10 Worst WWE Debuts Of The Decade (So Far)
Unfortunately, you never get a second chance to make a first impression.
Over the last decade, the WWE machine has seen a huge amount of talent emerge from its production line. However, like any production line, the results can often vary in quality.
From the meteoric rise of CM Punk to the disappointing fall of Mr Kennedy, with main event misfires like Wade Barrett in between, WWE has attempted to create hundreds of new personalities in recent years in their eternal pursuit of the next big thing.
While it's unrealistic to expect everyone to get over like Steve Austin or Daniel Bryan, certain acts seem snake bitten from the very beginning. Whether it was an awful gimmick that died the moment it was unveiled or a mid-match hiccup in their debut from which they never recovered, some stars are destined for a pink slip before they've even cashed their first cheque.
Nevertheless, poor debuts don't always spell the end of a career. Perseverance with a gimmick, subtle modifications, or an entire persona overhaul can all help spell success, if the talent is willing to adjust. Look no further than The Rock or Steve Austin for proof of just that.
Sadly, the kiss of death is a hard omen to shake and none of that will be much consolation for the contenders in this list.
10. Mike Kanellis
Despite having successful runs in both ROH and TNA, Mike Bennett was repackaged in unusual fashion in WWE. Debuting with a bizarre love gimmick at Money in the Bank 2017, the former 'Miracle' debuted alongside his real life wife and former WWE Diva, Maria Kanellis, under his wife's surname as Mike Kanellis.
Preaching about the "power of love", the power couple were presented as a cringe-inducing duo, consumed with their love for each other. Sadly, overt displays of affection have never gone down well in WWE... except for maybe the "live sex celebration" between Edge and Lita, but that's a whole other story.
Nevertheless, Kanellis made his in-ring debut against Sami Zayn, wearing tights adorned with hearts, kisses, and a cartoon image of his wife. Inevitably Maria got involved in order to save her man and the distraction allowed the newcomer to score the win.
Unfortunately, the gimmick scored very little crowd reaction before, during or after the match and Kanellis went on to suffer a string of losses after the fact, notably losing to Zayn on PPV, before being fed to Bobby Roode in his glorious SmackDown debut.
After a shaky start that was far from ideal, Bennett has his work cut out for him. Hopefully he can overcome the stumbling blocks of his initial few weeks and still reach his full potential in WWE.