WWE: From Mid-Card to Hall of Fame

WWE has a lot of talented superstars chilling in its mid-card right now. While guys like John Cena, Randy Orton and CM Punk are chasing World Titles and getting lots of screen time, it's the mid-card that tends to put on some of the best matches.

With that thought in mind, I began to think of some stars who, in years time, and if WWE can book it's mid-card better, have what it takes to be WWE Hall of Famers one day, and join the likes of Stone Cold Steve Austin, Shawn Micheals, Ric Flair and Hulk Hogan.

It's a challenge to say the least, but looking at what they've done, and how some of them could be used, I believe many WWE mid-carders could earn a spot among the immortals, and without further delay, I present to you my case for 10 mid-carders who could be in the WWE Hall of Fame. 

Michael McGuillicutty

NXT Season 2 Runner-Up, son of Mr. Perfect and former WWE Tag Team Champion, you'd think we'd have seen a lot more from this man. He was obviously impressive to some degree on NXT2, and he's got a pretty good resume from FCW (three-time Tag Team Champion and former FCW World Champion), so there's something there.

However, even with all that taken into account, the elephant in the room remains clear-Micheal is very, very, boring. Aside from that, Micheal really has no faults that are all that evident, and a simple re-packaging could be all that stands between McGuillicutty, and the career expected of him.

I'm not talking about a simple name change (honestly, Joe is more boring than Michael, but I think the name Micheal Henning would work) or even a change in finisher, like some have lobbied for. Maybe some new ring attire? (Maybe a change to long tights or a robe during his entrance,) A new hair-cut wouldn't hurt. As for a gimmick, nothing comes to mind, but that's what the Creative team is for.

Anyway, with a few alterations here and there, McGuillicutty has all the tools to join his father in the Hall of Fame.

Cody Rhodes

Three-time World Tag Team Champion, former WWE Tag Team Champion and the current Intercontinental Champion, Cody Rhodes has had an impressive career so far in the WWE, arguably a better career than his older brother Dustin, and he's only been a WWE Superstar for about five years now.

That said, in that short amount of time, Cody has shown that he is a star in his own right, and not because of his family. Rhodes, has exceeded the expectations many people had for him in recent years, especially since his move to Smackdown, where many saw him as a mid-carder for life. However, with not one, but two well received gimmicks, multiple championships, great work in the ring and on the mic and apparently the backing of the company, I don't think anyone believes Cody will not be a World Champion soon.

It would be very difficult for the WWE Creative team to mess this up. Cody's taken the ball and run with it on more than one occasion, and left to his own devices, will one day be running into the WWE Hall of Fame.

Layla

Layla is currently out with an injury, and I don't think it could have come at a worse time (seems the Divas Division is riddled with setbacks as of late), as she was just coming off a huge victory over her former tag team partner, Michelle McCool.

That said, the former and final Women's Champion, while active, displayed a lot of potential and charisma that's been rare to find in the Divas Division, along with Michelle, during her time in Lay-Cool. This is especially surprising, considering how she rose from the position of a jobber on RAW to one of the few bright spots in the Divas Division.

While not as accomplished as some of the others Divas, in terms of Championships, Layla's skill in the ring is very good, and when she comes back, I'm sure she'll make a big impact on the scene, and I wouldn't be surprised to see her as Champion once again.

John Morrison

One of WWE's more popular rising stars in recent years remains "The Prince of Parkour," John Morrison (or JoMo, as he's been called lately). WWE is seemingly split on what to do with Morrison on many occasions, but with a few tweaks, Morrison could be the star WWE wants and needs.

Already a former ECW Champion, three-time Intercontinental Champion, former World Tag Team Champion and four-time WWE Tag Team Champion and Tough Enough winner, Morrison's had a very impressive career so far, and if all goes well, he will find himself with even more accolades in coming years.

With unmatched athleticism, movie-star looks and the distinction of being perhaps the most exciting Superstar to step in a WWE ring since Jeff Hardy, Morrison is only a hop, skip and a Kong vault away from the superstardom he has the potential to obtain. 

Wade Barrett

Wade Barrett burst onto the WWE after winning NXT Season 1, and for some time, had been on a complete tear, leading the black and yellow infection known as The Nexus to destroy many of WWE's top superstars, legends and even Mr. McMahon. Along with that, Barrett showed himself a capable singles star, taking on the likes of Randy Orton and John Cena at several Pay-Per-Views in his first year on RAW.

Though eventually, being ousted by The Nexus and sent to Smackdown, Barrett continued to impress, leading his newest creation, The Corre, to Tag Team bronze, while winning the Intercontinental Championship for himself before being a victim of the push for Ezekiel Jackson.

