10 WWE Wrestlers/Tag Teams Buried In Jobber Hell

Hey guys! Got another list article for you today. Originally this was meant to be another “chosen by Facebook” post, but I didn’t get enough answers to the question “who should go back to NXT?” (yes .. I know how much you want Reigns to go back!). Also WWE started using talents who would’ve been part it, so I’m going with this instead. Someone’s gotta be stuck at jobber central with no hope of hopping on the train to mid-cardville. I didn’t include Curt Hawkins because I think he enjoys living in Jobber Central too much.

1. Apollo Crews

Titus Worldwide has had a funny year. It started the year beating The Bar twice on Raw in as many weeks. But outside of that you’ll be hard pressed finding significant wins. He had two singles victories before this month against jobbers, and one surprise victory over Akam of the AOP. Since his brief push over the AOP, he disappeared before it was announced Dana Brooke had left Titus Worldwide. And we’ve not seen Apollo since, he’s been relegated to Main Event where he’s defeated the likes of Zack Ryder, Tyler Breeze and Mojo Rawley.

Could it be the beginning of a singles push? Will WWE stop him working the tag division to put the spotlight on him? I doubt it, because Apollo never had the chance to improve enough before being called up from NXT, and the lack of character development will hold him back.

2. Heath Slater & Rhyno

They’ve got one of the worst records of any tag team this year. The first Smackdown Live tag team champions have had it rough since being drafted to Raw, and with tough competition it looks like they’ll have to set up shop in Jobber Central. But it makes sense, as Rhyno’s working on a political career and Heath is the co-host of WWE Game Night.

It seems WWE wants Heath to transition in to hosting shows as they don’t need him to job anymore, thanks to Curt Hawkins (the only opponent Heath has beat this year in singles competition). It seems Rhyno wants to continue making strides in his political career so he has something to fall back on when he hangs up the boots. Let’s hope he doesn’t go all “ECW” and start goring the competition. Rhyno For President!

3. Mike Kanellis

He has not won any singles match since his debut on Smackdown Live against Sami Zayn. The only wins he managed (two) came from multi-man matches. The former Impact and ROH Wrestling star jumped straight to the main roster with promises of wife Maria Kanellis shining the spotlight of success. But life got in the way, and their child was born in April of this year. Not only that, but Mike was forced to take a few months off to recover from a prescribed drug addiction.

He got over it, but has been lost in the mix as Andrade Almas & Zelina Vega took what could’ve been their spot. It remains to be seen if he’ll get a ticket to mid-cardville .. but if he does, he’s going to need Maria to show why WWE signed them to begin with. They make good heels, so I’m waiting patiently for that.

4. Mojo Rawley

I .. don’t get it. So here’s a guy who dumped his tag team partner to find success, and he did in a way. He certainly won more matches since branching out, but has his position changed? Hardly an inch. He’s still relegated to Main Event and rare Raw appearances. He’s great at beating jobbers .. but if you put him up against Bobby Roode he stands no chance. The 2017 Andre the Giant memoral battle royal winner has not done anything significant since. And even with Steve Austin’s blessing, WWE decided not to give him the ball. What does he have to do to prove he’s not on Zack Ryder’s jobber level?

5. No Way Jose

He’s an anti-jobber .. he wins a lot, but not when it matters. He won most of his NXT and Main Event matches this year .. but his Raw record is not so great. When we do see him he provides light entertainment, but much like the Fandango’s and Funkasaurus’ of the past .. the gimmick is not going to help him reach the top. He’s another who could’ve really benefitted from more time in NXT, picking up a title or two before the call up. He may seem happy, but on the inside he must be thinking how’s he been boxed in to a corner with no means of escape? *sings* No … Way … Jobber!

6. Sanity

I f’n hate the way Sanity’s been booked on Smackdown Live. They go from beating The Undisputed Era (and winning most of their matches) in NXT, to losing to every Tom, Dick & Harry on the main roster. They could’ve been built as a serious threat .. but they’ve lost their appeal. They’ve been hurt badly, and it’s a shame because I’m a big EY fan. Killian Dain’s proved he’s a helluva singles wrestler as well.

