10 Superstars WWE Completely Wasted

1. Zack Ryder

Few things in wrestling are difficult as creating a super-hot babyface - just ask Roman Reigns. Not only can it be hard to gauge what fans want to see, but in today's wrestling environment, knowledgeable audiences are quick to vent their anger on wrestlers they feel are being manufactured by corporate interests. With all that in mind, it stands to reason that if a babyface is getting really, really over on his own, the best thing to do is run with it.

Zack Ryder created his own YouTube show in 2011 and before WWE knew it, he was one of the most popular wrestlers on the roster. His merchandise sold out, fans chanted "We Want Ryder" on nights he wasn't even in the building, and eventually, WWE decided to capitalize on his success. Ryder defeated Dolph Ziggler for the United States Championship, and it looked like WWE had a new star on its hands.

They didn't - at least, not if they could help it. Fans were enraged as Ryder soon lost the belt, was put in a wheelchair by Kane, and lost crush Eve Torres to best friend John Cena. The company seemed to be picking on Ryder, treating the ultra-plucky babyface like an ostracized high school student. Before long, Ryder was back where he started, and his brief success seemed like a memory.

Still, Ryder is popular - even today, he gets huge reactions on live shows. Why WWE intentionally decided not to strike while the iron was hot (or ever) is a mystery. Ryder did their work for them, and all of his potential was completely wasted.