8 Wrestlers that may leave the WWE someday

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are of the author only and not of Sportskeeda.

Without a doubt, the best-known company in the business, the vast majority of professional wrestlers hope to have an impactful run in the WWE someday. As a result, it may seem like getting an extended run as a member of the company’s roster would inherently be a wonderful experience. However, no matter how glamorous it may seem from the outside looking in, there are some former WWE wrestlers that walk away from their time there with a bitter taste in their mouth.

Held back far too often, when performers have previously found huge success elsewhere that can be maddening. On top of that, a lot of fans may not realize it but lower card wrestlers aren’t exactly making a fortune. With all of that in mind, it is time to look at this list of 8 WWE wrestlers that may leave the company on bad terms someday.

In order for someone to be considered for possible inclusion on this list, they first of all need to be a current WWE employee who was hired to be an on-air talent. On top of that, there needs to be one reason or another to believe that when they leave the company someday, they will be departing with raw feelings.

#8 Apollo Crews

At this point, it may be hard to remember but when Apollo Crews signed with the WWE and was set to join NXT’s roster fans were extremely excited. Blessed with all but one of the things Vince McMahon likes in a wrestler, Apollo isn’t tall for the WWE but he has an incredible physique and can do amazing things in the ring.

Rushed up to the main roster far too quickly, Apollo hadn’t found his stride in the company and it seems like there were no concrete plans for him going forward. Teaming with Titus O’Neil in a forgettable duo for a long time now, they are so undervalued that they were not chosen to represent Raw at the 2018 Survivor Series event. Seemingly a placeholder to fill out Raw’s roster, Apollo is far too talented for him to be playing such a forgettable role in the WWE.

Likely to light the indie scene on fire whenever he returns to it, based on Apollo’s mediocre WWE run he has every reason to walk away with a chip on his shoulder.

#7 Primo and Epico

An entry that includes two wrestlers for the price of one, Primo and Epico are so intertwined that writing about them separately would make no sense. In fact, ever since this pair became a tag team, the WWE has made zero attempts to distinguish them from one another despite the fact that Primo has spent more than a decade with the company.

Among a select few WWE acts that many fans forget are still an active part of the WWE roster, these two appear on the main shows so rarely that they might as well not be. Tapped to represent SmackDown Live at Survivor Series 2018, that may seem like a big deal but the company’s hand was forced since the blue brand only has 5 healthy and available tag teams.

This pair has been used so poorly throughout their time as a WWE tag team, it is astonishing they haven’t followed in the footsteps of their relative Carlito and walked away. Certain to have a spot in a promotion co-founded by Primo’s father should they take it, after becoming WWC Superstars it would be hard to not look back at their WWE years without anger.

#6 Luke Harper

Introduced to the WWE fans as a key member of the Wyatt Family, when that group first debuted it seemed like they were destined for great things. However, despite the fact that they seemed so creepy at first, it didn’t take too long for bad booking to chip away at their mystique. Eventually broken up, for a while it seemed like Luke Harper could become one of the biggest solo stars to come out of the family.

A massive man that is able to exude a frightening energy, on top of that Harper has also proven to be surprisingly good in the ring. When you add all of that up, it really seems like this behemoth of a man should have had WWE main events at his fingertips. Sadly, the company has never put him in a position to truly succeed.

Currently absent for a quite a while since as tag team partner works to rehab a torn bicep, Harper is injured as well now prior to that he should have received a starring solo role. An indicator of how poorly his huge potential has been tapped, Harper could unleash the resulting frustration with a vicious Japanese wrestling run in the future.

#5 Zack Ryder

One of the most common nuggets of wisdom WWE fans are fed when they complain about their favorite Superstar being underutilized, evidently it is that performer’s own fault for not grabbing the brass ring. While that argument made some sense for many years, the story of Zack Ryder’s time in the WWE flies in the face of anyone that tries to make this argument.

