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In 2015, WWE Network series Breaking Ground gave fans a glimpse at what life is really like for the up-and-coming Superstars at WWE’s Performance Center in Orlando, Florida.
The finale of the 10-part series focused on Bayley and Sasha Banks as they prepared to face each other at WWE NXT TakeOver: Respect, while the other episodes followed the likes of Baron Corbin and Tough Enough winner Josh Bredl, as they adjusted to life as future WWE Superstars.
Many of the men and women who appeared on Breaking Ground have gone on to have successful careers in WWE, but others have not been so fortunate.
In this article, let’s take a look at 15 WWE stars from the Breaking Ground series, to find out what happened next in their WWE careers.
#15 Lacey Evans (current WWE Superstar)
The Breaking Ground series showed lots of interesting behind-the-scenes footage at WWE’s Performance Center, including Lacey Evans’ WWE tryout video.
Then known by her real name, Macey Estrella, Evans impressed the higher-ups in WWE NXT by cutting an emotional promo about her father’s drug overdose and her determination to succeed in life.
Five years on, Evans has now been part of WWE’s main roster since December 2018.
#14 Otis (current WWE Superstar)
While Lacey Evans showed a serious side to her personality at her WWE tryout, Otis took a completely different approach.
Asked during the tryout whether he could dance, the future Heavy Machinery member performed the worm – now known as The Caterpillar – in front of WWE NXT officials.
Now a member of the WWE SmackDown roster, the biggest moment of Otis’ WWE career so far came in May 2020 when he won the men’s Money in the Bank ladder match.
#13 Josh Bredl
Josh Bredl (aka The Yeti) won the 2015 series of Tough Enough.
The Breaking Ground cameras followed the rookie during his first few weeks at the Performance Center.
Bredl received a new ring name, Bronson Matthews, and competed at NXT live events in 2016. However, he received his release from the company in November 2017.
#12 Tino Sabbatelli
Tino Sabbatelli’s Breaking Ground appearances revolved around him overcoming a concussion and trying to prove himself in WWE NXT after a seven-year career in the NFL.
Unfortunately, injuries blighted Sabbatelli’s time in WWE and he was let go by the company in April 2020.
His most recent televised match came in July 2020 when he teamed with Brady Pierce on AEW Dark in a losing effort against Chuck Taylor and Trent.
#11 Baron Corbin (current WWE Superstar)
Baron Corbin made it quite clear throughout the Breaking Ground series that he was willing to step on other people’s toes to make it to the top in WWE.
Needless to say, things worked out very well for The Lone Wolf. Not only did he have a successful run on WWE NXT television, but he has been one of the most prominent Superstars in WWE since his main-roster debut in April 2016.
Looking through the rest of the names in this article, Corbin is arguably the highest-achieving male Superstar that featured on Breaking Ground.
#10 Apollo Crews (current WWE Superstar)
Unlike many of the up-and-coming WWE Superstars on Breaking Ground, Apollo Crews had already made a name for himself under the name Uhaa Nation before he joined WWE.
Less than a year after being featured on the series, Crews debuted on WWE’s main roster in April 2016 on the post-WrestleMania 32 episode of RAW.
Although he appeared on WWE television every year from 2015 to 2019, 2020 has undoubtedly been a breakout year for Crews in WWE.
#9 Aliyah (current WWE Superstar)
In 2015, new Performance Center recruit Nhooph was still trying to create a persona that would work on WWE NXT television.
Nowadays, Nhooph is known as Aliyah in WWE NXT.
The 25-year-old aligned with Robert Stone earlier in 2020 and she has recently been involved in her first meaningful storylines as a member of the WWE NXT roster.
#8 Devin Taylor
Like Aliyah, Devin Taylor’s in-ring work and lack of experience was highlighted by Performance Center coach Matt Bloom throughout the Breaking Ground series.
Taylor, who also worked as a backstage interviewer in WWE NXT, was given her release by WWE’s Senior Director of Talent Development, Canyon Ceman, in front of the Breaking Ground cameras.
#7 Zamariah ZZ Loupe
WWE Superstars do not get much more eccentric than Zamariah ZZ Loupe.
The 2015 Tough Enough contestant made up for his lack of in-ring ability with his personality and skills as an alligator wrestler.
WWE signed ZZ after he finished as the male runner-up in Tough Enough. However, things did not work out and he received his release from WWE in July 2016.
ZZ is now a wildlife conservationist and he works as a swamp tour guide in Louisiana.
#6 Dana Brooke (current WWE Superstar)
Although Dana Brooke competed in short matches on WWE NXT before Breaking Ground aired, she had not yet established herself as a prominent member of the brand’s women’s division.
Brooke left WWE NXT in May 2016 and she has been a member of either the WWE RAW or WWE SmackDown rosters ever since.
She has still never held a title in WWE.
#5 Tyler Breeze (current WWE Superstar)
Much like Bayley and Sasha Banks, Tyler Breeze had already established himself as a key member of the NXT roster when the Breaking Ground series began.
Shortly after the series concluded, Breeze debuted on WWE’s main roster and immediately began feuding with Dolph Ziggler.
In 2020, Breeze is part of the NXT roster again. He is currently a NXT Tag Team Champion alongside Fandango.
#4 Mojo Rawley (current WWE Superstar)
Although the decision-makers in NXT trusted Mojo Rawley enough to start using him on television back in May 2013, he was singled out by Performance Center coach Matt Bloom throughout Breaking Ground as someone who needed to make big improvements.
Rawley co-hosted WrestleMania 36 with Rob Gronkowski earlier in 2020. However, while he still remains with WWE, the former Hype Bro was not included in the 2020 Draft.
#3 Nia Jax (current WWE Superstar)
Nia Jax made her televised WWE NXT debut after the Breaking Ground series began.
The Irresistible Force spent less than a year in NXT before moving to the WWE RAW brand, where she won the WWE RAW Women’s Championship.
She currently holds the WWE Women’s Tag Team titles with Shayna Baszler.
#2 Bayley (current WWE Superstar)
Bayley had already debuted on NXT television when Breaking Ground began. In fact, the final episode of the series revolved around her match at NXT TakeOver: Respect against Sasha Banks.
Five years later, Bayley has cemented her status as one of the top female WWE Superstars of her generation.
The Role Model recently hit the one-year milestone in her reign as WWE SmackDown Women’s Champion.
#1 Sasha Banks (current WWE Superstar)
Alongside Bayley, Sasha Banks was involved in one of the most heated rivalries in NXT when Breaking Ground aired in 2015.
The Boss has transformed from a shy rookie to one of the most confident, successful WWE Superstars of the last five years.
She is currently preparing to compete in her third Hell in a Cell match at the upcoming Hell in a Cell pay-per-view. Her opponent, Bayley, has never competed inside the steel structure.
