8 Times WWE Failed To Create A Main Event Player

7. MVP - 2007/08

MVP had an auspicious start in WWE. Brought in as a high-paid, prima donna athlete character, the whole point in the beginning was that he was supposed to be overrated. It's a novel approach, sure, but immediately being labelled as overrated and not worth the money and so forth inspired mixed reactions from WWE fans. Indeed, a lot of fans pretty much treated the character with indifference. Although he was undeniably charismatic and had a presence about him, it was obvious that he was still green in the ring. The early Power Range ring attire didn't really scream 'credibility', either. It was only when he started a programme with his real-life mentor Chris Benoit that he looked like a genuine player. Benoit brought out the best in MVP and forced him to raise his game. After capturing the United States Championship from Benoit at Judgement Day 2007, MVP entered into a rivalry with Matt Hardy, who he formed a reluctant tag team with. It was really here that MVP's promo skills and improving ring work would be on full display. When Hardy ended MVP's then-record 343 day reign in spring 2008, it was expected that it was done so that he could finally be elevated to the main event level. He could work, he could talk and he was still fresh. But, again, nothing. He was shunted down the card, began a losing a streak and just sort of floundered before he left the company in 2010. Rumour has it that the poor booking of MVP was due to him insulting one of the drug-testing monitors. Regardless, WWE should have done a lot more with MVP from 2007 onwards. He had all the tools to make it big but they never capitalised on it.