10 Worst WWE Wrestlers Of 2016
5. Curt Hawkins
Just as fans were let down by the 2016 Draft’s lacklustre NXT call-ups, the Brand Split’s returning superstars were hugely disappointing. Reports that WWE were looking to bring back a number of old heroes to fill-out their post-Draft rosters saw names like Kurt Angle thrown around, but who did we get instead? Rhyno, Jinder Mahal, and Curt Hawkins.
Rhyno has had a good little run on SmackDown, but Hawkins? Not so much. The former WWE Tag Team Champion was packaged with a goofy Chuck Norris facts style gimmick that might have gotten over back in 2006 when the meme was still popular, but comes off forced and corny 10 years later. Then again though, when have WWE ever had their finger on the pulse of such things? Look for a debuting wrestler to show up in a crying Michael Jordan t-shirt sometime in 2026.
WWE attempted to pull some Eva Marie heat by having Hawkins draw his protracted in-ring debut out over several weeks, but it didn’t work. Hawkins was eventually slain by Dolph Ziggler in just seven seconds in his first televised match since returning, and Apollo Crews is the only wrestler who’s been made to “face the facts” thus far. As limp and uninspiring a return as you’ll find, and one that shows no signs of progression.