WWE is the biggest wrestling company in the world, and because of that, only the talents who are incredibly over get the top main event pushes. A lot of that comes down to how WWE orchestrates things, with the likes of Roman Reigns and John Cena being pushed heavily by the company, getting hand-selected to be major stars.
However, every now and then a wrestler like Daniel Bryan gets themselves over organically, forcing WWE's hand. But not every wrestler who manages to become incredibly popular gets that same opportunity, and throughout history, the company has really dropped the ball on some insanely talented and popular stars.
10 Rusev
Considering Rusev's outstanding popularity and fantastic in-ring ability, he really should have been a top World Champion in WWE. While he was great as a heel and did get an initial push, the real wasted opportunity was during the huge Rusev Day era.
The wrestling world was firmly behind Rusev at that stage and he was arguably the most popular wrestler in the entire company. But for some reason, WWE just didn't make the most of him.
9 Broken Matt Hardy
When Matt Hardy returned to WWE at WrestleMania 33, he was one of the most popular and sought after wrestlers in the world. His Broken gimmick was incredibly over with fans and it was something fresh and unique that the industry hadn't seen before.
While he initially got pushed working back with Jeff, after that he should have become a huge name as Broken Matt Hardy. However, WWE provided a watered-down version with the Woken character and he wasn't utilized to his full potential.
8 Tazz
Tazz was an incredible professional wrestler who was as legitimate as they come. He had become popular working in ECW and when he finally arrived in WWE he should have been a major name.
However, Vince McMahon clearly didn't believe in him as a World Championship threat, which is a huge shame. While Tazz might have been small in stature, he could mix it up with the biggest of wrestlers and his intensity really would have made him a perfect and believable fit in the main event scene.
7 Dusty Rhodes
While it might seem crazy to think that WWE could waste one of the greatest wrestlers of all time, that was very much the case. When Dusty Rhodes finally joined WWE, he was treated more as a comedic joke than a serious World Title threat.
Yet even though he was thrown out and made to wear polka dots and dance, he still managed to become the most popular man on the roster. But his ability to turn lemons into lemonade still wasn't enough to get him the run that he deserved.
6 Dolph Ziggler
Sure, an argument could be made that Dolph Ziggler has had a very good WWE career, and to a degree, that is very much the case. However, Ziggler became so popular with the fans that he could have had an amazing star.
Ziggler cashing in the Money in the Bank is one of the loudest pops in WWE history, so the fact that he didn't remain in the main event scene and become a World Champion consistently is a clear sign of WWE not capitalizing on an opportunity.
5 Zack Ryder
Zack Ryder is one of the best examples of a wrestler who was unbelievably over with the fans, yet WWE just didn't know what to do with him. It seemed like the company resented him for being so popular, which he did all on his own through his YouTube channel.
WWE had the chance to push him to the moon as a top main event star, but instead, they had him get destroyed by Kane and humiliated by Eve Torres. While he had a lengthy WWE career and some real positive moments, there is no doubt that WWE missed the boat on him.
4 Tye Dillinger
Much like Zack Ryder, Tye Dillinger was never the chosen one in WWE, even during his time in NXT he was always kept away from the main event. However, his charisma and in-ring ability just shone through and he won the fans over with ease.
The "10" chants became incredibly popular, to the point where they were deafening. But, instead of making the most of his popularity and creating a new star, WWE just kept having him lose until the audience no longer had a reason to care.
3 Mr. Kennedy
Mr. Kennedy had proven himself as both a top babyface and a top heel as he was someone that the WWE Universe was just very interested in. He had untapped charisma and was a really solid in-ring worker as well, which should have made him a prime target to be a World Champion.
Instead, one mistake inside the ring against Randy Orton ended up bringing an end to his career with the company, which is a shame as he could have been a big name in the industry.
2 Ryback
Some fans may no longer like Ryback due to him being fairly outspoken as well as the comments that CM Punk made about him. However, the Big Guy was wildly over with the WWE Universe at one point.
The problem was that WWE pushed him to the main event and then had him lose consistently. That took away all of his momentum and the fact he left WWE with just one Intercontinental Title reign is a big disappointment, as he could have become so much more.
1 Mr. Perfect
While Mr. Perfect was someone the audience tended to love to hate, he was absolutely over with the fans. Everyone could see his natural in-ring ability and it was clear that he was someone who could have been the ultimate wrestling star.
He had the gimmick, a great look, and fantastic in-ring ability, but he didn't get the push his talents deserved. While he was certainly someone who had a solid career, Mr. Perfect could and should have been so much more.