8. Wade Barrett
No other WWE superstar, with the possible exception of Dolph Ziggler, has suffered as much as Wade Barrett at the hands of the companys notorious stop-start booking. Neither suffered alone, though: almost every wrestler on the roster has suffered its inimical effects at one time or another, an encouraging push negated by a sudden momentum- and confidence-sapping burial. Its been said that WWE likes to build its talent up only to knock it down as a means of testing their mettle, only those wrestlers that are seen to be serving their spell as jobber-to-the-stars with a positive and compliant attitude receiving the green light for a renewed push. For every Daniel Bryan that makes it through to the other side of this nonsensical and self-defeating practice, there are a dozen superstars that lose any heat they might have accrued and limp on as a perpetual loser in the eyes of the audience before inevitably being future endeavoured (were looking at you Ezekiel Jackson. And you, Alex Riley. You too, Tensai). Since his debut in the company, Wade Barrett has had the look, swagger, and at times backstage support of a future main eventer. Positioned as the head of NWO-light stable The Nexus, Barrett was promoted as the stand-out star among his peers. The spot cast him in direct conflict with John Cena, and in his feud with the companys top guy and Pay-Per-View title shots against Randy Orton the Lancashire-born Barrett didnt look at all out of his depth (though not quite the finished article). Then Creative slammed on the brakes, as it is prone to do, and Barrett was demoted to the Intercontinental Title picture. It always feels anticlimactic when a wrestler regresses from the companys senior title to its junior, and although he captured the belt there was a definite sense of stagnation soon to follow. His in-ring career was disrupted by an elbow injury that sidelined him for months, as well as a break to film a small role in WWE Studios flop (is there any other kind?) Dead Man Down. Neither was he helped by the half-hearted Barrett Barrage gimmick, an attempt to capitalise on his real-life exploits in bareknuckle boxing that instead felt like something recycled from an old brainstorming session for mid-90s William Regal. Barretts erratic fortunes have not gone unnoticed by fans, and together with his frequent jobs on television have dissipated much of the aura of main-event material with which he entered the company. Like several names on this list he is in danger of spending too much time treading water while other main event hopefuls take their turn at bat. If hes still in the same spot a year from now there might well be reason to open a file for him beside Ahmed Johnson and Ken Shamrock in the what starts with a bang drawer. Still, his in-ring work is solid, occasionally bordering on the excellent when paired with a superior worker, and his promo delivery sound. He has the build and legitimate tough-guy credentials that Vince McMahon admires. If the boss can rediscover his interest in Cody Rhodes, the same can happen for Wade Barrett. Lets just hope it doesnt wane quite as quickly this time