Evaluating Michael Elgin's Value as a Potential WWE Prospect

WWE should view "Unbreakable" Michael Elgin's splintered relationship with Ring of Honor as an opportunity to welcome a beast to its roster.

Elgin is a freight train in the ring. He's a bulking athlete who has worked to improve as a talker. Those traits make him someone who would thrive among WWE's impressive stock of prospects.

The search for roster depth, for hosses who can add standout matches to WWE's collection, has to include Elgin.

Just months ago, Elgin sat atop ROH's mountaintop. He was that company's world champion and one of its most famous faces.

In a short amount of time, things have changed dramatically.

As Jason Powell writes for ProWrestling.net, ROH officials were frustrated about "Elgin publicly expressing his desire to try out for a baseball team, his recent dealings with members of the office staff, and that he put over Trevor Lee at a Pro Wrestling Guerrilla event." He then had to deal with a visa issue and was stuck in Canada.

Elgin has since left ROH behind.

PWInsider.com's Mike Johnson reported that "former ROH champion Michael Elgin 'quit' Ring of Honor on Twitter." The tweet has since been deleted. Many wondered if this was all part of a storyline. 

It doesn't seem so. Elgin wrote on his Facebook page, "I first want to say thank you to all the supporters out there, it has been my pleasure to perform for you. I want to admit the quitting on twitter is a little childish but I don't want to be advertised for a show I won't be a part of."

Just as rival companies were ready to pounce on Alberto Del Rio after his dramatic departure from WWE, Elgin's talents should compel Vince McMahon and Triple H to take a long look at the powerhouse.

Key Info

Age: 27

Height/Weight: 5'11'', 249 lbs

Debut: 2004

Finisher: Spinning powerbomb, crossface 

In the Ring

The first thing one notices about Elgin is his power. He flings his foes around the ring. He lifts up large opponents as if they were free weights.

Put Elgin on the list of wrestlers who can slam two men at the same time. 

He's not just a big, muscular brute, though. He's surprisingly quick and agile, explosive as he charges toward his enemy.

In a match against Adam Cole at Border Wars 2012, he showed off both his brawn and his overall mat acumen.

Thunderous forearm shots and clotheslines had the crowd in awe. The same is true for his Cesaro-like superplex off the ring apron.

Beyond that, Elgin can handle himself in a lengthy match. He and Cole kept fans engaged for nearly 15 minutes.

This is nothing new for Elgin. While many of NXT's prospects are just learning the craft of wrestling, Elgin comes in with a decade's worth of experience against top talent like Cole, Davey Richards and Roderick Strong.

His biggest weak point is inconsistent selling, popping up too quickly after someone's big move. The following clip of a battle with Cole is a good example of that in action.

A part of that is his gimmick and a part of that is a component of the indy style. 

That's certainly something the trainers at NXT would address. That bit of fine-tuning is the majority of what he would have to work on at WWE developmental.

On the Mic

Elgin separates himself from the field with improving mic work.

He has always been plenty passionate and intense. The early part of his career saw him rely too much on those elements, driving in a single gear.

Over time, he developed a wider range and seemingly became more confident as a talker. The result is that he's now compelling outside of the ring. 

No longer is he just a wrestler yelling at the camera; he's a man opening himself to the crowd.

The independent circuit is filled with great athletes and men with comic-book physiques. Elgin's growth as a mic worker makes him more of a valuable prospect than many of those wrestlers.

He'd already be one of NXT's top talkers upon getting signed.

By no means a finished product in that area, Elgin could work on sounding a bit more natural. That's something that has gotten better with time, but it's what NXT officials would have him focus on.

Like his ring work, his promo skills need to be sharpened, not forged from scratch.

WWE Comparison, Potential

Elgin will remind fans of Big E, as both men are more explosive than they look at first glance. They both have similar imposing builds but aren't tall.

He isn't as funny as Big E but is a better mic worker overall right now.

Going back a few years, there are also some parallels between Elgin and "Dr. Death" Steve Williams. Like Williams, he's an impressive powerhouse with a convincing predatory streak. When Elgin lines up to bowl someone over, it's hard not to flash back to Dr. Death.

Elgin is a top-notch worker who has yet to hit 30 years old.

The progress he's made thus far suggests he's still on an upward trajectory. At the very least, he's good enough to do what Big E did at his peak. He can provide hard-hitting, fun matches and tell a solid story with a mic.

The biggest questions surrounding him are about his size and how much "it" factor he has. He definitely has a good amount of that elusive trait, but he doesn't yet feel like a megastar.

He's done enough at ROH to earn the chance to prove he can morph into that.

Even if he never does, WWE's roster would be bettered by having a battering ram who can emote. There's no question WWE officials should seek out Elgin and make him the latest ROH alum to work for them.

NXT has been adding the world's best wrestlers as of late. Elgin would fit right in with them.