20 Obscure WWE Superstars Even Hardcore Fans Can't Name
The goal of every wrestler entering WWE is to create a legacy that will follow them for the rest of their careers and beyond. Late legends like Dusty Rhodes, Eddie Guerrero, Owen Hart and others still get celebrated today as fans resonate with their work many years after it took place. Names like Steve Austin, Shawn Michaels, and Bret Hart will also live in infamy. Unfortunately, not all wrestlers will be able to achieve that much during their time in WWE. Most wrestlers will have shorter runs that end when the company is finished with them. This process has led to quite a few wrestlers become forgotten footnotes in the history of WWE.
We will look at some of the Superstars that did not manage to leave a legacy that is remembered fondly today. Many of these wrestlers were talented and found more success in other promotions. However, the wrestling landscape shows that WWE is a step above the rest and the place where legacies grow. The wrestlers on this list either failed to live up to the expectations given upon them, were booked poorly or just had bad timing when entering the company. Find out which wrestlers from the past are names that the average fan has no idea about. These are 20 obscure former WWE stars that even hardcore fans will struggle to remember.
20 Essa Rios
WWE tried to sign international talent in the 90s after seeing how much success WCW encountered with this approach. Many of the great cruiserweights in WCW came from Mexico and were looking to work for a bigger promotion. WWE looked to find their own Mexican star by adding Essa Rios (aka Papi Chulo) to the roster.
Unfortunately, Rios did not have the same level of potential or general talent like Rey Mysterio, Juventud Guerrera, and Konnan. Rios' WWE run is most remembered for Lita's debut as his manager. Fans gravitated towards Lita and she moved up managing bigger names like the Hardy Boyz. Essa struggled for television time before getting released.
19 Bull Buchanan
Most WWE fans have no memory of Bull Buchanan even though he worked for the company during its most popular time. WWE hired Buchanan during the Attitude Era with his first major opportunity coming as Recon, one-third (or sometimes one-fourth) of the Truth Commission faction.
Buchanan would become part of other groups like the Right to Censor and forming a tag team with Big Boss Man. None of the pairings worked out and each had a short shelf life. Buchanan realized his last chance as the glorified bodyguard of John Cena during Cena’s "Doctor of Thuganomics" days. WWE realized Cena was better off on his own and Buchanan lost his spot on the roster.
18 Tori
WWE mostly hired models during the Attitude Era when adding names to the women’s division. One of the few exceptions to feature someone with an athletic background was Tori. The background of Tori in stunt work allowed her to deliver impressive moves without any fear.
Tori was introduced as an obsessed fan of Sable. It led to them having a match for the Women’s Championship at WrestleMania 15. Tori moved into a romance storyline with Kane before turning on him to align with X-Pac in D-Generation X. Despite working with legends like Kane, X-Pac, Sable, and others, most fans have no memory of Tori due to the company never bringing her back.
17 Johnny the Bull
WWE once thought that Johnny "The Bull" Stamboli was among the top wrestlers to come over following the purchase of WCW. Johnny teamed with Big Vito in WCW and had a similar gimmick when debuting on WWE television.
The new faction of the Full Blooded Italians featured Johnny, Chuck Palumbo, and Nunzio becoming a trio. Johnny had the most potential out of the wrestlers involved, but he was unable to stand out in a major way. WWE eventually cut bait with him upon realizing he was not going to reach their expectations for him. He went on to become the embarrassing character Rellik in TNA for a depressing aftermath.
16 Brakkus
Any longtime fan of WWE knows that Vince McMahon loves wrestlers with huge physiques. In the '90s, Vince tried to make a few bodybuilders into successful wrestlers. Brakkus was a respected bodybuilder with a great career behind him when he made the move into wrestling.
A few WWE appearances showed that Brakkus did not have the skills needed to thrive in WWE. McMahon sent Brakkus to ECW as part of a working relationship. The most memorable moment of Brakkus’ career came when Taz squashed him within a few seconds. Brakkus never found success in WWE and is an all-time obscure wrestler.
