15 WWE Pushes That IMMEDIATELY Backfired
9. Billy Gunn (1999)
Something worth saying before getting stuck into this one: Whomever sequenced WWF The Music: Vol 3, may you burn for putting Billy Gunn's 'AssMan' right after the run of goodness starting with Mankind's 'Wreck' from tracks 6-8. After Christian's under-rated banger 'Blood Brother', here comes Billy to tell you how he literally likes to "pick" bottoms. Wash your hands after meeting him at an AEW show, people. Be warned. Stay safe.
Gunn's obsession with all things rear end pinned down his 1999 push. 'Mr. Ass' won the '99 King Of The Ring tournament, then was immediately launched into a headline program against top star The Rock. Behind the curtain, the WWF wanted Rocky to bring Billy up to his level, but that was an arduous task. If anything, that Rock feud exposed him as somebody who lacked sufficient in-ring skills and promo chops when put up against the best in the promotion.
Worse, his main event push was abandoned so the WWF could reunite him with New Age Outlaws partner Road Dogg by the end of the year. His KOTR win had been a complete and utter waste of everyone's time. Previous winners like Steve Austin, Triple H and even 1998's Ken Shamrock had benefitted to different degrees, but Gunn? Barely.
Rock sent him tumbling back down to the tag-team division, and Billy's singles stardom dreams were over until the company tried again with him in late-2000. Generally, pushing someone is supposed to bring out their strengths, not shine a stark spotlight on their weaknesses.
"Everybody still thinks that I absolutely suck".