10 Wrestlers Who Never Lived Up To Their Early Promise
2. Chris Hero
Chris Hero spent years painstakingly honing his craft across the preeminent Independents in North America - veering between the comedic stylings of CHIKARA and the straight-laced dourness of Ring Of Honor while seamlessly slotting into the crazed world of Combat Zone Wrestling.
He could work a variety of styles. He could talk. And, with his considerable height and devastating, discus elbow-based offence, he looked capable of inflicting serious damage - an "a**-kicker" quality enamoured of Vince McMahon.
Question marks remained over his drooping physique, something he improved upon slightly during his NXT stint - in which he played an uncelebrated role in elevating to critically-acclaimed status.
His awesome, October 10, 2013 match as Kassius Ohno against William Regal, despite the succession of classics we've been treated to in the TakeOver era, remains one of the most memorable Full Sail outings.
One of the most unsettling matches you're likely to see without the add-ons on steel chairs and death-defying bumps, Regal maimed Ohno's fingers in a unique and understated approach to psychology.
Their minor classic wasn't enough to propel Ohno to the main roster; his purportedly poor conditioning cost him dearly, giving the impression that he wasn't doing the expected - i.e. everything - to help his cause.
An argument can be made that Kevin Owens and Bray Wyatt are heavier than Ohno, rendering his release hypocritical, but the unsightly gut was more noticeable on his otherwise lean frame.