Let's talk about NXT in general, and how you would bring up some of its acts to the main roster.

[Anybody Thrilla]

Let me preface this by saying that NXT is my current favorite professional wrestling show.

A lot of good things happen in NXT, but as we've seen in the cases of Bo Dallas, Emma, and Adam Rose (to an extent), the transition from the minors to the majors isn't always a seamless one.

We've mentioned before that could stem from a couple things:

***

*NXT is always in front of the same crowd, so perhaps they are more into the acts than they "should" be.

*Characters develop in NXT, and it's not until their final form that they reach the main roster...but the main roster crowd did not follow the journey on NXT and are clueless as to who/why they are.

***

It's a shame, because there is a lot of talent in NXT, and I want to see a lot of them flourish on the main roster. Let's take some time to talk about your NXT fandom in general, and also how you would take some current NXT talents and try and transition them more seamlessly to the main roster.

An aside, this thread was inspired after watching a promo by Enzo Amore and Colin Cassidy. It was a great promo, but I was wondering if it would have gotten over on "the big stage".

Thoughts?

[XL]

I don't want anybody called up to the main roster. NXT is my favourite show of the week; it's concise and well booked, with everybody having a character or gimmick, and some kind of direction. I don't want that ruined.

Maybe I'd give the first hour of Raw over to NXT. Get some more eyes on it. Might make the transition to the main roster a little easier.

[Anybody Thrilla]

I hear you about not wanting to call anyone up, but that's clearly the endgame of the show. They're going to have to figure out how to not fuck EVERYONE up if this is really the new system.

Sidebar, the Neville/Zayn feud is incredible right now.

[whiteyford]

That's the problem, they just kinda assume everyone is aware of who/what they are when the get promoted, a bit more promotion before the debut of their gimmicks on the bigger stages maybe? That or more time before they get shitcanned and forgotten about, I thought the Rose gimmick was a bit meh but it could have been an interesting character if it was given more than 2 weeks of focus before being relegated to jobber to the stars status.

[whiteyford]

Really hated Enzo to begin with but love him now, getting the chance to develop it on tv without the ever present fear of getting scrapped if its not instantly over is a boon, but knowing the crowd will eat it up week in week out without any need to try is probably something that needs to be fixed, even if its just having them do a Cpl shows before Raw/Smackdown in front of a different audience to gauge the casual viewers responses every other month.

[Mr. Nerfect]

Late to the game here, but I'm in the same boat where I don't want to see anyone really leave NXT. I came up with a couple month plan for NXT the other day, going through a few Takeover events (controversial opinion, but I would try to do them before every main roster PPV).

I had Sami Zayn as NXT Champion until around May.

[VSG]

I was arguing with STD (yes, I know) about the guys on NXT not needing gimmicks but getting one when going to the main roster. If the rumors of Adrian Neville/Might Mouse are true, then whatever process is going on now is pretty shit.

[Fox]

I read that, too. Dear God I hope that's just a bullshit rumor. If not, it just shows how utterly out of touch Vince McMahon is with the current times.

They'll probably make Sami Zayn the retarded cousin of Hacksaw Jim Duggan or something, and he'll come to the ring with a 2x4 yelling "HOOOO!"

[Tom Guycott]

Exactly. They already have a "thing" in him being "The Man That Gravity Forgot", but one of the possible dangers of the jump to the main roster is trying to saddle someone with a over-the-top persona and/or stripping them of what has been working really well for them to begin with.

Lest we not forget Big E, who had the AMAZING 5 count gimmick in NXT. He was a monster, and put everyone down, insisted the ref count to 5 instead of 3, and would finish them again, and count 5 himself. They even referenced THIS VERY GIMMICK IN HIS FREAKIN' ENTRANCE THEME! The announcers made the comparison to King Kong Bundy doing similar. It was over, he was over, and that could have been something that carried over to the main roster pretty seamlessly... as parts of the live crowd who watch both NXT and main roster would have already been familiar, the "5" chants could have grown, and they would have been able to let him grow into a believable superstar by now. If built (both parties) were built effectively, Ryback vs Big E could have headlined a PPV... in time, not within 4 months, which was/is another problem for another discussion.

