10 WWE Rejects Immediately Pushed By TNA Impact Wrestling

9. Bobby Lashley

Raven TNA
Impact Wrestling

Bobby Lashley represented one of Vince McMahon's bigger errors in judgment. Constantly pushed at the expense of more charismatic and talented performers, Lashley's incredible physique guaranteed him a spot near the top of the card despite the destructive impact it had on those around him.

Though not entirely his fault, the disdain showered upon him from fans following his ECW Title victory at the disastrous December to Dismember 2006 pay-per-view left a stain on his burgeoning reputation as a babyface destroyer.

Picked as Donald Trump's representative in the box office-busting 'Battle of the Billionaires' against Vince McMahon's Umaga at WrestleMania 23, Lashley was the least prepared and subsequently least over in a bells-and-whistles affair that also featured Stone Cold Steve Austin as guest referee.

Injuries and sagging enthusiasm for his spot injury saw him gone from the entire company less than a year later. He emerged in TNA in April 2009, twice interrupting closing moments of shows to stand on the ramp and point at the Main Event Mafia. Truthfully, he wasn't brilliant at it.

Teasing alignment with Kurt Angle's heel group, Lashley swerve-turned on them and immediately went into programmes with the TNA World Champion and his associates, all whilst owner Dixie Carter suggested he'd one day simultaneously be a TNA/MMA Champion.

After nearly a decade (and a several year hiatus) he has fulfilled his potential with four excellent reigns atop the promotion, but Carter's lofty promises went almost entirely fulfilled during his troubled original run.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation nearly 8 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 35 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz" Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast and its accompanying YouTube channel, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 62,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, GRAPPL, GCP, Poisonrana and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett