To say that there have been many men and women to come through the revolving door of professional wrestling would be a severe and utter understatement. A lot of talent has wrestled in the ring and traveled up and down the roads of North America and the rest of the world as a whole, in order to entertain fans of all kinds. Some have done their job extraordinarily well and few have even risen to the very top of the business, establishing themselves as game-changers in every sense of the term. The names that come up are of course Hulk Hogan, Stone Cold Steve Austin, Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels, The Rock and of course John Cena. Yet not even these men can be left out of the theme we’ve got for you in this article.

“Dropping the ball” is a figurative expression symbolizing the ruination of a certain event or momentum of an individual or even a team. Some of the aforementioned men have fallen in that category and there are many who have dropped the ball at the worst time possible, and at times at the detriment of their livelihoods and even their all-important legacies.

So let’s go back in time, shall we? To the careers of 15 men who dropped the ball big time at one point in their careers and in some cases, their whole careers were a “dropped ball.” Curious? We’ll say. Read on and find out who made the list.

15 Daniel Bryan

Daniel Bryan has captivated audiences for years now, and all with his skill and dynamic performances in the famed squared circle. He studied at Shawn Michael’s school, the TWA, and graduated with flying colours, so to speak, having won a championship there before moving on to other wrestling territories including Ring Of Honor. He moved along quickly, his aggressive style setting him aside, fans claiming him to be a dedicated worker.

Only his early run in the WWE didn’t go quite as well as he would have planned.

It was that aggressive style of his that got him in deep trouble, ultimately earning him a pink slip. He hurt a few wrestlers on his route to trying to make a name for himself. The occurrence left many to believe that he didn’t have enough respect for the business, as many classic wrestlers, particularly Bret Hart state that protecting your opponent is one of the most important jobs of any wrestler. Well, it seemed that he learned his lesson. He was let back into the company and was injured himself, being shelved for quite a few years—he too thinking his wrestling career was over. But he has returned and he seems as dedicated as ever. Let’s just hope he pulls those punches and sharp kicks.

14 Brock Lesnar

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Brock Lesnar is no doubt “The Beast Incarnate,” and he is undoubtedly an incredible athlete. He has proven himself time and time again and on many different stages of sport.

Lesnar started as a collegiate wrestler and he no doubt did very well in that domain. He then moved onto professional wrestling and for a few short years he dominated the sport, impressing most with his size, strength and powerhouse performances in the ring. But what he made up for in strength and showmanship, he lacked in endurance, and when we say endurance, we mean being able to endure the difficult road all wrestlers must fare from day to day. The schedule isn’t for everybody, and it proved extremely difficult for young MR. Lesnar.

But what most don’t know, is that many wrestlers put their successes aside to put Lesnar first, setting him up for many successes that he enjoyed. When he decided to leave the company in 2004, he hurt many that had put their successes on hold to allow him to shine, namely The Undertaker. He went on to play a little football, but he made the most noise at the UFC, actually becoming champion, shattering that wall, before returning to the business that made him.

13 RVD

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The ECW was a pivotal wrestling organization that can clearly be considered “underground,” as it was the most violent, and was very popular among the 14-31 year old demographic—especially among the fans who had been tired of the same old product. Many stars were introduced in that company, namely: The Sandman, Sabu, Tazz and none other than Rob Van Dam. His claim to fame was his martial arts expertise, his laid back attitude and his unique resemblance to blockbuster action star, Jean-Claude Van Damme. He also was extremely talented in the ring. He made it to WWE, having had many runs in the company.

In 2005, a few years after the ECW had closed down, the WWE decided to run a Pay Per View dedicated to the old, original ECW. The event did so well, they ran it again the following year on June 11th, 2006. The event promised violence and an epic payout, and it delivered on both counts. But what it delivered most was a huge surprise that no one was expecting. In the main event, pitting John Cena against RVD, nobody expected the underdog, RVD, to take home the WWE championship, but that was exactly what happened. Only, despite being granted such an honour, RVD was penalized for having gotten detained while carrying the strap. He was forced to hand over the title sooner than was originally planned.

