10 WWE Stars Who Should Have Been World Champion By Now
Ricochet, Sonya Deville, Sami Zayn, and more wrestlers who deserve to rule the WWE Universe...
While the fairness of sport is debatable, and variable depending on the discipline, there is a true sense that the person/team that is the best will succeed in their field. The sheer amount of money to be made through sports often gives the richest a considerable advantage, but fans hold onto the simple concept that when it comes down to it the greatest will claim the glory.
Professional wrestling, as sports entertainment, is a clear anomaly.
Wrestlers are more likely to thrive in pro wrestling if they are blessed with technical skill, an electric personality, a creative mind able to turn to gimmicks, and a standout physical presence. Each of our favourite wrestlers embodies these qualities, along with their own distinct and innovative traits.
In sports entertainment, the results of all competitive endeavours are pre-determined with success based on winning over a small number of backstage producers and management. A battle that can often be akin to trying to convince a jury you’re not a murderer with blood-stained hands that stop at a Charlie Manson portrait tattoo.
Unfortunately, even for some of the most athletic and entertaining, wrestling’s pre-determined destiny has kept them at arm’s length from the top prize…
10. Ricochet
Ricochet has the look and athletic skill to be a top guy on the Raw roster. He is one of the best high-flyers WWE have signed in quite some time. His standout strength is the ability to perform acrobatic stunts that appear impactful and pain-inflicting to audiences.
One aspect holding Ricochet back is his promo and character work. He falls into the smiling, positive babyface archetype that often reads at best bland, at worse irritating. These babyface pitfalls can be remedied by feuds with skilled heels – creating the wrestling equivalent of kicking a puppy while it sleeps. Against the right heel opponents, Ricochet could shine and win fans over. The other alternative solution would be to match Ricochet with a manager.
Yet WWE creative have neglected to push Ricochet to the World Championship level at which he is more than capable of competing.
His only shot at the WWE Championship came at Super ShowDown 2020 in a 1:34 mauling against Brock Lesnar. In hindsight, if the match had run longer and Ricochet was able to show determination and heart, this could have been a star-making clash for the aerial dynamo and increased his stock considerably.