10 Next Big Things In Wrestling That Totally Flopped

7. Vladimir Kozlov

Vladimir Kozlov
WWE.com

It's hard to write Vladimir Kozlov off as a Monster of the Week in retrospect. The Undertaker defeated those monsters; Kozlov defeated the Undertaker in his inexorable, unremarkable, unwelcome march to the WWE main event. Not the C show: the actual, elusive headline slot.

This, despite possessing zero traits to prove his suitability for the role. Kozlov could barely wrestle, his physique was stout enough but mostly impressive, and there was so little menace to his act that any attempts to convey intensity manifested as comedy gurning. Kozlov was simply a dud - a performer Vince McMahon inexplicably received as if he was the second coming of Ivan Koloff when, in truth, Ludvig Borga was a closer spiritual antecedent.

Vince was game in his push, you have to give him that. This wasn't the inconsistent, counterproductive 50/50 booking we would come to shrug our shoulders at in the intervening years; McMahon went 100% in on a 100% dud. Can you imagine if Cesaro was pushed with even a fraction of this conviction?

Perhaps the failed Kozlov experiment hastened McMahon's now legendary impatience, and if so: what a mundane and frankly avoidable hill to die on.

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!