Notable early on for his run as one of Edge’s henchmen, once that run came to an end Ryder was faced with the prospect of years of irrelevance followed by his inevitable release. Far from content with that idea, he instead opted to take his own career in hand by creating a YouTube show that made him hugely popular.

So beloved at one point that fans demanded the WWE turn him into a star, it briefly seemed like Zack Ryder was destined for big things. Instead, he has been decimated by one star after another and aside from a pair of short and underwhelming runs as United States Champion Ryder has never been given his due.

Able to land his dream job where he sadly has been booked properly despite turning himself into an internet craze, if Ryder isn’t annoyed with how scarcely he has been used he is a much better man than most.

#4 Asuka

At one time someone that was on the receiving end of positive comparisons to WWE Hall of Famer Goldberg, for more than a year Asuka ran through all of her competition. Visually colorful and prone to unleashing vicious strikes and kicks, it really seemed like Asuka was one of the most destructive WWE employees of any gender.

The first winner of a Women’s Royal Rumble match, going into her debut WrestleMania match it seemed like Asuka had the wrestling world on a string. Given her first WWE loss at that event, at first, that seemed like it could be a good thing since it gave WWE creative more options with her character. Unfortunately, since then she has been largely diminished even though audiences continue to have big reactions whenever they hear the opening notes of her entrance music.

Only becoming a lesser star with each week that passes, Asuka deserves so much more than the WWE is giving her. As such, it seems like her career will continue to stagnate until she wrestles for another company.

#3 Eric Young

Someone that rose to fame due to his lengthy run in TNA/Impact Wrestling, by the time Eric Young signed with the WWE he had grown from a comedy act into an intimidating one. Possessing one of the most distinctive voices in the business and someone that carries himself with a maniacal look in his eyes, to NXT’s credit they found the perfect gimmick for Eric.

The leader of SAnitY, one of the most threatening NXT acts of all-time, he and Nikki Cross were the two biggest stars of a group that seemed destined for huge things. Called up to the main roster before too long, alongside two of his SAnitY teammates, they have barely been a part of SmackDown Live since then.

Deserving of a huge push, if Eric Young and his SAnitY cohorts were introduced as a real threat, à la The Nexus or The Shield, he could be a huge star today. As of now though, Eric’s WWE run pales in comparison to his time with TNA/Impact Wrestling.

#2 Sasha Banks

One of a select group of performers that are responsible for the new respect the WWE gives their female division, Sasha Banks’ incredible NXT run took the wrestling world by storm. A part of arguably the best women’s match in WWE history, the Iron Man match with Bayley, not only did fans realize how good Sasha clearly did too.

Brought up to the main roster at the same time as several other ladies, for a time it was hard for Sasha to truly stand out. However, after fighting her way to the top of the Raw Women’s division, she became a four-time WWE Raw Women’s Champion. While that was impressive, she and Charlotte Flair flipped the title back and forth so quickly that it almost became meaningless.

Thrust into a long-running on-screen relationship with Bayley for months on end now, they’ve been best friends and enemies but the important thing is their interactions haven’t really gone anywhere. Among the hottest acts in the business not too long ago, seeing how Sasha is being underutilized is sad.

#1 Bobby Lashley

One of the most baffling WWE runs of the last several years, when Bobby Lashley made his return to the company after more than 10 years he seemed destined for gigantic things. Pushed to the moon during his previous run, at the time he owed his lofty place on the roster due to how hugely muscled he was. However, in the years since then, Lashley had a stellar TNA/Impact Wrestling run in which he became a much better all-around performer and a marvelous villain.

Still as massive as he ever was and now able to portray a character with style, Lashley was ready to take the bull by the horns. Incredibly enough, however, since then he has been used so poorly that he is nowhere near the star that he was during his first WWE run or his time in TNA/Impact Wrestling.

The formerly intimidating Lashley has been underwhelmingly booked several times and that might lead him to call time on his WWE career again.

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