15 Exact Moments Failed WWE Ruthless Aggression Gimmicks Actually Got Over

3. Shelton Benjamin | April 3, 2005

It’s OK to be a great midcarder. It’s actually incredibly impressive. 

In the mid-2000s, though, it was practically an insult. That is because the WWE main event scene was so ancient and overfamiliar, in the main, that fans were desperate to see new stars break through. Vince McMahon was widely considered inept - and while his TV product was mostly rotten, he did build John Cena and Batista and placed them into roles that are traditionally occupied by the same faces for years on end. 

Shelton Benjamin lacked the intangibles and promo skills to lead a promotion, but he was a joy to watch in the middle of the card. “Failed gimmick” is a stretch, admittedly, since Shelton’s work alongside Charlie Haas was well-reviewed, but by 2004, he was mostly a guy who existed and was known for good, not great TV matches. His breakthrough series with Evolution never led to anything meaningful. Triple H did job to Shelton, but really, this felt more like a way to deflect criticism than a committed attempt to build a new star. 

Shelton evolved into an explosive banger practitioner in 2005, literally launching himself into the conversation with his brilliant display during the inaugural Money In The Bank Ladder match. His sprint up the rungs was a genuine WrestleMania moment - and this was the moment that fans wanted to see him headline the show itself. His incredible leap into Sweet Chin Music later in the year was almost too impressive, in that it popularised the flying nothing spot that only exists for a wrestler to get hurt in a spectacular way.