10 WWE Wrestlers We Initially Misjudged

10. Santino Marella

Nobody really believed that Santino was just a random Italian man plucked from the Milan crowd and put in an Intercontinental Championship match with Umaga, but many fans acted like he was, fearing that he had irreparably sullied the legacy of the once-great IC title.

His appearances in subsequent weeks seemed more grating than they were entertaining, and it was only when he turned heel the following year, and began a slightly weird (kayfabe) relationship with Beth Phoenix that we began to realise: this guy isn't bad.

Whilst he was never main event material, Santino eventually became a valued member of the WWE roster, and there weren't many complaints when he finished as unlikely runner-up to Alberto Del Rio in the 2011 Royal Rumble. That's a serious turnaround.