10 Times WWE Missed Opportunities To Create Lasting Main Event Superstars

2. Ryback Vs. CM Punk (Hell In A Cell 2012)

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WWE.com

Regarding the Nexus, one of its original members was a superstar named Skip Sheffield, later repackaged as Ryback.

Ryback debuted after WrestleMania XXVIII as a babyface and was featured prominently on RAW. Given his look, body type, and the type of push he was receiving (including an undefeated streak), Ryback drew immediate comparisons to Goldberg. Ryback even had an opportunity to mirror Goldberg's early success when he challenged CM Punk for the WWE Championship at Hell In A Cell 2012.

Around this time, people were talking about Ryback as a potential successor to John Cena as the face of WWE. A championship victory here for Ryback would've been a magical, star-making moment, ala Goldberg in '98. Instead, Ryback lost and, over the next few months, went from super over, mega babyface to just another guy.

Opportunities this big don't come up often. If WWE wasn't prepared to go all the way with Ryback, he should've been kept out of the World title picture until they were ready.

It was arguably WWE's biggest missed opportunity of the past decade.

Contributor
Contributor

A former stuntman for Paramount Pictures, Matt enjoys sports, water skiing, driving fast, the beach, professional wrestling, technology, and scotch. At the same time, whenever possible. Having attended many famous (and infamous) shows including WrestleMania XV, In Your House: Mind Games, and the 1995 King of the Ring, Matt has been a lifelong professional sports and wrestling fan. Matt's been mentioned in numerous wrestling podcasts including the Steve Austin Show: Unleashed, Talk Is Jericho, and Something To Wrestle With Bruce Prichard. As a former countywide performer, Matt has been referred to as Mr. 300 for his amazing accomplishments in the world of amateur bowling. He is also the only man on record to have pitched back-to-back no hitters in the Veterans Stadium Wiffle Ball League of 2003.