5 Big WWE signings that ended up being huge disappointments

WWE is the biggest Sports Entertainment juggernaut around and one reason for this is simply because of money. The company certainly has the most revenue, which has allowed WWE to sign the biggest stars of all time.

And ever since the recent arrival of promotions like AEW, the McMahon-owned promotion are definitely trying to lock down the biggest stars from the independent scene. From new WWE UK Champion WALTER, to NXT's newest signee KUSHIDA, it's clear that no-one can battle the chequebook of Vince McMahon.

And yet, sometimes the WWE will have a huge star, ready to do whatever they want in WWE, and things don't work out for a multitude of reasons.

Here are five huge signings who came to the WWE, but ended up being huge disappointments and the reasons why these top stars didn't pan out.

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#5 Scott Steiner

Steiner made his return to the WWE at Survivor Series 2002, but left in 2004.

When WCW died in early 2001, a lot of high-profile stars were left without a job. Slowly but surely, these stars came to the WWE, as names like DDP, Scott Hall, Kevin Nash and Hulk Hogan all joined within a year of the Atlanta-based company's demise.

At Survivor Series 2002, Scott Steiner made his WWE return, and almost immediately engaged in a feud with Triple H. Unfortunately, the feud was a bust, as the pair simply did not gel in the ring during their title match at the 2003 Royal Rumble or their No Way Out rematch.

Leaving in 2004, Steiner has become a highly controversial figure. With Steiner saying some very unflattering things about Triple H and Stephanie McMahon, don't expect to see a return by Freakzilla anytime soon.

#4 Hideo Itami

Itami was released by WWE earlier this year.

NXT for several years now, has been seen by many fans as the best thing on WWE TV. The developmental brand of the next generation of Superstars, the show's arguable heyday came in 2014, with the signing of the NXT Five: a group of elite Superstars from around the world.

And though Finn Balor, Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn and Neville all went on to hold championship gold, Hideo Itami did not fare so well. The former KENTA, Itami received stop-start pushes in WWE, as a series of injuries often left him on the shelf.

When one of these injuries resulted in Itami being forced to pull out of a number one contender's match, the WWE had an un-seen attack, followed by a whodunnit storyline. The assailant was never revealed, as the company dropped the story, showing they really had nothing for him.

#3 Tazz

A former ECW World Champion, Tazz's WWE career piqued at his Royal Rumble 2000 debut.

In ECW, Tazz was a killer: a legit dominator who would choke opponents out left and right and rightly earned himself a legion of fans. So when the Human Suplex Machine joined the WWF in 2000, there was a lot of hype.

Debuting at the Royal Rumble in MSG, Tazz was the surprise opponent of Kurt Angle, choking the Olympian out and handing Kurt his first pro-wrestling loss.

And then, everything went down-hill.

Within months, the Red Hook native tumbled down the card, until he was lucky to get any victories. Feuding with the commentary team over the summer, it was clear that Tazz wasn't the same killer he once was.

Perhaps the biggest sign of this disappointment, was at the '01 Rumble, just one year after his incredible debut, where Tazz was eliminated in seconds.

#2 Ultimo Dragon

Dragon was a huge star but failed to make waves in WWE.

When Ultimo Dragon joined WWE in 2003, fans had high expectations. A graduate of the New Japan Dojo, the masked Superstar had been a spectacle in WWE, and was already regarded by many as one of the greatest cruiserweights around.

But just months into his tenure, it was clear that the company had no idea what to do with him, focusing on stars like Rey Mysterio and Chavo Guerrero, so it was no surprise that the masked sensation requested his release in 2004.

Sadly, Dragon is perhaps best remembered in his WWE tenure, for slipping during his entrance at WrestleMania 20 not once, but twice.

At least Dragon got to do two things that very few wrestlers have been able to accomplish, compete at WrestleMania, and at Madison Square Garden, feats Dragon achieved on the same night.

#1 Sting

Sting announced his retirement from wrestling at the 2016 WWE Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

Don't get me wrong. I love Sting. Everyone loves Sting right?

The icon of WCW, Sting would be the last big star from the now-defunct company to join WWE, making his debut at Survivor Series 2014. Unfortunately, what could have been a great run, really ended on a whimper.

Engaging in a feud with Triple H, it seemed clear that the Stinger was going to win in his debut match at WrestleMania 31, which was ultimately won by the Game.

Entering a feud with Seth Rollins over the WWE World Heavyweight Championship months later, the Icon again came up short though it was an injury during their title match that ended his career.

Though Sting is now a big-time player as a representative for WWE, many fans can't help but feel disappointed in his handful of matches.