NXT has been great at helping build new stars, but the developmental brand has had trouble rebuilding its roster ever since it was depleted for the brand extension. Some Superstars were called up too soon, and they have been struggling ever since.
The main roster is pretty crowded at the moment. Every division has more competition than the company can feature each week, which leads to a lot of deserving talents sitting on the sidelines when they could be putting on great matches.
Instead of worrying about which NXT Superstars are ready to be called up, WWE should be trying to figure out how to help NXT become the hot commodity it was two years ago. With Samoa Joe having officially signed a Raw contract, he leaves the main event scene looking sparse.
Shinsuke Nakamura and Bobby Roode are great, but they can only have so many matches before people will get tired of their feud. Other than the soon-to-return Hideo Itami, NXT doesn't have too many options for main event programs.
This slideshow will look at five Superstars from the main roster and how they can help the NXT roster while they wait for a chance to shine on Raw or SmackDown.
#5 Jack Swagger
Despite the way Jack Swagger has been booked in recent years, his resume is pretty impressive. As a former US, ECW and World Champion, as well as having won a Money in the Bank match, Swagger can bring some experience to the NXT product.
His technical ability has never been in question, but his character needs some work. Swagger can take some time to work out the kinks in NXT, while he helps some of the younger wrestlers on the roster find their way.
Tyson Kidd was able to revitalise himself in NXT before being brought back to the main roster with a new sense of purpose, and Swagger can get the same thing out of a short run in the developmental system.
With how hot the NXT product has been for the past three years, Swagger can get himself on television a lot more when he is the experienced veteran, compared to the rest of the locker room. Considering he has no storyline at the moment, there is no downside to taking him off the SmackDown roster for a little while.
#4 The Shining Stars
Primo and Epico's gimmick of trying to sell everyone fake timeshares in Puerto Rico is absolutely terrible, but both men have proven on more than once occasion how good they can be when WWE lets them be their best.
Right now, they are little more than jobbers for the other teams on Raw. They haven't been in serious consideration for the tag titles since they were repackaged, and their win-loss record is about as good as last season's Chicago Bears.
The NXT tag team division has some great talent, but there isn't much depth. DIY, The Revival and The Authors of Pain make up the majority of contenders for the NXT Tag Team Championships, and with The Revival likely being called up at some point in the near future, the competition will be even thinner.
The Shining Stars moving to NXT will help the division and the team. While they exhibit their talents in the ring, they can also help the up-and-coming teams by putting on good matches for the titles.
#3 Curtis Axel
Curtis Axel has loads of technical ability and a family name every WWE fan will recognise and associate with greatness, but every time WWE tries to push him, something goes wrong and he goes back to being a glorified jobber.
He is a former Intercontinental and Tag Team champion, so it's not as if he hasn't seen success in his career. Debuting with a name like Michael McGillicutty didn't help Axel early in his run, but there was a glimmer of hope when he was repackaged as Curtis Axel.
WWE doesn't seem to have any intention of giving him another serious push on the main roster when it has so many other options to choose from, but spending some time in NXT might change management's mind about him.
His presence would allow for some fresh feuds with the top stars in the developmental system, and it would give him a chance to regroup and eventually return to Raw or SmackDown as a new man.
#2 Bo Dallas
Three years ago, Bo Dallas and Neville were the two biggest stars in NXT. Flash forward to today and Neville is the Cruiserweight champion, while Dallas is sitting on the sidelines waiting for WWE to come up with something for his character.
As a former NXT champion, Dallas would be an ideal candidate to send back to the developmental system to help give the roster a boost. People who have never seen his work in NXT might not know he is actually a very talented wrestler.
When WWE launched the first NXT special event, Dallas headlined Arrival with Neville in a spectacular Ladder match. The hardcore fanbase in the developmental system loved him, and he could easily regain those fans with a return to his old stomping grounds.
Having him go back to NXT to regain the Championship he lost to Neville would be an easy storyline to write, and he could add some variety to the main event scene until he is ready to head back to the main roster.
#1 Apollo Crews
Apollo Crews had a fantastic debut in NXT. The fans loved his blend of power and agility, and he brought a different energy to the ring. Then he was called up to the main roster and everything fell to pieces.
Crews has had an occasional storyline, but his time on the SmackDown roster has been uneventful at best. He was brought up before the fans had a chance to really connect with him, and when he didn't get huge reactions right away. WWE killed his push.
A stint in NXT would not only do wonders for Crews, but it would also give guys like Roode and Nakamura someone else on their level to feud with. He would have time to build his character and connect with his audience in a way he wasn't able to do when he first debuted.
Crews is an exciting Superstar with a lot to offer, and he deserves a chance to start over so he can fix the mistakes WWE made with him during the draft.
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