20 Worst WWE Wrestlers Since 2000
3. Eli Cottonwood
It's hard not to feel sorry for Eli Cottonwood. The seven-footer reportedly spurned a career as a professional basketball player to chase his wrestling dream, but it backfired spectacularly. Though incredibly brief, his NXT run was more than enough to leave his countless shortcomings burned into the minds of WWE fans everywhere, so grand a disaster was his time on the show.
Cottonwood competed on NXT's second season, but was mercifully eliminated in the eighth week of competition, having amassed an in-ring record of two wins and two losses. Though short, these bouts presented a performer who was in so far over his head, he was close to drowning. Eli's movements were stunted, his arsenal limited, and he often looked lost between the ropes, particularly when charged with controlling matches. The charisma wasn't there either, as evidenced by whatever the hell this is supposed to be.
The epitome of a generic, over-pushed giant, Cottonwood returned to the FCW developmental system after his spell on NXT, and never re-emerged on mainstream wrestling television. Not even Vince McMahon's well-known big guy fetish could save him.