10 WWE Stars Who Peaked Too Early
5. Mr. Kennedy
Mr. Kennedy grabbed attention from the moment he arrived. His trademark booming voice, promo ability, and performance of his own ring introduction made him stand out, and quickly establish a lasting connection with the fans. Though unfortunately forced to overcome a serious shoulder injury just a few months after debuting, Kennedy returned to action in June 2006, and won the United States Title a few months later.
Kennedy was surging, and so was his popularity. His reign lasted just 42 days, but it almost didn’t matter. Feuds with Batista and The Undertaker sent his stock through the roof, and all evidence pointed towards a major main event push. Capturing the Money In The Bank briefcase at WrestleMania 23 looked to have cemented this, and suddenly, Kennedy was on the cusp of becoming a world champion.
Instead of making him a star however, MITB marked Kennedy as a one hit wonder. An injury forced WWE to pass ownership of the briefcase to Edge instead, and a string of poor decisions followed. A Wellness Policy violation cost him his potential reveal as Vince McMahon’s legitimate son, and his star power was shot to pieces. Kennedy’s injury woes resurfaced, and he was released in May 2009.