20 Absolute Worst Wrestlers EVER (... According To YOU!)

15. Eli Cottonwood (1.10/10)

Eli Cottonwood
WWE.com

With height and an unnerving aura on his side, Eli Cottonwood had the look of a dominant big man, but he lacked any hint of athleticism or charisma to make it count. 

His NXT matches were mostly dismal, with his bout against former ROH icon Kaval being a particular low point. Cottonwood’s clumsy movements and awkward offence made the match feel disjointed, with TAFKA Low-Ki having to do all the work just to keep it watchable.

However, it was his infamous "moustache" promo that truly cemented Cottonwood’s place as a laughing stock, and realistically the moment that's likely earned him the low rating. Asked to cut a promo about a moustache per the horrendous rigged game that was the show's format, Cottonwood stumbled and mumbled his way through an incoherent, bizarre monologue that became an internet punchline. 

His wooden delivery and utter lack of confidence in his promos made it clear that Cottonwood was out of his depth in every aspect of WWE’s spotlight, regardless of whether in-ring improvement was even possible.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation for nearly 10 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 35 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz" Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast and its accompanying YouTube channel, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 65,000,000 total downloads. Within the podcasting space, he also co-hosts Benno & Hamflett, In Your House! and Podcast Horseman: The BoJack Horseman Podcast. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, Fightful, POST Wrestling, GRAPPL, GCP, Poisonrana and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has provided in-person coverage of some of the biggest pay-per-views and Premium Live Events in wrestling history, including WrestleMania, Survivor Series, All In & Double Or Nothing in destinations such as New York, New Jersey, Chicago, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live.