While Wade has hit hard times as of late, things currently seem to be looking up for the former Bare-Knuckle Brawler from England, as he seems to be engaged in a sort of feud with Daniel Bryan, and many speculate he'll even be taking Bryan's MiTB Contract. Regardless, even if this isn't the case, Barrett has World Champion written all over him, and may very well find himself headlining a class for the Hall of Fame if creative can get it together.

A.J.

AJ is one of the newer ladies to join the WWE roster, but to those who saw NXT3, and to be more specific, her work on NXT3, she's a surefire favorite among the IWC, and with very good reason.

She is a rarity in the Divas Division, as she not only fits WWE's stereotypical model look, but also has the talent that makes those of us who still want to see good women's wrestling in the WWE happy to see her enter the ring.

Down in FCW, AJ was, at one point, The Queen of FCW, and later won the FCW Divas Championship, and I see no reason why Lee's success couldn't or shouldn't translate into even more now that she's been promoted to the main roster. It's early in her career, and it's very hard to predict, but I don't see very much standing in her way of being a Hall of Famer one day. 

Jack Swagger

Jack Swagger is a former ECW and World Heavyweight Champion, as well as the last man to win Money in The Bank at WrestleMania, and with all that, he's still trapped in WWE's mid-card, which I think is a shame, considering how talented he is.

As one of the best technical wrestlers in WWE right now, and an impressive build, it's hard to imagine what Swagger's missing when it comes to being a main-event superstar. His mic skills aren't the best, but they aren't really bad, and he's got charisma in spades, and credibility isn't really an issue, so it's a mystery to me.

Regardless, Swagger has it all, except for maybe the confidence of the WWE, though again, I don't know why. It seems only a matter of time, however, until Jack Swagger is Champion once again, and I wouldn't be shocked to one day see Jack Swagger as a Hall of Famer.

William Regal

The oldest superstar on this list, but most likely, the most deserving as well. William Regal has been with the company for a very long time, and while he was never the top dog, he has certainly left a very big mark on WWE.

William Regal boasts an impressive record at three Hardcore Championships, four European Championships, four World Tag Team Titles, two Intercontinental Championships and winning the 2008 King of The Ring Tournament. Sadly, a World Title has always eluded Regal, though he stands as one of the most deserving men to never win one in the WWE.

Regal's left an impressive impression on WWE, training the likes of CM Punk and Daniel Bryan, two stars of the new generation that had the benefit of being trained by one of the best technical wrestlers in WWE. I would be hard pressed to name too many names on the current roster that deserve a spot more than this man, and hopefully, he'll get his in the future. 

Alicia Fox

Alicia Fox, for all the flack the Divas catch, is one of the better under-card Divas, and unlike a lot of them, has something of a gimmick that makes her more interesting than a Bella, Kaitlyn, Tamina, etc.

Alicia is also not as bad as some people would suggest in the ring, able to pull out a good match when called upon, and aside from her Scissor Kick, performs most of her moves very well. The main thing she has, though, is potential. For all the good with her, something just seems to be missing. It's not mic skills, either, as she's not half bad on the stick.

Whatever it is that Alicia is missing, maybe in coming weeks we'll see it emerge. She recently looks to have turned face after an assault by Natalya, so it's up in the air as to where Alicia goes from here, but I have all the confidence in the world that this former Divas Champion can be a success and one day, could become HoF worthy.

Honorable Mentions/Disclaimer/The End

Zack Ryder: Any WWE Superstar that can embrace pop culture and make such a name for himself without needing WWE deserves at least an honorable mention on this list, and Long Island Iced Z may have a shot at the HoF one day. WWWYKI.

Kofi Kingston: Is perhaps one of the most popular guys in the company today, and add that to the impressive list of accolades, and the thought that he may be one of the pioneers in a new WWE Tag Team Division, well, why not at least think about it?

Dolph Ziggler: From male cheerleader to former World Champion, Dolph has had a rocky road on his way to stardom, but things seem to be looking up for the current United States Champion. With talent in all areas of wrestling, it's hard to imagine Ziggler not going even farther in the future.

Justin Gabriel: The former three-time WWE Tag Team Champion has been impressive since he hit the scene on NXT, and after recently going solo, WWE looks to be putting a lot of emphasis on Justin Gabriel. With that push, who's to say where JG could go from here. HoF maybe?

Daniel Bryan: Many people speak of Bryan as the best in the world. I wouldn't go that far, but he's no slouch, either. Former United States Champion and current Smackdown Mr.Money in The Bank winner, D-Bryan has hit a snag as of late, but if he can pull off a win at Mania with that case, who's to say where he'll be in the future.

For those of you wondering why girls like Kelly, Natalya and Beth aren't on this list, that's because they are currently what I call, "Main-Event Divas," meaning the Divas Division revolves around them at the moment. If this was about a year or two ago, Layla wouldn't be on this list, and Jack Swagger probably wouldn't either, considering he was World Title Contender status at the time, I believe.

Thanks for reading, and please share your thoughts below.