So you know the caveat when we do get into lists that have the word failed in the title. Sometimes I look at these gimmicks that did eventually get over and think to myself, well, maybe it was actually the audience that was wrong to begin with. I know you're mad at me now, but welcome to another day in Simon Miller's life. But yes, there are certainly people that walked onto the screens in WWE and did not get a favourable reaction to start and then years, sometimes

months, sometimes days down the line, everybody loved them, you know the old saying, don't always

judge a book by its cover. But we are going to talk about some of these today and let's also

remind ourselves, if you do make it a WWE and you do sign a contract, well, you've done pretty

good and everything else from there is basically a bonus. Let's go. Number 15, Danhausen. So I said this at the time. You can go check out my ups and down series. We do give the good bits and up and the bad bits of down for all wrestling programming. So I thought Danhausen's debut at the Elimination Chamber was absolutely flipping brilliant. It was so over the top, it was so dumb, it was so stupid, he danced,

then there was a tiny explosion, the lights went out, and he disappeared. Of course, though, it did become a big conversation piece afterwards, because yes, the fans in Chicago did not know what to make of this, and they were most definitely confused. Either they thought the man in the box was going to be Chris Jericho, or they just didn't know who Dan Housen was. But screw what did go down in February 26, because go and watch WW television right now, and Dan Housen is a guy that gets bigger pops than anyone. Well, kind of, but he's up there. He's also selling merchandise like nobody's business. Every single time they release a new item, it does get to number one. And the best part about all of it is if you do go back and rewatch the debut today, which I implore you should do, and remember everything he has done since, well, it actually makes it even funnier. I'm really happy that WWE did decide to sign Danhausen, because I just think we need a little bit more goofy wrestling for life. If you are going to have 72 hours of television every single week, at least make me laugh.

It's also crazy for me because I once worked a match with Dan Housen that you can see on YouTube right now,

and I was the bad guy, so that was wonderful times. You just know this is going to get better and better as well, because now every time he says you are cursed, the fans joined in. So yeah,

sometimes you can have somewhat of an insane debut, and it's always going to work out. Number 14, Dominic Mysterio. So I do remember this, when Dominic Wisterio did turn up on TV. This poor guy was subjected to what anybody would have been. Nepo obey me, he's just Ray Mysterio's son. Ray changed the game and there is no way Dominic's ever going to find his place.

Well, how stupid do you look now? Now, to be fair, he was most definitely miscast because he was the son of Ray Mysterio. I assume WWE thought he should be a lifetime face. I mean, Ray did turn heel for a little bit in WCW, but nobody is as good as being a good guy as that good guy. words to that effect.

It's why when we finally got to clash at the castle

and decided you know what Dominic should attack But nobody is as good as being a good guy as that good guy. Words to that effect.

It's why when we finally got to Clash at the Castle and decided, you know what Dominic should attack his deadbeat dad, well, ever since then, the conversation around the condom has totally changed. I really think it comes down to the fact he is just better at being a bad guy, which is why when he did win the Intercontinental Tal at WrestleMania, we all went crazy because he'd earned it.

And if you can believe it, I would even say he has stepped out of the shadow by Ray Mysterio, which is a nuts thing to say, because Ray Mysterio basically changed the premise of what professional wrestling is. It all went down to the clash of the castle pay-per-view, and you should see this, even more so, because poor old edge gets kicked right in the testicles. So it basically means that Dom had just taken out two Hall of Famers, and the way that they sold this, well, it's almost like they knew what they were doing. When you compare Dominic now from all the way back then as well, nobody thought he could go through this change. And sure, maybe there was a little bit of rag tag at the start, especially when he did take on Seth Rollins at that

pay-per-view. But ultimately, he was so damn young and he had all the time to make it work. Here we are in 2006. It's not just working, but you know the deal. If WWE can get Domi Boy, the momentum he had back, well, he should probably be a future World Heavyweight Champion. Number 13, the MFTs.

So I will just make it very clear that I have not enjoyed the MFTES versus the Wyatt 6 program. I just think it was overly long. And let's not forget how they did get together. People kept turning up in masks and then going, I am joining the MFTs. I mean, it was all right a couple of times. But because W.W was copy and pacing this over this show, well, it's like anything, it just got a little bit dull. Yours had the fact that at first Sosa-Co was trying to be the new Roman reigns, and that was a massive mistake. Anytime you put new in front of a name in WWE or any kind of professional wrestling company, it's going to go bad. But as soon as we allowed Solo to be himself, I actually thought it was a laugh right. As of me talking recently, he has kind of fallen back into serious solo. But when you have him be a goof that can kick your ass, well, I think that's his lane and he's damn good at it. Let's not forget as well, the MFTs were meant to be the Bloodline 2.0. And that was never going to work either because everybody flipping love the bloodline. It'd be like saying, well, this is the VWO after the NWO.

All you're going to do is have people talk about the NWO. These days, though, I actually think they have found their lane. And while it would be nice if J.C. Matea could go back to being Jeff Cobb and whip people. You got Tamatonga, you got taller, I am the tallest Tonga, and you've got Tangeloa. And with Solisicoor right in the middle of that, it's actually

something that W.R. and whip people. You've got Tamatonga, you've got taller, I am the tallest Tonga, and you've got

Tangaloa. And with Solisokoa right in the middle of that, it's actually something that

W.W.E has lacked for a while, a group that can run around. You can insert them into any storyline you want, they can win, they can lose, but they're always going to do a good job. If you go back to the end of 2025 as well when Solis Okao was being an absolute goofball. It was so damn fun to watch.

So sure, ever since then, maybe we've lost direction a little bit, but it's not like they're going anywhere. And if we do kick Tama Tonga out the group, well the few between him and Saco could actually be quite good. So yeah, you would most definitely say they are over now. And for a little while there, well, I just don't think the fans truly understood. Number 12, Jacey Jane. So Jacey Jane always felt like she was the unfancy member of NXT when it came to their women's division. She was back up to Mandy Rose and the toxic attraction stable, and while she was very, very good in the ring, there was a time where it kind of felt like she would never be world championship material. Eventually, of course, Rose left the company as fatal influence took its place. And from that point, Jacey was moved into the role of the leader. And really ever since then, she kind of went back to the drawing board. Man, she started to get really, really good. What was super cool is that when she did win that championship from Stephanie Vacare on the May 27th, 2025 edition of NXT, I still think a few fans were confused. Didn't feel like she was ready to take that spot. But once again, because Jacey Jane had been in the NXT system for so long, she continued to up her game, she continued to evolve. And after a month or so, everybody was like, well, we've got eggs on our face, because JC just proved us all wrong. It really was a master stroke as well, because we found that wrestling wonderfulness, or words to that effect, because not only did the title make the woman, but the woman made the title, so everybody was just coming up roses. WWE also doubled down on this, because a couple of months later in July, she also became a TNA knockouts champion and the way she gloated about this and the way

she continued to improve her performances. Well, once again, we just got it right. Number 11, Liv Morgan.

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