10 Wrestler Deaths WWE Completely No-Sells
2. Sean O'Haire
Sean O'Haire's 2003 "Devil's Advocate" vignettes were celebrated to such an extent that when he passed away in 2014, the decade-plus gap had elevated him to the position of WWE's biggest ever missed opportunity.
The segments were superbly performed and offered a bit of nuance during an era that would have considered it a dirty word, but much of the hype came from the athlete lurking inside the black suit. O'Haire was cut and jacked but flew, looked and felt as dangerous as the new gimmick, and was a WCW with miles on the clock. It not working out felt like the latest failure of a system chewing up and spitting out talent, rather than more of a mutual thing between an unfinished idea and a talent not best suited for the role when the bell rang.
Perhaps that's why WWE never really made any kind of mention of his passing when he died by suicide at just 43. Internally, they'd been aware of his struggles - O'Haire had used the company-sponsored rehab service six times in six years between 2008 and his death. That reflects their earnest efforts to help, if not to pay particular tribute after the fact.