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There have been recent reports and rumors that some of the top talents in NXT are not interested in joining what is considered to be the ‘main roster’ in WWE for various reasons.
While battling on RAW or SmackDown has its own perks (such as higher salaries and more exposure and fame), NXT provides top Superstars with a lighter schedule.
Many Superstars wait for a call-up to the main roster, and while stars such as Andrade, Seth Rollins, and Charlotte Flair have gotten good bookings on the main roster, other newer talent has suffered.
Keeping that in mind, we take a look at the 5 top NXT Superstars who should remain with the brand throughout 2020 rather than moving to RAW or SmackDown.
#5 Keith Lee
'The bigger they are, the harder they fall.'
This is a proverb that can perfectly describe big men such as Braun Strowman or The Great Khali who may have been seen as huge Superstars, but never really managed to make it as big.
Similarly, Keith Lee has walked into NXT and seen his stocks rise significantly after a great Survivor Series week.
While Lee has impressed the WWE Universe, and even Fred Rosser (FKA Darren Young in WWE), with his recent performances, it would not be good if the company pushed him into RAW or SmackDown so soon.
Lee arrived in WWE in 2018 and already has fans hoping that they’ll get to see him on the main roster soon. Instead, the company should refrain from cashing in on his popularity and success and groom him some more so that he can make a real impact when he moves to another brand.
We’ve all seen major Superstars fail once they were rushed to the main event scene on RAW and SmackDown, and Lee should be a success story handled perfectly by WWE.
#4 Rhea Ripley
Rhea Ripley has taken the main roster by storm after making multiple appearances during the build-up to Survivor Series.
The former NXT United Kingdom Women’s Champion has made such an impact that she has leap-frogged numerous other constants of the NXT women’s roster in terms of popularity.
Fans have already made up a few dream feuds for Ripley in their minds, but it’s important that she stays with NXT for some time.
On the other hand, current NXT Women’s Champion Shayna Baszler has made a continuous impact on the Black & Gold brand, and she seems ready to move on to RAW or SmackDown in the coming months.
Ripley, on the contrary, is needed on NXT to fill the void Baszler may leave behind if she moves to another brand.
The Nightmare is still very fresh on NXT and has a long way to go before she can be seen as a constant competitor on RAW or SmackDown. Additionally, she can lead the NXT women’s roster as she is a completely different character as compared to Baszler. Her leadership could push NXT in a very interesting direction in 2020.
#3 Matt Riddle
There is only one Original Bro in WWE, and that’s Matt Riddle. The former Mixed Martial Artist joined the company in mid-2018 amid much fanfare and has since seen his stock rise, thanks to constant improvements in the ring and connection with the fans.
While both RAW and SmackDown locker rooms do not have any Bros in their midst, it’s better Riddle is not thrown into the mix to make the mid-card of either brand stronger.
He still hasn’t won any Championship in NXT and has a long way to go on the Black & Gold brand itself before he can make the jump.
Even though Riddle has teased many feuds with main roster Superstars, and even opened up about them to Gary Cassidy on Dropkick DiSKussions, fans need to wait for a little longer before he can sink his teeth into those feuds.
Instead, Riddle should spend the entire 2020 getting into feuds with top Superstars like Finn Balor, Tommaso Ciampa, and Adam Cole, and find his way to the top in NXT before moving forward.
The barefooted Superstar is one who can become the face of the company in the future, and he needs to be groomed a lot more before he can join the big names on RAW or SmackDown.
#2 Tommaso Ciampa
“Welcome to the main roster.”
That is how Tommaso Ciampa welcomed RAW’s AJ Styles, Luke Gallows, and Karl Anderson on NXT during the build-up to Survivor Series. Ciampa is a firm believer of the fact that NXT is no lesser than RAW or SmackDown, and many NXT Superstars are as good, if not better than the ‘main roster’.
Keeping that in mind, he has recently revealed that he would not want to move to RAW or SmackDown, and remain with NXT for as long as possible. Looks like not even the perks and the money could pull Ciampa away from the Black & Gold brand.
The former NXT Champion commented on Lillian Garcia's Chasing Glory podcast that he would rather retire than move to RAW or SmackDown.
Ciampa has made it clear to the WWE management that he would like to stick with NXT, and therefore, it would be good for the company to continue utilizing the top Superstar there only, rather than moving him anywhere.
He possesses the potential to carry the entire brand on his well-built shoulders and could take the brand forward while other talents work off him to move to other brands.
WWE may have hit gold with such a talented Superstar who is ready to work with a quarter of the payment RAW and SmackDown Superstars get while giving a huge boost to the company.
#1 Johnny Gargano
Johnny Gargano is the only man on this list who needs no introduction. He is by far the most well-known figure in the wrestling industry, and his addition to NXT was seen as a huge positive for the brand.
Gargano has been a part of NXT for over four years now, and many would say that the first NXT Triple Crown Champion has overstayed his welcome.
Yet, there is no stopping him, as he has repeatedly managed to start afresh after short breaks and continued to give fans some great new rivalries.
The Superstar has been part of several five-star matches in NXT and that clearly shows his value to the company. While we’ve seen Gargano wrestle a few matches on RAW and SmackDown with his longtime friend Tommaso Ciampa, we’d rather watch him on the Black and Gold brand.
He is one of the main pillars of NXT, and therefore it would be better if WWE lets him stay there rather than letting him move to RAW or SmackDown.
New Superstars have benefitted a lot from rubbing shoulders with Gargano, and that is one of the main reasons why his existence on NXT will remain valuable for a long time.
Apart from that, we know that WWE is working hard to make NXT a top brand, and with the new Television deal in place, it would help them to keep the ratings up in 2020.
