I have been keeping a close eye on NXT over the last few months and I must say I like what I see. There is definitely talent pushing through and the format of NXT allows them to take their time and build their characters slowly. I think with the new addition of the WWE Performance Centre in Florida the WWE has set itself up nicely for the future.
If the process for a new wrestler trying to make it to the major league is to enter the WWEPC then on to NXT then on to the main show, that would insure that you are receiving a finish product by the time they get to Raw or Smackdown. On the flip side though there is a small risk that NXT could just produce wrestlers that all have a very similar style. I prefer to be optimistic and lean towards the side of positivity so I’m going to stick my neck out and say this is a great addition in terms of the future of the company.
This is also the reason why I don’t think we will see many wrestlers from TNA coming over to the WWE because frankly the WWE just does not need them. Yes one or two might be able to make the transition but I wouldn’t expect them to get any major pushes over the home grown WWE talent.
Comparing the product to decades ago we are seeing a lot more Superstars getting airtime and a lot of those wrestlers are reasonably young. Long are the days when the whole focus was on the WWE champion. Currently we don’t even have one! They are trying to focus on storylines. I will be the first to admit that they haven’t mastered the craft of writing yet and they still make a few mistakes but I think they are making the tweaks needed to slowly delver the product in a new fresh way.
I am positive that as time goes by and Vince McMahon releases his grip on the business, Triple H will make the necessary changes to make the show more interesting and relevant to its audience. They have clearly showed over the last two months that they pay serious attention to what fans are saying on the internet and they have used it to their advantage in either giving us what we want or swerving us at the last minute. The whole story line with Daniel Bryan solely exists because of the reaction from the fans and our desire to see him as champion. Not to discredit him in anyway because he is awesome, but a decade ago Daniel Bryan would have been a jobber, he would have been drastically overlooked by the WWE powers at be.
The fact that we have guys like CM Punk and Daniel Bryan is (dare I say it) great for business. It shakes away the old non talented steroid look from the past and shows the athleticism and talent of the people who love to do what they do.
I have listed five wrestlers in no particular order that I believe will be the most likely to get a break and make it onto the big stage within the next six months.
Paige
As mentioned in my review for Smackdown this week, I believe it is time to inject some new female wrestlers onto the scene. AJ is struggling to keep any momentum going at the moment because I think she lacks any real competition in the ring or on the microphone. Paige is the current women’s champion on NXT and she has made impressive progress with her style and her ring presence. She has a no nonsense style and although she is beautiful she is definitely not a diva. She still has a little work to do in terms of promos or microphone skills but I think it won’t be long before we see her on Monday or Friday night.
Leo Kruger
The South African wrestlers whose gimmick is a sadistic mercenary has all the potential to be a great heel. His style is very technical with a focus on the joints and limbs of his opponent. He likes to torture anybody crazy enough to step in the ring with him. He fully understands the look and the mindset of his character and his psychology in the ring is great. If you have not had a chance to see him at work, check him out now.
Sami Zayn
After his match with Antonio Cesaro on NXT, Sami Zayn’s name has been on the lips of a lot of wrestling fans. The match was amazing and I especially loved the spot where he jumped through the ropes and delivered a tornado DDT. Formally El Generico on the independent scene he brings to the ring a basket of tricks, a mixture of highflying and technical mat work. I can’t wait till he gets his opportunity to showcase his talents on the next level.
Tyler Breeze
The Zoolander impersonator has to be one of my guilty pleasures. The gimmick is not completely original, we have had models in the WWE before but this is a fresh modern take on it. He enters the ring taking selfies of himself on his mobile phone which is displayed on the big screen for everybody to see. He looks like one of those guys that you just want to smash in the face for being such a jerk but that’s also the very thing that makes him awesome. His in ring ability can’t be judged just yet because I have not seen him wrestle a lot because part of his gimmick is not getting hit in the face. However the gimmick would be perfect for smack down and match between him and Fandango would be genius.
Bo Dallas
I know what you’re thinking, how can I possibly think that Bo Dallas is ready? Well allow me to explain. I think his current gimmick is a super heal gimmick. It’s pretty much how the majority of people react to John Cena on a weekly basis but this time it is completely intentional on WWE’s part. I have never hated a character so much in years which means he must be doing something good. Just the site of his squashed up face and his plastic grin makes me want to put a hole through my TV. The fact that his character believes he is the best in the world despite his constant delusion to the real reaction from the fans is genius. Good or bad he is the wrestler that we will love to hate. He is light-years away from his older brother Windham who has already established his Bray Wyatt gimmick on the big stage, but as long as the WWE does not change his current gimmick you can consider me a BOLIEVER.
If you are not already watching NXT then I would recommend that you start. It’s only a 40 minute show and it’s a good way to keep up with all of the up and coming stars trying to showcase their skills. It’s not often you get to see wrestlers fine tune and have a space to test out gimmicks before arriving on the main shows. I think the future looks good for the WWE and I am excited to see which Superstar will be NXT.
NXT on Twitter – @WWENXT
– By Sebastian Bowen