5 WWE Superstars who were unable to live up to lofty expectations

Within the WWE Universe, there are many different aspects of a performer that make them popular amongst fans. Whether it's their ring work, look, microphone skills or a combination of them all, some athletes just 'can't miss'.

Then? There are hopefuls that, for whatever reason, they can't break through to the next level. Many of them were once considered blue chip prospects for the company, only to fall through the cracks.

For every Kurt Angle or The Rock, there are dozens of other blue chippers who couldn't live up to the initial hype. Someone who looks the part and appears to be on a rocket ship to stardom, only to have the entire mission aborted.

Here are five names of former WWE 'Can't-Miss' Superstars who somehow fell by the wayside.

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#5 - Marc Mero

World Wrestling Entertainment signed Johnny B. Badd away from WCW in 1996, giving him one of the promotion's first guaranteed contracts. It was an impressive deal at the time, mainly because Vince McMahon was fascinated by the character.

There was only one problem: World Championship Wrestling owned the gimmick. So, the man behind the gimmick had to go by his real name. Enter 'Wildman' Marc Mero.

While it wasn't quite what they expected, WWE did get a spectacular athlete in Mero, who looked fantastic in the early stages of his early tenure there. He also brought along a bonus: his gorgeous wife, Sable.

When Sable ended up becoming the star of the pair, Mero's days were seemingly numbered. He also battled injuries and was forced to go for a more grounded style - one that focused more on his boxing background.

By now, everyone knows the rest of the story. Eventually, the couple split and she's now married to The Beast Incarnate, Brock Lesnar.

Mero, for his part, had a solid career in WCW and WWE, but never became what McMahon originally saw in him. He's now retired from wrestling and is a popular motivational speaker.

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#4 - As the son of a former WWE World Champion, Shawn Stasiak could have carried on the family tradition

If your father is former WWE (then-WWWF) world champion Stan 'The Man' Stasiak, you already have a lot of high expectations.

Add in the fact that the younger Stasiak was an amateur star at Boise State University and looked like a million bucks, and he defined the term 'WWE Superstar'.

It wasn't meant to be, however, as both of Stasiak's stints with the promotion went horribly wrong.

He first entered the promotion under the name of 'Meat', the boy toy of Terri Runnels, Jacqueline and Ryan Shamrock. But that wasn't his downfall (believe it or not). In a well-documented incident, he was fired for having a tape recorder in his bag in the locker room. With the Monday Night Wars in full swing, it was a serious 'no-no'.

In his second stint, he was portrayed in more of a comedy role, winning the Hardcore title on numerous occasions before requesting his release in 2002. He's now a chiropractor in the Dallas, Texas, area

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#3 - Maven

WWE had high hopes for the inaugural Tough Enough winner when he entered the promotion in late 2001. They had reason to, as Maven not only had raw ability, but natural charisma. It looked as if he could emerge as one of the faces of the promotion for years to come.

He started off with significant momentum. Within a short amount of time, he engaged in a mini-feud with The Undertaker, defeating him for the Hardcore title and eliminating him in the 2002 Royal Rumble. At the time, he appeared to be on a roller coaster ride to success.

Unfortunately for Maven, he suffered some nagging injuries and also began losing steam in storylines. Within four years of signing with the promotion, the former Pro Wrestling Illustrated Rookie of the Year was released.

Despite making some appearances in wrestling and on television, Maven never achieved the fame it initially appeared he would.

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#2 - Mark Jindrak was originally chosen to be part of Evolution

How different would the history of WWE look right now if it had been Mark Jindrak in Evolution instead of Batista?

That was the original plan, and initial publicity photos of the group have Jindrak as part of the faction. With his amazing athleticism and power, he would have fit in perfectly as the fourth member.

After being replaced, Jindrak didn't last long for WWE. He took his talents south of the border and became a star for CMLL in Mexico.

Still? One has to wonder what kind of career he could have had with World Wrestling Entertainment if he had the opportunity to be part of such a high-profile storyline. With his massive talent, the sky could have been the limit.

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#1 - Test

When Test entered WWE in the late 90's, he drew immediate comparisons to former WWF World Champion Diesel. His height and power, along with his flowing locks and similar moveset, made him look like an updated version of Big Daddy Cool.

After starting out as part of T and A with Albert and Trish Stratus, his career really began to boom. He was involved in a romantic storyline with Stephanie McMahon. Needless to say, standing next to the daughter of the most powerful man in sports entertainment shines quite a light on you.

It didn't last long, though, as he was booted from the angle by Stephanie's real-life love interest, Triple H. After that? Test's career stalled a bit and certainly never reached that level of hype again.

He spent nearly 10 years with the company and grabbed a lot of gold along the way. But for someone who was tabbed as possibly a future world champion? He never really came close. Sadly, Test passed away in 2009 at just 33 years of age.