Who Are You Most Surprised Has Made it to WWE?

[Brandon]

WWE has been recruiting and hoarding indy and international talent for some time now, when before their MO was to create their own homegrown talent (which didn't exactly pan out). Before the landscape changed, most of the more recent signees would have had a snowballs chance in hell of being signed by the likes of Johnny Ace, and that was only a few short years ago. Who has surprised you the most to be signed to WWE?

For me, it's still hard to think of Drake Maverick by that name, because it feels still so recent that Tarry kept posting about some annoying little Rockstar Spud person I never would have heard of otherwise. 💀 Then he somehow made it to TNA, and now WWE, and it feels surreal. Like there was a glitch in the simulation or something.

Also with the way the women were scouted and booked just a few short years ago, it's still surprising to see the likes of Asuka, Shayna Baszler and Bayley not only in WWE, but receiving major pushes.

Who else has defied the odds in making it to WWE?

[Burke]

All the TNA people like AJ Styles, Samoa Joe, Eric Young, Bobby Roode, etc.

If they signed them 10 years earlier I wouldn’t have been that surprised but it’s weird that they waited until they were all like 40 years old to finally bring them in.

[Jayzero]

I never ever ever ever ever thought I’d see Roderick Strong or Noam Dar in WWE, and here we are. Granted, they’re both barely in WWE, but it counts I think.

Same with the TNA people.

And not the topic of the thread exactly, but I’m surprised John Cena ISN’T with WWE (as much anyway) anymore. I never thought we’d rid ourselves of that plague.

[Brandon]

tbh I forget that Eric Young is in WWE, but yes, him most of all.

[Mutant Couch]

Mike Bennett

There's nothing remarkable or even vaguely interesting about the guy.

Gargano to a degree. I remember the first I seen him he was a bit pudgy and wearing an awful jean jacket doing an interview in some small ass fed in Cleveland that got late late late night tv time, but he stood out to me even then.

[Brandon]

I remember hearing about Gulak for forever too and thinking he would live out his career and die on the indies. Even when he was initially signed by WWE he was very basic and unremarkable. At least it was him and not Chuck Taylor.

I also used to take comfort in the fact that Zelina Vega would never be signed by WWE after trying a couple of times, because Burke ruined her for me very early into her TNA career. tbh I have trouble thinking of her as Zelina Vega and not Rosita, like Drake Maverick/Rockstar Spud.