Posted on by bdamage1
Brian Damage
Today’s Top Five subject is all about some of the top international stars that joined the WWF/WWE over the years and flopped. Big stars in other parts of the world and other promotions, but wrestlers that Vince McMahon and company just didn’t use properly or just couldn’t get over for whatever reason.
Mexicools
Imagine a promoter having his hands on three of the top luchadors of their time in Psicosis, Juventud Guerrera and Super Crazy and giving them a horrible stereotypical gimmick. That’s exactly what WWE did with them by having them wrestle in jumpsuits and ride to the ring on a lawnmower. Instead of letting them be themselves and dazzle fans with their abilities…McMahon felt the need to make them into Mexican landscapers. A total waste in my personal opinion.
Sin Cara
An extremely popular luchador in Mexico, started off okay in WWE. It appeared for a time, that the company was “all in” on trying to make Sin Cara the next big luchador in the company. Unfortunately a series of injuries and backstage incidents led to the company releasing him and replacing him with another luchador. Overall, the damage was done and Sin Cara never became the big star they envisioned.
Hideo Itami
If you followed the career of KENTA before he joined WWE, you know what a very intense, vicious striker he was in promotions like All Japan and NOAH. WWE made a huge deal about signing him by sending Hulk Hogan and Jimmy Hart to Japan to do it. Sadly, as Hideo Itami in NXT, he wasn’t the same wrestler. He wasn’t as hard hitting and seemed like the Disney version of what he was in Japan. A serious shoulder injury certainly didn’t help advance his career beyond NXT to the main roster. He was eventually released and joined New Japan where he recovered his old career before WWE.
Kushida
Kushida was a top junior heavyweight wrestler in New Japan winning numerous titles. Kushida wanted to make it here in the United States and had dreams of wrestling on a Wrestlemania event. Kushida simply never made it past NXT and despite winning the Cruiserweight championship was released. He never had his Wrestlemania moment.
Hakushi
Jinsei Shinzaki was a star in Japan and honestly…when he first came to the WWF…seemed to be pushed pretty solidly. He had an awesome look and had a fantastic feud with Bret ‘the Hitman’ Hart. Unfortunately, after that, the wheels came off and out was his manager Shinja and turned babyface. He formed a tag team with Barry Horowitz and danced to Hava Nagila before and after matches.