5 former WWE superstars who've succeeded elsewhere

WWE may be the biggest wrestling company in the world, but that doesn't mean staying there is always for the best option for the wrestlers. There have been many wrestlers who haven't gotten their just dues in WWE and made the bold decision to leave to search for better opportunities elsewhere.

Some succeed outside the WWE but quite a few don't. Here are a list of 5 wrestlers who left WWE to eke out a successful career outside of WWE.

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#5 Damien Sandow

Following his departure from WWE in 2016, Damien Sandow briefly appeared on the international scene, before joining Impact Wrestling. A change of name and appearance followed, and he went by the ring name Aron Rex, while also appearing beardless.

Almost immediately, Rex went on to win the inaugural Impact Grand Championship, equaling his total championship tally in WWE. He has now left Impact to focus on acting for a while.

#4 John Morrison

John Morrison left WWE back in 2011 and at the time, it seemed like a terrible mistake. But it's turned out to be a REALLY terrible mistake. Morrison is one of the best athletes who has been in the WWE in recent years, he was definitely WWE Champion material. He had some success in WWE, but has been more successful since leaving.

He has gone by the names Johnny Mundo and Johnny Impact, and has won the Lucha Underground Championship, the Gift of the Gods Championship, and Trios Championship in Lucha Underground.

He is currently a triple champion in AAA, holding the AAA Mega, AAA Latin American and AAA World Cruiserweight championships, becoming the first in history to hold all three simultaneously. WWE missed a trick in not bringing Morrison back this year.

#3 EC3

If you heard the name Derrick Bateman, or ECIII as he is known now, you could be forgiven for not knowing much about him. He had a little bit of success in WWE's old developmental brands FCW and OVW, and he appeared on the fourth and fifth seasons of NXT (back when it was a strange reality show, only really good for giving us The Nexus) but was released.

So, he joined Impact Wrestling, under the name Ethan Carter III. He was almost automatically pushed, as the storyline nephew of then president Dixie Carter.

In four years with Impact, he has solidified himself as a major part of the current Impact universe, becoming a two-time World Heavyweight Champion, and the current Impact Grand Champion.

#2 Alberto Del Rio

Of everyone on this list, Del Rio is the one who had the most success in WWE. Already well established when he joined WWE, Del Rio was a main player for a number of years in the company.

During his two spells in WWE, he became a four-time world champion (WWE Championship and World Heavyweight Championship twice each), a two-time United States Champion, and won the 2011 Royal Rumble and 2011 Money in the Bank (only person ever to win both in the same year).

After leaving for the second time, he went back to using the name Alberto El Patron, and has been just as successful in other promotions. He has won the AAA Mega Championship in AAA.

He was the first unified GFW World Champion since GFW merged with Impact Wrestling. It's safe to say that success is in this man's blood.

#1 Cody Rhodes

Cody Rhodes should have been WWE Champion. There is no sugar coating it when it comes to this second generation superstar.

He had success in the mid-card, becoming a two-time Intercontinental Champion, and a six-time tag team champion with different partners, not to mention a memorable run as part of Randy Orton's group Legacy.

But, after being made an almost parody of his half-brother as Stardust (a character Rhodes has admitted to actually like portraying) he asked for his release from WWE. He has since won numerous titles in different promotions, including ROH World Championship, GFW Nex*Gen Championship, and WCPW Internet Championship to name but a few.

He has also joined the infamous Bullet Club in NJPW. In my opinion, WWE should be begging the American Nightmare to rejoin the company.