10 NXT Stars WWE Let Slip Right Through Their Fingers
4. Slate Randall
At first sight, Shaun Ricker looks like a guy who can be an absolute star. Having been trained by WWE Hall of Famer Paul Bearer in addition to his appearance on The Rock's "The Hero" reality series, it was only inevitable before he wound up in WWE.
In May 2013, that dream became a reality for Ricker when he was signed to a developmental deal and reported to NXT. He was commonly praised by his peers and wrestled in several dark matches prior to NXT TV tapings, but never surfaced on programming prior to his shocking release in the fall of 2014.
He had all the tools to be a big-time player in the promotion, but whatever reason, it didn't work out for him in WWE.
He eventually took his talents to TNA, where he was reborn as Eli Drake. He was largely overshadowed by Rising stablemate Drew Galloway during the first few months of his TNA tenure before breaking out on his own in the latter half of the year. As the King of the Mountain champion and the host of 'Fact of Life,' he has developed into a tremendous talker and a charismatic character.
It isn't hard to see what Bearer saw in this guy, but why didn't WWE?