WWE Missed Major Opportunity by Letting Ethan Carter III Go

In the man who would become Ethan Carter III, WWE saw only a midcarder and a middling comedy act. 

That proved to be a miscalculation. Carter has been one of TNA's most compelling talents and now the company's world champion. He has proved himself to be an invaluable part of the roster and a wrestler who has yet to reach his ceiling.

His ongoing evolution as a performer could have happened on a WWE stage. Instead, WWE miscast him before casting him off.

He has since been hooking audiences elsewhere.

When NXT was a goofy competition show and not the cult phenomenon that it is today, a young, wild-haired man wrestling under the name Derrick Bateman looked to work his way onto the main roster. Athletic and well-built, Bateman stood out. 

More than his speed and his ability to nail a dropkick, it was his personality that made folks pay attention.

In silly backstage segments, he came off as the squared-circle equivalent of Andy Samberg. Bateman was Maxine's bumbling boyfriend. He donned oversized glasses to try to avoid Daniel Bryan socking him in the mouth.

Like with Bryan's early career, WWE didn't take Bateman seriously. The goofball role the company gave gave him held him back, but he made it work the best he could. He finished third in the fourth season of NXT and later went on to win NXT Redemption. 

WWE apparently didn't think Bateman could be anything but this jokester. In an interview with former WWE writer Kevin Eck, he said, "I never saw myself as a 'comedy guy,' and it was a conversation that fell on deaf ears often."

And the company didn't see him as a valuable enough asset to keep around. Thanks partly to a knee injury, Bateman was one of several talents WWE let go in 2013, as noted by Pro Wrestling Torch.

WWE can't keep every talented wrestler on the payroll, but many of the guys it chose to retain over Bateman haven't grown into what he has. Less talented performers from those two seasons of NXT are still on the main roster: Konnor of The Ascension, Johnny Curtis (Fandango) and Darren Young.

When that door closed, Bateman sought out another. And with company officials backing him in his new home, he's been the proverbial breath of fresh air.

When Bateman signed with TNA to become Ethan Carter III, Dixie Carter's brat of a nephew, he caught fire early on.

He was still able to use his comic timing, but his role as the spoiled, dastardly narcissist fit him far better than what he was asked to do at NXT. Being able to have input in the development of that character helped as well.

Rather than be handcuffed to the script as he was in WWE, TNA has trusted him to explore this persona.

He told Dean Ayass of WhatCulture, "They're allowing you to feel your character and develop your character your own way, so, if you see something your character wouldn't say verbatim that's on a sheet of paper, you can change it so it makes sense coming from you."

The results have been impressive. As Carter, he's a convincing jerk. He toys with the crowd.

He delivers a unique take on the egotistic heel.

His success has not gone unnoticed. In 2014, Pro Wrestling Illustrated (h/t ProFightDB.com) rated him higher on its "PWI 500" than Dolph Ziggler, The Miz, Jack Swagger and Ryback.

Greg Parks of Pro Wrestling Torch called him one of the best elements of TNA Impact:

More recently, Pro Wrestling Mag called him the future of that company:

TNA officials seem to believe that. They positioned him to knock off Kurt Angle for the TNA world title just last week. Following that passing-of-the-torch moment, Carter is no doubt looking forward to what comes next.

As a WWE fan, though, one can't help but wonder what would have happened had WWE chosen him over Fandango—had the company let him find his voice as TNA did.

Maybe he wouldn't be a world champ at WWE, but he most certainly would be an entertaining part of the show each week. Had WWE given him an Ethan Carter-like character, he would have been a stellar fit for The Authority. Fans could be taking in his bouts with Ziggler or Cesaro.

Instead, he's working for the other guys. And the more accomplishments Carter garners at TNA, the bigger the miss WWE will have had with him.

For years, it was WWE seeing stardom where WCW didn't. Vince McMahon made millions off WCW rejects in Steve Austin, Triple H and Edge. This time, WWE let a star slip away.

Carter saw big things in his future, even when asked to be NXT's court jester. He told Eck, "I fully knew what I was capable of being; it just wasn't an opportunity granted."