Wrestlers/talent that got better right before they were released

jaykhunter

Volt posted this video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zIn0GchsGo8

I thought DW's heel antics were immensely entertaining and miles above his previous grating work; and of course the gimmick and his on-screen commentary got canned shortly afterwards.

It got me thinking - Have you noticed over the years that some wrestling talent get better right before they get fired/released?

The most obvious example might be Batista, whose heel promos and character really blossomed right before he left WWE.



Can you think of more, and give reasons why you nominated him/her?

Jeff Hardy got really good before he left but he wasn't released. He won the strap and had feud of the year with Punk. Jesus I hate his theme in TNA.
Not that he wasn't good. Just utilised better in that feud.

Gerard.C

Batista, as you said Jayk. He was the best heel in wrestling when he left. Cant believe he left when he did, it was sickening

jaykhunter

I have more, but I want to see what others come up with!

Machismo Fan

jaykhunter wrote: »

I thought DW's heel antics were immensely entertaining and miles above his previous grating work; and of course the gimmick and his on-screen commentary got canned shortly afterwards.

I've always loved DW as a commentator - his enthusiasm was second to none. But his Daniels/Suicide stuff during his heel run was spectacular, he was hilarious. You can see why they redeployed him though, by all accounts he rakes in the money on house shows working the merch. stand.

GTR63

Consequences Creed,I once called him Consequences Green but he really blossomed into a real talent when put with Lethal & feuding with the Guns.
Chris Harris was hot property after his class matches with Storm(NOT the russorific Blindfold one).But like many Tna talents got lost in the wwe obsessed Shuffle & was totally unmotivated by the time wwe got him.
Never got why they released Petey Williams or Sonjay Dutt either.
Shelton Benjamin is another he has talent but is devoid of a gimmick,my suggestion for him rip off Tracy Jordan from 30 Rock he's Gas.
One guy that was turning into something good was A-Train,he was held back by the whole Body hair thing but was improving.
CW Anderson was another guy I wondered why Tna/WWE never picked up long term he can work.

jaykhunter

Machismo Fan wrote: »

I've always loved DW as a commentator - his enthusiasm was second to none. But his Daniels/Suicide stuff during his heel run was spectacular, he was hilarious. You can see why they redeployed him though, by all accounts he rakes in the money on house shows working the merch. stand.

How does that work, though? Does he stand at the merch stand, goading fans into buying t-shirts, like a carney at a carnival!

......well it made me laugh......

GTR63, i'm specifically looking for wrestlers who changed/improved their gimmick right before getting canned! (not wrestlers who have been wrongly canned/overlooked)

Mr.Nice Guy

Bryan Danielson is the obvious one that springs to mind after his daft firing. Elijah Burke is another I think they dropped the ball with considering the stuff he's doing in TNA.

jaykhunter

bam MNG! Can you (and everyone) provide pics also of the guys you nominate?

Cheers

CMpunked

It's a very good topic OP.

But I don't think I can give names of who I think got better, but I can name a few guys I started to like before they got released.

Hurricane helms.
Brian Kendrick.
Colt Cabanna (as Scotty Goldman)- I know he didn't have many, if any, matches.. But I was really impressed by his video shorts on wwe.com and was hoping to see that character come across on SD

Sirsok

Lance Cade was recieving a good push as Jerichos sort of Henchman and lhis future loked bright before he messed it up......thought the red neck slam was a awesome move to.

What happened to Monty Brown was he not recieving a decent push on ECW before being let go?......

Reganio 2

Sirsok wrote: »

Lance Cade was recieving a good push as Jerichos sort of Henchman and lhis future loked bright before he messed it up......thought the red neck slam was a awesome move to.

What happened to Monty Brown was he not recieving a decent push on ECW before being let go?......

He had family issues, apparently his parents or something died (Or maybe his sister?) and he is apparently looking after the kid and asked for release from WWE to deal with it. Something along them lines anyway, sure someone will clarify.

jaykhunter

I was under the assumption that something happened (i.e. something inexcusable, i.e. something illegal) on a plane-ride where he had a seizure. Since I had saw no reports of a medical illness (epilepsy, head trauma, fever, encephalitis etc etc) I assume it was cocaine; or in that class of drugs.

Rjd2

Sirsok wrote: »

Lance Cade was recieving a good push as Jerichos sort of Henchman and lhis future loked bright before he messed it up......thought the red neck slam was a awesome move to.
....

Not sure about that. I recall him with Jericho towards the end and nobody gave a damn about him. The crowds never reacted to him at all. Sticking him with a heat magnet like Jericho on paper seemed like a great idea but it didn't work. I think he was doomed to the midcard really, even if he had not been released for whatever pills he was on that made him to go wild on that plane trip.

flahavaj

Mr.Nice Guy wrote: »

Bryan Danielson is the obvious one that springs to mind after his daft firing. Elijah Burke is another I think they dropped the ball with considering the stuff he's doing in TNA.

Nah Danielson was always that good.;)

William Regal was just embarking on a savage storyline on RAW a few years back as the GM that kept shutting the show down when he got suspended/fired. Could finally have been the big push he has always merited.

The Volt

Chris Masters surely deserves a mention. He was insanely over before being future endeavoured.

Rjd2

Voltwad wrote: »

Chris Masters surely deserves a mention. He was insanely over before being future endeavoured.

I shall comment on this. :pac:

He was over when on Raw but towards the end of his first run on SD he was turned into a jobber which was a shame as he had slimmed down and was working his best matches. Thankfully he is back and is over as rover.:)