10 Next Big Things In Wrestling That Totally Flopped

6. Mr. Kennedy

Vladimir Kozlov
WWE.com

Mr. Kennedy, in his brief and temporary pomp, was one of wrestling's last true love-to-hate heels. He simply oozed the "d*ckhead" gene, character-wise. He was blessed with a projectable baritone and a gum-chewing sh*theel disposition. You bought him as an entitled, nasty guy because he was an entitled, nasty guy.

Work-wise, eh. He had ample opportunity to tear down the house, having been paired with several great workers during his initial mega-push. Roofs remained firmly intact. There was precedent for unforeseen improvement; old tagging partner MVP turned into a quietly very good worker by the standards of the time. Still, Kennedy lacked that truly memorable match to warrant his major push.

He was a subsequent victim of backstage politicking and dreadfully unfortunate timing, if you subscribe to the conventional narrative - but in an age in which several former WWE talents (Cody, McIntyre, Juice Robinson) are rising to the top, what has Kennedy done to create clamour for his return?

When rumours swirled that WWE planned on rehiring solid midcard hands to pad out the rosters following the 2016 brand extension, Kennedy's name was a curious - and ultimately damning - oversight on the wish lists.

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!