10 ECW Flops In WWE That Should Have Been Huge
5. Sabu
WWE’s ill-fated ECW brand desperately needed authenticity upon debuting in 2006, and the company recognised that. Thus, they signed Sabu to play a role in helping the show get off the ground, and his run’s early stages were surprisingly successful. Sabu had a tremendous match with Rey Mysterio at One Night Stand ‘06, and even fought John Cena for the WWE Championship, but it soon became apparent that this wasn’t the ‘Arabian Madman’ of old.
WWE tried to push ECW’s hardcore aesthetic, but that style of wrestling was very much on its way out at the time, and Vince McMahon’s version was a lot more subdued than Paul Heyman’s. Thus, Sabu’s ability to flourish was greatly diminished. He just didn’t fit in, and while the company tried to modify his act, they weren't unsuccessful.
Years of abuse in punishing hardcore bouts had taken a toll, leaving Sabu a shadow of his former self, and when WWE’s ECW became just as homogenised as their other brands, he was phased-out. A shame, as the show should really have been built in the image of guys like Sabu, and if it that was the case, he'd have prospered. Instead, he’ll go down as a mere footnote in the company’s history.