Last month, Cody Rhodes left the WWE and announced that he did so, at least in part, because he was unhappy with his character within the company’s storyline. He had been performing for some time as Stardust and was denied the chance to return to his Rhodes character.
Much like Rhodes, there are plenty of WWE superstars who might find themselves in a less-than-desirable position on the roster. While WWE’s pay may be better, and the expected brand split might help, here are five performers who could possibly land in greener pastures with another company.
#1 Ryback
Ryback’s inclusion on this list may be a mere technicality after his public squabble with WWE and its booking decisions last month. “The Big Guy” has grown disenchanted, particularly after winding up on pay-per-view kickoff shows despite being in a feud with Kalisto for the United States Championship.
If he were to go to another company, Ryback could find a rejuvenated career regardless of any claims about the safety of working with him. His size and brutal style might be popular in Japan, and his truly intimidating look is an easy sell as a monster heel or even juggernaut face.
#2 Tyler Breeze
Tyler Breeze has been on the main roster for a little more than eight months since his call-up from NXT, and not much has happened for “Prince Pretty.” Sure, he was included in the tournament for the vacant WWE World Heavyweight Championship in November 2015, but there hasn’t been much else besides a feud with Dolph Ziggler.
Breeze is back on television regularly now as part of a tag team with Fandango, but it’s hard to say if that will have staying power or if it’s just a temporary assignment to get over the Golden Truth. His gimmick may not have a future on WWE programming, but his performance in it shows that he could be an asset as a character performer, and his ring work would be a good fit with any company.
#3 Paige
Paige made quite an impact with her debut in WWE in April 2014, defeating Divas Champion AJ Lee to become the youngest such champion and first to win in her debut match on the main roster. Since then, Paige has remained near the top of a division that has become much more loaded recently.
The British superstar may benefit from the expected brand split, as more performers will need to get more TV time. Still, Paige’s pedigree as the daughter of renowned British wrestlers and her abilities both in the ring and on the microphone would make her a welcome addition to almost any promotion, and she would find a much easier time getting to the top of a division that didn’t include Charlotte, Sasha Banks, Becky Lynch and, eventually, Bayley.
#4 Hype Bros.
Many would argue that Zack Ryder should count his blessings that he went from NXT and Live Events to winning the Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania. Still, he and Mojo Rawley have been mostly stuck in limited action for months.
Yet, the appeal is clearly there for the Hype Bros. They are incredibly popular and entertaining at Live Events, and they have a high-energy style that actually includes some impressive tag-team wrestling. A promotion like Ring of Honor or even TNA could benefit from having them on the roster.
#5 Dolph Ziggler
No one on this list has the WWE pedigree that Dolph Ziggler has. He’s a four-time Intercontinental Champion and also held the United States Championship, tag team gold and the old World Heavyweight Championship, which he held twice. On top of that, he was the last man standing in the 2014 Survivor Series match that temporarily ousted the Authority from power.
Yet, what is he doing now? He’s locked in a feud with Baron Corbin that has seen him lose more than he wins and has recently devolved into a series of low blows. Beyond that, he hasn’t had a meaningful storyline in months and could be a huge star in almost any other promotion in the wrestling world.
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