15 Steve Williams
The career of Steve Williams is respected for all he accomplished outside of WWE, but his WWE time is a run fans barely remember. Williams signed with WWE as a huge addition, thanks to his close friend and mentor Jim Ross getting him hired.
The Brawl for All was created for Williams to run through other WWE stars with fighting backgrounds in legitimate competition. Williams was expected to win and receive a main event spot feuding with Steve Austin. Bart Gunn, of all people, destroyed Dr. Death and won the entire competition. WWE fans have almost no memory of Williams since he did nothing of note outside of the Brawl for All.
14 Luther Reigns
Luther Reigns is one wrestler to work for both WWE and WCW that most fans have no memory of. The start to Reigns’ career came when training at the WCW Power Plant. Reigns received his first real chance at success in WWE as a protégé of Kurt Angle.
The reign of Angle as Smackdown General Manager featured him having newcomers Reigns and Mark Jindrak work as his lackeys. Both men had a chance to work with a legend, but it didn’t work out long term. Reigns struggled in the ring and on the microphone. WWE gave up on him relatively quickly and released him.
13 Amy Weber
Amy Weber was one of the contestants in the original Diva Search Contest. Despite falling short in the season won by Christy Hemme, WWE signed Weber and a few other ladies from the competition due to their potential. Weber was at the top of the list when it came to her look and charisma.
WWE introduced Amy as a character when she joined JBL’s Cabinet faction. Weber's role as an assistant saw her involved in many important segments while JBL was the WWE Champion. Her time in the company, however, was short-lived, as she soon accused Randy Orton and other wrestlers of fostering an unhealthy work environment. Amy left WWE to pursue careers in acting and music.
12 Gunner Scott
WWE tried to make new stars during the original brand split with wrestlers from developmental getting chances to thrive. One of the projects for the SmackDown brand was Gunner Scott. The in-ring work, presence, and potential of Scott all worked to his advantage for a nice introduction.
Gunner defeated former World Champion Booker T during his first match in WWE. He continued to work with respected legends like Matt Hardy, William Regal, and Fit Finlay. Unfortunately, Scott could not impress the fans due to his lack of charisma. WWE gave up on him within a couple of months. Gunner spent a few years in Ring of Honor before leaving the wrestling business.
11 Eric Escobar
Eric Escobar had a chance to succeed in WWE as the company believed in his potential. Escobar's short run in WWE allowed him to work credible names like John Morrison, Matt Hardy, Kane, and R-Truth. Escobar also received a huge bonus by entering a romantic storyline with hated villain Vickie Guerrero.
The lack of comparable talent to these other names resulted in Escobar getting exposed. WWE gave up on his push relatively quickly and decided to release him from the company. Escobar's career is still going in Puerto Rico today, but he likely regrets missing out on the chance to find success on the big stage in WWE.
10 Just Joe
One of the most bizarre and unique characters in WWE history featured a wrestler named Just Joe. Joe E. Legend's wrestling career saw him travel the roads with Edge, Christian, and Rhyno. He received a chance in WWE thanks to his connections and was offered an odd character.
Just Joe never wrestled on Raw or Smackdown and primarily just took part in backstage segments. He would appear to instigate drama between main event level wrestlers. Just Joe was involved in promos with Triple H, Kurt Angle, The Undertaker, and many others despite not having any real relevance on the show again.
9 DJ Gabriel
DJ Gabriel was a top prospect in WWE developmental for quite some time before getting a chance on the main roster. WWE used the ECW show as a third brand for new stars to get introduced and prove their skills before moving to Raw or SmackDown. CM Punk and Sheamus were two wrestlers to prove how great the show could be for rising stars.
Gabriel did not find the same success as he was introduced in a dancing gimmick. The tandem of Gabriel and Alicia Fox worked together for a bit, as the English standout got a brief winning streak. WWE, however, didn’t see enough improvement from Gabriel and decided to release him from his contract. Fox remained under contract and is still in WWE today.
8 Barbara Bush
Barbara Bush is one of the forgotten ladies of the Attitude Era. WWE introduced her as a paramedic that would come out when one of the wrestlers was scripted to get injured. It led to Bush slowly getting implemented into storylines. WWE started having her take part in matches and competitions as part of the roster.
