WWE: 15 Wrestlers Who Should Have Been Top Guys

8. Kerry Von Erich

It's hard for people who weren't living in Texas back then to understand just how important World Class Championship Wrestling was, not just to wrestling, but to the culture at large. At the center of this was the feud between the Von Erichs and the Freebirds. ZZ Top's "La Grange" would hit, and the screams would practically crack your television set. Before the Rockers, before John Cena, the Von Erichs were a huge hit with wrestling's fledgling youth market. Considering how not only wrestling, but every facet of popular media is now youth-driven, the Von Erichs were certainly innovators in this regard. In classic WWF fashion, Kerry was nicknamed the "Texas Tornado" when he joined the Federation in 1990. He was quickly thrust into the Intercontinental Championship scene. Holding the IC title was an honor in itself, as always, but at the time it was becoming a bridge to attaining the WWF title. Sadly, this didn't happen for Kerry Von Erich. Like many wrestlers, he became addicted to painkillers. After two drug arrests and the threat of jail time hanging over his head, he shot himself in the heart in 1993. It was a shock to fans, but to the Von Erich family, Kerry was only the latest tragedy; they had already lost three of the legendary brothers. It's impossible to say whether a main event push would have sent Kerry Von Erich's life in a different direction. Taking the later deaths of Eddie Guerrero and Chris Benoit, both top guys, into account, it's not likely. The champion of a major wrestling promotion has all eyes on him at all times. It's a high-pressure gig, and the last thing Kerry Von Erich needed was more pressure.