10 WWE Wrestlers Who Went On To Better Things
Defying Vince McMahon's "kiss of death" theory.
WWE dominate their market, and their position is so strong that it's extremely unlikely they'll ever face significant competition again. WWE dwarf the sport's smaller promotions when it comes to reach, recognition, and finances. Their platform is unmatched, and if a wrestler wants to become a transcendent star, Vince McMahon's company is usually the best place to be.
Life after WWE can be tricky. McMahon has referred to leaving his company as "the kiss of death" in the past, and the post-WWE plights of Damien Sandow, Jack Swagger, and Adam Rose lend credence to this. The independent grind is hard, and countless wrestlers have floundered after their WWE release, but leaving wrestling's biggest promotion need not be a death sentence.
WWE would love you to believe that working for them is the be all and end all for any professional wrestler, but it's not entirely true.
Plenty of performers have prospered after cutting ties with the McMahons, particularly in the modern era, when wrestling's smaller stages are more visible than ever. Post-WWE success is still tough, but these guys prove it's far from an impossibility.
10. Eli Drake
Slate Randall was nothing in WWE.
A lowly developmental wrestler, he worked the occasional dark match prior to signing with the company in May 2013, but left without a single televised appearance 15 months later. He soon shuffled back to the indie circuit, then followed the path of many a WWE castoff by signing with TNA in early 2015, where he was reborn as Eli Drake.
Impact finally gave Drake the opportunity to flex his considerable talents on national television. A limited wrestler, he makes up for his shortcomings with bags of charisma and personality, and quickly got over in America's second biggest promotion. This spurred a considerable push, and he has since become the company's Global Champion, winning the belt in the wake of former champ Alberto El Patron's indefinite suspension.
He was a mere footnote in WWE developmental, but Drake is now positioned as the figurehead of one of the world's most recognisable wrestling brands, albeit at a time when Impact isn't exactly flourishing. Still, he has exceeded all expectations since being cut from WWE. It's deeply surprising that Vince McMahon wasn't able to find a role for such a charismatic wrestler, but that's WWE for you.