The new no.1 contender for the WWE World Heavyweight titleIn pro wrestling, the fans always yearn to see the best performers putting on the greatest matches possible.There is a reason why the likes of Kurt Angle, Chris Benoit, and Dynamite Kid will have a special place in the hearts of the hardcore fans, and that is due to their unbelievable work ethic, and their ability to put on an incredible match with any opponent.However, with the WWE trying to expand to other markets, the ambition to create superstars who have the cross-border appeal have resulted in the company investing in superstars who are average at best inside the ring.Vince McMahon always used to say that the fans do not know what they want, and it is the responsibility of the promoter and the organization to give what the fans sometimes fail to appreciate.While there are two sides to every story, in the past decade, WWE has pushed some questionable talent. While WWE’s intention was always to put on a better product, it has backfired on multiple occasions, due to the superstars not getting over with the fans.In this article, we take a look at the five overrated superstars in the past decade.Honorable mention: Sin Cara – although Cara has been one of the best luchadores in history, the masked wrestler failed to make an impact in the WWE. After coming to the organization with much fanfare, Cara became injury prone, and after a frustrating spell with the organization, he was released from the company.
#5 Roman Reigns
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No other superstar in recent memory has received more criticism and flak for something the management decided to do than Roman Reigns.
After The Shield split, it was believed that it would either be Dean Ambrose or Seth Rollins – the two more talented individuals who would benefit from the decision. However, with Roman Reigns’ chiseled look and his prototypical WWE build, the powers that be decided to choose him instead as the face of the company.
However, there was another element that led to the fans turning on the superstar.
When the fans wanted to see Daniel Bryan at the helm, who is arguably the most loved superstar since “Stone Cold” Steve Austin’s meteoric rise in the company, the WWE decided to feed him to Roman Reigns. With the WWE Universe firmly behind the bearded superstar, the WWE should’ve seen it coming, especially after what happened the previous year.
Anyways, with Roman’s mediocre mic skills and his inability to adapt and improve in the ring, the fans started to believe that it was the WWE that was force feeding the fans, resulting in Roman becoming one of the more overrated stars in the recent past.
#4 Ryback
When Ryback debuted in the WWE, it was clearly visible that he was very green in the ring,and needed more time to improve.
However, WWE built Ryback as one of the greatest forces in the company, feeding him jobbers and stars who’re low on the pyramid. Ryback’s undefeated streak was seen as a sign of WWE trying to make him one of the biggest names in the company, and it didn’t go down well with the fans.
Ryback was always considered to be a little rough in the ring, and it proved to be right as he injured a couple of superstars. The most noteworthy of them was CM Punk, who went on Colt Cabana’s podcast and slammed Ryback for his irresponsible actions.
There was a point during Ryback’s feud with CM Punk, when the fans turned on Ryback and instead, started cheering for Punk, who was the villain. But with Ryback being prone to injuries, WWE’s plans never materialized, and he instead became the WWE Intercontinental champion earlier this year.
#3 The Miz
When The Miz debuted in the WWE, there were numerous reports about how he thought he was bigger than the other stars, resulting in him getting kicked out of the locker room.
However, along with John Morrison, The Miz became one of the most entertaining stars in WWE’s version of ECW. The Miz was always a fan of the WWE, and it was also mentioned that the former reality star got into WWE with the intention of getting into Hollywood.
However, The Miz showed potential on the mic but was mediocre in the ring. The WWE decided to put the WWE title on The Miz, and with him working hard backstage, it was seen as WWE repaying the superstar for his positive attitude, and wanted him to become the next John Cena – a price tag that was too much for him to handle.
From main eventing WrestleMania to not even being a part of the show in the coming years, Miz’s fall from grace was a story to behold. Miz became complacent, and his attitude changed drastically.
While most of the fans never got on the bandwagon, The Miz did himself no favours by becoming stale, and his main event match at WrestleMania against John Cena was considered to be one of the most badly booked and executed matches in recent memory.
#2 Nikki Bella
Recently, Nikki Bella became the longest reigning Divas champion in history, surpassing AJ Lee’s record.
The Bella twins have dominated the divas division for a while now, and considering where the duo were a few years ago, many would be surprised at how fast both the divas have climbed the ladder in the division.
It is a known fact that WWE was more interested in pushing Brie two years ago, while Nikki was always the sidekick to her sister. But, with Nikki dating John Cena and Brie dating Daniel Bryan, who at that point were the top two superstars in the company (many would argue that they still are, although Bryan’s injury has put him on the shelf indefinitely), Nikki soon won the WWE Divas title.
While Nikki has worked hard recently to improve in the ring (as witnessed last night, against Charlotte), there are many other talented divas backstage, who’re miles ahead of her on the mic and in the ring. However, with Nikki staying at the top, and many fans attributing her success to dating Cena, she has become one of the most overrated stars on the show.
#1 The Great Khali
With the WWE trying to enter the Indian market, they needed an Indian face to cater to the audience.
WWE has always expressed its interest, sending numerous superstars over the years to keep the audience engaged. However, when they came across the Indian giant, they believed that they hit the jackpot, and Khali’s debut would attest to how serious WWE was about him.
Khali made one of the most shocking debuts in WWE history, attacking and physically decimating the greatest superstar in WWE history – The Undertaker. Khali picked up victories against the Deadman, and soon found himself in contention for the World Heavyweight title. Khali then became the world champion, and his stock rose overnight in India.
Khali’s trip to India received a tremendous response, with every major personality lining up to meet him. The news channels too started airing Khali’s matches, and WWE couldn’t have been happier.
However, with Khali’s limited mobility and his inability to win over the fans in North America, he was soon demoted and later released from the company. This puts Khali at number one in our list of the top 5 overrated stars in the past decade.