10 Wrestlers Who Jumped Ship & Changed Absolutely... NOTHING!

2. Brian Pillman

The story about how Brian Pillman quit WCW and joined the WWF in the mid-90s is like something out of a spy novel. The 'Loose Cannon' managed to persuade Eric Bischoff to legitimately terminate his contract as part of a storyline. This worked shoot turned into a straight-up shoot when he used his newfound freedom to join Vince McMahon just a few months later. 

A plan this brilliant deserved a better payoff, but Pillman’s fed career was mediocre at best. His feud with ex-teammate 'Stone Cold' Steve Austin might've given us the infamous 'Pillman's Got a Gun' moment, but a car accident earlier in the year had severely impacted his wrestling ability. 

Brian's career was cut tragically short when he died in October 1997 at the age of just 35. There's every chance he could have made more of himself once the 'Attitude Era' got fully under way, but that's pure speculation at this point. 

The remarkable nature of Pillman's departure from WCW and connection to Austin should have primed him for greatness. He remains a cult hero, however, mainly due to the fact that he had so much untapped potential.