10 HUGE Tests Wrestlers Failed

7. Sin Cara Fails To Adjust To WWE

seth rollins failed
WWE.com

The recent failures of NXT to both defeat AEW Dynamite in the ratings war - and inform the star power and popularity of the main roster it feeds into - have brought into question whether it is needed, or even what it is.

At its core, the very premise is condescending; the Performance Center is a place for seasoned pros to learn the dark arts of WWE production, before they are permitted to grace the big stage, which itself is presented as the key to stardom. But is it? The complexion of modern US wrestling suggests that it is not. Several major AEW stars didn't need it.

And if there's no need for these super-indie workers to develop, that leaves a glorified training school with a fairly piss-poor ratio of money spent: stars made. Charlotte Flair, Braun Strowman, American Alpha: that's four stars, generous, with no prior experience made in eight years. One main roster-ready act per two years. A dismal failure.

The dismal failure of Sin Cara however proves that it is in theory a decent idea to bridge select talents to North American TV in some form. That form is usually "reps," which Sin Cara was never afforded, and he was sprung on to WWE TV quite literally. He failed at that, too, infamously; the jaw-dropping luchador with phenomenal agility, body control and the ability to pull people into his matches degenerated into a confidence-bereft botch merchant.

The other side of the extreme that sees ready-to-go talent stuck in normalised stasis, the balance of developmental is worse than Sin Cara's rope work.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!