They just didn't market him right. He had potential, but they couldn't see it in terms of longevity. They all wanted the next big thing right away. At that time, with that look, he really didn't have to do much. He should have been the very first "mass monster" heel mold. Like Sid, Kane, Lesnar.... he wouldn't have had to show much ability at that point. He would just pound away and brutalize people with blunt trauma until he won. This type of "wrestling" was utilized by a lot of other people that had no actual talent (or in the case of Abdullah, their bodies were limited in their mobility).
He could have picked up a couple moves over time and transitioned into a baby face, but they couldn't see that or they were just too impatient.