9 Times WWE Turned Treasure Into TRASH
5. The Radicalz
The idea that there was still any kind of wrestling war going on by the start of the year 2000 was generous to World Championship Wrestling, and The Radicalz appearing on the front row of Monday Night Raw as if from nowhere was yet another signifier of how the times had changed faster than anybody might have realised.
Chris Benoit, Eddie Guerrero, Perry Saturn and Dean Malenko's decisions leave Atlanta for the 'Land Of The Giants' wasn't one they could take lightly, but as WWE surged further towards mainstream enormity, the potential spike in midcard quality the four offered was electrifying. 1999 had already seen the debut of Kurt Angle and the arrival of Chris Jericho, so four more ready-made and well-established names to pad out that upper midcard underneath The Rock, Mick Foley, Triple H and - whenever he was ready to return - Stone Cold Steve Austin looked like yet more can't-miss recruitment.
Unfortunately for rapidly-branded Radicalz, they found themselves with clipped wings less than a week into the job,
On the SmackDown following their Raw debut all four took on members of D-Generation-X to earn them contracts in the storylines. They were swept aside by the familiar faces; X-Pac bested Malenko, Saturn and Guerrero lost to The New Age Outlaws and Chris Benoit was narrowly defeated Chris Benoit. There was an equally reductive undercurrent too - the bad night at the office resulted in them having to kowtow to 'The Game' in order to get jobs.
Night One - Megastars. Night Two - Literal losers. Night Three- Goon Squad.