INSTEAD they immediately dropped the 5 count stuff, shoehorned him into being the muscle in a (though entertaining via social media and live appearances) half-assed, directionless stable with Ziggler and AJ, and eventually unceremoniously jobbed him to the next monster they were looking to build. In short, they stripped him of everything that worked, made to look like he's not any kind of a factor, and it's somehow HIS fault he's not over. Oh, and now sweating profusely is part of his gimmick. Nothing says highly marketable mass appeal like uncontrolable sweating. Maybe if he were around in the Attitude Era, and they released those "Maximum Sweat" toys (I worked in a toy store when that happened) , but really... really? Sweating??

Essentially, the only people relatively untouched in the transition were Rusev and the Wyatt Family. Again, I've never been a fan of Rusev, but they actually let that gimick build from the beginning, and they didn't really change anything in the jump to the main roster except somehow make him decide to be Russian instead of Bulgarian because hey, 'murica, same commie country amirite?! They didn't decide to let him be The Bulgarian Brute on NXT, then decide to push him and Lana as demented ballerinas or some shit on the call up.

[Lock Jaw]

Either way, Neville isn't going to get over on the main roster. Bring him up "as is" and he will receive a good "push" for a few weeks based solely on his finishing move. Then he'll be pretty much Evan Bourne. The dude who occasionally gets spotlighted for his finisher, but is largely directionless and a jobber for the most part.

[Damian Rey]

Makes you wonder what the point of NXT is.

[Tom Guycott]

Either way, Neville isn't going to get over on the main roster. Bring him up "as is" and he will receive a good "push" for a few weeks based solely on his finishing move. Then he'll be pretty much Evan Bourne. The dude who occasionally gets spotlighted for his finisher, but is largely directionless and a jobber for the most part.

Maybe, but they keep trying to make some kid-friendly high flyer. They want to perpetually marry the two; to make another Rey Rey simply to sell masks to kids and feature him on Saturday Morning Slam or some shit. They did it with Borne. They did it with Kofi. They tried BLATANTLY with Sin Cara, but just picked the wrong guy to wear the mask to begin with (also, making him silent was a stupid way to ask him to get over, no matter WHO wore the gear). They want someone new to capture that magic, and more importantly, that money. Never mind he is trying to be the biggest star he can be, and can potentially go as far as they're willing to push him. It seems like a disconnect to let the guy believe he can be a huge, credible wrestling star, when all they see is some cheezy potential toy-and-shirt seller.

Its one thing to present someone in such a way where they're a big deal in the realm of wrestling. If you push a guy, put him on TV more than 10 minutes a month, don't continually job him out, give him feuds, a title run with more feuds over said title... that will make people go "hey, this guy is a big deal, and I should care some way about him", and a character being developed alongside that, as well as announcers DOING THEIR JOBS (instead of talking about other shit or downplaying the talent they should be highlighting) lets the people know which way they should feel about it.

It's another idea, however, that someone should be an instant total package. They should be hot instantly and a licence to print money in perpetuity. If they're not insanely over with the crowd in the space of a PPV cycle, they "don't have it"... unless the WWE deems you have it to begin with and beat the horse until it dies. If this gimmick doesn't work for PAC, then what? It's his fault for failing? He doesn't get another chance, or an overhaul, or at least the opportunity to drop the nonsense super-gimmick and, you know, possibly end up with something on his own?

Again, WWE seems to have gotten away from what made WWE in the first place, and NXT is doing it right. It is a wrestling show that is an actual wrestling show, with wrestlers in a wrestling world doing and talking about wrestling related things, and not shilling product or possibly being farmed to movies or putting over Total Divas or being in a cartoon or the next video game. The main roster mentality seems to be putting the cart before the horse anymore, that the stars are stars and the wrestling is secondary, instead of wrestling making the stars relevant to begin with.

