10 WWE Wrestlers Who Went On To Better Things

9. Juice Robinson

Kevin Nash, Scott Hall, The Outsiders
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What Juice Robinson has been able to achieve in New Japan Pro Wrestling is nothing short of remarkable.

Debuting as a Young Lion in August 2015, he stood out for all the wrong reasons, with his ring work several tiers below even his fellow trainees. His dedication was absolute, however. Juice worked harder than anyone else on the roster, and improved before the audience's eyes, first developing into a capable spot-filler in NJPW's endless stream of multi-person tags, before becoming one of modern wrestling's best babyfaces.

Robinson is now a highlight of almost every show he appears on. He's extremely popular, and recent matches with the likes of Kenny Omega, Michael Elgin, and Tetsuya Naito position him among the world's most improved wrestlers.

This is a far cry from what he was at the time of his WWE departure. As CJ Parker, Robinson was cast with a go-nowhere eco-warrior gimmick that had a clear lower-midcard ceiling. He did everything in his power to make it work, but he was nothing more than a developmental jobber, with accidentally breaking the debuting Kevin Owens' nose at TakeOver: R Evolution standing as his only memorable moment.

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Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.