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News broke today that on September 18th, WWE NXT will officially premiere on USA Network, airing live every Wednesday night from 8 pm - 10 pm EST.
The move to shift NXT to Wednesday nights puts WWE in direct competition with All Elite Wrestling, who will debut their new television show on Wednesday, October 2nd at 8 pm EST on TNT.
Once NXT officially expands to two hours on USA Network, WWE will no doubt be looking to ramp up the NXT product, so let's take a look at five current main roster stars who should move to NXT when the brand debuts on USA Network.
#5 Shinsuke Nakamura
He might be the current WWE Intercontinental Champion, but Shinsuke Nakamura is hardly being featured on main roster TV despite holding one of the company's most prestigious titles.
Most pro wrestling fans and pundits would agree that WWE has dropped the ball in a big way when it comes to Nakamura's run on the main roster.
The former NJPW standout enjoyed a brief period at the top in WWE when he won the Royal Rumble match and went on to headline WrestleMania against AJ Styles. Since his failed bid at capturing the WWE title, Nakamura has been relegated to a mostly background role in WWE, and had no presence on the SummerSlam card despite being the IC Champion.
Nakamura was a beloved talent during his time in NXT, and a move to the brand when it debuts on USA Network could work wonders for both parties.
In NXT, Nakamura's limited abilities on the microphone will not be a hindrance, and his incredible in-ring abilities can elevate him to the NXT title picture as soon as he makes the move from the main roster.
#4 EC3
EC3 is a talent who returned to WWE with a tremendous amount of momentum following a very successful run at the top in Impact Wrestling.
Upon returning to WWE, EC3 was assigned to the NXT brand and was warmly welcomed by fans as the next top Superstar on the brand.
However, EC3 was called up to the WWE main roster rather quickly, and since his call up, his role in the company has been so limited it's hard to remember the last time he appeared on RAW or SmackDown Live. EC3 is a mainstay of programs such as WWE Main Event, but he has yet to work a meaningful feud on both the main brands.
The immediate call up for EC3 likely hindered him in that he never quite got the chance to connect with fans in NXT. WWE should have left the former Impact Wrestling World Champion on the Yellow and Black brand for at least two years, to allow him to establish his star power in NXT.
Should WWE decide to move EC3 over to NXT in time for the USA premiere on September 18th, EC3 could freshen up the Wednesday night brand and give his WWE career a much-needed boost.
#3 Lio Rush
Lio Rush seems like a long shot to return to NXT given his status with WWE, which at last word was described as Rush taking a break from the company.
Last month, Rush addressed his status with WWE, noting he misses the ring but not offering details on whether or not he plans to leave WWE.
"I miss the fans, I miss doing what I love and like the saying goes never say never and I'm only 24 years old and of course I still want to wrestle and be a part of my dream company," said Rush. "I'm pretty sure it won't be the last time you see me in a ring."
However, he's looking at things from a positive perspective. This is what he had to say:
But it is pretty cool that I get to have this opportunity to spend some time with my family because I haven't been able to that much or as much as I'd like to since signing with WWE and also to take this time out to work on projects that I've always wanted to work on like this single that I just put out."
Rush is someone who could make a surprising impact in NXT if he is brought back to TV for the September USA debut, and is a talent who could have incredible matches with the entirety of the Yellow and Black roster.
#2 Asuka
Asuka could realistically be dubbed the mother of NXT, as she is the first female talent to dominate the women's division, and remarkably carried an undefeated streak over to the WWE main roster.
The former NXT Women's Champion is the only female in brand history to leave NXT as the reigning Champion, and she never lost the title upon leaving the brand.
Once she made her main roster debut, Asuka skyrocketed to the top of the Women's division, and her undefeated streak culminated in a WrestleMania match against Charlotte Flair. Flair was able to end the historic streak, and Asuka has not been the same since the loss.
Asuka is currently paired up with Kairi Sane as The Kabuki Warriors, but the tag team has been used sparingly on WWE TV and seems directionless.
Under Triple H's tutelage, Asuka was a major player in NXT and was a big star, and a return to the Yellow and Black brand could help not only the former Women's Champion but could help boost the division in NXT as well.
Shayna Baszler, the current dominator of the NXT Women's division, needs a credible challenger, and Asuka could be the opponent Baszler is waiting for.
#1 Rusev
Earlier this week, I mentioned in a feature regarding NXT on USA Network that it would be a mistake for WWE to load NXT up with main roster talents for its move to USA Network, but the names I mentioned in this piece are NXT favorites or "legends", and a return to the brand would be akin to the talents "returning home", so to speak.
Formerly known as Alexander Rusev in NXT, fans might perceive Rusev as too big of a star to return to NXT, but the fan-favorite has been all but banished from main roster television along with his wife and manager, Lana.
Rusev recently teased on Twitter that he knows what his next move is going to be as it pertains to his career, and a surprise return to NXT could be great for the big man and the former US champion.
Rusev carries with him veteran knowledge, star power, and the type of persona which could really help diversify the characters on NXT TV. As a bonus, Lana could return with Rusev, offering a winning combination for the Wednesday night brand.
Who else would you like to see move to NXT for its debut on USA Network? Let us know in the comment section!
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