Top 10 longest developmental tenures

[Andrew is Good]

The Art of Wrestling with Johnny Curtis really showed everyone the trials and tribulations of someone in developmental. Sometimes guys would be around for 2 years before getting a call up. But there are some guys who had to wait 3, 4, 5 or even 6 years. Who could deal with this? These men, that's who!

10. Heath Slater



I love where this picture comes from, check the url. Slater is another Deep South guy. He signed in late 2006, but not before going through the ending of Deep South and being an original for FCW, because on the original roster when they started up. After a number of years, Heath finally debuted at the beginning of 2010 as part of NXT season 1. Slater was kept in developmental during that time, until finally staying on the road after the Nexus angle.

Time: Under 3 1/2 years

9. Conor O'Brian/"Roughhouse" Ryan O'Reilly



After 4 years on the indies, Ryan O'Reilly was assigned to Deep South in 2005. Two years later, he would be released along with his girlfriend, Krissy Vaine who had just been called up. Ryan got resigned by WWE in 2010 and apart from his shots on NXT, is still technically on the developmental roster and is still in developmental right now.

Time: 3 1/2 years

8. Ryan Braddock/Jay Bradley/Bradley Jay



Signed at the end of 2005. Became the DSW Champion and pretty much the top guy in that territory. After Deep South folded, went to OVW and won the OVW Title there. After OVW and WWE cut ties, he went into FCW, one of the few guys to hit all three developmental territories. He debuted in August 2008 but stuck around developmental most of the time, until he was released in 2009.

Time: 3 1/2 years

7. DJ Gabriel/Steve Lewington



I don't know if we want to count official time. DJ Gabriel made his first Raw appearance on Carlito's Cabana when they were in England. He was signed in 2006, but finally got his chance at superstardom in ECW as a dancer at the end of 2008, early 2009. All the while, he was still technically in developmental, and after losing to Mark Henry, DJ Gabriel dropped the DJ and stayed in developmental until January 2010, where he was finally released.

Time: 3 3/4 years

6. Caylen Croft/Chris Cage



What a sad trip Mr. Croft has taken. Was signed to developmental in 2003, got let go in 2006, resigned in 2008 and stuck around in FCW for about a year until being called up to Smackdown and then ECW. He was eventually released in November 2010.

Time: 4 years`

[jrcz]

That link is funny as hell

[Spankymac is sick of the swiss]

Wow, I was seriously not aware that Crofty had been around that long.

[Deleted]

soooo who are the other 5?

[PKO]

Wasn't Rosa in development for like 4 years? And she didn't learn a thing...

[Andrew is Good]

Aug 12, 2011 19:25:07 GMT -5 PKO said:

Wasn't Rosa in development for like 4 years? And she didn't learn a thing...

She should still be in developmental.

The other 5 will come. A nice build up.

[BlackoutCreature]

Did Glen Kulka make the cut? Seemed like he was in the WWF/E's developmental system at the time for entire 1990's.

[Dave at the Movies]

Aug 12, 2011 21:58:31 GMT -5 BlackoutCreature said:

Did Glen Kulka make the cut? Seemed like he was in the WWF/E's developmental system at the time for entire 1990's.

From what I heard he wasn't very good. I think he got signed around the same time as Shelter Benjamin back in 1999 or 2000.

[BlackoutCreature]

Aug 12, 2011 22:03:08 GMT -5 Dave at the Movies said:

Aug 12, 2011 21:58:31 GMT -5 BlackoutCreature said:

Did Glen Kulka make the cut? Seemed like he was in the WWF/E's developmental system at the time for entire 1990's.

From what I heard he wasn't very good. I think he got signed around the same time as Shelter Benjamin back in 1999 or 2000.

Really? I remember hearing the WWF was interested in the guy all the way back in 1995.

[theryno665]

Wasn't Johnny Jeter in development for, like, forever?

[Madagascar Fred]

Glenn Kulka, Steve Bradley, Johnny Curtis, Eric Perez/Escobar

[bitteroldman]

Nick Dinsmore and Rob Conway were both parked in OVW for years.

[Savage Gambino]

Aug 12, 2011 18:21:00 GMT -5 Andrew is Good said:

9. Conor O'Brian/"Roughhouse" Ryan O'Reilly



After 4 years on the indies, Ryan O'Reilly was assigned to Deep South in 2005. Two years later, he would be released along with his girlfriend, Krissy Vaine who had just been called up. Ryan got resigned by WWE in 2010 and apart from his shots on NXT, is still technically on the developmental roster and is still in developmental right now.

Released? I'm almost positive that both of them quit. I remember when their leaving WWE was announced (mostly because I was really looking forward to Krissy on Smackdown when it happened), and word spread fast to the blogosphere that they walked. I think the general consensus was that they were being put on separate shows and they didn't want to spend all that time apart.

[Andrew is Good]

5. Eric Esobar



What a sad story of Eric Essssssscobar. 4 years in WWE developmental, coming in September 2005, with Deep South Wrestling. Eric made up a few good tag teams in Deep South with Sonny Siaki. Eric, according to an interview, was only going to be there a few months, and the plan was to call him up with former X-Division Champion Sonny Siaki with Carlito. But, Carlito turned babyface. After a few start and stop ideas of Escobar coming up, it finally took 4 years for Escobar to make it to WWE as Vickie Guerrero's boyfriend. But, with most of his career, it was stopped quickly, and eventually he was released. One of the saddest stories in regards to a developmental run.

