Chris Masters was another wrestler from the mid-2000s that should have really had a bigger, better career in the WWE. WWE had high hopes for the massive Masters when he debuted on Raw in spring 2005. Although a little ropey in the beginning (he destroyed Steven Richards face in his first televised match) Masters would develop into an incredible worker in time. The first glimpse that Masters had potential was his superb match with Shawn Michaels at Unforgiven 2005. Masters looked really good, and not in a 'Shawn Michaels carried him' kind of way. A team and feud with Carlito was a comedown after wrestling the likes of Michaels and Cena but worse was yet to come. Masters left the WWE for several months in mid-2006 to go to rehab in an attempt to battle a painkiller addiction. When he returned he was a lot leaner, having lost a lot of his famous muscle mass. For this, he was ridiculed on-air by Triple H, which was low (and nonsensical considering the Wellness Policy was in effect). The Masterpiece didn't fare so well upon his return. It was all downhill: he had to put over opening match guys like Super Crazy and Santino Marella, was drafted to Smackdown, did nothing, injured his elbow, was hit with his second Wellness Policy violation and released on November 8th 2007. When Masters returned in 2009 he had greatly improved as a worker and had some sterling matches on Superstars, but the higher-ups didn't care. Had his previous violations hurt him? Possibly. A new gimmick and push was rumoured but never arrived. Masters was released again on August 5th, 2011. What a missed opportunity he was.
