Wrestlers you never thought would become main eventers

[Maverick]

Edge was the biggest shocker for me. I remember when I first saw him, he was the guy doing the entrance through the crowd, he'd come in, win then leave. He was quiet, mysterious and very popular IIRC. Then when Christian came in, it gave him something different to go with and I liked them as a team. Then I thought they'd get nowhere as a tema and be gone soon. They eventually got title shots but were never really billed as tag team competition for any champions. When they finally won the belts at wrestlemania I was genuinely shocked as I had the Dudleys or Hardys to win it. And then Edge got a nice build up, winning the IC belt, KOTR, and kind of staying there at that level for ages. Then all of a sudden hes Mr. Money in the bank and boom, wins the belt and practically stayed in the main event.

 

Jeff Hardy. I remember him challenging Orton for the belt and thinking, thats as far as he'll get, but then proved me wrong and won the big one.

 

Y2J. I always liked Jericho, he was loud, obnoxious and great in his matches. I just neevr figured he'd go on to win the title. Then he did and I loved it.

 

JBL. Thought his days were done when Faarooq left, but then went on to become the most entertaining heel ever and great champion.

I was shocked at the big outpour of emotion on some places over Edge's retirement, I like the guy and have been entertained by him over the years but didn't really ever see the guy as a legend or anything, he just didn't have that aura of a Hogan, Rock, Austin or even a DiBiase or Sting type for me, he was always going to be a shoe-in for the hall of fame and did some very good stuff over the years but really don't see the guy as big as some other people have made out.

[Slapnut]

I'll add another for Edge. He was pretty much my favourite wrestler since I can remember and, even though I was sure he had the tools, I still didn't think he'd make it as high as he did. I was sure as shit he'd be WWE Champion by the end of 2003 at one point mind, then his neck injury made me think otherwise.

 

I was shocked at the big outpour of emotion on some places over Edge's retirement, I like the guy and have been entertained by him over the years but didn't really ever see the guy as a legend or anything, he just didn't have that aura of a Hogan, Rock, Austin or even a DiBiase or Sting type for me, he was always going to be a shoe-in for the hall of fame and did some very good stuff over the years but really don't see the guy as big as some other people have made out.

 

I think this was because they never seemed to show a lot of faith in him as a top top guy. He only ever seemed to be champion when somebody was injured or to keep it warm for somebody else. They only really showed that faith in him at the end of 2010.

[Killjoy_Gee]

I was shocked at the big outpour of emotion on some places over Edge's retirement, I like the guy and have been entertained by him over the years but didn't really ever see the guy as a legend or anything, he just didn't have that aura of a Hogan, Rock, Austin or even a DiBiase or Sting type for me, he was always going to be a shoe-in for the hall of fame and did some very good stuff over the years but really don't see the guy as big as some other people have made out.

 

I think the reason I was so overwhelmed and upset by Edge's retirement was because it came completely out of nowhere, as well as the severity of it. Part of me was always very attached to him as the first match I ever saw was TLC at Summerslam 2001, so to see a guy who had always been a constant (or near enough) for me in the industry forced into retirement was upsetting.

 

For me, The Miz was someone I never thought I'd see succeed. When he debuted I literally couldn't stand him; it wasn't 'Oh he's heel, boo him' it was more like 'Eh? Who cares'. What turned it around for me was 'The Dirt Sheet'. That was the first time I started to see potential for him. Come Wrestlemania main event I was literally shouting and screaming for him to beat Cena, because I want Miz to be a big deal!

[ShortOrderCook]

Kane. Who knew he would still be there or thereabouts 13 years on? Jack Swagger.

 

Really? Quite the prediction from Jack there.

[RIDDUM_N_STYLE]

i didnt think shawn michaels would be a main eventer initially, always thought he was a great wrestler during the rockers days but thought as a singles that he would only be at IC level, even after the survivors match v bret in 92. it was only after the rumble win and mania match in 95 that i started to believe he could be a top tier guy and a year later it happened

[PunkStep]

Orton, Cena and Mysterio. When they first appeared in the WWE, an episode of Smackdown ended with the three of them in the ring as Michael Cole called them "The future of the WWE". I regrettably thought "You must be joking".

That was Edge, Cena & Mysterio- not Orton.

 

Obvious one for me is JBL- never in a million years did I see him holding the WWE title for nearly a year until it actually happened. Total shock, but it didn't take him that long to look convincing in a main event. Very, very good heel. The Miz is another obvious one, Pity covered my thoughts earlier.

 

I never thought Triple H would become a main eventer back in his Greenwich snob days, especially one of the magnitude he has become.

 

It's hard for me to say I didn't think Edge would become a main eventer, because it's clear WWE had been grooming him for it pretty much since he debuted. His WWE career until his first WWE title reign was a long, slow push. Everyone said he would be a main eventer in the future, so I expected that eventually it would happen. As for Jeff- back in the TLC days I thought he would become a main eventer, as he was the most over from that tag division, and many were tipping him to be the next Michaels (pffft). But fast forward years down the line, after he left WWE and was in TNA doing very little, I'd never have thought a couple of years later he would be a WWE Champion- I thought the ship had well and truly sailed.