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Sometimes the grass isn't always greener on the other side.
NXT is truly revolutionizing wrestling with both its old-school presentation and new school technical/strong style. Every time that NXT holds one of its Takeover events, they overshadow the 'main' brand PPV that they precede, and that's not a knock against the main roster.
NXT is better because its athletes work harder, and still have that 'hunger' that John Cena and Ric Flair describe. However, it seems like this beneficial atmosphere is both a blessing and a curse.
Because the spirit of NXT doesn't seem to be of much use once you leave Full Sail University for good. Athletes who were tremendously over in NXT now struggle for recognition on the main roster. Here are ten wrestlers who were huge in NXT but now can't get past the mid-card.
1.The Revival
The Revival gained notoriety on NXT by being smash mouth, in your face technical brawlers in the vein of the Brain Busters. They didn't pander to the fans, but still had strong support from the crowd even when playing the heel role. It seemed as if they would revolutionize tag team wrestling when they made it to the Raw brand.
Instead, injuries to both team members and the constant re-shuffling of the WWE tag team division led to them being treated as an afterthought. Now they have returned to NXT, but seem somehow diminished, as if being on the main roster tainted them.
2. Chad Gable
American Alpha may have been one of the most over acts in NXT during their tenure. Their combination of old-school brawling and amateur based wrestling evoked images of the Steiner Brothers--which American Alpha was quick to pick up on. They even duplicated the Steiner's spots in the ring.
Once they were drafted to the main roster, it seemed as if they had no direction. They were split up, with Jason Jordan receiving the better end of the deal with a recurring role on Raw as Kurt Angle's kayfabe son.
Gable teamed with Shelton Benjamin, but they failed to garner much acclaim or attention in spite of the amount of talent between them. Gable was recently drafted to Raw but remains mired in limbo.
3. Bobby Roode
To be fair, Bobby Roode hasn't truly floundered. He has held the United States title since being drafted to Smackdown, but his reign was brief and unmemorable.
Roode makes this list because he seems like no questions asked main event talent, yet remains stuck in mid card hell. It seems that he is the eternal bridesmaid in the big belt picture, always in the background and never getting his shot.
With age and injuries creeping up on Roode, the time for him in WWE is running short. When he left NXT it seemed as if he were going to be the next big thing; Instead, he's become just another character on a crowded roster.
4. Apollo Crews
A man well over 250 pounds who can fly like a cruiserweight, Apollo Crews naturally turned heads in NXT. In fact, he was pushed to the main roster much more quickly than some more experienced wrestlers.
That may have proven to be his undoing. Since joining the main roster, Crews has struggled to be noticed. The most attention he's garnered was because of a lawsuit stemming from his faux last name. Crews seemed like he had huge potential in NXT, but now he's just being utterly unremarkable.
5. Corey Graves
On NXT, Graves and Mauro Ranallo were one of the better announce duos in wrestling history. Graves could provide some gritty insight into the wrestling game, while Ranallo focused on the more technical parts of calling the match.
However, once he was drafted to Raw all Graves has done is get into petty social media wars with Booker T. and CM Punk. His bragging and arrogance don't come across as playing a heel, they come across as mean-spirited and scornful. When he focuses on the job at hand, he can still call a decent match, but that rarely happens these days.
6. Dana Brooke
In NXT, Dana Brooke was seen as a young but promising novice in the world of wrestling. Under the tutelage of women like Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch, she showed signs of becoming a good wrestler.
Then she was drafted to Raw--mostly because Vince McMahon thought her good looks made her instantly marketable--and has largely been unimpressive. He biggest career highlight to date is losing to Asuka in record time. And while in NXT her skills seemed to improve week by week, she has begun to stagnate.
7. Tye Dillinger
The NXT universe took a shine to Canadian technical wizard Tye Dillinger. He was treated to some of the biggest pops when his theme song hit the speakers.
After making the jump to the main roster, he has largely become an afterthought. It seems as if the fans still love him, they just don't expect much out of him in terms of wins or titles. That's not a good way for a wrestler like Dillinger to end up.
8. Baron Corbin
Ex NFL pro and golden gloves boxer Corbin had the legit tough guy market cornered on NXT. He was billed as a major threat and seemed to be a rising star.
Once he made it to the main roster, he has struggled to make it out of the mid card. While he has reigned as US champion under his belt, he was mostly a transitional champion to transfer the belt between faces. He hasn't done as badly as others on this list such as Crews, but it seems like he's not living up to his potential.
9. Shinsuke Nakamura
Nakamura was so magnificently over in NXT that the audience banded together and sang his theme song.
His popularity seemed to only increase when he debuted on the main roster. As the months passed, he racked up a lot of wins but spent most of his time in tag matches with no chance for singles gold.
It seemed there was no question of his walking out of Wrestlemania 34 as the champion...until he lost clean, and then turned heel with a cowardly attack on AJ Styles. Unlike other heel turns, Shinsuke's just came out of nowhere with no foreshadowing. The audience doesn't buy his bad guy shtick but aren't united behind him anymore either.
10. Asuka
Asuka went on a legendary undefeated streak, which she began in NXT and continued on the main roster. She never lost the NXT women's championship, instead of relinquishing it so she could join the Raw brand.
Then she lost clean to Charlotte and hasn't had the same mystique. With all of the momentum she had coming from NXT, her recent turn has been disappointing. With her recent foray into intergender matches, she's losing focus on what makes her special; being an outstanding wrestler.
There you have it; ten wrestlers who were huge stars in NXT but have struggled on the main roster. Do you believe in the NXT curse, or are there other factors to consider? Please comment and let us know.