The biggest and most annoying thing about their call up? Nikki Cross didn’t come with them. She’s like the heart of the group, and if you take the heart out of a group .. it doesn’t feel connect like it should. Get her called up and use Sanity properly before no one can take ’em seriously anymore.

7. The Colons

Injuries have plagued them over the past year, but it’s safe to say they are possibly one of the worst tag teams in WWE history. Despite being former champions, The Colons very rarely win, and I think they’re content in getting paid at this point. They made their long-awaited return last month on Smackdown Live, losing a triple threat tag match against The Bar & The Good Brothers. But who cares? I sure don’t. Bring Carlito back and we might get a little interested. Also .. no one wants to go to Puerto Rico for anything.

8. The Good Brothers

Feels like they were signed to stop New Japan using them properly. Can we say Anderson & Gallows have been used right since debuting with WWE? I find it difficult to say yes in any capacity. When they’re pairing up with AJ or Finn Balor then it’s all good, you know .. “Too Sweet” and all that. But when they’re not? I guess they won one Raw tag team title. I had to look it up though .. as I’d forgotten it. Do you remember how they lost? To the Hardy Boyz at Wrestlemania. Complete afterthoughts. Calling themselves The Good Brothers hasn’t sunk in yet either. I don’t see a bright future for them, all I see is them being kept away from making history elsewhere.

9. Tyler Breeze

Much like Sanity I’m a big fan of Breeze. I remember him being one of the last NXT guys to be called up after working in development for years. The NXT Universe loved him, and it had nothing to do with The Fashion Police. There was hope he could go far after having a killer match against Jushin Liger at NXT Takeover. He debuted .. looked set for a major push, and then Vince killed it dead. He took one look at Breeze and said “nope, jobber”, and it’s where he remained til Fandango showed up to direct.

Breeze found airtime as one-half of The Fashion Police, and one could say their segments were random and somewhat entertaining. But Fandango got injured, and Breeze has not made much noise on his lonesome. In fact .. he’s made so little he’s worked a few NXT Live Events. I’m sure the last thing he wanted was to go back to working in NXT.

10. Zack Ryder

Woo! Woo! Woo! You’re a jobber and you know it. Aside from some singles wins against Mike Kanellis and Curt Hawkins on main event, Zack’s year went on a downward spiral when tag team partner Mojo Rawley decided he was being held back. He’s hosting “Unboxed With Zack Ryder” now .. and I got no idea what it is or why he’s doing it. After a quick glimpse on YouTube, it seems it’s a show where Zack attends things and tells fans what they’re like. A simple show, one which shows WWE trusts him to be a host at least. But I’m sure it’s not what he wants to be doing, he wants to be working on Raw entertaining the fans. He’s still got a following despite being buried deep for years. I like to go back to his Wiki page sometimes to read the following quote from Curt Hawkins:

“… it really kind of broke the spirit of the locker room. For years, we were told… that there’s a brass ring… and it’s there for the taking if you work hard enough and get yourself over. And [Ryder]… defied the odds and actually does it, and all the boys are rooting for him… He got over without the [WWE] office, without TV time… And then they did just crush it and take it all away from him… It’s like, you’re not going to get pushed unless they pick you to get pushed, and that’s kind of it”.”

It seems his bad luck not only affects him, it affects those he’s had relationships with too. Emma was released from the company late last year, and is rejuvenating her career in ROH. Laurel Van Ness AKA Chelsea Green (and current GF) left Impact Wrestling to get a shot at a WWE career. She was tipped as one of the favourites to get a contract at a tryout, but for weeks there was no news from either side. She ended up in Lucha Underground, and it’s sad because I think she really wanted the opportunity, and had the tools to play a major character in any of WWE’s womens divisions.

So with everything said, we know every wrestling promotion needs some jobbers. Unluckily for some it turns out to be them, and the competition for places in WWE has become so competitive you’ve got to do whats needed. And if it means nothing? If it means you get paid to sit on your backside all day .. then why not? Some like forging legacies, while others like getting paid. Some are fearful of doing a Drew McIntyre and proving their worth elsewhere. They’re too afraid to leave, because they know it’ll be ten times harder getting their foot back in the door.

And that’s all today. Did I miss anyone? How many listed are deserving of a job? And who do you think will be the next to join The Ascension and Tye Dillinger in mid-cardville? Thanks for reading! See you soon.