10 Hyped WWE Debuts That Were CANCELLED

It almost happened, WWE almost had one of the least PG-friendly hardcore icons in wrestling history under their roof.

New Jack, possibly the single scariest wrestler ever, was in talks for a WWE run in 2004. A bloodthirsty heel staple of both SMW and ECW, the former bounty hunter was under consideration for a program with then-rising star John Cena. 'The Doctor of Thuganomics' required time off to shoot 'The Marine', and WWE's most level-headed explanation for him not being on the telly for a few weeks was somehow a night club stabbing.

Ultimately, Carlito's not particularly trusty sidekick Jesús was revealed to be the guilty party. Cena, who never had so much as a scratch on him despite being booked as a stabbing victim, squashed his attacker at Armageddon '04 in a strange road bump on his way to main event glory in '05. New Jack, meanwhile, never made his debut and resumed work on the indies.

While a feud between Cena and New Jack could've been electric, it's unlikely the former Gangstas member would've had much of a shelf life in WWE. Beyond his ultraviolent style, New Jack was notoriously unwieldy to deal with backstage and frequently brutalised opponents for real between the ropes. Considering his comments on a frustrating tryouts experience with the promotion at the time, it's no surprise the controversy magnet missed out on a WWE payday.