And it's almost sad that the endgame for these guys is potentially the worst thing that can happen to them- your future is only as bright as someone else sees it. Even if this Mighty Mouse thing is true, what, is Nevile supposed to say "no"? It's his shot; his chance to be seen by a worldwide audience. We don't know, it may work... hell, in all honesty, The Undertaker was a potentially horrible gimmick, and prob'ly just about anyone but Mark would have made that a shit show. Maybe this will work. We don't know. BUT, the issue is that they will likely bank on this to work for him, and if it doesn't, then "Eh, well... NEXT!!!"

[SlickyTrickyDamon]

Sin Cara Uno couldn't speak English. Not WWE's fault the guy was a huge fuck up and decided to try to get over in America without knowing the primarily language.

[SlickyTrickyDamon]

I think this is essentially Triple H's vision of the future of WWE budding heads with Vince's idea for what WWE should be.

If they can keep NXT running this smoothly then it'll be a good spot for people to develop and have a real chance once Vince retires.

The NXT guys love Triple H but he doesn't have that same stroke with the guys in the WWE lockeroom. Triple H tried to rally the troops after Vince's disastrous comments but apparently it only made things worse. Let's not forget that it was Steve Austin that first asked the question about the guys in the back not being hungry or driven. Vince wouldn't have had to answer the question if the idea of them not being driven or hungry was in Austin's mind. He led the horse to the water so to speak.

[whiteyford]

Sin Cara Uno couldn't speak English. Not WWE's fault the guy was a huge fuck up and decided to try to get over in America without knowing the primarily language.

The primary reason he was signed was to tap into the huge and ever growing Hispanic population in the States, I don't even remember him speaking Spanish, Khali got to speak Punjab on tv, and putting a guy on tv who wasn't tv ready was WWEs fault, he didn't show up and say put me on Raw right now, WWE made the call.

[Blue Demon]

Lest we not forget Big E, who had the AMAZING 5 count gimmick in NXT.

Not like this is new...King Kong Bundy did this in the '90s

[Bad News Gertner]

I really want Tyler Breeze to join The Miz's entourage. Cab you imagine the funny shit between Mizdow and Breeze.

[Volare]

I see an obvious mega faction coming out of this with 4-6 guys from NXT being Triple H's new guys. Can run off of the news of morale being down and Triple H has the guys to be the future and clean out the WWE of its garbage so to speak.

[SlickyTrickyDamon]

Yeah making the NXT brand heels. No.

[Anybody Thrilla]

I see an obvious mega faction coming out of this with 4-6 guys from NXT being Triple H's new guys. Can run off of the news of morale being down and Triple H has the guys to be the future and clean out the WWE of its garbage so to speak.

The Nexus already happened. I think the rule is seven years before you can do it again.

[VSG]

The Nexus already happened. I think the rule is seven years before you can do it again.

Does the Shield count?

[Anybody Thrilla]

I feel those were fundamentally different.

[VSG]

The number was less, but they did attack people irrespective of roster status and show- at least initially anyway. Did a better job too lol.

[Anybody Thrilla]

Well the original plan was for them to be CM Punk's henchmen. They ended up calling an audible though, so the intentions got a little lost in translation.

[Lock Jaw]

Should call up a couple of guys to be Seth Rollins henchmen and actually book them as legit. Rollins essentially "architecting" a new Shield-like faction, but one that works for him.

[Anybody Thrilla]

Should call up a couple of guys to be Seth Rollins henchmen and actually book them as legit. Rollins essentially "architecting" a new Shield-like faction, but one that works for him.

I could get behind that. Who would you call up? Baron Corbin and Bull Dempsey? Because that would suck. Also, do J & J stick around with this stable? I find something kinda hilarious about Seth Rollins coming to the ring four other people every time.

[VSG]

Scott Dawson and Dash Wilder.

[Anybody Thrilla]

Or even Jason Jett and that other dude. They're pretty good.

[Lock Jaw]

Adrian Neville, Kevin Owens, Scott Dawson.

I dunno. Hard to pick some people.

Wesley Blake and Buddy Murphy.

[Anybody Thrilla]

Is it Jordan Jett? I forget. They're not a big deal yet.

[VSG]

Or even Jason Jett and that other dude. They're pretty good.

