10 WWE Stars Who Peaked Too Early
7. Alberto Del Rio
Though Alberto Del Rio was relatively successful for a number of years in WWE, his strongest push came soon after arriving. Overcoming Rey Mysterio in his debut match, the Mexican grappler was quickly surging up the card with his aristocrat character and personal ring announcer, Ricardo Rodriguez.
They made for an entertaining double act, and ADR’s push escalated through wins over Matt Hardy and Big Show. He competed in his first world title match six months after debuting, but didn’t win the belt. Major success was just around the corner however;ADR won the 2011 Royal Rumble (albeit to a lukewarm reception), and by April - less than a year after debuting - he fought for the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania.
Del Rio wasn’t getting over as hoped, but WWE didn’t sway their course, and he eventually won the championship after cashing-in his Money In The Bank briefcase on CM Punk. His push endured over the following year, and WWE eventually tried to build him up as a babyface prior to WrestleMania XXIX, but their faith in him slowly wavered. ADR was a listless presence by the time of his first departure in 2014, and even more so when he returned in 2015.