WWE Network and 4 Other Missed Opportunities of 2012

It's well documented that Vincent Kennedy McMahon, WWE Chairman and CEO, is a man who thrives on risk. The prime example of that is when he risked his own financial well-being to materialize one of the craziest ideas ever formulated: WrestleMania. As we say goodbye to 2012, let's take a look at five opportunities that WWE missed out on.

1. Launching of WWE Network

Remember all that hype surrounding WWE Network? A lot of people thought it was a joke, partially because of the date it was supposed to be launching which was April 1 (April Fools' Day). It turned out to be serious business when they began doing surveys, naming shows and putting out promotional posters and videos.

All that went to waste when, suddenly, all mention of WWE Network disappeared. The countdown on WWE.com was removed. No more "notify your television service provider about WWE Network" nagging. The 1st of April went by with everyone only talking about WrestleMania. Let's hope we haven't heard the last of WWE Network.

2. Actualizing John Cena's Heel Turn

Oh, John Cena, you little tease. The Cenation leader had multiple opportunities to turn into a bad guy this year, but that never happened. Earlier this year, we saw Zack Ryder, Eve and John Cena in what seemed to be a love triangle. The Ultimate Broski had strong support from the audience as a babyface. It was so strong that the WWE "Universe" despised John Cena for kissing Eve in front of her (unrequited) lover. All the heat was cooled down with simple crowd pandering and apology the next week though.

Here's another one. Cena's year-long feud with Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson would've raised more eyebrows (no pun intended) if he turned heel with a dirty finish. The stage was set. The match itself was once in a lifetime, but nope. That doesn't stop there, no no.

Another chance presented itself when Cena won the Money in the Bank briefcase. We're well aware that during that time, CM Punk was closely battling for the number 1 spot as the face of WWE. Imagine the heat John Cena would've received if he cashed in on a vulnerable Punk. That didn't happen either. In fact, when will he ever turn heel?

3. Capitalizing on the Ryder Revolution

Thanks to the popularity of his YouTube show, Zack Ryder turned everyone into a believer when he won the United States Championship on last year's TLC. That seemed to be his peak though. From then on, he went downhill. Being "injured" by Kane, losing the title in unspectacular fashion, becoming a regular jobber for Alberto Del Rio (remember that "Oh radio, time to job to Del Rio" meme?) and the list goes on. The poor guy wasn't even booked on this year's TLC.

4. Dolph Ziggler Showing the World

Dolph Ziggler is similar to John Cena in a way. They both love teasing the audience. Mr. Money in the Bank has teased a cash in on Sheamus countless times for the World Heavyweight Championship. He even went as far as to announcing that he will cash in on a pay-per-view. Never happened.

The most recent attempt was when he tried cashing in on the Big Show, but was foiled by his current feuding buddy, Cena. Every time his music played in his attempts, the pop was loud. Let's hope it will not be too late when he finally does it though.

5. Lord Tensai

When Lord Tensai debuted (err, returned), he received the Brock Lesnar treatment in a way. He rose up the ranks quickly and even scored impressive an impressive win over John Cena. Unfortunately, the Japanese meaning of his name became bizarrely accurate. His return was a natural disaster. Not only did the live audience ridiculed him by chanting Albert, his winning streak became a losing streak and he lost not only his manager, but also the "Lord" portion of his name.

Nowadays, he's a dummy for upper carders and main eventers while passing the damage to low carders. Jobbing tonight, squashing tomorrow. The last time he made headlines was when he was blamed for sandbagging Ryback on Raw. Truly embarrassing.

What do YOU think?
What or who do you think WWE missed out on in 2012? What about the things they did right this year? Weigh in on the comment section down below or hit me up on Twitter (@Dairyll).