Are they the guys in similar red colored attire? I was looking for them on the NXT roster but never seem to remember their names.

[Anybody Thrilla]

Owens would be good in that role, but it would kind of go against his current character...which I'm not so sure would matter on the main roster anyway.

[VSG]

Ah nevermind that's Wesley Blake and Buddy Murphy as LJ Lee pointed out.

[XL]

Either way, Neville isn't going to get over on the main roster. Bring him up "as is" and he will receive a good "push" for a few weeks based solely on his finishing move. Then he'll be pretty much Evan Bourne. The dude who occasionally gets spotlighted for his finisher, but is largely directionless and a jobber for the most part.

I get that that you're "taking things as they are" rather than "as you'd/we'd like them to be".

Evan Bourne could have been much more than he ended up being. He had a tiny run where they put some shine on him, where he was Cena's buddy and started winning matches but that died after a few weeks. They put a bit of focus on him before he'd feature in a Money In The Bank match to pull off a stunt or two but they never put any real stock in him.

He was the kind of guy that could have lit up the midcard title picture but he never got there because they never put him there.

As with anybody, they get as far as they're allowed to.

Not like this is new...King Kong Bundy did this in the '90s

Why would you point this out when he pointed it out himself?

[XL]

And it's almost sad that the endgame for these guys is potentially the worst thing that can happen to them- your future is only as bright as someone else sees it. Even if this Mighty Mouse thing is true, what, is Nevile supposed to say "no"? It's his shot; his chance to be seen by a worldwide audience. We don't know, it may work... hell, in all honesty, The Undertaker was a potentially horrible gimmick, and prob'ly just about anyone but Mark would have made that a shit show. Maybe this will work. We don't know. BUT, the issue is that they will likely bank on this to work for him, and if it doesn't, then "Eh, well... NEXT!!!"

Should he say "no"? Depends what time of day it is.

He could say "no" to a shitty gimmick and "pass the test" with Vince, gaining his respect for "standing up for himself" and "knowing his own mind" - like he pretends he wants his guys to do.

On the otherhand, he could say "no" to a shitty gimmick and get labelled "hard to work with" and "ungreatful for the opportunity".

[Anybody Thrilla]

I really enjoyed Evan Bourne's WWE run. I always think back to that match he had with John Morrison on J-Mo's last night in ECW. Soooooo good. Shame things went down the way they did.

[VSG]

I mostly just remember him for the RKO out of nowhere original spot.

[Anybody Thrilla]

Air Boom was a good team, too.

[Emperor Smeat]

Neville likely is going to end up like Paige in the sense of Creative completely misinterpreting what made both special in NXT. Neither had a real gimmick in the traditional sense. Paige's "Anti-Diva" gimmick was more of a phrase than something concrete while Neville's "Man that Gravity Forgot" wasn't just him being NXT's version of Kofi.

On paper, the Ascension should do well with their debut period just because how predictable the WWE is with tag team booking and new teams.

Looking back, the Wyatt Family seems to be the only ones who transitioned well between NXT to the main roster and didn't fall victim to Creative's incompetence. Not counting the Shield since the group didn't exist prior in NXT and their success was more of them fighting Creative's ideas if Ambrose story is correct.

[Bad News Gertner]

I don't know what you do with Neville. He's God awful on the mic, doesn't have a lot of charisma and doesn't really have a unique look. He's definitely going to get lost in the shuffle. I'm not very high on Neville.

[KIRA]

Makes you wonder what the point of NXT
is.

To make sure they are worthy of being feed to Cena and eventually Roman

[Bad News Gertner]

Or even Jason Jett and that other dude. They're pretty good.

Jason Jordan. Jason Jett was EZ Money in ECW.

[Tom Guycott]

Not like this is new...King Kong Bundy did this in the '90s

Did you even continue reading? I pointed that out.

[Evil Vito]

Neville likely is going to end up like Paige in the sense of Creative completely misinterpreting what made both special in NXT. Neither had a real gimmick in the traditional sense. Paige's "Anti-Diva" gimmick was more of a phrase than something concrete while Neville's "Man that Gravity Forgot" wasn't just him being NXT's version of Kofi.

