10 Wrestlers Who Were More Successful After Their Time In WWE

Remember when NXT was rubbish? Not just a bit bad but properly rubbish? Ethan Carter III - previously known as Derek Bateman - probably does. He somehow spent three years appearing on that program, with most of his time spent in an on-off feud with Johnny Curtis. When NXT finally sorted itself out, he only lasted a few months before being sent on his way.

However, you can only assume that he looks back on that as one of the best things that ever happened to him. Not long after he made his debut in TNA as Dixie Carter’s nephew, where he would go on to cheat his way to victories against the likes of Kurt Angle and Sting, before finally claiming the World Heavyweight Championship. He became the biggest heel in the company and even when TNA has been in the doldrums, he has always been worth watching.

With Matt Hardy's recent heel turn, EC3 suddenly finds himself as a face and while he is still arguably finding his feet in that role, he shows every sign of being just as good at it as he was as a heel. EC3 is one of the best things Impact has, and he's done that despite never getting a chance in WWE.