Wade Barrett's WWE Roller-Coaster Ride and a Career Revitalized

Wade Barrett is one of the more curious cases of high and low WWE has ever seen.

He came in relatively quietly, as a rookie on NXT.  While he looked good in the ring, he had his critics. He wasn’t polished enough, he wasn’t very charismatic, and his mic skills were not that impressive.

Like many other fresh faces in WWE, he was just sort of there.

Funny how a black and yellow T-shirt can change a career.

As head of The Nexus, Barrett was catapulted into the spotlight, leading the other NXT rookies to total dominance over every other Superstar in WWE.  He was untouchable, and his path seemed bright ahead.

Suddenly, he was a top player, a guy who many called the future of WWE, and a classic old school heel.  His evil smile and arrogant attitude on display every week, Barrett was able to get over in every conceivable way.

His showdown with Randy Orton and the WWE Championship was imminent, and all signs pointed toward an ending that no fan had ever imagined.

Wade Barrett hoisting the title belt over his head as his Nexus teammates raised their arms in salute, establishing their unchallenged power in the company.

Barrett was on his way, and no one could stop him.

Enter Captain America.

John Cena not only emerged as the winner of his feud with Nexus, he was also the obvious reason why Nexus existed in the first place.

Cena is the top guy, and nearly every opponent he has ever faced has ended up putting him over. With Nexus, WWE now had seven men they could point to as evidence that Cena was still the company’s number one hero.

But, factions come and go, and despite the eventual fall of Nexus, Barrett’s star was still relatively intact.  So, why not give him another stable and see what he could do with it?

The Corre.  Yeah, let’s move on.

So, Wade Barrett went from being in the top five to being in the bottom three.  Unfortunately for him, Simon Cowell was not there to give him a save, and before long, Barrett went to doing nothing.

Take a minute and think back about that time in Barrett’s career.  It was not that long ago, and the fact is that many pro wrestling writers had pretty much closed the book on Wade in WWE.  His potential, and seemingly untouchable push, was gone and so was his future in the business.

Remember that?  Looking at Wade Barrett now, it’s actually fairly easy to forget.

Barrett is blowing up.  He’s beating nearly everyone he steps in the ring with, including Randy Orton at a pay per view.

Let me repeat that.

He’s beating nearly everyone he steps in the ring with, including Randy Orton at a pay per view.

Mark Henry, you have some company.

So much for fans who believed that Randy would not give back, and so much for those who thought that Wade was done in WWE.  The truth is, none of this should come as a surprise to any of us.

This is the WWE roller coaster we’re talking about here, the same one that guys like Sheamus have ridden before.

Imagine the conversation that happens with these new WWE Superstars when they begin.

“Okay, so, here’s your cool ring gear, sweet entrance music, and overabundant mic time.  We’re going to start you out, let’s see, right up here,  and you’ll be feuding with the top main event guys.  So, go out there, have fun, and let’s see what you can do!”

Twenty minutes later.

“Okay!  Nice job.  Now, since you were a nobody when you got here, we’re going to go ahead and put you right back down here.  No, no, not there.  Down below there.  You’ll be jerking the curtain for, well, as long as we tell you, with no relevant feuds to speak of.  We’ll take that microphone now, and hey, keep your chin up, because now we see what you’re really made of.  Keep plugging away, and we’ll talk soon.  Seriously, we’re going to need that mic back.”

Now, repeat step one.

Love it or hate it, this is the WWE way, and if a worker is lucky, he not only gets the repeat of the first conversation, he gets the fame that goes along with it.  For Wade Barrett, he is one of the fortunate ones.

The truth is, real talent always rises to the top, and cannot be held down by time, or circumstances. This is Barrett’s time to shine, and WWE seems committed to giving him every chance to succeed.

How long will it last this time for him?  It’s hard to say.  Like any other case in WWE, a lot of it depends on the company’s willingness to see it through, and Barrett’s ability to make the best of what he has.  So far, Barrett is on his game.  Now, it’s up to WWE.  

Again.