Bad wrestlers who became great in the ring

[HIM]

Since I don't know circa 2012, have we had any of these? Usually we get people who are decent and become really good or are already pretty good and just get better. Who's been bad and then turned it around?

Roman is the closest one I can think of but even then around 2014 it was more about him being a "hot tag wrestler" who doesn't really work singes matches rather than being really bad.

[sarkerpolseng]

Mandy Rose

[froggyfrog]

“Great” is probably a stretch, but by the end of her run Candice Michelle went from garbage to low key very good

[EoE: Well There's Your Problem]

Trick Williams. It’s easy to forget with how much he’s come along that right at the beginning of the 2.0 reboot he wasn’t much chop at all.

[darbus alan]

Tiffany Stratton. I wouldn't call her the next Molly Holly or Serena Deeb, but she's improved dramatically over the last couple of years.

[mcstoklasa]

Taker
Cena
Nikki Bella
Roman

[Who is Reno]

Great might be a stretch but Mark Henry was first name came to mind.

[yokohamacpfc]

In ring I’d go for Undertaker and HHH both went from very standard workers to guys who can put on a 30 minute epic. Cody has to be in the conversation too, he showed flashes of potential in his first WWE run but nobody really blamed WWE for capping him at IC/US level before he went on his long excursion, Bryan, Punk, Ziggler even Kofi and Ryder all were seen as bigger priorities to push. A nod to Bob Holly who went from a goofy jobber to a very crisp worker. Xavier Woods while never bad has worked very hard to keep up with his more talented partners in the New Day and doesn’t look out of place alongside them. Jeff Hardy was a so so singles wrestler at first but learned to hold his own in the main event with demons rather than lack of skill being his downfall.

Although in ring was the criteria asked for mentions to AJ Styles, Bret Hart and Becky Lynch for their 1-100 improvement on the mic.

[CMWaters]

Honestly, Dominik Mysterio is a candidate if you ask me. He wasn't BAD in his early stuff (not great either), but the heel turn has help solidify himself on the WWE landscape I feel.

[Cvslfc123]

Chris Masters
Trish Stratus

[UN PLOMBIER NIGHTMARE #blm]

that’s easy, dm hunk himself. bray and big show all come to mind as well since all three were sent back to developmental for different reasons before they became what they were/are

as for the women it has to be liv morgan. she’s night and day compared to how she was coming in

[PKO]

I think the list of people who are actively bad in the ring has been a lot smaller in the last decade (but then I’m also a lot more generous than some fans).

I think Nikki Bella fits the criteria best because the entire division and the expectations for it changed and she really stepped up and showed she could still hang (while her sister struggled and ultimately failed).

[lucas_lee]

Chris Masters from his debut to when he got released was a night and day thing. Especially when he got off the juice.

[theironyuppie]

Mar 15, 2024 5:59:10 GMT -5 PKO said:

I think the list of people who are actively bad in the ring has been a lot smaller in the last decade (but then I’m also a lot more generous than some fans).

I think Nikki Bella fits the criteria best because the entire division and the expectations for it changed and she really stepped up and showed she could still hang (while her sister struggled and ultimately failed).

She went from Nikki to Nikkisawa. Also, Charlotte and others have credited her as an important influence during the early days of the Women's Revolution, so she's a good call.

[Allie Kitsune]

There are plenty who got significantly better (Masters, Henry, Nikki, etc.), but I don't know if anyone who was _bad_ truly became _great_ (as in : Approaching Danielson's level) as far as in-ring goes.

Part of me wants to say Miz, kinda, but he's never reached that Five Star Meltzer "Main Event the Tokyo Dome" level.

[Xxcjb01xX [PIECE OF: SH-]]

Bobby Lashley got way better

Like his early WWE work compared to even now is insane. That TNA run he had was when it felt like he really found himself as a performer

I also really remember The Usos not being that great the first few years, then I really wanna say stuff clicked completely for them after they ditched the Facepaint

Should also just say Roman Reigns is a MUCH better then where he was even a few years ago. In ring wise he's still kind of a slog but he has impeccable character work and in-match mannerisms he just did not have even a few years ago.

[BayleyTiffyCodyCenaJudyHopps]

Uh….were we watching the same people?

I’ve seen early Cena/Prototype, he was LIGHT YEARS ahead of some of the newbie dweebs I’ve seen on indy shows. Roman was *never* bad, he just didn’t have the right persona yet. McIntyre always had some skill, and Taker even before he kicked it into that next gear in the late 2000’s was playing his character brilliantly and convincingly. I’ll concede that Trish Stratus and Mark Henry went from one to ten over time, but it comes off like we’re riding some wrestlers unfairly for not busting out a thousand moves a minute again.

[tafkaga]

I came here to say Nikki Bella as well. I saw just enough of the Bellas early in their run to wish they would just go away, then started watching more regularly in the early days of the WOMEN'S division and really respect how much she progressed.

[sarkerpolseng]

Mar 15, 2024 5:59:10 GMT -5 PKO said:

I think the list of people who are actively bad in the ring has been a lot smaller in the last decade (but then I’m also a lot more generous than some fans).

I think Nikki Bella fits the criteria best because the entire division and the expectations for it changed and she really stepped up and showed she could still hang (while her sister struggled and ultimately failed).

I never thought about that. The whole division changed styles around the middle of her run, and she was very able to adapt. She is underappreciated for that.

[Pooh Carlson]

Braun Strowman improved massively since his debut.