10 Wrestling Facts We Didn't Know Last Week (Dec 23)
6. Wade Barrett Lost His Passion For Wrestling Due To 'King' Gimmick
In the Spring months of 2015, WWE decided to recast Wade Barrett as 'King' Barrett. Winning the King of The Ring tournament on the WWE Network, the Englishman was handed a garish robe and hokey crown. To fans, it never really looked like Barrett was comfortable in the role. That's because he wasn't.
Talking with Sports Illustrated, Wade said he started to lose passion for the pro wrestling business around this time. At first, he tried to make the best of a bad situation, pitching different ideas for promos and things he could do. Every single time, those suggestions were knocked back, WWE were happy with the character.
During the interview, Barrett recalled waking up and struggling to pull himself out of bed. He wasn't excited by the prospect of playing a royal fool, knowing it was going nowhere. Making things even more frustrating, he didn't have any creative input whatsoever.
That was a new thing for the Brit in WWE, and it wasn't making him happy. So long as his employers wanted him to play 'King', Barrett didn't want to be there.