10 Wrestlers Who Drew The Wrong Kind Of Heel Heat

6. James Ellsworth

James Ellsworth Carmella
WWE

There was a lot of anticipation heading into Money In The Bank 2017. The event was largely built around the “historic” first women’s ladder match, with Carmella, Natalya, Becky Lynch, Charlotte, and Tamina set to fight for the briefcase. One of these women was going to ensure their place in WWE folklore by scaling the ladder and becoming the first Ms. MITB, but it panned out in the worst possible way.

The match wasn’t “won” by a woman, but a man. James Ellsworth grabbed the briefcase while the competitors were down, then tossed it to Carmella, who was declared the winner. The bout became a sham, and the post-show narrative didn’t revolve around the fact that the women had gone all-out to produce an exciting contest, but that their moment had been sullied by Carmella’s valet.

Binned in 2017, he was brought back the following year, joining 'Mella in her rivalry with Asuka. Misery followed for the Japanese star. Her aura was shattered by a destructive series of Ellsworth-induced losses, and by the time Paige literally kicked him out the door in July 2018, he had cemented his status among WWE's most useless sidekicks.

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Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.