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Very few can match the showmanship of Finn BalorNXT has seen an explosion in popularity the likes of which have arguably not been seen in years from the industry.What was supposed to have been a developmental territory has now transformed into WWE's unofficial third brand. Now the program is arguably more entertaining than Raw or SmackDown and it’s only getting better. Though, NXT, of course, has all the promotional power and financial resources of WWE behind it, that is not what has driven them forward.It’s the stars of NXT that brings fans back week in and week out. Veteran talents and fresh faces fill a locker room that has the potential to entertain masses all over the world. That potential was realized at Takeover in Brooklyn New York when NXT sold out the Barclays Center. That was the moment when fans surely began to realize just how much progress NXT had made and just how much demand the NXT stars command.Those talents represent the future of Vince McMahon’s company. Of the five active titles in WWE, four are held by former NXT standouts including the company’s top prize, the WWE World Heavyweight Championship. This is perhaps the best indication of all; that NXT is for real and its stars are here to stay. WWE has done an excellent job scouting talent and helping that talent assimilate into its machine.Now that machine is struggling. Low ratings have been a major cause for concern and fans are likely becoming very frustrated at WWE’s apparent lack of interest in generating anything new onto the main roster. The same feuds with the same outcomes have become the order of the day and now many are looking to NXT to provide a much-needed breath of fresh air to reinvigorate the product.That should not be very difficult to accomplish, as the stars of NXT are ready and willing to take to the main stage of WWE. While all five of these choices should probably not be called up at the same time thus making serious holes on the NXT roster, any combination of these stars would surely be enough to help WWE get back on track.
#5 Colin Cassady
Colin Cassady has something that cannot be taught, something that literally puts him head and shoulders above other talents in NXT.
Cassady has size and though WWE is not the land of giants as it has been in the past, the fact is there’s plenty of room for him on the main roster now. Vince McMahon loves the big guys and as long as he is calling the shots, Colin could be on Raw sooner rather than later.
Cassady is 6’10” and 276lbs. He’s a definite presence in the ring and with the right booking, he could surely become a definite force on the main roster. Cassady may not be the most talented or the most dynamic of Superstars but he is capable of improving and he’s already got an advantage due to his size. He’s also got an advantage because he has learned to entertain next to Enzo Amore, who is pure gold.
The combination of Enzo and Big Cass are a mainstay in NXT’s tag team division. But they’re not only a good team because of their work in the ring, they’re good because they’re the most entertaining duo on the roster.
To imagine one being called up without the other seems impossible but Cass still has the advantage of his size and that keeps him on a very short list of big guys that could make an impact on the main roster. The booking has to be top notch and the work has to be there but considering WWE’s ratings woes, anything is possible for any NXT talent at any given time. Big Cass could potentially be one of the next top big men in the company.
#4 Sami Zayn
Sami Zayn is one of the most innovative talents to ever compete in NXT. He has excellent ring awareness and always knows where he is, utilizing every part of the squared circle during his matches.
There is arguably no one better from a technical standpoint than Zayn that can match him move for move and now that he has a much bigger stage to work on, mainstream WWE audiences are finally seeing what they’ve been missing. But he hasn’t really even started yet.
Injuries have shelved Zayn and it’s been a shame for fans that truly support him and want to see him do well. It’s also been a shame for WWE, because of all the guys working in Florida, Zayn is the one that could move up right now and really make an impact. He is just that good.
But he will be back eventually and the fact is when he returns, he should do so as a member of the main roster. The only unfinished business for Zayn is with Kevin Owens and KO is primarily appearing on Monday Night Raw now. If Zayn’s character wants redemption, he won’t find it in NXT and that is a very good thing for WWE. Zayn is needed on Monday nights and he is needed right now.
Sami has everything it takes to get over; he’s talented, he’s funny, he’s exciting to watch in the ring and he’s very likable. He possesses an underdog quality, the same one that convinced fans Daniel Bryan was worth their support. It’s impossible to know if Zayn could be elevated as high as Bryan, but he definitely has a chance at attaining the same level of stardom. All he needs is a bigger platform to prove it.
#3 Enzo Amore
Enzo Amore may not have the size of his tag team partner, but the fact is he doesn’t need it. Enzo is just naturally entertaining and that means his future in WWE could be very bright indeed.
Amore is funny, he’s witty and he possesses a refreshingly unique character. Sporting an insane haircut and an over-the-top Jersey personality, Amore exists in a world of his own creation. He has a crazy intensity in his eyes and it suggests a deeper edge that WWE could perhaps exploit in the future. What appears to be just a joke gimmick from a distance is actually something much more.
Amore is special and the company has not even begun to graze the surface of what he’s capable of. He and Big Cass together are killing it every week in NXT, but Enzo is a big part of why the team is getting over. WWE is in need of some serious help on Raw and SmackDown and there’s no better help than a guy like Enzo. His ability to entertain is what the company needs and it needs as much as it can get.
Enzo may not be the answer to all of WWE’s problems but if used in the right way and not presented as a cartoon character strictly for laughs, he could be a definite asset. Enzo is fun and WWE needs much more of that, but he also has potential and WWE is very good at capitalizing on that as well.
#2 Samoa Joe
The consensus on Samoa Joe is that he’s ready right now for WWE’s main roster and fans would be hard pressed to disagree. Joe is a 16-year veteran of the business, he’s worked all over the world and he’s been world champion.
He’s done it all and much like CM Punk before him, Joe really didn’t need to work in developmental; he was ready to go as soon as he hit the locker room. But Samoa Joe is making the out best of it and enjoying his time in NXT. The brand is not viewed as a punishment for most guys, rather just a preliminary stopping point on the way to the big time of WWE.
Joe is getting over every week, he has the full support of the fans and he’s looking good in the ring as always. He’s definitely taking advantage of the time he has, he always makes every moment count.
However, NXT is indeed a stop, not the destination.
Joe could walk onto Monday Night Raw, get in the face of Brock Lesnar and fans would surely have no problem believing it. He is pound for pound one of the toughest men to ever lace up a pair of boots and he’s also very athletic for a guy his size. Joe has what it takes to make a splash on the main roster right now and considering that WWE only has a handful of true “big fight” performers left, it’s only a matter of time before he does. Joe is not only a good fit, he’s the best fit and will most definitely prove that in a WWE ring.
#1 Finn Balor
Finn Balor is currently NXT’s top star and heavyweight champion, but it’s obvious he will be headed to the main roster eventually.
The move may not happen right now but like Samoa Joe, Balor could make a surprise appearance on Raw and would be completely plausible while doing it. Fans know he’s good, they recognize he has the “it” factor so it’s to be expected he will get there at some point.
But the best part about Finn is the showmanship he displays.
Balor is an attraction. When he’s in the demon persona, no one can top him in terms of stage presence. The theatricality of his entrance, combined with the enigmatic personality of his character, puts him on a different level than any other star currently working in NXT.
Only The Undertaker and Bray Wyatt knows what it’s like to have a character that exists in its own realm, a realm separate from everyone and everything else. Balor has the ability to draw some serious money in the future and it’s because of the character he portrays that this will happen. But that’s not to say he needs it to get over; Finn is an accomplished pro wrestler and a very talented one indeed.
He can get it all done and then some in the ring. Balor can work anyone in the locker room and look good doing it. He is one of the best technicians in NXT and he is certainly one of the most entertaining. When that is factored in with WWE’s need to improve ratings and evolve the product prevalent today, there is no question that Finn Balor will be a major part of the plan.
