The wrestling world has been shaken to it’s core with the announcement on Wednesday about WWE not only moving Smackdown to Tuesday night and going live starting on July 18, but that the polarizing brand split is returning as well. With this announcement came reports that WWE would be calling up several more NXT stars to flesh out both distinct rosters, creating WWE’s largest roster of talent in the company’s long history. There’s even rumblings that WWE will be aggressively pursuing other notable indie stars to help in this endeavour, as well as to re-stock NXT.
But one of the quiet concerns amongst many is what will the landscape of NXT look like after this shakedown happens. It seems a given that Finn Balor will be coming up in the weeks to come, and with Bayley being out with “injury” it seems she’s being written off NXT television – after all, she has no match planned for NXT: The End on July 11th. And the only reason you don’t have Bayley on a TakeOver special is if she’s not on your roster anymore. It’s also highly probable that Samoa Joe, Bobby Roode, Eric Young, Shinsuke Nakamura and American Alpha are also on the WWE Main Roster before the year is done as well.
So with such an influx of NXT’s top talent being brought up, what does that leave for NXT? Sure, they’ll still have “The Drifter” Elias Sampson, Carmella, Nia Jax, and The Revival, but they’re not exactly the star power that the other names have carried for the company the past year.
Fear not, true believers! NXT is stocked. Like those proverbial iceberg memes that show the tip above water and the bulk underneath, NXT has more talent not on television than they do on it. While some are very green Performance Center recruits, there are some who have been biding their time on the NXT Live Event circuit just waiting to get their TV breaks. Others have been on NXT but have been held at lower levels due to the stockpile of talent at the top. And others have been on injured layoff.
Here’s a look at ten personalities who should rise to the challenge and become the Superstars of NXT in 2016.
HIDEO ITAMI
Following impressive showings in Pro Wrestling NOAH and Ring of Honor, Japanese Superstar KENTA arrived in NXT during the same wave that brought in Finn Balor and Kevin Owens in 2014. Renamed to Hideo Itami, he showed flashes of brilliance before an injury brought him down in early 2015. While he seemed to struggle to adjust to the “WWE way” at times, it was clear that he was eager to learn and that he would become one of NXT’s impact players. But unlike John Cena and Seth Rollins, Itami’s healing powers didn’t seem to work as hoped and complications and setbacks have kept him out of the ring for 13 months now. It’s finally been reported that Itami is nearly ready and should be reporting back to the Performance Center soon to shake off the ring rust and return to NXT in the next few weeks. With the other big names clearing out, it should only be a matter of time before Itami reclaims his spot in the NXT Main Event.
ANDRADE “CIEN” AIMAS
La Sombra was an international Superstar and one of the globe’s most sought after Luchadors when he was signed to NXT after a solid run with NJPW and CMLL. His mask was removed and he briefly competed at NXT Live Events under his real name, Manny Andrade, for months. But this past Wednesday night on NXT, we saw the first vignette air for his NXT debut, being rebranded as Andrade “Cien” Aimas. A mix of high flying with charisma, Aimas is poised to be one of NXT’s Main Event stars for the next year.
ALEXA BLISS
For the past year, Bliss has perfected her personality as the brash valet for former NXT Tag Team champions Blake & Murphy, while continuing to hone her own in-ring skills. The recent separation of Team BAMF is an indicator that NXT is finally ready to push Bliss back as a singles wrestler, and the timing couldn’t have been better. With the recent departures of Charlotte, Becky Lynch, Sasha Banks, Emma, Dana Brooke, and the looming departure of Bayley, the NXT women’s division has been the hardest hit area of the whole brand. While Asuka will still lead the charges from the face side, the heel section is glaringly absent after Nia Jax and Eva Marie. Bliss will fill in nicely and it’s only a matter of time before she’s the head heel of the division.
JOHNNY GARGANO
Gargano arrived late last year alongside former ROH World TV champ Tommaso Ciampa and immediately made an impression on both the NXT audience and staff. They were treated well and got in great matches, even when they were losing efforts. Both have recently began working more singles matches, and Gargano, who brings a long resume of outstanding work in AIW, PWG, Chikara, Dragon Gate USA and currently also in Evolve, has emerged as a fan favourite, with “Johnny Wrestling” chants bellowing throughout Full Sail University. Gargano will probably rise quicker than Ciampa and he could be a contender for the NXT title by the end of the year.
RICH SWANN
Rich Swann was one of the indie’s most acrobatic aerialists before he signed with NXT in 2015. Trained in CZW and refined in PWG, Chikara and Dragon Gate USA, Swann immediately hit the NXT Live Event circuit and has even had some impressive lower card matches on NXT. With a plethora of opportunities opening up on the NXT roster – alongside his involvement in the WWE Cruiserweight Classic – Swann should be one of NXT’s “must watch” Superstars the next year.
NO WAY JOSE
Manny Garcia took his fun loving indie gimmick and amplified it for his NXT television debut as No Way Jose and he’s become a hit since his debut. While many are still not sold on his ability due to the dancing persona, there’s no denying the man can entertain. Reports from the road seem to indicate that when his music hits, there are few NXT wrestlers that are as over as he is right now. He’s got buckets of charisma and knows how to work an audience, which makes up for any shortcomings in the ring, especially in the WWE. While many of these gimmicks have failed upon WWE Main Roster call-up (Tyler Breeze and Emma’s first call-up come to mind), they’ve proven to be huge successes to the NXT faithful.
ADRIENNE
Best known by her indie moniker Athena, Adrienne has just recently been seen on NXT despite signing with the brand last year. A five year veteran of Shimmer, as Athena, she was one of North America’s highest regarded women’s indie stars. A graduate of Booker T‘s wrestling school, Adrienne can play either face or heel and has a solid set of ring skills that will make her a contender for the NXT Women’s title by year’s end.
TM61
While the jury is still out on their new NXT tag team name (it’s their initials plus Australian area code), the tag team formerly known as The Mighty Don’t Kneel, were one of Japan’s most entertaining units with runs in Pro Wrestling NOAH and NJPW. These two Aussies combine solid tag team fundamentals with charisma and flair, and will be a solid addition to bolster the NXT tag team division that recently lost Enzo & Big Cass and the Vaudevillains.
PATRICK CLARK
For the few that watched the latest edition of Tough Enough, the only contestant that legitimately looked ready for the WWE was the youngest member, 19-year old Patrick Clark, who was already a veteran of Maryland Championship Wrestling, CZW and Germany’s wXw in his brief career. An encyclopedic knowledge of the WWE, personality on overload and athleticism that reminded many of Shelton Benjamin, Clark is becoming more of a player on the NXT Live Events and it seems he’s being groomed to hit TV sooner than later.
ZACK SABRE JR.
Ok, so he’s not even in NXT yet. But he’s now working for Evolve, one of WWE’s WWN affiliates, and he’s probably the odds on favourite to win the WWE Cruiserweight Classic this July. Which would be the perfect stepping stone to launch Sabre into NXT by the fall. Sabre is a franchise player in the making, and if he does make the jump after the WCC in August, expect him to be the face of NXT in 2017.
