10 Big Mistakes WWE Will Probably Make Before 2017

8. Not Paying Off The Heath Slater Story

Hands-up anyone who thought Heath Slater would prove to be one of the 2016 Brand Split’s biggest successes?

Nobody? Fair enough.

The One Man Bands “free agent” storyline has exceeded all expectations. Many predicted a bleak future for Slater when he wasn’t picked on draft night, but the former Social Outcast has steadily won fans over throughout a series of entertaining weekly segments. His quest for a SmackDown contract is as funny as it is charming, and it took an interesting step this week when Rhyno agreed to team with Slater in SmackDown’s Tag Team Title tournament.

Fans are more invested in Slater now than at any other point in his career. He’s primarily played an enhancement role throughout his tenure, but he’s always gone out of his way to entertain the crowd, and he’s peaking at the moment. Slater has the crowd on his side, he’s turning heads, and there’s genuine investment in his storyline throughout the WWE fanbase.

WWE have got to make the most of this, but will they? The company haven’t exactly built a strong reputation for paying off midcard feuds in recent years, and if Slater’s endgame is getting a SmackDown contract and returning to irrelevance, the whole story will have been for nothing. WWE have been presented with an excellent opportunity to permanently elevate Heath Slater, but fans need only look at Zack Ryder or Damien Sandow to see how the company handle undercard wrestlers who successfully get over on their own.