10 Wrestlers WWE Gave Up On Too Soon
Great wrestlers don't always get the faith they deserve.
Not everyone gets to make it to the top. It’s unfortunate, but true: sometimes even the most talented performers aren’t rewarded with the pushes that their skills deserve. There are only so many seats at the top table, and those who’ll never find themselves in World Title contention must settle for a spot in the midcard or below.
It’s been a problem since the sport’s birth, and it’s never been more prevalent. While this isn’t exactly a boom period for WWE, wrestlers today are infinitely more athletic, skilled, and well-rounded than they were a few decades ago, and there’s more competition than ever before. From Seth Rollins to Heath Slater, the WWE roster is packed with incredibly talented performers at all levels, and some will have to be content with a career spent putting others over.
WWE fans sometimes get caught up in wanting to see so many of their favourites pushed at the same time, but there just isn’t enough room. That said, WWE haven’t always done the best job of best utilising their talent over the years, and they’ve let a number of uber-talented wrestlers slip through their fingers.
Sometimes, all the skill and charisma in the world isn’t enough to convince WWE that you’re really worth their time. Here are 10 wrestlers that WWE gave up on too soon.
10. Elijah Burke
Elijah Burke was brought into WWE’s OVW developmental system back in 2004. He was fresh off a career as an amateur boxer (with a 103-1 record, nonetheless) and was a good-to-great wrestler blessed with outstanding charisma. Combined with a flashy moveset and a great look, Burke had everything the company look for in a competitor, but his WWE career never really took off.
After a spell managing the doomed Sylvester Terkay on SmackDown, Burke switched over to WWE’s ECW revival. Personally labelled “The Future of ECW” by Vince McMahon, Burke banded together with fellow newcomers Matt Striker, Marcus Cor Von, and Kevin Thorn to form The New Breed. They feuded with the ECW Originals (Tommy Dreamer, Sabu, RVD, and The Sandman) for a while, but were ultimately defeated in their most high-profile match together at WrestleMania 23.
A familiar downward spiral followed. The New Breed continued to pick up losses, and when the stable disbanded, Burke became an afterthought. He was released from his WWE contract in 2008, but found great traction with his D’Angelo Dinero character in TNA, where he currently works as a colour commentator.
Being stationed on the ill-fated ECW project likely didn’t help, but that doesn’t change the fact that Burke was never given a fair chance to succeed, even on the 'C' show. He had everything but size working in his favour, and his lack of mainstream wrestling success is a mystery.