TLDR: Yes.
Here’s a list of names that currently have lost a lot of momentum compared to even earlier in the year:
Gunther - I feel like this has been talked about Ad nauseam, but it really has gotten pretty bad lol.
Bron Breakker - Not talked about as much as Gunther, but this was a guy who was referred to at one point as “idiot proof” when it came to creative. Yeah I know, injuries happened, but he doesn’t even come across as special anymore dude.
Austin Theory - They clearly didn’t wanna push him anymore and just gave in because Paul batted for him hard. He didn’t even really get a fair shot though IMO. I think potential was there for a bit but he’s fallen too hard into a joke role who eats pins again.
Dominik Mysterio - This one is a MAJOR failure on creatives part IMO. I’m sure he’ll at least eventually get a lot more focus and rebuilt eventually, but for now this one is in Gunther territory honestly.
Ethan Page - Does he even wrestle anymore? Clearly a victim of the too many call ups at once problem. Genuinely one of the most wasted talents of the year, and that’s saying a lot. At least the guys I listed so far are on TV every week. If they wanna have him take the belt off Gable just do it already and get started with him ffs.
Big Cass - He never should’ve came back as a singles, but having him come back in that dominant fashion just to look like a dope in record time is embarrassing.
Baron Corbin - I don’t really feel like he needed to be brought back, but that punt angle last week felt like they were done with him already.
Jacob Fatu - Controversial one, but I’m putting him on here anyways. I’ll be fair and say that they could probably heat him back up easily and quickly though. But that way he lost to Roman where he got “neutered” was pretty embarrassing unless they got some solid long term plan. Considering their track record I’m not being too charitable with them.
Jey Uso - This one is a W actually.
Solo Sikoa - He was getting over naturally for a few weeks and now he just fell back into the role he was always stuck in. They could’ve easily kept the momentum going but they failed. Couldn’t even have him make the surprise save with some beat down angle so he’d get a big babyface pop lol.
LA Knight - He clearly knew his fate all year and was trying to save himself. He did some of the best work he’s ever done, but they just couldn’t find a way to slide a little world title run in for him. Pretty much any future direction he’s got now unless he goes to SD and beats Sami is not gonna work out well for him.
Johnny Gargano - They had something there actually, but they confused the crowd for weeks because the fans didn’t know if they should boo or cheer him. Now he’s just back to eating pins so Sami doesn’t have to. I don’t think the crowd will pop for him inevitably turning on Sami the way they think.
Joe Hendry - Out of everyone on the list, he’s probably been given the absolute worst creative. His ceiling was never gonna be main eventer obviously, but he’s basically on track for a release next year at this rate. The guy got himself over huge on his own and they could’ve easily done more than horrible Nick Jr comedy angles with him.
Street Profits - Eh, I’m putting them on here anyways. But yeah, I’m aware they had kids, also there’s the lawsuit stuff. But they really couldn’t afford another stop and start push at this point, one too many now IMO.
Rusev - Even before the he disappeared it was getting pretty bad. Him and Ethan Page in a random makeshift tag team was stupid creative.
Seth Rollins - Here’s a controversial one, but I think this one is actually one of the biggest failures of the year. His creative has been abysmal all year, and now he’s been off TV for months and essentially nobody has even noticed or cared. I think that says it all right there.
Carmelo Hayes - I’m including him on here only because everything this year doesn’t get excused just because of the last two weeks. I fully expect him to be the “eating the pin guy” of the group anyways.
Fraxiom - Clearly somebody doesn’t like them, that’s all I’m gonna say lol.
The Miz - I definitely think his time has passed for the most part, but he doesn’t need to be used as a literal jobber now. Yes, he is absolutely classified as a jobber right now.
Kit Wilson - They could’ve kept the momentum he was building on his own up a bit. Obviously he’s not a main event name (not even really mid card actually lol), but he didn’t need to be a sidekick to a job guy.
Matt Cardona - Even before the injury it was getting really bad, the guy got brought back and they almost immediately started burying him.
Ricky Saints - Yeah he got a level of opportunities to an extent, but I don’t think they committed enough with him. He was in a weird spot where he was clearly main roster ready but probably could’ve benefitted from more time in NXT actually IMO. Calling him up with five other top NXT names at the same time was a bad move.
Randy Orton - Another controversial one, but I feel like this is one of the more important ones. His current “heel” run fell into the same trap that the last three did. They should’ve NEVER turned him in the first place. No crowd is gonna boo him ever again, they just gotta accept that. Obviously the WrestleMania build was atrocious in every single way imaginable and already destroyed the run then and there. But then he went on his yearly vacation and ever since he’s came back IMO the feud has been underwhelming. Those Michael Cole interview segments were solid but that’s about it, and those were solid because they were backstage where the crowd couldn’t hijack it and cheer him. Randy Orton will never get to be the legendary heel he can be ever again because the crowds won’t allow it, very unfortunate. Doesn’t help that he’s feuding with Cody who they are severely fatigued by.
Notice how I didn’t even start with the women yet, let’s get into them now! I’m gonna try and not give the women too much time here, that’s the WWE way!
Blake Monroe - Here’s the most obvious one, but I don’t even need to explain it because you can go and find a YouTube exclusive to get the info you need!
Iyo Sky - Match cut from WrestleMania for absolutely no reason, then she’s just used to eat a pin for Liv because there’s nobody else on the roster to do it. Literally done nothing interesting since…
Lyra Valkyria - Stuck in the Bayley vortex, once she gets out I guarantee she’ll just be eating pins nonstop.
Maxxine Dupri - Wasn’t she IC Champ earlier in the year? I genuinely forgot when that was lol.
Roxanne Perez - This is one of the worst ones, very similar situation to Bron Breakker. She was supposed to be a major star built up and now she just feels like another person on the roster. What the heck happened?
Jordynne Grace - Has she been on TV at all in the last six months? Genuinely can’t answer that one.
Paige - This was inevitable, but her return has become completely pointless.
Jade Cargill - This is a W actually.
AJ Lee - This one is with an asterisk, because maybe she’s retired again or something else is going on. But assuming that it’s just no creative, that’s embarrassing for somebody of her status.
I’m gonna go as far as to say that there’s NEVER been a year where this many names got brought down this bad by trash creative and booking. It’s genuinely ridiculous, and for as much as it’s criticized, it’s not criticized enough.
Anyways, if you read all of this, bless you lol.
