10 Most Improved Wrestlers On The Planet Today
4. EC3
As Derrick Bateman, Michael 'EC3' Hutter demonstrated considerable personality during the fourth season of NXT in which, like his Pro Daniel Bryan before him, he was unfazed by the various insults he was subjected to.
With his irreverent brand of dorky comedy, Bateman's future as a lower card comedy fixture seemed assured - before his surprising release in 2013. He resurfaced in TNA as Ethan Carter III, Dixie Carter's entitled nephew, which remains one of the few original TNA creations to have been received with widespread acclaim.
He jettisoned his comedy persona and, astutely, bulked up considerably in order to visibly remove the loser stigma to which he'd been attached. Carter was a new man, and his character, which was very well-conceived - nepotism is a natural heat magnet - resonated with crowds.
His work rate also improved. His antagonistic character - the smug glee with which he avoids his opponent's offence and his commitment to underhanded tactics is a welcome return to proper heel form - has been a triumph of TNA's post-Spike doldrums years.
And, like the next man on this list, you can catch EC3 at our upcoming live shows in Newcastle upon Tyne...