Top 10 Wrestlers WWE Regrets Letting Go

Number 10: "The Pope" D'Angelo Dinero

Pope D'Angelo Dinero once wrestled for Vince McMahon and the WWE under the name Elijah Burke for WWE's ECW brand. He had a decent run but was ultimately released by the WWE by November 2008. Eventually in 2009, Burke re-materialized in TNA Wrestling under the gimmick of a Harlem Street Preacher named "Pope" D'Angelo Dinero. He became extremely popular for a time, even being a legitimate threat to the TNA World Title by winning the 8 Card Stud Tournament for the right to face AJ Styles for the belt. Recently, Pope has gotten lost in the shuffle, but there is no doubt that he will re-emerge. The Pope gimmick could've been huge in WWE, and Vince has got to be smacking himself for not realizing how talented Burke was and letting him go without realizing his potential.

Number 9: Miss Tessmacher (Brooke Adams)

Miss Tessmacher once worked for the WWE on their ECW brand as apart of the Extreme Expose dance group with Kelly Kelly and Layla. She never really gained a lot of notoriety in WWE before she was released in 2007. This was a huge mistake by WWE because it has done nothing but benefit TNA Wrestling. Tessmacher joined TNA in 2010 and since then has become arguably the most popular knockout in the company. She is a former TNA Knockouts Tag Team Champion and is the current TNA Knockouts Champion. Who would have thought that a third wheel in a WWECW dance group would've accomplished so much somewhere else? Since WWE released her, Brooke has also gained notoriety for her modeling career. One year after WWE released her, she became Miss Hawaiian Tropic Texas 2008, in 2011 won a Hooters Viewer's Choice Award, and also appeared in a music video for Dorrough's song "Bounce Dat".

Number 8: Mickie James

Mickie James needs no introduction. She is a sure fire future Hall of Famer being a 5-time WWE Women's Champion, a 1-time WWE Divas Champion, and now a 2-time TNA Knockouts Champion. She is also the only woman in wrestling history to hold all 3 titles.  In 2010, WWE released her from the company in a move that she claims she was told to be a new direction for the WWE Women's Division. This was a baffling move because she was the biggest women's star in the WWE since legendary performers like Lita, Trish Stratus, Torrie Wilson, and Stacy Keibler had left. The move in retrospect has been a disaster for WWE because half the time no one even knows who the Divas Champion is anymore. They haven't created any new stars since she left. Kharma so far has been a bust because she got pregnant and hasn't even gotten to wrestle for WWE yet, the Bella Twins were never really over, Michelle McCool left, and no one else is over. The only Diva that's really over in the WWE is Beth Phoenix, and she was over when Mickie James was there so the WWE hasn't created ANY new stars in Mickie James absence. Meanwhile, Mickie James made pro wrestling history with her main event steel cage match against Tara on Impact Wrestling when she jumped off the top of the steel cage in a move that's never been done by a female wrestler. It was an epic moment that just may be the greatest moment in women's wrestling history... and since WWE released her it was a TNA MOMENT.

Number 7: Matt Morgan

Matt Morgan began his main stream career in WWE by being stuck with a stupid stuttering gimmick. He was made out to be a somewhat bumbling big man. He never amounted to anything in WWE, and never won any championships. He went to TNA in 2007, and since then has established himself as a dominant big man being a 2-time TNA Tag Team Champion and 1-time Ring Ka King World Champion. Since leaving WWE in 2005, he was chosen to be the top star in Ring Ka King, a constant threat to the TNA World Title, and has even accomplished a lot outside of the ring. In 2008, he joined the cast of American Gladiators and has guest starred on the FOX TV Show The Good Guys. WWE dropped the ball big time with Matt Morgan and it shows because the WWE is now lacking quality big men since Undertaker is all but retired, Big Show and Kane are getting old, and Great Khali can barely get around in the ring. WWE has got to be smacking themselves for ever letting Matt Morgan go.

Number 6: Gail Kim

In the WWE, Gail Kim was pretty much over looked her whole career. She was a 1-time Women's Champion early in her career but quickly became irrelevant. Gail Kim then went to TNA Wrestling where she became the face of the newly born Knockouts Division. Her feud with Awesome Kong (Kharma) established TNA's Knockouts Division as vastly superior to the WWE's Women's Division as Gail put on amazing matches rarely seen in main stream women's wrestling. She did so well in fact that WWE wanted her back and lured her back to WWE with better money; however, WWE once again failed to use Gail Kim correctly and she went back to being unused and unappreciated in WWE. She basically fought her way out of her WWE contract to get back to TNA Wrestling even saying that she would never work for WWE again. Since returning, she has had a lengthy reign as TNA Knockouts Champion and proving again why she is one of the best women's wrestlers in the world.