Bush’s run in the company came to an end after getting power bombed through a table by Bubba Ray Dudley. Her WWE stint did not feature many standout moments. Bush had very short runs in WCW and TNA before calling an end to her career.
7 Caylen Croft
The Dudebusters tag team had potential with two young wrestlers showing a lot of talent. Caylen Croft and Trent Baretta teamed together on the main roster when called up. Both men worked primarily on the ECW brand with a few appearances on SmackDown as well.
Their run came to an end relatively quickly as WWE just stopped using them. Following their releases, both men took different approaches. Trent went on to become a New Japan/ROH star while Croft retired from the ring. Croft, real name Kris Pavone, is now working as a school teacher and children’s book author. Most of his students will have no idea he was once a WWE superstar.
6 Bam Neely
Bam Neely's run featured him playing a glorified bodyguard. Neely, who was named after NHL star Cam Neely, was the henchman for Chavo Guerrero on the ECW and Smackdown brands. The purpose of Neely was to help Chavo move into the main event picture for the ECW brand.
It became an even more important role when the La Familia stable was created on Smackdown. Neely would start getting involved in segments helping top heel Edge. The hope was that Bam could move into a role on his own as time went on. Neely didn’t have the skills needed to thrive in WWE and it was shown when he received singles matches. WWE let him go due to realizing Bam wouldn’t be a star on his own.
5 Flash Funk
2 Cold Scorpio was one of the most talented wrestlers to get booked poorly in WWE. Scorpio's in-ring talent could have seen him have great matches against Owen Hart, Davey Boy Smith, Triple H and other mid-carders if put in a position to showcase his talent.
WWE gave him the new persona of Flash Funk as he danced to the ring with his own personal dancers. The gimmick was a mess and fans had no idea what to make of it. Funk struggled to find any momentum during his time in WWE and fell off television faster than expected. Most fans have no memory of his WWE run at all these days.
4 Nathan Jones
WWE viewed Nathan Jones as a possible main eventer when joining the company. Jones was an intimidating figure with an incredible look. One of the biggest moments of his career came when Jones became an ally of The Undertaker and was scheduled to team with him at WrestleMania XIX.
Plans changed, and Jones was written out of the match. The Undertaker defeated both Big Show and A-Train on his own. It was the first major sign that WWE was losing confidence in Jones. A few more opportunities also were cut short before Jones got released from the company. The WWE run saw him accomplish nothing of note despite many plans on paper for him.
3 Cherry
Cherry was part of the SmackDown Women’s Division in the 2000s, both competing and managing. WWE introduced her with the tag team of Deuce and Domino. All three characters were parodies of the '50s in terms of their outfits, promos, and general personas.
Cherry's managerial role did not help her find much success with the failing tag team. WWE had Deuce and Domino turn on her to align with Maryse. Cherry started working as a singles wrestler but barely received television time. The wrestling career of Cherry has long been over, but she is still close friends with WWE star Natalya today.
2 Ricky Ortiz
One of the wrestlers to get introduced to WWE on the ECW brand was Ricky Ortiz. This was another instance of a young star having potential and WWE wanting to test him out on a smaller yet important brand. Ortiz played a face character that tried to get the fans behind him with his own rally towel.
The run was a disappointment as Ortiz didn’t belong with the other rising stars nor the established wrestlers on the show. Ortiz received one last chance on the SmackDown brand before getting released within a few months. Wrestling wasn’t a total loss for Ortiz as he met his wife, Layla El, in WWE.
1 Droz
Darren “Droz” Drozdov entered WWE with the past life of spending a few seasons in the NFL. His hiring process was shown in the documentary Beyond the Mat. Vince McMahon tried to find a selling point for Drozdov and believed his ability to throw up on command was it. This showed a rare insight into the mind of McMahon.
Droz showed potential during his short run as a wrestler in WWE. He even took part in a storyline with the legendary Legion of Doom tag team. Unfortunately, a serious injury during a match against D’Lo Brown on a house show ended his career. Droz suffered a severe neck injury and became a quadriplegic. He has regained the use of his upper body through the years.