<font color=goldenrod>When Neville's music and tron hit at the Rumble, I want the camera to pan around to show Neville helplessly pinned to the ceiling of the arena. Quite literally the Man that Gravity Forgot.</font>

[Anybody Thrilla]

Tyler Breeze was at the house show I went to on Saturday. I don't know if that's a sign. He was likely just a fill-in for Heath Slater as he teamed with Titus O'Neill and Hornswoggle to take on Los Matadores and El Torito.

[ron the dial]

i saw him do the same thing at the house show on friday. was pleasantly surprised to see him there. also enjoyed seeing charlotte and sasha banks get a chance to mix it up in a 6 woman tag match.

[Anybody Thrilla]

Sounds like we got the same card.

[ron the dial]

i'm assuming your main event was wyatt/ambrose? i was surprised they actually busted out chairs and tables, but then again i had never been to a house show before.

[Anybody Thrilla]

Yeah. Ambrose's hometown too. It was a pretty fun show, really.

[drave]

House shows are more fun for sure. Saw one that involved (fully masked) Kane AND Paul Bearer (RIP) do the People's Elbow.

[Blue Demon]

Why would you point this out when he pointed it out himself?

Did you even continue reading? I pointed that out.

I looked away for a sec and continued reading from where I thought I left off. Obviously I overlooked that sentence, no need to get your knickers in a knot.

[XL]

Tyler Breeze was at the house show I went to on Saturday. I don't know if that's a sign. He was likely just a fill-in for Heath Slater as he teamed with Titus O'Neill and Hornswoggle to take on Los Matadores and El Torito.

Don't read too much into that. Zayn had a match at the UK tour show I went to in May.

[Anybody Thrilla]

Yeah, that's why I made the Heath Slater comment.

[drave]

Still feel like it would be best to have some NXT matches take place during the long ass filler-filled longest episodic television show in history, Monday Night Raw.

Give the "mainstream" crowd some exposure to the NXT talents to have them acquainted. That way, bringing up talents in that manner seems like it would be more of a natural progression.

[ron the dial]

i don't understand why they don't spend more time pushing nxt on the main shows. it's new content every week that's available on the network. it would be beneficial in so many ways. makes no sense to me at all.

[Innovator]

It doesn't make sense to push people toward a premium product.

[drave]

Why not? You showcase just a wee bit of the "fresh offerings" to try to persuade people to BUY NOW!!!!!

Keeping on topic though, it would be much more beneficial for both evolving NXT superstars and the main roster. Give the fans time enough to see some fresh talent and support/shit on them.

[Innovator]

Why not? Because why would people want to pay to see my son in law's little pet project when you have 5 HOURS OF MY QUALITY PROGRAMMING FOR FREE DAMMIT

[drave]

Because Ponies

AND DON'T YOU GOD DAMN FORGET IT (9/11 USA#1)

[Mr. Nerfect]

I'd actually like them to keep all the NXT guys down there until after WrestleMania. I thought the post-Mania season was a bad time to bring up Rusev, Adam Rose and Bo Dallas, but I'd like it if they opened the RAW After Mania with a match between Adrian Neville and Sami Zayn or Tyler Breeze or something. Highlight it as a "new start" for the WWE.

[Mr. Nerfect]

Say it's Neville vs. Breeze. Neville wins with the Red Arrow and they talk about how amazing that move is. On SmackDown, Neville can beat a Heath Slater-type or something, and then on RAW, he can face another heel, but this time Breeze comes out and costs him the match. Instant feud between two new guys, with clearly defined face/heel lines.

[James Steele]

I think you book Neville as a special attraction. Don't have him talk, just show up and do crazy shit in the air. Do hype videos showing his NXT highlights.

[Mr. Nerfect]

I don't think Neville is a bad talker, but his accent will limit his ability to immediately connect. It's a case of how his promos are presented. You can't just send him out there with a microphone. Maybe video packages could work?

[Bad News Gertner]

His accent is horrific.