We have all heard the stories over time when famous people succeed or win awards. One of the things they say the most is that they were often told that ‘they would never make it’. It’s a line that is used in every workplace, every career, and even every dream job. People utter those words in hopes that it discourages the person. But for some people its motivation to prove them wrong.
And in WWE that is no different. From the Independents to WWE, many wrestlers over time get told that very same line. Some get little to no opportunity, thus they take it into their own hands. Others keep trying until they get their foot in the door. While maybe their character or gimmick would never make it in a promoter’s eyes, the Superstars see that as the opportunity to be even greater. They worked harder and found ways to get to the top. It worked out for them and here are some examples of that.
7: Zack Ryder
After Ryder had debuted in 2006 and aligned himself with Curt Hawkins and Edge, he was on a fast track to nowhere after that program had run its course. Ryder was constantly lost in the shuffle, not even making it to Raw most of the time. He was relegated to Superstars and he knew that he needed to do something to stand out. Ryder made the most of his situation and created a YouTube show to get himself noticed by the WWE Universe. Z! True Long Island Story became a hit and it essentially earned Ryder a push that led him to the United States Championship. Ryder took advantage of the web series opportunity and was able to get himself over with no help from WWE management.
Woo Woo Woo, you know it.
6. Sheamus
Before he became the Celtic Warrior that we all knew, Sheamus had tried out several times for WWE prior to signing in 2006. In an interview with Stuff, he gave advice to those who were thinking about trying for professional wrestling. He discussed his rejection and took it as a good thing. He kept coming back for tryouts and in the meantime he polished his skills with each dismissal. Sheamus had also worked in backstage segments as a security guard before his time in WWE, and all of that paid off. Sheamus has had a successful career, with a list of accomplishments to show for it.
5: Batista
In an interview with Bodybuilding.com, Batista discussed his rejection. After trying out at WCW’s Power Plant, he was told that he wouldn’t make it as a professional wrestler. He explained that it made him furious; he believed he had the heart to make it. After signing up at a private wrestling school, Batista got better, and the rest is history they say. Batista would go on to become a member of Evolution before blossoming into a singles star. He is one of the most successful and popular Superstars of the Ruthless Aggression Era. He is now focusing on acting. Having starred in the super successful Guardians of the Galaxy in 2014 and the James Bond film Spectre in 2015, he looks like he is settling into his new career well.
4: CM Punk
In the tirades he would spew after the now iconic “Pipebomb” promo, CM Punk told the world that guys like him weren’t supposed to make it. It was clear indication that he was told this in the past. It was also an indication that he intended to change that and made good on that promise. Punk earned the “Voice of the Voiceless” tag with his persistence to make a difference in pro wrestling. He would go on to have an incredible run with the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, an impressive reign lasting 434 days. He is now in UFC, gearing up for his first matchup there. I’m willing to bet that he was told that he couldn’t make it in UFC either. We shall see.
3: Dean Ambrose
If you look at Ambrose, he isn’t your general, heavyweight wrestler. Ambrose looks like a regular guy who you could hang out with at a bar, but that’s why fans love him. Ambrose is them, and fans can relate to him as he fought his way to the top. In an interview with CBS Sports, Ambrose described being rejected when he first started out, mainly because of his age and size. Tenacity describes Ambrose best, as that highly paid off for the current WWE World Heavyweight Champion. In his case, size doesn’t matter, it’s the heart and Ambrose has a whole lot of it.
2: The Miz
The former reality star has come worlds away from the Real World to World Wrestling Entertainment. Just a kid with a dream, Mike Mizanin was a popular cast member of the show and wasn’t shy about being a huge wrestling fan. Even then he called himself The Miz, and he went through plenty of rejection, from Tough Enough to being criticized by many over the years to make it where he is today. All those years ago, no one even thought that The Miz would become the Superstar he is today. The Miz had a dream and saw it through no matter what. That’s what you call determination.
1: Daniel Bryan
Bryan has said time and time again that he was always told that he wouldn’t make it. The story of defying the odds never gets old and Bryan was the best in his underdog role. Being the underdog and working against the grain resulted in the “Yes!” Movement, which had revolutionized Bryan’s career and the course in WWE. He wasn’t supposed to make it that far, but yet he did. The “Yes! Movement“ was that powerful, and without it, we wouldn’t have seen his culminating moment at WrestleMania 30 winning the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. It was a perfect storm for Bryan and his career.
