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WWE boasts a large pool of talented wrestlers from all across the globe. Even though the roster is overpouring with stars, the company still scoops out top athletes who are making a buzz in the independent scene. If they manage to impress the higher-ups, they get offered a contract to sign with the company.
Competing in WWE is a huge dream for many wrestlers, so many of them immediately jump at the opportunity of working for the company. Others, however, came close to getting hired by WWE only for things to take a different turn. While WWE looks to hire wrestlers that they can turn into polarizing stars, the company also comes to a point where they have to fire a few Superstars.
Some of these stars came close to being cut, but they were fortunately spared by the powers that be with the help of an influential person. Let's take a look at the five wrestlers WWE almost fired and five they almost hired.
#10 WWE almost fired: Titus O'Neil
Although Titus O'Neil isn't an established main eventer in WWE, he is still an influential person in and outside the ring. He is a WWE ambassador and influencer who has won awards for his contribution and community work.
One would think that WWE would be appreciative of the amazing work he does for the company, but in 2016, Titus O'Neil almost lost his job simply because he grabbed Vince McMahon's arm while the Chairman was exiting the stage during Daniel Bryan's retirement ceremony on Monday Night RAW.
Thanks to Triple H, Vince McMahon was talked against firing Titus O'Neil. Instead, he suspended the latter for 90 days, which was shortened to 60. According to O'Neil, he was just trying to allow Stephanie McMahon to pass first, so he simply grabbed Vince McMahon's arm to move him out of the way. On the Chasing Glory with Lillian Garcia podcast Titus O'Neil stated:
"It's water under the bridge. Really. It happened and I took ownership of it. Regardless of if I was right, wrong, or indifferent or if the situation could've been handled differently. It happened. I served my suspension and it's over with."
#9 WWE almost hired: Moose
Moose originally began his career in the NFL before pursuing a career in professional wrestling. He made his debut for Ring of Honor in 2014 and competed there until his departure in 2016 with reports linking him to both WWE and TNA. He went on to sign with IMPACT Wrestling after WWE reportedly backed off due to a 2009 domestic violence allegation.
When another opportunity to sign with the company was available in 2018, Moose remained in IMPACT instead. He revealed:
"They [WWE] were interested and I almost did sign there... and, at the end of the day, I took the best situation that was best for me. Not saying that I don't ever want to work there because at some point I do - everybody's dream at some point was to work for WWE - but as of right now I'm happy with Impact and I want to build my reputation and build my brand here."
In IMPACT Wrestling, Moose grew into a main event star and he refers to himself as the 'real world champion.'
#8 WWE almost fired: Becky Lynch
'The Man' Becky Lynch is a top star in WWE and one of the highest-paid wrestlers on the roster. Lynch was also the inaugural SmackDown Women's Champion and one of the first women to main event WrestleMania.
During her initials days as a developmental talent, however, The Man struggled to get things right, and thus, the company was about to fire her. 'The American Dream' Dusty Rhodes, however, stood up for Becky Lynch and convinced the higher-ups to give her another chance.
The former RAW Women's Champion thanked the late Dusty Rhodes for saving her career during an interview with Kristine Leahy.
"I'd probably just cry and say, 'Thank you Dusty,' cause I don't know if I'd still have a job if it wasn't for Dusty.”
Thanks to Hall of Famer Dusty Rhodes, Becky Lynch remained in the company and went on to become the face of WWE.
#7 WWE almost hired: Abyss
Christopher Joseph Parks AKA Abyss currently works in WWE as a producer, but a long time ago, the company was interested in signing him after he made a name for himself in TNA. The 6ft 8in, 350 lb monster was TNA's version of Mankind/Kane, so due to his dark character, WWE planned to book him into a match with The Undertaker in 2006.
Abyss, however, decided to remain with IMPACT due to his loyalty to the promotion. He explained:
"There was interest from [WWE]. I was at a time in my career where my contract was coming up, but I decided to stay with TNA… It was definitely an offer there in 2006 to work with Undertaker, but again, I was such a big part of the beginning of TNA, I was such a home-grown talent, a base talent who they were building around, I decided to stay. I have no regrets, to be honest with you."
Abyss passing on the chance to wrestle The Undertaker in 2006 shows just how loyal he was to TNA, which is a rarity in professional wrestling.
#6 WWE almost fired: Alexa Bliss
Alexa Bliss is currently involved in a major storyline with Bray Wyatt/The Fiend in WWE. Bliss is also a former RAW Women's Champion, SmackDown Women's Champion, women's Money in the Bank winner and she was also one-half of the WWE Women's Tag Team Champions.
Alexa Bliss is a top star in WWE, and it's hard to imagine how things would've been if she wasn't in the company. During her time in NXT, however, she was just another developmental talent on the roster who would've easily been cut with not many people noticing, which was bound to happen.
Alexa Bliss, however, chose to rebuild herself and improve her in-ring and mic skills which proved to be a success for her upon arriving on the main roster. During an interview for the Sam Roberts Wrestling podcast, Little Miss Bliss stated:
"From day one I knew it was my sink or swim moment because in NXT as a good guy my character wasn’t getting over and when I was told about the pairing with Blake and Murphy I knew there had to be a character change. Wednesday night we had TakeOver and I pushed Enzo and helped keep them as champions. I came the next day with new gear and different hair and I knew that if I didn’t run with it, I probably wasn’t going to have a job."
