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Becoming a WWE Champion is a dream of every aspiring pro-wrestler. To compete in the main event scene is why these wrestlers decide to pursue their lifelong dreams of becoming WWE Superstars. However, it's not easy for everyone to make their way into the elusive spot of the 'main event'. Over the years, several talented WWE Superstars had the potential and talent to break into the main event picture, but they failed to do so.
There can be multiple reasons why Superstars failed to break into the main event spot despite their high expectations. Either they were active at a time when the main event scene was already stacked, or their potential wasn't fully recognized by the higher-ups in WWE.
Some of the prime examples of Superstars who certainly deserved the main event spots in WWE are Ricky Steamboat, Razor Ramon, Mr. Perfect, and many more. While all of them are reputed names, none of them were world champions in WWE or even WCW, for that matter.
Similarly, the current WWE roster is the strongest it has ever been, and as a result, many gifted talents have found themselves struggling to break into the main event scene. In this list, we will look at five such current Superstars who have the caliber to be main event talents but have consistently found themselves in the mid-card.
#5 WWE SmackDown Superstar Chad Gable
The former American Alpha member, Chad Gable, has been languishing on the WWE main roster for a few years now. Teaming with Jason Jordan in NXT, the duo found considerable success on the main roster, where they won the SmackDown Tag Team Championships. However, the tag team was soon broken up, and the two found themselves treading water for some time. While Jordan tangled with big names like Roman Reigns, John Cena, and Seth Rollins, a career-ending injury soon forced him into premature retirement.
On the other hand, Gable found a new partner in Bobby Roode, and they held the RAW Tag Team Championships. However, their partnership was eventually ended by the creative team. Since then, Gable has found intermittent success, with his performance in the 2019 King of the Ring winning him praises all across the board.
In recent weeks, Gable has been teaming up with Otis, and Gable also serves as a mentor figure to his tag team partner. With his fantastic in-ring skills and likable personality, Gable can very well be the next Daniel Bryan if the WWE creative realize his potential and put him in some notable feuds.
#4 WWE RAW Superstar Ricochet
When Ricochet signed with WWE in 2018, many fans had termed it as an important acquisition for the company. Ricochet's in-ring skills are indicative of the modern pro-wrestling landscape, where his ability to surprise the audiences with his skillset can take a Superstar a long way. Though he enjoyed some success in NXT, where he won the NXT North American Championship once, his debut on WWE RAW and a surprisingly lackluster feud with AJ Styles resulted in some doubts regarding his actual potential.
His U.S. Championship reign, which was cut short after just 21 days, further showed signs of WWE giving up on his potential. In early 2020, he was booked to face Brock Lesnar at WWE Super Showdown, with fans believing this might finally help him find his way into the main event picture. The One and Only lost in under two minutes, and his stock in the company further dwindled.
Since then, Ricochet has been embroiled in a feud with RETRIBUTION, who tried to recruit him into the stable. Also, he lost his Royal Rumble qualification match to AJ Styles recently, which is yet another sign of the company mishandling a potential megastar.
#3 WWE SmackDown Superstar Sami Zayn
The fact that Sami Zayn has been on WWE's main roster for nearly six years now, and won his first mid-card championship gold only last year, shows how poorly he has fared despite his incredible talents. Signing with WWE back in 2013, after a decade-long decorated career in ROH and the indie scene, Zayn quickly established himself as a relatable babyface. His NXT Championship win in late 2014 is one of the most emotionally rewarding moments on WWE's Black and Gold brand.
However, his career on the main roster was highly underwhelming right from the beginning. Though he was booked as an underdog contender, he never won the matches that mattered. A victory against Kevin Owens at WWE Battleground 2016 indicated that he finally break into the coveted main event scene, though it didn't go ahead as expected.
A heel turn in late 2017 and a recent career resurgence with two short, albeit entertaining Intercontinental Championship reigns have brought him back into prominence, though he certainly deserves even more. Zayn's current persona of The Great Liberator has won him several plaudits, and he could have been thrust into the main event scene if not for the stacked SmackDown roster.
#2 WWE RAW Superstar Shayna Baszler
One of the most dominant performers in WWE, Shayna Baszler, was once touted to be the Superstar who could fill the void created after Ronda Rousey took a leave of absence from the company in 2019. Despite having a tremendous NXT career, where she became the first-ever two-time NXT Women's Champion, and an incredible showing in the Royal Rumble 2020 match, Baszler's momentum has considerably cooled off since then.
Though her match against Becky Lynch at WrestleMania 36 was kept short for understandable reasons, Baszler should have ideally walked out of the event as the new RAW Women's Champion. Since then, she formed an unlikely tag team with Nia Jax, with the duo capturing the WWE Women's Tag Team Championship on one occasion. Her in-ring skills, which are a combination of combat skills and traditional grappling, coupled with her tough persona, have been widely appreciated.
Several fans have clamored for Baszler to be pushed into the main event scene, but the WWE creative has shown no interest in it. With Alexa Bliss, Asuka, and Charlotte Flair being the dominant forces on RAW, it looks hard for Baszler to break into the limelight anytime soon.
#1 WWE RAW Superstar Mustafa Ali
RETRIBUTION leader Mustafa Ali is the most under-appreciated Superstar in WWE, and it's not even close. Joining the company in 2016, Ali impressed everyone with his series of fantastic matches against the former WWE Cruiserweight Champion Buddy Murphy. Moving to the main roster in 2018, Ali found support from Vince McMahon and Daniel Bryan, who recognized his boundless potential.
He seemed to be right on the path to stardom, but an unfortunate injury halted his momentum. He was scheduled to participate at Elimination Chamber 2019, but the injury forced him to withdraw, and instead, Kofi Kingston took his place. Kofi's performance in that match only added further momentum to the Kofi-Mania storyline, and the rest is history.
Currently serving as the head of the anti-WWE stable RETRIBUTION, Ali has somehow managed to add some credibility to the group with his outstanding mic work. Using the real-life incident of Kingston taking his place and winning the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 35, Ali seems to be on the course of a career resurgence. If the feud between the two culminates at WrestleMania 37, a win for Ali might do wonders and possibly take him into the main event scene on WWE RAW.
