5 gifted wrestlers WWE refused to push but were eventually forced to

It's common knowledge that WWE is partial to a certain type of Superstar. If a wrestler doesn't have a superhero physique like they can't star in the next summer blockbuster, odds are Vince McMahon isn't going to see them as the main event attraction.

Despite being talented and connecting with the audience, several performers have found their progress limited by a glass ceiling. On the other hand, limited wrestlers such as Braun Strowman and Commander Azeez are pushed to the moon and often end up frustrating the fans.

However, a few Superstars have shattered the glass ceiling and achieved great things in WWE. Here are five gifted wrestlers WWE refused to push but eventually gave in.

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#5 WWE Superstar Rey Mysterio

WWE had reservations about Rey Mysterio as he was an undersized performer. However, Mysterio's charisma and high-flying style endeared him to the audience. Even though his popularity shone through in merchandise sales and TV ratings, Vince McMahon was reluctant to get behind the luchador.

During a recent episode of the Grilling JR Podcast, Jim Ross touched on some of the WWE CEO's concerns with Mysterio.

"I think Vince’s issue with Rey was one word: size. Nowhere had the top guy in WWE been of Rey’s size, at least in my tenure there, which began in ‘93, as I mentioned. Rey would be the smallest World Champion in the history of the company. I think that was Vince’s unsettling decision," said Jim Ross.

"But was Rey over? Yeah, he was really over. What you hear from the audience when he came out, you can tell that people loved him. They cheer for the underdog," added Jim Ross.

The WWE creative team finally persuaded Vince to get behind Mysterio in 2006. The former WCW star won the Royal Rumble before capturing the World Heavyweight Championship in a triple threat match featuring Kurt Angle and Randy Orton at WrestleMania 22.

#4 Former WWE Champion Chris Jericho

Chris Jericho's WWE debut was nothing short of electric. Y2J jumped shipped from WCW and confronted The Rock in an incredible segment, holding his own on the microphone. However, Jericho had issues with key personnel in WWE, including Triple H, and found himself in the doldrums.

He talked about some of these issues during an appearance on Broken Skull Sessions.

“There were some people that just didn’t want me there because I was a WCW guy, not realizing [that he ultimately wanted to work for WWE]. I talked to Triple H about this on Talk is Jericho. We hated each other for years and we don’t even really know why but, at the time, it was, like, ‘This guy’s a piece of work,’” said Jericho.

Jericho eventually earned the trust of everyone in WWE and embarked on a legendary career. He became the first Undisputed Champion in the company's history after defeating both The Rock and Stone Cold Steve Austin on the same night.

Jericho racked up six world titles during his WWE run. He won the Wrestling Observer Newsletter's 'Wrestler of the Year' award in 2008 and 2009.

#3 WWE Superstar Becky Lynch

While she was one of the faces of WWE's Women's Revolution, Becky Lynch was initially in the shadow of Charlotte Flair, Sasha Banks, and Bayley. Lynch seemed set to have a moment in the spotlight when she earned a shot for the SmackDown Women's Championship against Carmella at SummerSlam 2018.

However, WWE had a change of heart and put the title on Charlotte Flair, who was added to the match at the last minute. This triggered a heel turn for Lynch, who found her groove and proceeded to win the title. The two stars had an incredible feud as the Irish star established herself as the hottest commodity in pro-wrestling.

The Man had a classic feud with Flair before laying the groundwork for a feud with Ronda Rousey. Lynch's star burned bright throughout the year, which culminated in her defeating Flair and Rousey in the main event of WrestleMania 35. This was the first women's match to headline WWE's biggest show of the year.

#2 Former WWE Champion Bryan Danielson

When he arrived in WWE, the consensus was that Bryan Danielson was a great in-ring performer who didn't have much of a personality. But, every time he got an opportunity, Danielson proved his naysayers wrong and established himself as one of the industry's best talkers. He won the Wrestling Observer Newsletter's 'Best on Interviews' award for 2018.

Fans got behind Danielson after he was beaten in 18 seconds by Sheamus at WrestleMania 28. A year down the line, he was the most popular babyface in the WWE.

Danielson beat John Cena to win the WWE Championship at SummerSlam 2013 but was attacked by special guest referee Triple H during the celebrations. This allowed Randy Orton to cash in his Money in the Bank briefcase and snatch the title.

WWE's initial plans called for Danielson to work with Sheamus again at WrestleMania 30. However, due to a confluence of events and fan demand, the company relented and gave The American Dragon his fairytale story.

#1 Former WWE Champion CM Punk

With his numerous tattoos and unremarkable physique, CM Punk never fit WWE's vision for a Superstar. However, Punk made up for it with his tremendous promos and in-ring performance. In his first pay-per-view match at Survivor Series 2006, The Straight Edge Superstar got a better reaction than DX and Rated-RKO.

Despite the fans' desire to see Punk in a prominent position, he was only used in middling storylines. All this changed after the infamous "pipe-bomb" promo, which saw Punk air his grievances while promising to leave with the WWE Championship in his hometown of Chicago.

This segment established Punk as the hottest commodity in professional wrestling. He eventually became one of the focal points of television for the remainder of his tenure. Punk also enjoyed a legendary 434-day reign as WWE Champion before dropping the title to The Rock.

He followed up this run by facing The Undertaker at WrestleMania 29 in what turned out to be the best match on the show.