10 Superstars Failed By The WWE System
7. Percy Watson
A genuine highlight in the messy beginnings of NXT, Percy Watson burst on to the screen with a relatable enthusiasm and the embers of a marketable persona.
With a sub-Eddie Murphy gimmick, colourful tights and matching sunglasses (that he'd wear during matches), Watson easily stood out amongst some of his nervous peers in the talent show format, particularly when handed a live microphone in several of the inane 'challenges' the rookies would be issued.
Developing a legitimately popular 'Oh Yeah!' catchphrase (not to be confused with Randy Savage's version), Watson was one of the few floundering acts to make an impression on the confused crowds every week, so much so that he even 'won' his own talk show which further developed his main roster-ready persona.
However, after an oddly reserved fifth place elimination from the show, Watson would quietly debut on WWE Superstars months later in a completely stripped-down version of his character, robbing him of all the fundamentals that made such a strong early impression.
Limp storylines on NXT Redemption followed, before Watson would migrate with the show to Full Sail University for more fluctuation, with a 2014 release reversed by a mystifying 2016 return to the developmental as a commentator alongside Tom Phillips and Corey Graves.