5 WWE Superstars who had a disappointing year

2022 is on the horizon as the world's leading professional wrestling promotion gears up for its first pay-per-view of the upcoming year, WWE Day 1 on January 1. While the historic special marks a new beginning for every superstar in the locker room, several talented individuals desperately need a fresh start as they had an underwhelming 2021.

The list will not include part-timers such as John Cena or Brock Lesnar, nor will it include released superstars like Jeff Hardy and Bray Wyatt.

As the WWE locker room is loaded with talent, this list is far from conclusive. Here are some honorable mentions before we get into it:

• Elias
• Dolph Ziggler
• Ricochet

Let's take a look at 5 WWE Superstars who had an underwhelming year:

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#5 WWE's Master Strategist, Sami Zayn, would want to forget 2021

Sami Zayn had a forgettable 2021

Sami Zayn is one of the most underrated performers on the planet. The Master Strategist is a fantastic talker who knows how to get on everyone's nerves, and his in-ring work is impeccable. However, the last few years have been particularly rough for him.

While he is a constant feature on WWE programming, Zayn is being used as an enhancement talent, a borderline jobber that few take seriously due to his poor win-loss record. The former Intercontinental Champion's only notable victory this year was against Kevin Owens at Hell in a Cell back in June. This did little to boost his momentum as Owens returned the favor just a couple of weeks later in a definitive Last Man Standing Match.

Zayn's character revolves around a grand fabricated conspiracy against him. The Master Liberator isn't afraid to voice his displeasure about the entire WWE, including both the locker room the fans, with his rants being a staple on the Blue Brand. However, he needs a fresh start, as his current character has only moved him further down the pecking order.

A face turn could be on the cards for Zayn as he has remained a villain for far too long, and a character change may provide him with the boost he needs.

#4 Former WWE Champion Drew McIntyre could have had a better year

Drew McIntyre is a invaluable asset to WWE.

The inclusion of Drew McIntyre on this list may seem confusing to some WWE fans, but 2021 wasn't nearly as memorable for the Scottish Psychopath as the preceding year was.

McIntyre started the year off with the most prestigious title in wrestling history, but he lost the championship to The Miz in February after a vicious assault by Bobby Lashley. Although he didn't become a complete afterthought, McIntyre lost much of the dominance and invincibility that was associated with his intriguing character. In the months following the loss, The Scottish Warrior lost quite a lot of steam and slowly fell down the pecking order.

Despite numerous attempts, McIntyre couldn't reclaim the top prize in sports-entertainment. He then entered into a rivalry with Jinder Mahal, whom he defeated convincingly at SummerSlam. The two-time World Champion then unsuccessfully challenged Big E for the coveted title at Crown Jewel.

A move to SmackDown gave McIntyre a fresh start and opened up a myriad of opportunities. However, he has stayed aloof from the Universal Championship picture thus far, keeping himself occupied with Happy Corbin and Madcap Moss.

2021 wasn't exactly a "bad" year for the Scottish Warrior, but it does pale in comparison to the amazing 2020 he had.

#3 WWE's Messiah Seth Rollins struggled to stay ahead this year

The Messiah didn't win any championship this year.

The Visionary, Seth Rollins, is an undeniable and priceless commodity. The former Universal Champion possesses immense talent and lays it all on the line every time he steps foot in the ring.

Calling himself "The Messiah," he believes he is a true savior and is keen to spread his message across the locker room. While he continues to occupy a prominent position on television, his win-loss record was relatively unimpressive this year as he couldn't win many big-time matches. Moreover, Rollins' championship drought continued as he couldn't grab any gold in these twelve months.

Rollins had two notable feuds in 2021: one against Cesaro and the other with Edge. He won the battle with the former and suffered a rare WrestleMania defeat, further dampening his impressive record at the grandest stage. The Ultimate Opportunist and the Messiah had one of the most riveting and compelling feuds in recent memory, but it was the Hall of Famer that got the last laugh.

The Visionary never even got the chance to compete for the Universal Championship. Luckily for him, Rollins has worked his way into the title picture on the red brand, and he may reach the top of the mountain sooner rather than later.

For a man of his caliber, 2021 wasn't a very memorable year for Rollins.

#2 WWE's Prizefighter Kevin Owens had a disappointing

year.

Kevin Owens faltered for much of the year.

The WWE Universe has a lot of love and respect for Kevin Owens. Like most of the names on this list, he hasn't been under-utilized but has enjoyed little success throughout the year.

On SmackDown, Owens has played second-fiddle to Roman Reigns. The superstar suffered back-to-back losses to Reigns which damaged his credibility. He also had a lackluster, protracted feud with arch-rival Sami Zayn which didn't remedy the damage done by his losses against Reigns. Despite once being touted as the next "Stone Cold," he has become a non-factor and an afterthought. The creative team had virtually no long-term plans for him as he was booked for meaningless matches throughout the summer. His plight was such that Owens was left off of the card for SummerSlam, Extreme Rules, and Crown Jewel.

In October, he jumped ship to RAW and received a mini-push. Owens turned to his dark side again and entered the WWE Championship picture. While a heel turn did give him the spark he needed, Vince McMahon dropped the ball with his aggressive babyface character that had limitless potential.

There were rumors that Owens could leave the company once his contract expired, but The Prizefighter inked a new deal. This may herald a brighter future for the talented superstar.

#1 Former WWE Champion AJ Styles was criminally misused in 2021

The Phenomenal One was misused this year.

Unlike the rest of the members of this list, AJ Styles did achieve some championship success as he reached the pinnacle of the WWE Tag Team Division by winning the RAW Tag Team Titles with Omos. The dilemma was that a man with his star power doesn't belong in the doubles division with a massive rookie at this stage of his career.

Most people understood WWE's game plan: Vince McMahon wanted to elevate the Tag Team Division, which is why he inserted Styles and Randy Orton into the scene with much younger talent. The Phenomenal One was responsible for making an inexperienced rookie in Omos relevant. This was no easy task, and the veteran did an admirable job as the seven-foot giant's in-ring work has come a long way.

However, Styles has suggested that he may ride off into the sunset once his contract expires, which means he doesn't have much gas left in the tank. It would be a massive injustice to misuse arguably this generation's most outstanding in-ring performer, especially when he can still put on a good show.

The alliance between Styles and Omos was broken off, and the veteran seems primed for another singles run. This could be his last singles run as retirement looms over him.

In the five years he has spent with the company, this was easily Styles' most underwhelming twelve months.