Lights dim, the crowd roars, and anticipation fills the air. The wrestling world has always been a stage for amazing characters, showcasing their incredible athleticism and captivating personas. Over the years, we've witnessed the rise of numerous legends who have left an indelible mark on the sport in WWE, WCW, and various other promotions. But what if some wrestlers had stepped into the ring earlier, seizing the spotlight and changing the course of wrestling history? Many wrestlers' debuts in the wrestling world can make or break their careers. A well-timed debut can catapult a wrestler to instant stardom, while a delayed debut can leave fans wondering what could have been.
Picture it: a parallel universe where these warriors burst onto the scene at an earlier stage, ready to take on the world with their unique blend of strength, agility, and charisma. Imagine the rivalries that could have been forged, the epic battles that would have unfolded, and the unforgettable moments that would have been etched only if they didn't debut so late. These 10 wrestlers, each with their distinct style and flair, were destined for greatness. However, their late debut affected the impact they could have had on their journey.
10 Veer Mahaan
Veer Mahaan is a promising wrestler with a strong background in baseball and an imposing physical presence. He was highly anticipated by fans upon signing with WWE. Veer Mahaan aired vignettes for months on RAW in 2021, showcasing him as a dominant force coming soon. However, his debut kept getting delayed and pushed back.
By the time he finally appeared, the hype had died down, and his debut match was rather unremarkable. The lengthy buildup did not match the payoff. The promos shown only served to heighten the anticipation for his debut as fans became increasingly curious about the potential impact he could have on the wrestling landscape.
9 Chris Masters
Chris Masters' journey to his WWE debut was long and arduous, as he spent several years honing his craft in various independent promotions before finally appearing. He was featured in weeks of vignettes hyping his "Masterpiece" gimmick. By the time he was ready to appear, much of the interest in him had dissipated.
Chris Masters had an elaborate entrance with his pose-down routine. His eventual debut did not make the splash that had been intended after such a prolonged promotional push. Though Masters would go on to have some success, his delayed debut hampered his momentum right out of the gate, demonstrating the problems with excessive delay after the promotion had started.
8 Emmalina
Emmalina, a talented and charismatic wrestler, also experienced a prolonged debut process. Initially known for her in-ring prowess and technical ability, she underwent a character transformation that saw her adopt a more glamorous and sophisticated persona. This change was intended to showcase her versatility and appeal to a wider audience, but it also led to a significant delay in her debut.
WWE began airing vignettes promoting Emmalina's new character months before her debut, building fan anticipation. However, the wait for her first appearance seemed to drag on indefinitely as time passed. Weeks of glamorous vignettes aired on RAW, teasing the makeover and re-debut of Emma as Emmalina. The gimmick was scrapped before it began, rendering the weeks of hype completely pointless.
7 Glacier
Glacier was one of the most hyped debuts in 1996. Vignettes aired for months showing him demonstrating mysterious martial arts moves, building his debut as a highly-anticipated event. However, production issues delayed his debut match by several weeks.
By the time Glacier finally appeared, the hype faded, and his ring work failed to live up to the promotion. His gimmick as a Mortal Kombat-inspired karate fighter felt flat, and his debut ended up disappointing after such a prolonged buildup, showing how too much delay can damage a debut.
6 Kizarny
Kizarny was promoted for weeks on SmackDown with a series of strange vignettes featuring him speaking in a made-up language and demonstrating unusual mannerisms. However, following his vignette campaign, Kizarny did not appear. When he finally debuted in a match, the bizarre buildup confused the audience.
His debut completely flopped due to the excessive delay, and Kizarny's odd gimmick never recovered. Kizarny's WWE stint was bizarre from start to finish. It wouldn't be long until he was future endeavored.
5 Lana
Catherine Joy Perry, or Lana, is an American wrestler who was a familiar and beloved face on WWE TV for years before 2017 when she disappeared and came back with new videos hyping her on SmackDown as a wrestler with a new attitude. This makeover was too slow and too disappointing. Lana tried hard but still struggled in the ring, and fans didn't buy her as a different person. They just wanted the old Lana back.
It felt anticlimactic when she finally re-debuted since fans had already heard about her arrival for months.
4 Mordecai
In 2004, vignettes began airing on SmackDown, promoting the debut of Mordecai, a zealous religious zealot. By the time Mordecai first appeared, most of the anticipation around his debut had evaporated. His eventual first match did not have nearly the impact his initial promotional videos intended.
The long delay rendered the buildup moot, and Mordecai's questionable gimmick failed to connect, showing how too much time between hype and debut can undermine a new wrestler. Mordecai's WWE career was brief, and after losing to Rey Mysterio on SmackDown, he disappeared without a trace. No one ever saw him wrestle in WWE again. The man behind the Mordecai character, Kevin Fertig, would later be repackaged as a vampire named "Kevin Thorn" as part of the 2006 ECW reboot.
3 Brodus Clay
Brodus Clay was promoted for weeks with vignettes hyping him as a dominant monster heel. When he eventually appeared weeks later, he had been repackaged as the Funkasaurus, a fun-loving dancing babyface. The drastic character change confused viewers, given the lengthy promotion of a completely different gimmick.
Though Clay made the most of the Funkasaurus character, it was one of the best things that happened to him. Tyrus is his current ring name, and he is a champion in the NWA, but WWE fans will never forget the time he debuted as the Funkasaurus.
2 Brakkus
Brakkus was a professional wrestler signed by the WWE right before the Attitude Era kicked off. He joined the promotion in 1996 with high hopes of achieving superstardom. Although, Brakkus looked like a near-invincible beast because of his raw power and size, his time in the WWE was short-lived, and he only made a few appearances during his tenure. Despite the initial expectations surrounding him, Brakkus failed to establish a prominent presence in the wrestling industry.
In that era of wrestling, timing is everything and a lot could change in months. Even Brakkus's debut didn't live up to the hype and fans had moved on, no longer caring about this mysterious beast from Germany. Brakkus never made much of an impact during the Attitude Era, not making many appearances on television and mostly competing on house shows before leaving the company in 1998.
1 Fandango
Fandango was a character that WWE built up for months leading into 2013, but it was a persona that took far too long to debut, hampering his momentum. Vignettes began airing in late 2012, promoting Fandango's flashy ballroom dancer character. The vignettes portrayed him as an egomaniacal dancer who would soon be making his way to WWE to show off his moves.
While some delay and suspense building is fine, taking it on for months risks frustrating fans and losing their interest. If he had premiered sooner, Fandango might have had a hotter debut and a better chance to get over in the long term. Fandango first appeared in videos where he danced with a stunning woman in a club. Then he stunned the WWE by beating Chris Jericho in his first match at WrestleMania 29. That victory was one of the most shocking in WWE history and made Fandango a viral sensation with the craze of "Fandangoing." However, Fandango would peak early as a character and wasn't hot for long.