WWE is the biggest professional wrestling promotion in the world. It has featured some of the most iconic superstars who have electrified audiences with their charisma and in-ring skills. However, not all superstars can connect with the WWE Universe and make an impact. Despite their popularity or notoriety, some wrestlers couldn't deliver on the big stage and failed to live up to the hype.
These superstars had the personality and star power but couldn't translate that into compelling matches or storylines. They failed to create magic inside the squared circle and couldn't win over audiences with their in-ring performances.
Putting on a good show requires the complete package of charisma, personality, and solid in-ring skills. While some superstars checked a couple of boxes, they lacked in key areas that prevented them from becoming huge stars.
Sports entertainers don't have to be five-star wrestlers, but they must be competent enough to put together a decent match. The superstars in this list failed on that front and highlighted how difficult it is to make an impact in a promotion as big as WWE. Ready to find out who these entertainers are? Let's get into our list of the top 10 WWE flops in the ring.
10 Enzo Amore
Enzo Amore, known for his flamboyant personality and charismatic mic skills, initially showed promise as an entertainer in the WWE. His ability to captivate audiences with his energetic promos and unique fashion sense gained him a significant following. However, despite his initial popularity, Enzo Amore's career ultimately flopped in the ring.
While he possessed charisma and microphone prowess, his in-ring abilities were widely criticized. Enzo's limited wrestling repertoire and lack of technical prowess became more apparent as he faced more experienced opponents. This led to underwhelming matches and exposed his shortcomings as an in-ring performer.
9 Damien Sandow
Damien Sandow, known for his intellectual gimmick and ability to mimic other wrestlers, initially gained attention for his entertaining character work. Sandow seemed poised for success with his unique blend of humor and arrogance. However, despite his entertaining persona, he ultimately fell short in the ring and failed to sustain his momentum.
While Sandow had moments of success, including winning the Money in the Bank briefcase, he struggled to maintain relevance and capitalize on his opportunities. His in-ring performances were often lackluster, lacking the excitement and athleticism expected in professional wrestling. Despite his initial popularity, his intellectual gimmick became repetitive, and fans grew tired of the same shtick. This lack of proper character development contributed to his decline in popularity and limited his growth potential. By the time he was released from the company in May 2016, Sandow's WWE career was seemingly dead in the water.
8 Chris Masters
Chris Masters burst onto the WWE scene with an impressive physique and a unique finishing move known as The Master Lock. With his chiseled physique and undeniable strength, he initially garnered attention as a powerhouse in the ring. However, Masters ultimately failed to live up to the hype and struggled to connect with audiences.
He struggled to create memorable moments or engage fans with his performances. Moreover, Masters' character lacked depth and charisma. While his physical appearance was impressive, his on-screen persona failed to resonate with audiences on a deeper level. This limited his ability to connect with fans and resulted in a lack of emotional investment in his character.
7 Sin Cara
Sin Cara, a character portrayed by multiple wrestlers, was initially introduced with much fanfare. His high-flying lucha libre style was expected to bring a fresh dynamic to WWE. Despite his impressive acrobatics, Sin Cara failed to connect with the audience on a deeper level, making his WWE stint largely forgettable.
Sin Cara was a talented performer in Mexico, but his skills didn't translate well to the WWE ring due to significant differences in styles and a language barrier. Additionally, injury and suspension issues further hindered his success, with the blame ultimately falling on the man behind the mask. Despite his initial hype and impressive moves, Sin Cara ultimately fell short of becoming a successful WWE entertainer.
6 The Vaudevillains
The Vaudevillains, consisting of Aiden English and Simon Gotch, was a tag team with a unique, old-timey gimmick. They also held the NXT Tag Team Championship once. The lack of character development, compelling storylines, and backstage issues led to their downfall. The Vaudevillains' gimmick was too niche for the broader WWE audience, leading to their disbandment.
Inspired by the vaudeville era, their unique gimmick sought to evoke nostalgia and bring a distinctive style to the tag team division. However, despite their promising start in NXT, The Vaudevillains failed to significantly impact the main roster.
5 The Boogeyman
The Boogeyman tried to be a unique and eerie character in WWE. He covered his face with black and red paint and ate worms. He hoped to spook his rivals with his weird looks and actions. He was a nightmare for many kids. However, he did not achieve much success as a WWE entertainer, even with his startling persona. One of the main reasons The Boogeyman flopped had to do with his limited in-ring ability.
While his character and gimmick were certainly attention-grabbing, his wrestling skills were subpar. His matches often lacked technical prowess and storytelling, resulting in underwhelming performances that failed to engage the audience. The Boogeyman's gimmick also relied heavily on shock value, which had a limited shelf life. As the initial novelty wore off, the character struggled to sustain long-term interest and relevance.
4 Brodus Clay
Brodus Clay was introduced as a monstrous heel but was later repackaged as "The Funkasaurus," a dancing, fun-loving character. While the gimmick was entertaining at first, it lacked longevity. His gimmick overshadowed Clay's in-ring skills, and he struggled to maintain relevance. His character didn't evolve, and the audience eventually lost interest, leading to his release from WWE in June 2014. Despite his initial promise, Brodus Clay's WWE career is largely seen as a missed opportunity.
Furthermore, Brodus Clay's matches often lacked intensity and athleticism. While his dancing and pleasant demeanor were amusing, they overshadowed his wrestling abilities and led to lackluster performances. This inability to showcase his in-ring skills and deliver compelling matches further contributed to his failure as a WWE entertainer.
3 Fandango
Fandango, portrayed by Curtis Hussey, was a character with a unique ballroom dancer gimmick. His catchy theme song and dance routine initially caught the audience's attention, leading to a surprise victory over Chris Jericho at WrestleMania 29. His art of "Fandangoing" became a worldwide phenomenon, but WWE failed to capitalize on it and make Fandango a big star. They overdid it with fans, and "Fandangoing" soon lost its cool factor.
Fandango kept the fans' backing and was on track to become the Intercontinental Champion. But he suffered a concussion and backed out. He was sidelined for a month, and by the time he returned, management had lost interest in him.
2 Emma
Emma is a talented wrestler who had a successful run in NXT. She portrayed a bubbly and slightly eccentric persona, often accompanied by her signature dance moves. Despite initial success in NXT, Emma failed to find her footing on the main roster and became a flop in the WWE ring.
One of the main reasons for Emma's flop was the mishandling of her character upon her main roster debut. WWE attempted to change her gimmick to Emmalina, but that was extremely short-lived. The company removed the dance-centric persona that resonated with fans in NXT. Emma also faced several injuries during her WWE tenure, disrupting her momentum and limiting her opportunities to showcase her skills.
1 Ryback
Introduced as an unstoppable force, Ryback was initially a promising prospect in WWE. His imposing physique and the catchy "Feed Me More" catchphrase quickly caught on with the audience. However, despite his initial push, Ryback's career in WWE was a series of missed opportunities.
His in-ring skills were often criticized as limited and repetitive, and his character lacked the depth to engage the audience beyond his initial push. Ryback's inability to evolve his character, limited in-ring skills, and backstage issues led to his eventual departure from WWE. Despite the initial hype, Ryback's WWE career is largely seen as a flop due to these factors.