10 Wrestlers Too Big To Fail (That Failed Anyway)

10. Bobby Lashley (WWE, 2005-2008)

Back in 2006 and 2007 in his first run with the WWE, Bobby Lashley wasn’t the proven quantity he is now. Pro wrestling fans are always suspicious of the football stars, amateur wrestlers and bodybuilders who lose their dreams, opt for pro wrestling as a second best and are prioritised by the office over the guys for whom pro wrestling is a passion.

That was the case for Lashley, whose debut on Smackdown in September 2005 came ten months after his training in OVW began, following a knee injury that killed his Olympic wrestling dreams. He had the look the company loved at the time, huge and dramatic like a superhero.

WWE threw their weight behind the rookie, handing him the United States Championship in May 2006 and the ECW Championship a year and change after his debut. Although the fans still weren’t entirely behind him, the company was, high profile feud following high profile feud.

What went wrong? A number of things: scuttlebutt (like gossip in a bad relationship) was that Lashley’s then-girlfriend, WWE Diva Kristal Marshall, had been released in late 2007 for objecting to the storylines she was involved in. Supposedly Lashley had stepped in on her behalf while at home rehabilitating long term from a shoulder injury.

No longer the McMahons’ favourite son, Lashley was released in February 2008 before he was cleared to return: a case study in the importance of keeping the office sweet when their good opinion is the sole reason for your push.