10 WWE NXT Flops Who Should Have Been Huge
8. Richie Steamboat
One of the biggest highlights of NXT’s early shows, Richie Steamboat is the spitting image of his father Ricky, and a solid wrestler in his own right. Working a classic, ‘80s-influenced style, he brought bags of technical ability to the brand, and featured prominently, feuding with the likes of Kassius Ohno following FCW’s re-branding in 2012.
Unfortunately, Richie’s career started to unravel shortly after. He suffered a nasty back injury in November 2012, and this ultimately brought his professional wrestling career to an end. Steamboat was released following over a year of inactivity in 2013, and in April 2015, Richie’s father claimed that due to the injury and subsequent surgery, he’d never be able to wrestle again.
Steamboat’s demise came through severe misfortune rather than any fault of his own, but his potential still went unfulfilled. His family name would have given him immediate credibility had he ever made it to the main roster, and with a few years of extra developmental seasoning, Richie could have been an exciting prospect on Raw or SmackDown. Fate was not on his side, however, and his demise highlights how cruel and unforgiving this sport can be.