12 Mr. Kennedy

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Mr. Kennedy made an impact on the world of professional wrestling. And if for nothing else, it was his rather original entrances that made him extremely appealing to audiences. Picture this if you will: The arena is slightly dark, except for a few flashing lights. A wrestler of decent athleticism walks to the ring—his attitude apparent on every inch of his face. The attitude screams: “I’m the man!” He gets into the ring, an old school microphone lowers to the ring, attached to a cord, and this man grabs hold of the mic, screaming his name, then taking a long pause before uttering the name again.

Not impressed? It did get old pretty fast, but the fact of the matter is, the company did give Kennedy every opportunity to take the proverbial ball and run with it, expecting great success for the wrestler, but as it turned out, he dropped the ball instead. He couldn’t seem to capitalize on every opportunity he was granted, and every time out, he came up short. He also worked at TNA, eventually earning the strap there, but his legacy has been drawn, and the picture shows a man who didn’t deliver in the end.

11 Ahmed Johnson

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Now here’s a guy who should have succeeded at every turn. Especially when looking at pictures of when he was in his prime. Ahmed Johnson was the perfect example of the ideal wrestler, especially when regarding the standards set by Vince McMahon and the whole WWE. A big, sturdy, strong wrestler was the ideal and if you were buff and menacing, you had just the right stuff to receive the push of all pushes, garnering success to any wrestler who fit the bill.

This is still an effective way to make it ahead in the WWE even to this day.

A perfect example is Jinder Mahal. He was a lot smaller a few years back. His career was very uneventful, for lack of a better term. He jacked up to epic proportions and bingo … he was given a title run and an epic push. We’re not saying he doesn’t deserve it, as he has worked hard, we’re just trying to show the norm which is a common thread in the WWE. Only when it came to Ahmed Johnson, he was tailor made to succeed, but he had a massive flaw in his arsenal … he was way too aggressive and he ended up hurting some of the talent. At the end of the day, you can’t trust an aggressive athlete.

10 Kurt Angle

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Kurt Angle is a former Olympic medalist in amateur wrestling. The work he did on the mat is bar none, more impressive than anybody else, and that is no doubt a large statement in and of itself, considering there have been many to have wrestled collegiately and at the amateur ranking before making it to the professional level. Kurt Angle is no exception. In 1996, he shocked the world, bringing home the gold medal with none other than a broken neck. He was propositioned by the ECW for a job, but once he saw the product they offered wrestling fans, he turned them down, completely turned off of their programming. Angle later accepted offers from the WWE, and his career was off to an impressive start. He received rave reviews for his dedication and the mat work he did in his early matches with the company.

His exceptional matches led to a great fan following and his matches were ranked as some of the absolute best in WWE history. Unfortunately, all these accolades led to a time when he decided to call it a quits at WWE; with him choosing to give TNA a try. When he decided to leave the company, Vince McMahon told him: “Those gold medals will only take you so far.” Kurt worked for over a decade at TNA, eventually returning to WWE a few years back, but many have criticized his leaving the company in 2006.

9 Dean Ambrose

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Dean Ambrose is no doubt a rather recognizable face in the world of professional wrestling. He started in the infamous Shield—in the mainstream of course—but his wrestling journey started way before in 2004. Ambrose started in the independent circuit, having wrestled in Combat Zone Wrestling, Full Impact Pro and Ring Of Honor. He impressed audiences as a member of the popular faction, The Shield, but as so happens with all popular runs in the wrestling business, the Shield was destined to end, even before it got started.

The true test for all performers in the world of wrestling is when they are put to the test, and the world sees if they are able to run on their own without their “friends” to back them up. Well, with Ambrose, the problems rose to the surface almost immediately, as soon as he was on his own. Things seemed OK at first, but as time dragged on, a rather non-committal attitude from Ambrose himself rose to the surface, and one by one, fans started taking notice. His performances were alright and he did get a chance at a few decent storylines, but his true colours shone through in an interview with Steve Austin on Austin’s popular podcast. The interview has gone down in history, as showing Dean’s true colours … coming off as being rather caught off guard and unwilling to give of himself as is expected of most WWE stars. Leave it to Steve to bring that out of a young buck in the business.

