'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
In 2017, numerous wrestlers have left the WWE in search of greener pastures. At first glance, this might seem peculiar as WWE is the largest sports entertainment promotion in the world.
So how would any wrestler stand to make more money performing for smaller promotions?
It really comes down to if the wrestler is being used to their potential by the WWE. In the case of Cody Rhodes, he felt he could be a main event player but Vince McMahon disagreed.
Now he is getting the chance to be a main event player outside of WWE and is making more money as a result.
This article takes a look at five underappreciated WWE wrestlers who would make more money if they left the company.
#5 Apollo Crews
Apollo Crews spent four years exciting crowds in the Dragon Gate USA promotion under the name Uhaa Nation before signing with the WWE. He even joined forces with his current teammate in the Titus Worldwide, Akira Tozawa, for a period while in Dragon Gate.
He has also wrestled for Evolve, where he was scouted by WWE.
Crews became quite popular in Dragon Gate and could easily win over crowds in Japan and the American independent circuit if he was to return. Currently, Crews is just a guy who loses matches on Raw, most recently to Samoa Joe.
He would stand to make more money main eventing shows outside of WWE than losing matches on Raw.
#4 Cesaro
Cesaro used to wrestle under his real name of Claudio Castagnoli for promotions such as Combat Zone Wrestling, Pro Wrestling Guerilla, ROH, Pro Wrestling NOAH and Chikara. He earned a very positive reputation on the independent scene before being signed to WWE in 2011.
At 36 years of age, Cesaro still has a few years of his athletic prime left. If he wants to spend those years in WWE's tag team division that's one thing, but he would certainly make more money if he was to leave the company and join Chris Jericho and Kenny Omega in Japan.
Cesaro is the kind of guy that Vince McMahon doesn't appreciate as much as the independent circuit does.
#3 Luke Harper
Luke Harper's name is frequently mentioned when wrestling fans talk about underappreciated WWE stars. For the vast majority of his time in the WWE, Harper has been relegated to minor storylines and serving as a follower of Bray Wyatt.
Just recently he has been repackaged along with Eric Rowan as the Bludgeon Brothers. He wrestled on the independent circuit for a few years before landing in WWE and was generally well-respected.
Harper was a well-known hardcore wrestler, who had battles with Dean Ambrose in Combat Zone Wrestling.
Any wrestling organization aside from WWE would give a talented big man like Harper a big push. We're just waiting for him to take the jump.
#2 Matt Hardy
WWE doesn't seem too interested in pushing Matt Hardy as anything other than his brother Jeff's tag-team partner. This was the case while both of them were in WWE previously as well.
Jeff Hardy was seen as a big star while Matt was never put on that level.
What we have learned about Matt in the last few years, however, is that he's very creative. The #Broken universe he created in TNA is arguably the most over a Hardy storyline has ever been.
That the WWE isn't using his creative mind at the moment seems like a waste.
Before he re-signed with the WWE, he was having main event matches with the Young Bucks in ROH and could likely tour the country selling out smaller venues doing the same if he was to leave.
#1 Daniel Bryan
Daniel Bryan's WWE contract is believed to come up for renewal in September 2018. By the sounds of it, Bryan plans on leaving WWE to go to a promotion which will allow him to wrestle.
WWE doctors won't clear Bryan to wrestle due to his history of concussions and seizures. Bryan's own doctors disagree, however, and will clear him to wrestle.
So if Daniel Bryan wishes to resume his pro wrestling career, which he does, he will be doing it outside WWE.
Daniel Bryan will be a main event star in whatever promotion he goes to. That main event position stands to pay him considerably more than the one he has on SmackDown now as well. However, it will be interesting to see if he returns as a full-time wrestler or a part-time act
Send us news tips at [email protected]
