWE staffers have looked at some of the more commonly held arguments against 'The Champ' and 'The Big Dog' and handed them straight off to the opposing wrestler, regardless of how well the verbiage can sink or float in a pro wrestling context.
Though company insiders will perhaps consider the narrative of the piece to simply be a challenge for Reigns to step up to, the former Shield member has understandably struggled delivering the dialogue with the composure and assuredness of his more experienced colleague. In Roman's defence, Cena has been on the other side of this exact fence once before (his battles with The Rock between 2011 and 2013 pulled at the same threads), and hasn't had a problem burying a colleague six feet under if given the opportunity or instruction.
As recently as last month, the leader of the Cenation was seeing to it that Baron Corbin's slide was further expedited, whilst Alex Riley, Ryback and others have spoken out about his ability to systematically deconstruct selected talents he doesn't jive with.
John Cena though, is still merely window dressing for WWE at large. The company has a history of breaking down performers theoretically to rebuild them. The strategy often fails, leaving behind a wrestler spent of confidence, charisma, and future career progression.
10. Scott Steiner
A weak non-finish in his debut match and a loss in the rematch against the worst incarnation of Triple H weren't going to be the glorious moments to anoint Scott Steiner as the second coming of Stone Cold Steve Austin and The Rock combined, but 'The Game' and his top level cronies already knew it was the beginning of the end for 'Big Poppa Pump'.
In like a lion and out like a lamb, Steiner was a footnote at the 2003 Survivor Series, exactly a year on from his explosive Madison Square Garden debut a year earlier. Admittedly, unexpected physical setbacks had limited how involved he could be in the early days of his run with the organisation, but such roadblocks have been skipped over for talents the company cared enough about to preserve.
Following the disastrous programme with 'The Game', Steiner was one of the scant few on the entire roster to miss WrestleMania 19, then found himself programmed against and with fellow midcard floater Test for almost the entire year following his return to television. Incapable of looking like a star after such a damning deconstruction, he sat out the remainder of his two year deal after a final appearance in the 2004 Royal Rumble, and never again reached the World Championship pinnacle he'd effortless ascended to in WCW.