10 Wrestlers Who Shouldn't Return For WWE's Brand Split 2016 This Week
Not every former WWE star has a place in the company's future.
This is a time of great opportunity in World Wrestling Entertainment. The 2016 brand split is on the horizon, and the company is preparing to split its talent roster in two and divide them among Raw and SmackDown. Even if WWE don’t succeed in putting their two top shows on an equal footing, slicing each show’s available talent pool in half will open-up plenty of airtime for underused, under-pushed wrestlers.
But with WWE already struggling to fill-out their shows as it is, their existing roster just isn’t big enough. They’re almost certainly going to have to throw a few new faces into the mix, and with rumours of former stars returning and “up to a dozen” NXT callups, WWE look set to completely revitalise their talent pool.
The internet has been buzzing at the mention of names like Kurt Angle and MVP ever since, and the free agent pool is bursting with former WWE performers who could be brought back in next week’s draft. Some should be welcomed back with open arms, but others? Not so much…
For myriad reasons ranging from age to attitude problems, there are some wrestlers that WWE should steer well clear of.
Here are 10 wrestlers who shouldn’t return for the 2016 Brand Split...
10. Ezekiel Jackson
Making his WWE debut in 2008, Ezekiel Jackson was absolutely fine in his role as The Brian Kendrick’s bodyguard, where all he had to do was stand still, look scary, and tip the scales in Kendrick’s favour.
Jackson was even able to hide his weaknesses and maximise his strengths while working as Kendrick’s tag partner, but his shortcomings became very apparent as soon as he stepped-out of the former Spanky’s spotlight and into his own.
A plodding, unexciting power wrestler with little in the way of personality, Big Zeke looked like the Incredible Hulk, but moved like a snail in peanut butter. Vince McMahon’s obsession with size over skill afforded Jackson a considerable push, but his run as Intercontinental Champion fell flat, and the less said about his status as the last ever ECW Champion, the better.
The 6’4”, 300lbs+ Ezekiel Jackson is a free agent after a prominent run during Lucha Underground’s first season, and can currently be found moonlighting in a host of different indies across the United States and Europe. In an era where smaller, faster, more dynamic wrestlers are finally prospering over plodding giants, Jackson is exactly the kind of wrestler WWE doesn’t need.