8 Shawn Michaels

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“The Boyhood dream, has come true for Shawn Michaels!” Who can forget Vince McMahon’s captivating sound byte when Shawn Michaels first won the WWE title from his nemesis Bret “The Hitman” Hart. And although, Shawn Michaels is now a legend of the sport and deservedly so, Michaels was not always as dedicated as he was post 2002, when he returned from a back injury that almost prematurely ended his career. It was February 13th, 1997 … and Michaels claimed that he has “lost his smile,” stating that he was being forced to retire from a slew of injuries, particularly a knee injury — a claim he still stands by today. It was a pretty big moment in history.

“ … Over the last few months, I’ve lost a lot of things and one of the things I’ve lost is my smile, and I know it doesn’t mean a lot to everyone else, but it means a lot to me and I have to go and fix myself and take care of myself and find my smile". The only problem with that is many, like Bret Hart have claimed it was all a ruse … seeing that his buds (Kevin Nash, Scott Hall) had quit the company and gone south—many believed he was trying to get out of his contract to follow his friends down south. This event was a definite “dropping of the ball,” as the WWE needed him at that time, as they were losing business to the WCW.

7 Triple H & Stephanie (W/ Management)

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Many moments in the wrestling business have gone down in history. You know what we’re talking about … those moments that are just about unforgettable. Moments that stick to our minds like molasses; no matter how hard we try, we can’t seem to strip them from our minds, and for good reason. Such moments are what make the wrestling business what it is today. Some of those moments we’re alluding to still happen today, every now and again. Well, it was in June of 2011, the 27th to be exact, that CM Punk delivered one of the greatest and arguably one of the most honest in WWE history. He pulled no punches, and as he spoke to the WWE Universe, management and anyone who would listen, he was more than candid.

His conviction showed that he was doing much more than delivering a few lines that had been rehearsed in front of a mirror.

He unleashed quite a few grievances, and fans all over were left to wonder: Was that supposed to happen? Well, when we saw him again at the next few shows, we all assumed it had all been a work, but with the ratings that the show and the upcoming episodes of Raw amassed, they were definitely on the right track. But instead of capitalizing on the attention the shoot received, management decided to stifle Punk and they let his momentum dwindle considerably. This was a terrible mistake by management, as they could have potentially have had the next Stone Cold Steve Austin on their hands!

6 John Cena

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We know what you’re all thinking: He’s the driving force of the entire modern era of professional wrestling … how could he have dropped the ball? Well, bear with us please, as we do have a point, and it is extremely valid at that. John Cena no doubt has definitely paid his dues in the wrestling business. There have been evident times when he carried the entire company on his broad shoulders, and many times when he had to drag a lot of dead weight around as well. Also, his many charitable contributions need to be taken into account, as he has broken many records on that front as well.

But where this man drops the ball and significantly is in his outright refusal to turn heel as many wrestlers have done before him and will do after him, we’re sure. Hulk Hogan, Steve Austin, Dwayne Johnson … they have all fallen to the task of shocking the audience and turning from the existence of the baby face to the heel in the matter of seconds, yet John Cena refuses to do so, and this fact alone has upset many wrestling fans over the years. A turn would benefit him just as much as the audience, prolonging his career and influence by probably half a decade or perhaps a whole decade as it did for Hogan when he turned heel after many years as a face. He’s not thinking about what’s best for the business, but rather is thinking of only himself, his impression on his group of fans and his legacy.

5 The Warrior

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The Ultimate Warrior is indeed a legend. He paid his dues and he rose to fame over the years that he spent in the squared circle. Warrior deserves that success and the accolades he has received. He is remembered for the positives, but we here at The Sportster like to call a spade a spade, and we look at all moments in wrestling history, opting to bare all, as opposed to hiding facts just because all is well now.