Number 5: Angelina Love

In 2004, WWE signed Angelina Love to a developmental contract. After 3 years in developmental, WWE never even called her up to the main roster. WWE was bone headed enough to release her in 2007. This was one of the worst decisions WWE has made talent wise over the last 5 years. Angelina has since gone on to become a record setting 5-time TNA Knockouts Champion and 1-time TNA Knockouts Tag Team Champion. That's not the worst part. Angelina Love went on to create the most successful and popular women's faction in wrestling history, The Beautiful People. This group was so good that rumor has it WWE was embarrassed by how bad The Beautiful People were making their divas look that they decided to make their own group, LayCool. It even led to a twitter war between The Beautiful People and LayCool as LayCool were called out for being rip offs. Recently, much like the Pope, Angelina Love has fallen into the background in TNA but I'm sure it's just a matter of time before she regains her coveted place at the top.

Number 4: Mr.Anderson (aka Mr.Kennedy)

Mr. Anderson was released from WWE in 2009. It was a strange situation because he actually seemed to be on his way to the top as he had been scoring pin falls over WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels. In 2010, he would debut in TNA Wrestling where during a shoot promo discussed how backstage politics led to his release from WWE which does seem to correlate with the odd timing of his firing. After all, why would you have a guy going over Shawn Michaels in a feud and representing your company in the movie Behind Enemy Lines II: Columbia only to fire him not long after? Anderson would end up making WWE eat crow as he has gone on to become a 2-time TNA World Heavyweight Champion and created some very memorable moments when he impersonated Sting. 

Number 3: James Storm

In 2000, James Storm signed a developmental deal with WCW. He made several appearances on WCW World Wide and WCW Saturday Night. When Vince McMahon bought out WCW, he didn't bother to carry James Storm over. This would ultimately prove to be a gigantic mistake by Vince McMahon as James Storm became part of not one, but two of the most famous tag teams of the last decade (America's Most Wanted and Beer Money). He's also been a part of one of the greatest factions of the last 10 years, Fortune where he rubbed elbows with Ric Flair. He has gone on to become one of the most popular wrestlers in the world and becoming the TNA World Heavyweight Champion, and an 11-time Tag Team Champion. He still has a bright future ahead of him and is just realizing his main event potential. He could've been WWE's successor to Steve Austin, but Vince didn't carry him over when he bought out WCW. Hey Vince, "Sorry About Your Damn Luck!"

Number 2: AJ Styles

AJ Styles, like James Storm, was left without a job after Vince McMahon bought out WCW. Vince didn't carry AJ Styles over in the buyout. AJ Styles wrestled several matches for WWF Jakked. By the time WWE offered him a developmental contract, it was too little too late. They wanted him to relocate to Ohio, and he turned them down so that it wouldn't interfere with his wife's college plans. Vince should've carried Styles over in the WCW buyout because AJ Styles has gone on to become the heart and soul of TNA Wrestling. He helped lead TNA to prominence and became TNA's first Grand Slam Champion. He's held every title that a male can win in TNA. AJ Styles will no doubt go down as a future Hall of Famer, and one of the biggest missed opportunities for Vince McMahon.

Number 1: Jeff Jarrett

Some people might be confused by Jeff Jarrett at the number one spot. Why you ask? Because in 2001 when Vince McMahon bought WCW, he announced Jeff Jarrett's real-life firing live on RAW and even mocked Jarrett as he did it (video of Vince firing Jarrett below). This would prove to be the dumbest mistake that Vince McMahon has ever made as Jeff Jarrett went on to found TNA Wrestling. TNA Wrestling has become a bigger threat to WWE every year that it has existed and has lured several big name WWE Superstars away from Vince including: Kurt Angle, Christian, Jeff Hardy, Booker T, Kevin Nash, Ric Flair, Hulk Hogan etc. In firing Jeff Jarrett, Vince indirectly created his own biggest competition in TNA Wrestling. Had he not fired Jeff Jarrett, then Jarrett would have never founded TNA Wrestling and WWE would still be the only main stream wrestling promotion in America. Also, Vince's firing of Jarrett laid the foundation for TNA's monster ratings success of a spin-off, India's Ring Ka King wrestling promotion. So, basically, Vince McMahon directly caused the creation of two wrestling promotions (TNA and Ring Ka King). This is a perfect example of Karma coming back to bite you. Jeff Jarrett was the biggest heel in WCW, and could've been a big asset to WWE. Vince's desire to humiliate and embarrass Jeff Jarrett by firing him on national television ultimately came back to haunt Vince. What goes around comes around. (Video of Vince firing Jarrett below)