10 WWE Stars Who Are Horrendously Miscast
There's a new arrival in WWE, but they still don't know what a babyface is.
Hard luck old bean, but the one time Vince McMahon promotes a top babyface that can do the whole mandated witty banter schtick - without alienating an adult-oriented crowd - there's no crowd to not reject him.
It is exponentially more cruel to Drew McIntyre, who - thus far - is somehow perfect in the impossible role that is babyface WWE Champion. He is a tall, handsome bastard who is absolutely shredded. He looks like a Vince McMahon guy, but he doesn't work like one. There's nothing histrionic nor cartoonish about his act; thrillingly, he wrestles like he's in the G1 Climax, and not under the wearying grip of an eternal chin lock. That is until he wrestles Baron Corbin on RAW next week.
He is also an affable presence, who can do mock arrogance, and then deftly transition into self-deprecation, a comedic device that allows him to get over and remain humble. He is killing a run made doubly impossible by the horrendous, unprecedented circumstances, and is easily the best WWE Champion in absolutely forever.
For once, WWE got the most important part right - but they still don't know their ar*eholes from their elbows further down the card...
10. Matt Riddle
Is playing:
The goof in an odd couple tag team, Matt Riddle is currently undergoing what appears to be an ethically suspect experiment of sorts on NXT. It's as if he is being injected with trope after trope of the worst of the WWE style guide in order to suffuse him with enough antibodies to withstand the main roster. TitanTron karaoke, catchphrase singalongs, quiz shows with Byron Saxton: the man is weeks away from getting his own talk show and mocking the recently-deceased family member of one of his peers, and by God, it's alive! It's alive! NXT has built a star so dumbly engaging that he can actually get that sh*t over, and he's rather helped by the idea that he is absolutely killer in that ring. WWE has a genuine superstar on their hands with Matt Riddle. The only thing they need to not do here is deliberately f*ck it up!
Should be playing:
The top guy on SmackDown because WWE, inexplicably, has a good top guy on RAW. Riddle is 34, he's in his prime, he has the look, skill, smile and balls coveted by Vince McMahon and should be transitioned from supporting actor to leading man yesterday.