Warrior dropped the ball, big time, and not with just any old wrestler. He dropped the ball with one of the biggest players in the game, no pun intended. He returned to the business in 1996, expecting to have a decent run with the company after a pretty long hiatus. Only that run did not go according to plan. Warrior was made to face Triple H, and he was to lose the match that has now gone down in infamy. He didn’t agree that was how it should go, so he overpowered Triple H, garnering a finish to a match that had Vince McMahon fuming backstage. He was told he would never wrestle there again, but alas, Vince McMahon is extremely forgiving, if nothing else.

4 John Morrison

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John Morrison, or Johnny Impact, as he’s currently known, wrestles for Impact Wrestling. He has moved around a lot in recent years, adapting his style and gaining experience in the territories, ranging all the way from Mexico where he wrestled Lucha for a significant amount of time. Of course this wasn’t always the case, as he did at one time wrestle in the WWE as both Johnny Nitro and John Morrison, both monikers having a significant impact on the WWE universe in their own particular way.

His high-flying style gained him his fair share of notoriety, as his moves and in ring persona were in fact, quite alluring. He was part of many intriguing story lines and angles which only added to his alluring character and charisma. Sadly, his drive and devotion only went so far, and when compared to his in ring skills, his drive and dedication came up short. He was rather unable to keep up with expectations and unable also, to capitalize on the various chances he was given by management. His is definitely a sad and unfortunate story, showing that opportunity must be accompanied by self-assuredness and drive, otherwise opportunities given an individual become nothing but a waste of time.

3 Goldberg

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Bill Goldberg became a cultural phenomenon in the late 90s in WCW. He was discovered by Sting and the world didn’t look back when he started appearing on Nitro, when he was amassing a rather impressive undefeated streak. He went through The Power Plant, the training portion every WCW wrestler as made to undergo, and was put in front of the camera way too soon. Many of his critics would surely agree. He didn’t have the know-how that other wrestlers showcased from match to match, and as an ex-football player, he wasn’t ready for the gruelling expectations of the unforgiving road.

Regardless, he made a name for himself, and a pretty big name at that.

He became one of WCW’s most recognizable stars during the Monday Night Wars that have gone down in wrestling history, and no doubt became a deciding factor at how exactly things went down during that time. Who can forget those booming “Goldberg” chants heard from arena to arena? In 2003, he finally made it to the WWE, and many expected him to wow audiences, but after only a year wrestling for the company, he decided to call it a quits. He didn’t return to active in-ring action for over a decade. Talk about dropping the ball!

2 Matt Morgan

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Although Matt Morgan, also known as “The Blueprint,” was a huge specimen of a man, his lasting impression on the world of wrestling wasn’t all that big. And that sure doesn’t mean that he didn’t have the opportunities. As is a common thread with a lot of the wrestlers on this here list, he was given the opportunities, but capitalizing on said chances was where his and many other men’s downfall lurked among the shadows. Here’s a guy who had absolutely everything going for him … size, stature, a good look, overall, and the aforementioned opportunities given him by management.

He had a brief stint in WWE in the early portion of the millennium, a chance in a million for many an aspiring wrestler, and yet he just couldn’t make it work. Now if there ever was a time to buckle down and give it all he had, it would have been then, only things didn’t end as he must have originally planned. He then went on to work for TNA where he had a rather decent run, establishing himself as a top talent, and believe it or not, he now is a politician … occupying the position of Commissioner for the city of Longwood, Florida.

1 MVP

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Many wrestlers have succumbed to the pressures of wrestling in the WWE, as can be definitely seen in this article. And as was the case with many of these wrestlers, they decided to flee to another company when things got a little too hot to handle. Well, the same can definitely be said for this man. MVP was definitely a popular performer in the WWE, especially from 2005 until 2010. He too was involved in great angles and performed decently for his time there.

But, unfortunately, the story is similar to many in this list—he was unable to make a name for himself within the company amidst so many other stars on the rise. In the wrestling business, this is key, as it’s full of sharks and many wrestlers have to compete for the top spot, if that’s what they’re actually after. MVP was unable to compete for that ever-gratifying top spot and it cost him a decent future with the company, as he was released in 2010, forcing him to join New Japan Pro. He worked at Impact and wrestled independently for a while, returning to the WWE in 2018. Let’s see if he can capitalize with this run.