12 Cursed Comparisons That DOOMED Promising Wrestlers
8. Mason Ryan (Batista)
Welsh hopeful Mason Ryan was drawing double takes from people long before he inked a WWE developmental deal in 2009. He resembled Batista during his formative years as a wrestler on the UK independent circuit. Sadly, Ryan would never quite reach the heady heights of 'The Animal' when he signed on with the big time.
A stint in FCW proved fruitful, at least. There, Mason won the development league's top belt and seemed primed for bigger things to come on Raw or SmackDown. By late-2010, he was working SmackDown house show loops in Europe and was surely raring go to on mainline television.
Ryan joined CM Punk's new Nexus incarnation in early-2011, and that appeared to be the best possible spot for someone who had bodyguard vibes but still needed experience. Working with guys like Punk and John Cena regularly would only help him improve, wouldn't it?
If only things were that simple.
Injuries and a start/stop booking style for the Nexus generally scuffed his promise, and people just couldn't shake the 'he looks like Batista on a WWE tribute show' vibes. It turns out that physically resembling a dreamscape mirror image of someone in the main event mix doesn't always do one any favours.
Watch this space if anyone who looks like Roman Reigns shows up in years to come. Physically blessed? Sure, but emerging from the shadow of obvious comparison can prove to be too difficult for some.
Big Mason was put back to developmental in 2012 then released in 2014 without really achieving much at a tippy top level.