Time: 4 years

4. Rob Conway



Things were done the Conway for awhile. Rob was signed in OVW in 1999 during the time when they first started their relationship with OVW and Jim Cornette. Conway had done a few things with WWE, including a dark match I remember where Conway faked an injury, one of the first times I saw a guy fake an injury get carried out, then jump his opponent. The Con Man would eventually join up with La Resistence, and after years in developmental, finally got his break on WWE tv.

Time: 4 years

3. Johnny Curtis




Johnny finally made his debut on Smackdown. Getting squashed by Mark Henry. My fear is he'll become another Eric Escobar, but hopefully this isn't the end of Mr. Curtis. Another DSW guy, starting there in 06, though he said in his Art of Wrestling podcast he got in around 07. Curtis would have an incredibly long stretch working working in FCW, never even becoming FCW Champion, though becoming a tag team champion twice with Tyler Reks and Derrick Bateman. Curtis finally made it to WWE for NXT season 4 around the beginning of 2011. After he won that, he was kind of in pergatory for a bit, til finally returning and getting squashed by Mark Henry.

Time: 4 years

2. Eugene/Nick Dinsmore



There is a funny part of Jim Cornette's Youshoot, where he talks about Nick Dinsmore. WWE would ask for the top 20 guys of who were ready, and constantly, there would be Dinsmore at number 1, but they would pull up 17, 18 and 19. Dinsmore was stuck in OVW, brought in with the original OVW crew, Dinsmore was also the main trainer there, bossing around the likes of John Cena and Randy Orton. However, Dinsmore needed a character to get up there. And so, Eugene was born. Eugene didn't last too long in WWE and Dinsmore was eventually released due to drug related issues. Dinsmore is still a trainer at the OVW school.

1. Col. Damien Sandow/Aaron "The Idol" Stevens



This guy has nerves of steel. Hell, he quit WWE because he couldn't stand the back and forth when it came to call ups. Aaron the Idol Stevens was first seen getting his fingers broken by Raven in 2002, and he was signed to WWE. The Idol would then spend 4 years in OVW til finally getting that call up as part of the tag team of the Teacher's Pets with KC James. But, after Michelle McCool was hospitalized, it was back to OVW for another year and half until quitting. 5 1/2 years. But that's not all. He was resigned last year in July, and you know what that means. Another year under his belt. But yeah, on the bright side, he did get to make out with Shelley Martinez and Beth Phoenix.

Time: 6 1/2 years and counting.

[Andrew is Good]

I don't have all the dates, but here are some honourable mentions:

-Doug Basham
-Danny Basham/The Damaja
-Charlie Haas
-Shelton Benjiman
-Wade Barrett
-David Hart Smith
-Sinn Bowdie/Kizarny (stuck around OVW without a contract, living in his car)
-Glenn Kulka
-Steve Bradley
-Donny Marlow
-Kris Logan/Brian Cage-Taylor
-Mike Mondo
-Dolph Ziggler
-Seth Skyfire
-Kevin Thorn
-Chet the Jet

You could go on a long time making a list of guys who stuck around developmental for so long.

[Savage Gambino]

Six and a half years!!? How much more development can someone possibly need!? Never mind the fact that, both in-ring and on the mic, Idol is more than on level with at least most of the current midcard roster, this is the same company that put Rosa Mendes and Mason Ryan on the main roster! It's bulls***.

Of course, I'm a long time Idol fan, so I may be a *bit* biased.

[Allie Kitsune]

Aug 13, 2011 13:28:40 GMT -5 Savage Gambino said:

Six and a half years!!? How much more development can someone possibly need!? Never mind the fact that, both in-ring and on the mic, Idol is more than on level with at least most of the current midcard roster, this is the same company that put Rosa Mendes and Mason Ryan on the main roster! It's bulls***.

Of course, I'm a long time Idol fan, so I may be a *bit* biased.

Just see how people would react if you 1:1 replaced Rosa Mendes with Idol Stevens (including having him do the exact same things Rosa does, as a Diva).

["Gentleman" AJ Powell]

I still think Sandow looks like a muscular Hugo Weaving.

[Andrew is Good]

I did forget Rosa Mendes, I guess because she was between FCW and WWE a lot during her run. It is to be noted that she was the Queen of FCW earlier this year, so she still has been in and out of developmental while staying on tv for a few years now. I didn't count Idol's time in WWE as time in developmental, hence not being a full 7 years.

I will say this though. Rosa Mendes may be the worst wrestler in the history of WWE, like, worse then Giant Gonzales, worse then the Great Khali, worse then Ashley Masarro, worse then anybody, especially given the time she's been wrestling for. The fact she hasn't been released is astonishing.

What's really sad is during the time she was in OVW, ODB was there, a featured talent in OVW but still unsigned. Eventually, she went on with TNA and left OVW, but it's mind boggling. Even a green Serena Deeb was down there having better matches then Rosa ever could have dreamed, again unsigned. Another guy was down there, Platinum Pat Buck, who was brought up on Beth Phoenix's podcast, as a guy who is talented but they never signed him, just was pushed in OVW by Danny Davis and Al Snow as an unsigned talent.

We knock Ariane Andrew, but Rosa Mendes in my opinion is one of the least deserving people to be there, has not shown any improvement, and is just overall terrible. The only thing she can be credited for is working WWE out of so much money over the years for somehow staying around.

[Cronant]

Is there a top 10 shortest? lol. I guess it'd be a mix of quick fires and quick call ups.