10 Times WWE Totally Wasted Potential

It's the obvious answer, bound to be greeted by the charge that Shelton's mic skills ultimately just weren't good enough for a main event spot.

That's fair, but it ignores just how brilliant he was in the ring. From power moves to chain wrestling to high-flying, WWE's Gold Standard could do it all. He even had a nose for the truly spectacular, his daredevil spots being one of the highlights of the annual Money in the Bank match at WrestleMania.

Like Brock Lesnar, he probably could have used a mouthpiece. But where Brock Lesnar got one of wrestling's greatest ever talkers, Shelton settled instead for his momma, whose television debut was probably the exact moment that his world title aspirations died.

Now in his forties, it's perhaps too late for the former Team Angle member to realise all that untapped potential - but the fact that he's still on the WWE payroll speaks to what a terrific worker and consummate pro he's always been.