10 Biggest Breakout WWE Stars Of 2016

8. Kalisto

kalisto suit
WWE.com

Kalisto began his year red hot, defeating Alberto Del Rio for the United States Championship on two separate occasions.

A string of upset wins over Ryback had him rolling but a series of setbacks, including losing the title to Rusev and an injury suffered just after joining SmackDown Live left the masked luchador sidelined, his momentum cutoff and questions surrounding his durability running wild.

The implementation of the cruiserweight division on Raw has also left questions about Kalisto's use as the year comes to an end, most figuring he could have (and should have) been the centerpiece of that roster. Instead, his future in uncertain, the promise of championship dreams replaced by hope of relevancy on a SmackDown roster that somehow has failed to get Apollo Crews right.

Contributor
Contributor

Erik Beaston is a freelance pro wrestling writer who likes long walks in the park, dandelions and has not quite figured out that this introduction is not for Match.com. He resides in Parts Unknown, where he hosts weekly cookouts with Kane, The Ultimate Warrior, Papa Shango and The Boogeyman. Be jealous.