10 Wrestlers Who Have Hit The Glass Ceiling In WWE

So much for grabbing the brass ring...

Shane McMahon Samoa Joe
WWE

Kofi Kingston has gone as far as he can as a WWE singles wrestler.

A cathartic, brilliant victory over Daniel Bryan at WrestleMania 35 has yielded a middling WWE Championship reign. Though presented as a spirited, fighting champion, the New Day man has succumbed to dry storytelling and drier pay-per-view matches, to the point where he isn't even drawing consistent crowd reactions anymore and with SmackDown's FOX move and Brock Lesnar looming, it's time to draw a line under this run.

Regardless of how it ended, at least Kofi got WrestleMania. That triumph was one of the most emotional World Title victories WWE has seen in years thanks to the decade Kingston had spent on the midcard, a well-paced chase story, and two superhuman performances on the night. Kofi may never taste such heights again, but at least he broke the glass ceiling.

WWE's colossal talent pool is swimming with wrestlers who'll never get the same opportunity. For better or worse, the names within are largely stuck. Any movement along WWE's kayfabe pyramid will be lateral and short-lived, because as talented as they are, Vince McMahon's machine has taken them as far as it ever will...

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Channel Manager

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.