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WWE has seemingly turned a corner with fresher content and high-quality wrestling bouts within the squared ring. Repackaging of superstars being high on the agenda with Bray Wyatt being introduced as 'the Fiend' in one of the most fear-inducing segments in recent times. His arrival has been met with a lot of critical acclaim.
While superstars such as Buddy Murphy and Ricochet have benefited from WWE's new approach, the same cannot be said for a couple of individuals. Both rosters are stuffed with top-class talent. With the company's use of the Wild Card rule, mid-level talents aren't being utilized to their full potentials.
WWE has managed to counter this problem with the King of the Ring tournament and have been successful to an extent as well. Former World Champions such as Jinder Mahal, who was pushed not too long ago is now on the verge of disappearing. Some stars like Cesaro, Tyler Breeze and Fandango have taken a different path to sustain their careers.
They are now part of NXT UK and NXT to reinstate their credentials and regularly compete rather than waiting on the wings for an indefinite period. This isn't a problem just confined to the male roster with the Women's division being heavily dependant on the likes of Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair and Bayley.
With injured superstars also being considered, here are five WWE superstars, male and female, who are being underutilized or could return to have a significant say in 2019.
#5 EC3
Ethan Carter 3 or more commonly known as EC3 is one of the better competitors going around in WWE. Although his first stint in WWE was a no show, he has returned better and fitter with a commendable showing in TNA.
In his brief period in WWE's developmental brand, NXT, EC3 gave a good account of himself against Adam Cole and Velveteen Dream. He was even part of the Ladder Match to crown the inaugural North American Champion last year. EC3 made his Raw debut against Dean Ambrose (Jon Moxley) but hasn't found himself in any meaningful storyline till date.
Occasionally seen on TV as part of the comical 24/7 Championship segments, EC3 is quite appealing on the mic. With a good physique as well, EC3 has the potential to scale heights on either roster. Due to the crowded mid-card list, he wasn't able to shine and is slowly running out of time as well. EC3 has only been showcased as a face although he is quite capable of portraying a heel. With a lack of good heels in the mid-card which has already forced WWE to turn Sami Zayn as a heel, EC3 could be the perfect answer with the introduction of a manager if necessary.
#4 Naomi
Former Smackdown Women's Champion, Naomi's stocks have gone down lately due to several reasons. The emergence of Becky Lynch and her rivalry with Charlotte Flair and currently Sasha Banks has pushed quite a few down the pecking order.
Although she might lack grace while on the mic, she is a world-class athlete inside the ring with her high-flying style being well-known to the WWE Universe. Over the last year or so, Naomi hasn't been involved in a concrete feud apart from the one involving her husband, Jimmy Uso and Mandy Rose.
Even that storyline led to nothing with Naomi still stuck in the mid-card and waiting to pounce on any opening she finds. Naomi even won the inaugural Women's Battle Royal at WrestleMania 34 while showcasing her moves and ability against some of the best female superstars.
The WWE Universe is also quite aware of what she is capable of in the ring. As part of the WWE Year-End Awards 2018 which were votes by the fans, Naomi was adjudged the most underrated superstar in the business.
While she is making a habit of pulling off Kofi Kingston like moves in the Women's Royal Rumble matches, Naomi could well be another underdog story such as the current WWE Champion if pitted against the right opponent, perhaps Charlotte Flair.
Only time will tell if WWE is willing to push the Florida native and provide her with an opportunity to win what would be her third Women's Championship in the company.
#3 Bobby Lashley
Bobby Lashley's case is a curious one. Regarded as one of their brightest talents in the previous decade, Lashley was part of a few iconic storylines as well. Having won the ECW Championship, he was part of an epic feud between WWE Chairman, Vince McMahon and Donald Trump.
Lashley can also take credit for Santino Marella's dream debut against Umaga. He did leave the company soon after and plied his trade for different promotions. It was in TNA where Bobby Lashley indeed rose to prominence with a firm heel character hell-bent on staying at the top of the mountain.
He made his return to WWE in 2018, the night after WrestleMania 34, amidst huge fanfare. Ever since his return, he hasn't done much apart from a below-par reign as Intercontinental champion. In spite of having an able manager in Lio Rush for the better part of 2018, he wasn't taken seriously by the fans due to the lack of a robust storyline.
Currently injured and on the sidelines, Bobby Lashley was even looked upon as almost an equal to Brock Lesnar given his MMA experience. He is quite capable of generating heat upon himself with his antics and should be pushed as a top heel.
With superstars such as Bray Wyatt and Sasha Banks reintroduced with a bang after injury concerns, Bobby Lashley could also experience a similar sort of an introduction upon recovery.
#2 Cesaro
Cesaro has been in the company's books for a pretty long time although he hasn't achieved much success as a singles competitor. Blessed with immense strength and athleticism, Cesaro was initially put off due to his lack of mic skills. During his time with Sheamus, Cesaro improved on the mic while cutting decent promos as a tag team.
Although he possess all the skills to be a top performer in WWE, Cesaro has only one US Championship reign to show for as a single competitor.
After the Superstar Shakeup earlier in the year, Cesaro had to split ways with his tag team partner, Sheamus and take another dive into singles action. It hasn't been smooth sailing for the former five time Raw Tag Team Champion with losses to the likes of Ricochet, Miz and Aleister Black not doing his stocks any good.
What many do not know about Cesaro is he was once a Paul Heyman guy albeit for a very short period of time. It shows how much the WWE Universe and creative value his skills.
Without any direction in the main roster, Cesaro forrayed into NXT UK and put on a masterclass against Ilja Dragunov. The quality of the match was quite high and is being regarded as one of the matches of the year as well.
All of this is a testament to Cesaro's undeniable potential. WWE has to find a way to inculcate Cesaro into their plans with the emergence of AEW already attracting a couple of former WWE stars such as Jon Moxley and Shawn Spears.
#1 Aleister Black
Former NXT Champion, Aleister Black made his WWE debut earlier this year alongside Ricochet. The duo competed as a tag team till the Superstar Shakeup and impressed the WWE Universe with their wide range of manoeuvres.
But since the Shakeup, Aleister Black has found it tough on Smackdown Live with the Former Tommy End only beating Cesaro of note to do his stocks any good. His bouts in NXT propelled him to the very top with his match against Velveteen Dream even being awarded Match of the Year.
With a very unique style of wrestling, similar to the that of Shinsuke Nakamura, Black is one of the best in-ring performers in the world. His cryptic promos also do the trick although WWE might be slightly overusing them off late, as they did with Bray Wyatt initially.
While he waits patiently on the sidelines, WWE creative could have given him a push in the ongoing King of the Ring tournament. Instead, they chose to feature former 205 stars, Cedric Alexander and Buddy Murphy. Although they are brilliant performers also, Black can enthral the crowds with his endearing character and attitude.
With Kofi Kingston most likely to beat Randy Orton at the Clash of Champions PPV, he will need a new challenger. With the likes of Kevin Owens, Samoa Joe and Randy Orton all failing to dethrone the current WWE Champion, Aleister Black's hysteric personality and the sense of uncertainty that comes along with the former NXT Champion make him a perfect opponent. Given both their talents inside the ring, the storyline has all the makings of an instant classic.
