5 Stars from NXT who should join the main roster immediately following the Royal Rumble

As NXT started to gain steam, its Superstars started to represent the brand in past Royal Rumbles. Starting with the 2016 match won by Triple H, NXT was solely represented by Sami Zayn. He lasted for 4:55 and eliminated his sometimes friend, sometimes foe Kevin Owens.

In 2017, the man formerly known as Tye Dillinger showed up in his favorite spot as the tenth participant. 2018 really kicked things into high gear as not only did NXT have representation in the men's match but the women of the company got their own Royal Rumble contest. With two full matches in 2018, more names started to show up like Adam Cole and Andrade in the men's match and Kairi Sane and Ember Moon gracing the first-ever women's match.

Last year's over-the-top-rope melee included several more stars from the yellow and black brand. Aleister Black, Pete Dunne, Johnny Gargano, Candice LeRae, Io Shirai, Xia Li, Rhea Ripley, Sane and Kacy Catanzaro all showed up for the chance to main-event the Show of Shows.

While NXT has a bigger role in the match with each passing year, there are stars from the brand that should be on the main roster following the event. It happened last year when Black, Ricochet, Lacey Evans, Heavy Machinery, Nikki Cross and EC3 all joined the main roster. This year, some names from Full Sail should also join either RAW or SmackDown before WrestleMania.

Some divisions need bolstering for one reason or another (departures, injuries, new faces). Here are five NXT stars who should join RAW or SmackDown following the Royal Rumble.

#5 Mia Yim

Yim has been a big part of the NXT scene for the last year or so. She's had a few shots at the NXT Women's Championship (or just NXT Championship now I guess) but was unsuccessful against then-Champ Shayna Baszler.

The former Impact star was originally part of Rhea Ripley's WarGames team but was taken out by Dakota Kai. Yim is a veteran of several years and has nothing left to prove in NXT. Both SmackDown and RAW either need some fresh faces or they need to push some different names. Lana is in the spotlight way too much right now when an actual female performer could be getting that time on TV.

The NXT women's division is already stacked. It just got more crowded with Toni Storm joining the likes of Bianca Belair, Io Shirai, Candice LeRae, Baszler, Kai, Tegan Nox, Ripley, Li and now Shotzi Blackheart and Chelsea Green. There are so many talented women already on TV and others who have been on and off TV that are also more than ready for a chance.

Santana Garrett and Mercedes Martinez are indie legends, but in Garrett's case, she's only been used as enhancement talent. That's not even mentioning Deonna Purazzo and Scarlett Bordeaux.

Simply put, like a few other people on this article, it might be time to move on so others can get the exposure in 2020. Bayley - and SmackDown in general - needs some new faces. Yim would be perfect for Friday nights.

#4 Dominik Dijakovic

Dominik Dijakovic had some great matches with Keith Lee prior to WarGames and it signalled a face turn for the Massachusetts native. While the likes of Lee, Matt Riddle and Tomasso Ciampa have gone on to be featured on NXT weekly, Dijakovic has fallen into the background.

It's clear that he's destined for a solid career on the main roster. But with so many more mouths to feed ahead of him, he might not be getting the chances he could be.

In addition to Lee, Riddle and Ciampa, he still has the Undisputed Era, Pete Dunne, Damian Priest, Kushida, Austin Theory, Cameron Grimes, Johnny Gargano and Finn Balor to contend with. Then there's also the injured Velveteen Dream, Bronson Reed and Killian Dain who are also featured on NXT. Dijakovic has to battle all of those stars for not only title opportunities but also for TV time.

Vince McMahon loves his athletic big men and while he isn't as heavy as Braun Strowman, Lars Sullivan or Lee, he's still an impressive big man. He can pull off moon-saults and other high-flying moves that men his size should not be able to pull off.

Instead of having him get lost in the shuffle, he should show up in the Royal Rumble. In that match, he could have an impressive showing with several eliminations and perhaps even a stare-down for a potential feud.

Someone like Sheamus or Erick Rowan would be a perfect foil for the former Ring of Honor star. With Lars Sullivan still likely to be out until summer, WWE could use a someone like Dijakovic as a new young monster.

#3 Io Shirai

Whether she has been a face or a heel, the crowd at Full Sail loves Io Shirai. She was heavily cheered during the battle royale to crown the next challenger to Rhea Ripley despite being a heel. Against another heel, Bianca Belair, Shirai was treated as if she was the gallant babyface.

Shirai is great in either role but bookers apparently decided to have Ripley be the one to eventually dethrone Shayna Baszler. The Genius of the Sky was my pick a few months ago when she challenged the Queen of Spades, but it was not to be.

If there aren't any title plans for Shirai, she should immediately join either Monday or Friday nights. Both divisions need a shake up in terms of new faces getting pushes and Shirai is a legitimate contender on either brand. Who wouldn't want to see her mix it up with Nikki Cross, Bayley, Sasha Banks, Charlotte Flair, Alexa Bliss, Asuka or Kairi Sane?

There are three titles to chase for women on the main roster instead of one in NXT. Shirai has already shown up in a Royal Rumble and will likely show up this year with barely a third of the field already announced. Instead of bringing Tamina back to TV, Shirai should get called up instead and put in a heel or face role.

#2 The Forgotten Sons

Part of this piece's purpose is to show that yes, most of the divisions in NXT are stacked. Many of the members of each division have already had shots at titles. Shirai and Yim both have and the Forgotten Sons have challenged unsuccessfully for tag team titles on more than one occasion.

The duo of Blake and Cutler is better in the ring then they get credit for, it's just that they don't connect greatly while speaking on the mic. Sure, they get booed when they attack a team like the Street Profits or other faces from behind. But similar to when Elias joined the main roster, the Sons might have better luck on either the red or blue brand.

The tag team division in NXT is in a state of flux due to the Dusty Rhodes Classic. Losing the Forgotten Sons might seem like a blow due to the shallow depth, but there are loads of people waiting in the wings to make their marks. Several names at the WWE PC are waiting for the chance including the former King Cuerno, Cal Bloom, Rik Bugez and many more.

By way of having Blake, Cutler and Jaxson Ryker join either RAW or SmackDown, it would add another believable team to either of the shows while opening up some spots in NXT. I'm a fan of The New Day and The Revival as much as the next person, but I'm tired of constantly seeing those two teams face each other and The Usos.

#1 Shayna Baszler

Baszler is more than ready for the main roster.

This promotion is very close to already happening due to the Royal Rumble. With the Queen of Spades dropping her title to Rhea Ripley, it opens Baszler up to finally be able to move to either RAW or SmackDown.

She's already the favorite to win the match if Ronda Rousey doesn't return to the company. If Rousey or Baszler isn't in the match, it's apparently Charlotte Flair's to lose. The fact is that Baszler doesn't need to become "Shayna Three Times" because there are just too many other talented women who should have a chance to be the top woman in NXT.

Adding the Queen of Spades to either RAW or SmackDown is a win/win situation. They get a new, dangerous Superstar with legit MMA credentials. She's a better pro wrestler and promo than Rousey even if Rousey is still considered the much bigger star.

Baszler needs the promotion just as much as the brands do. She's done as much as she can in NXT and needs bigger challenges. Challenges like Flair, Lynch, Asuka and potentially Nia Jax await the former UFC fighter. Winning the Royal Rumble would just cement her status as a star just as the Rumble should do for the winners.

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