The WWE roster is filled with a variety of different Superstars, but a disturbing trend seems to be developing when it comes to the company’s veterans. With the exception of a few top stars, anyone with over a decade under the WWE banner is being ignored.
It makes sense for the older generation to make room for the younger wrestlers to come in and make a name for themselves, but there is always going to be value in having a few experienced Superstars in regular rotation.
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John Cena, Randy Orton, the Hardys and Brock Lesnar will always get a lot of attention because they have been popular their entire careers, but a lot of guys with more history in WWE are sitting on the sidelines doing nothing while everyone else passes them by.
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WWE has several hours of programming to fill every week, so there is no reason why some of these Superstars can’t be used a little more often. They could pass on their experience to the new crop of wrestlers while getting a chance to prove they can still perform as well as they did 10 years ago.
This slideshow will look at 10 veteran Superstars who deserve more attention than they have been getting in recent years.
#5 Curt Axel
Believe it or not, Curt Axel has been with WWE in one form or another for a decade. He got his start in Florida Championship Wrestling before taking part in the second season of the original incarnation of NXT.
He has been with the main roster on and off since joining The Nexus. His biggest push came when he was chosen as Paul Heyman’s first new client since returning to manage Brock Lesnar. He won the Intercontinental title and had a few high-profile matches before being paired up with Ryback in a strange tag team.
Axel has had a few storylines over the years, but he has mostly been used to put other people over. Even without his family name, Axel is a great technical wrestler who is capable of so much more than he has been allowed to do on WWE television.
He is someone who could really benefit from a stint in NXT. The hardcore fans would give him a better reception than the casual crowds who attend main roster shows. He could work on his character while competing against the best and brightest of the developmental system.
Once he gains enough momentum, WWE could bring him back to Raw or SmackDown and insert him into the midcard title scene. If he doesn’t find success after all that, then maybe he is a lost cause after all.
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#4 Kane
The Undertaker has always been the more recognisable of the two brothers, but Kane is someone who can still bring a lot to the table, especially if he is playing the most demented version of his character instead of a corporate stooge.
Kane’s career is winding down, and he is running a political campaign, so it’s understandable why we haven’t seen him in a long time, but even before he took a hiatus, he wasn’t being used in a way that honoured his contributions to the company.
More often than not, The Big Red Monster was relegated to putting other people over before they faced their rival at a PPV. His size and personality always make him seem like a threat, but his win-loss record makes him a lot less intimidating.
If he ever returns for one more run, WWE should give him a sendoff worthy of his career. He might not get the big goodbye The Undertaker received at WrestleMania, but he deserves to ride off into the sunset on his own terms.
#3 Rhyno
Rhyno has been teaming with Heath Slater for several months, and when they first got together, it was a match made in heaven. Slater’s over-the-top personality played off Rhyno’s more subdued attitude to form a great Odd Couple dynamic.
For some reason, WWE stopped pushing the duo as soon as they won the SmackDown tag titles. The fans loved them and connected with Slater’s need to provide for his family, so when WWE stopped putting any effort into their characters, nobody understood why.
They have been even less successful since being drafted to Raw. The best hope we have of seeing them these days is in a random backstage segment where Rhyno is shown eating spray cheese and crackers for no logical reason.
This is a guy who dominated everyone in ECW and created fear in his opponents with his massive physique and dangerous Gore finisher. He might not be world title material anymore, but he has earned more respect than he is being given. He should be mowing people down in the ring, not snacking on imitation cheese products.
#2 Mark Henry
Mark Henry is a legitimate legend who has set numerous world records and competed for his country at the Olympics. His power is on par with the strongest competitors in the world, and he has more agility than most realise, but for one reason or another, we haven’t seen him in months.
Henry is another Superstar who is getting closer to hanging up his boots for good. His career has spanned more than 20 years, so he paid his dues a long time ago. Considering his impressive resume, it's shocking it took him as long as it did to win his first world title.
Henry has had some good runs, but he was never really a main eventer. He flirted with the top of the card on several occasions, but injuries or inexplicable losses cut short every push he was given. It got annoying after awhile.
How are we supposed to take The World's Strongest Man seriously when he is regularly losing to guys less than half his size? Henry could have been a monster, but WWE never actually gave him enough of a chance. If he has decided on a date to end his career officially, WWE should give him one last big match so he can leave with his head held high.
#1 Big Show
Big Show has gone through a major transformation over the past year to get himself into the best shape of his life, and for some reason, the powers that be in WWE can’t find a way to use a giant with a six-pack.
We know Vince McMahon has picked Braun Strowman to be the next unstoppable force in WWE, but Big Show could still be the immovable object on the SmackDown roster. His veteran experience and immense size would contrast most of the younger, smaller talents on the blue brand.
Unlike most of the names on this list, Big Show was actually one of the top stars in the business for a long time. His run in WCW saw him defeat legends like Hulk Hogan, and he continued to find success in WWE after jumping ship.
However, the past several years have seen him move to the background. He is the kind of performer who seems happy giving back to the business and making other people look good, but it shouldn’t come at the expense of his character.
He is guaranteed to have a spot in the Hall of Fame when he retires, but until that day comes, management should be taking advantage of his new physique and putting him in feuds for the WWE or universal title.
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