Alexa Bliss also credits Murphy and Bayley for helping her develop in NXT. She admitted that her future in WWE could've been bleak if it wasn't for both of them.
#5 WWE almost hired: Eddie Edwards
Former two-time IMPACT World Champion Eddie Edwards is another wrestler who turned down a deal to sign with WWE. After WWE signed EC3 and Bobby Lashley, two major TNA stars, they were also reportedly interested in signing Edwards to NXT after his contract expired.
The former X Division Champion, however, ultimately decided to continue his career in IMPACT Wrestling instead of joining some of his former co-workers in WWE.
#4 WWE almost fired: Batista
'The Animal' Batista attained success in WWE as a main event wrestler before making it in Hollywood as a mainstream star. The former World Champion headlined multiple pay-per-views including WrestleMania and he was also a member of the popular faction, Evolution.
Batista competed in WWE's former developmental territory Ohio Valley Wrestling before moving up to RAW. After arriving on the main roster, his future was very thin. During an episode of Talk is Jericho in 2017, Jim Cornette spoke about how Batista almost got fired by WWE.
"We had a tailor-made gimmick for Undertaker, Kane and Big Show, and they bring [Batista] up and put him with D-Von, hang that thing around his neck and put a suit on him to cover up his muscles. I had lost my mind; then they were on the verge of firing him until he started working out with Triple H."
Batista found success as a part of Evolution and he credits Triple H for helping him reach that feat. The Animal put The Game over at WrestleMania 35 which was the former's final wrestling match.
#3 WWE almost hired: James Storm
WWE attempting to sign James Storm to a contract has been an ongoing saga. The company tried to sign the former TNA World Heavyweight Champion several times to no avail. James Storm had a short stint on NXT in 2015, but he returned to TNA/IMPACT Wrestling after turning down a WWE contract due to IMPACT offering him more pay.
During an interview, James Storm revealed that he was supposed to make his long-awaited WWE debut after WrestleMania 36, but the company had to put the offer on hold because of the COVID-19 pandemic. He stated:
"We agreed on all the terms. It was signed... I signed the contract and all that stuff and I was just waiting to take the physical. They called me and told me it was going to be put off because of all the stuff going on. You just take it and keep rolling. It's not their fault. It's just how everything is right now."
James Storm is optimistic that another opportunity to join WWE will arrive, and he's also hopeful that he and Robert Roode will reform Beer Money when they reunite in the company.
#2 WWE almost fired: John Cena
16-time World Champion John Cena is one of the biggest and most polarizing Superstars in WWE history. He carried the company throughout the PG era and has put over many up-and-coming stars along the way such as Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins and more.
John Cena captured many titles in WWE and had many great matches with a lot of Superstars. If it hadn't been for Stephanie McMahon, however, none of that would've happened. Early on in his career, John Cena was about to be fired by WWE, but Stephanie McMahon didn't let it happen.
Speaking on episode two of the WWE Network's Ruthless Aggression documentary series, Cena revealed that he was told that he was set to be released from his contract in 2002.
"I was told that I would be getting my release in Christmas Cuts, because it just wasn't working. We travel as a community, so we’re all on the same bus. So I heard a bunch of guys sitting at the back of the bus like Rikishi and Rey Mysterio kind of leading the charge and they were all freestyling. And I remember just being like, “Let’s go try this!” Just drove right in, and it was like it resonated with me."
Stephanie McMahon couldn't believe Cena was able to freestyle, so she challenged him to rap about the tuna she was eating.
"In two seconds, I made a small rap about the tuna fish, the jetway, the plane we were about to go on, and the destination and then closed it with a comment about Stephanie. She said, 'Would you like to do this on television?' I said, 'Absolutely'".
Just weeks later, The Doctor of Thuganomics was born and as they say, the rest is history.
#1 WWE almost hired: Kenny Omega
Kenny Omega was a big name in Japanese wrestling and his matches with Kazuchika Okada are considered by many fans and critics to be one of, if not, the best in modern wrestling. Omega also held NJPW's top prize the IWGP Heavyweight Championship.
With accomplishments like this, it isn't hard to fathom why WWE was interested in signing him. The company approached him with a contract several times and he turned all of them down, but after leaving NJPW in early 2019, Omega and WWE were in discussion for a deal. The company reportedly gave Kenny Omega a 'fantastic offer' to convince him to sign.
The Best Bout Machine, however, signed a four-year contract with AEW instead as a wrestler and an EVP. Omega revealed that he was considering joining WWE, but AEW offered him something that WWE couldn't, which was creative control.
“I had always felt when I had full creative control of my own person and own ideas that I could be the true me and show my full potential. I was actually considering going there earlier in the year, but AEW just seemed right for me. I always get really excited at the idea of having full creative control and just doing new things.”
Omega is currently signed to AEW, but in professional wrestling, anything can happen. We might see him in WWE in the future.
