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There's a season of change in the air. As we move closer to Wrestlemania, we enter a period of time where everything intensifies and Superstars do their best to stand out from the rest. Needless to say, it's time to put up or shut up and for some, if they can't stop dragging their feet, maybe they should step aside and make room for some of the top-tier stars in NXT, who are chomping at the bits in anticipation for that shot at the big stage.
Here's a look at five of WWE's main roster Superstars who might need to step aside and let some of the younger, premier stars on the NXT roster come up and take a swing.
#5 OUT: Mark Henry
For over 20 years now, Mark Henry has been one of the few constants on the WWE roster. In an era where many Superstars deal with controversy, be it failed drug screens, sexual scandals or something else along those lines, Mark Henry has avoided that sort of negative attention.
Dave Meltzer confirmed in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter a few weeks ago that Mark Henry has retired from in-ring action. Now the rumors are circulating regarding the likelihood of Henry being inducted into the Hall of Fame this year. Personally, I have no problem with that notion whatsoever. If anyone deserves that nod, it would be The World's Strongest Man.
#5 IN: Lars Sullivan
He arrived on-site, at the WWE Performance Center, back in late 2014. Upon arrival, Lars Sullivan had practically zero professional wrestling experience at all. What he did have, however, was a massive, tremendously impressive stature. Lars resembles something like a stone statue. He also has those huge paws he calls hands, which are each the size of a hubcap. Lars is a freak of nature.
Since making his in-ring debut, Lars has made amazing improvements. He seems to have worked out any sort of nervous energy he may or may not have initially had and now, he just beats people up.
Lars Sullivan is a one-of-a-kind athlete, that can be used in many different ways. WWE's main roster needs a monstrous specimen to compete with the likes of guys such as Braun Strowman and Brock Lesnar. Sullivan definitely fits that mould.
#4 OUT: The Colons
Despite belonging to one of the all-time great wrestling families, Primo and Epico have yet to meet those standards which were set by their father. However, WWE's creative powers-that-be have some sort of invested interest in the duo, which would justify why they have been repackaged so many times, in such a short amount of time.
It appears that they have gone back to square-one and dropped the Shining Stars moniker, in exchange for simply picking up their legendary family name, The Colons. Regardless of that fact, things still don't seem to be picking up any sort of steam.
It was reported a couple of days back that Epico has now undergone a surgery which means that the duo will be sidelined for a considerable time yet again.
#4 IN: The Undisputed Era
Adam Cole, Bobby Fish, and Kyle O'Reilly are 3 relatively new NXT Superstars who have had a substantial amount of success prior to signing their WWE contracts. To be quite frank, none of the three really needed to start off in NXT.
Since making their NXT debut, The Undisputed Era have completely taken over the yellow brand. Cole has surged to the top of singles competition while Fish and O'Reilly have played clean-up duty, winning the NXT Tag Team Championship in the meantime. Calling this elite faction up to the main roster could potentially shake things up in a way that makes way for some great storylines.
#3 OUT: Aiden English
When Aiden English and Simon Gotch were brought up to the main roster as The Vaudevillains, there was a lot of excitement surrounding the possibilities that were potentially ahead for this unique tag team. Unfortunately, Gotch became very unhappy somewhere during the journey and ultimately was released by the company in mid-2017. This would leave English in a quandary, not knowing what direction he would be headed.
In recent months, WWE creative officials have started booking English in a very odd way, as Rusev's lackey, so-to-speak. However, it has become blatantly obvious that it's simply not working. Aiden English needs Simon Gotch like Mario needs Luigi.
#3 IN: Drew McIntyre
I have mentioned before, in previous articles, about how Drew McIntyre is one of the most interesting and underrated stories of the past decade. His storyline was one that was unique but ultimately led him back on top of the wrestling world.
When Drew was released in 2014, many of us, including myself, never thought we would see Drew McIntyre back in a WWE ring. However, Drew took the release as a reason to go out, hone his skills and prove to the world that WWE made a grave mistake by letting him go.
It wasn't long before WWE officials took notice of the fact that Drew McIntyre was dominating all over the world. With that said, Drew was chased down and brought back to NXT, where he has continued his premier ring work and now appears to be ready to make another run in the main roster.
#2 OUT: Neville
Neville is yet another example of someone who came to the WWE with a highly successful background, winning championships all over the world. While in NXT, Neville fought his way to the top of the roster, becoming the NXT Champion.
When Neville made his main roster debut back in mid-2015, things appeared to be very promising. Sadly, the addition of the Cruiserweight Division has caused Neville's stock to take an extreme dip. It's also worth noting that Neville may have expressed that he has been unhappy with WWE officials for a while now, which may have prompted him to walk away unexpectedly in frustration.
There's been no confirmation whether or not Neville is seeking a release from his contract, but rumors suggest that the WWE is looking to run down Neville's contract post which he shall be free to join other promotions.
#2 IN: Johnny Gargano
When we hear the term 'indie darling', Johnny Gargano is one of the prime examples of that very phrase. Johnny has established a reputation for himself, long before he ever arrived in NXT, where he was known as 'Johnny Wrestling'. The reason behind that moniker is pretty simple, Johnny Gargano is an absolute wizard inside a ring.
Since joining the NXT roster, Johnny Gargano has been involved in some very compelling feuds, none better than the most recent rivalry against NXT Champion Andrade 'Cien' Almas. At the recent NXT Takeover: Philadelphia pay-per-view event, Gargano fell short against Almas in a title match for the ages. That very match earned a 5-star rating from Dave Meltzer.
#1 OUT: Paige
When Paige made her main roster debut, she set the world on fire, defeating AJ Lee and becoming the new Divas Champion in her first match. Things went well for a while. In fact, they went great. But, she has had some rough patches in recent years, starting with her suspension, the drama with Alberto Del Rio and so on.
Paige would make an exciting return and form the faction known as Absolution. Unfortunately, the celebration would be short-lived after she recently suffered a bad neck injury. While she has remained optimistic with her fans, there are others who say the end is inevitable and that Paige would be forced to retire soon.
#1 IN: Ember Moon
She was good before she ever signed her WWE contract. She got even better after she made her NXT debut and now she's absolutely great.
NXT Women's Champion Ember Moon has been putting on an in-ring clinic, week-after-week as she continues to raise the bar and set the new standard for NXT rookies who are waiting in the wings. If the RAW or Smackdown Live rosters need a breath of fresh air in their women's division, Ember is the one who can come in and will be ready to take on the best WWE has to offer.
