20 Most Underappreciated WWE Stars Of The 21st Century

In the late '90s, pro wrestling's independent scene was much different than it is today. There were fewer groups, fewer stars, and fewer ways to follow the action. Still, some guys managed to consistently get their names in print, and among them were the tag team of Christian York and Joey Matthews.

York and Matthews had a brief run in ECW in 2000, but went back to the indies when the company closed. Their team ended in 2004, when Matthews was signed to WWE. Renamed "Joey Mercury," he was put in a team with Johnny Nitro.

As MNM, the tandem shook up the tag scene on Smackdown, winning the WWE Tag Team Titles three times. Still, many pegged the nimble Nitro as the breakout star of the team, despite Mercury's clear ring generalship. Eventually, issues with drugs led to Mercury's release, and during his time away from WWE, he managed to get sober. That got him another shot with WWE, and he re-signed in 2010.

Unfortunately, just after returning to TV, he suffered a torn pectoral muscle, and that was it for him. When he got healthy, he simply became a trainer, and though he was eventually part of J & J Security, his wrestling career was basically done.