5 Wrestlers who got sidelined in WWE but succeeded in other promotions

Cody Rhodes was once considered a big prospect in WWE
Cody Rhodes was once considered a big prospect in WWE

#4. EC3 - A big star in Impact Wrestling but an underwhelming one in WWE

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EC3 had two unsuccessful stints in WWE
EC3 had two unsuccessful stints in WWE

EC3 was one of the biggest success stories of a WWE superstar who didn't succeed but eventually did in Impact Wrestling. EC3 seemed to have the look, but it didn't work out in his first WWE run.

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That didn't seem to matter because his stint in TNA/Impact Wrestling between 2013 and 2018 was a huge success. It was another story of a superstar with potential who couldn't make it at first in WWE but became popular elsewhere.

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And by all means, EC3's success in Impact Wrestling was no fluke. He developed a strong character and became the best part of the promotion consistently.

This resulted in EC3 becoming a two-time Impact World Heavyweight Champion before he rejoined WWE in 2018. This time, it seemed as though things would be different for him. EC3 developed a strong persona and was a solid in-ring worker. It came as no surprise that he was fast-tracked through NXT and joined Monday Night RAW.

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This, however, was where all the problems began again. Jon Moxley/Dean Ambrose, who was a heel at the time, revealed that EC3 received heat because he wasn't able to get over as a babyface against him.

Additionally, EC3 wasn't even allowed to speak a word - taking away his biggest strength. Unfortunately, it led to him being sidelined in WWE for another year, constantly underutilized.

He would be released by WWE on April 15th, 2020 as a part of the COVID-19 budget cuts.

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Edited by Kartik Arry
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