7 Wrestlers Who Were ELITE Everywhere Except WWE

One of the most infamous things to happen during Chris Hero's time in WWE? CM Punk reportedly pushed for him to be part of The Shield (which Hero has refuted). What isn't delved into enough is why Punk might've gone to bat for one of the most criminally under-appreciated wrestlers in NXT history. 

Hero excelled as part of the same independent scene that gave the world Claudio Castagnoli, Eddie Kingston, Homicide, Samoa Joe and Bryan Danielson. A real wrestler's wrestler, his strength, power, and in-ring psychology (packaged with a killer look that lands somewhere between Kevin Nash and Mick Foley) meant he was one of the key figures in promotions like CZW and Chikara, as well as being one of the main men who helped make California's PWG one of the most talked about promotions during America's great independent boom.

Signing with WWE in 2011 and given the name Kassius Ohno, Hero felt like he had the respect of the fans that were watching NXT in its earliest inception. He even had one of the meatier stories of that era when he was locked in a bitter feud with then-NXT GM William Regal. However, it didn't feel like the people behind the scenes ever fully bought into Ohno as a potential breakout star.

Hero didn't have the typical bodybuilder's physique, instead relying on his power and in-ring finesse, and his time in NXT came to an end in November 2013. 

He spent a few years back on the independent circuit, including a short and sweet stint in Ring Of Honor that offered feuds with Kevin Steen and Adam Cole, then WWE re-signed Hero in December 2016. Yet again, it felt as though Ohno had a very defined glass ceiling in NXT, and it's one of the few times that WWE's third brand misfired on a guy capable of far more than what he was afforded.