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One harsh reality regarding call-ups from NXT is that they do not all enjoy the same amount of success. Just because someone was amazing and nigh unbeatable in NXT does not mean that it will continue on either RAW or SmackDown. Asuka was undefeated as a member of the yellow brand and it continued until her WrestleMania 34 defeat to Charlotte Flair.
She would then go on to lose two PPV matches to Carmella after she (Carmella) cashed in on Flair. Asuka did pick up the SmackDown Women's Championship at TLC last year, but once again, she lost to Flair to stall her momentum.
The Ascension was a juggernaut down in NXT but has been nothing more than an enhancement team when they appear on programming. The fact is that different people run things on the main roster, so if you were a favorite down in NXT, you might not get the same pushes or chances on RAW or SmackDown.
One problem that has occurred for some stars when they join the main roster is that the call-up is either way too soon or is an experiment that doesn't pan out. While the likes of Alexa Bliss, Kevin Owens and Roman Reigns have prospered on the main roster, everyone that has graduated from the yellow brand has not. Here are five wrestlers that would benefit from going back to NXT.
#5 EC3
Due to his prowess on the mic, you would have thought that EC3 would have been fine once he was moved to the main roster at the beginning of the year. It's a big reason why he was re-signed to NXT and quickly called up.
But even though he's hilarious and great on the mic, he was barely allowed to speak when given time. The time he was given was also very limited as WWE tried to mesh the new call-ups in with the current rosters of both RAW and SmackDown.
EC3 was lost in the shuffle and has mainly been relegated to chases for the 24/7 Championship. His time in NXT was short, so returning there to build up some good will with management might help his career. Once they see a star's capabilities in storylines, it's easier to project how to use stars on the main roster. In NXT, he primarily battled for the North American title and had a cup of coffee with Kona Reeves. That isn't enough of a sample size.
#4 Mojo Rawley
Rawley's gimmick as an over-hyped man-child was a little too much for me. It worked well with Zack Ryder due to Ryder's place in the hearts of the WWE Universe. Rawley didn't have many singles feuds in NXT, and once the Hype Bros broke up, he struggled to find his footing.
He did win an Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royale, but as we have seen with many winners, winning that doesn't necessarily translate into a big push. His win was primarily due to Rob Gronkowski being present for that WrestleMania.
Rawley reappeared in backstage vignettes where he yelled at himself. He also began to wear a fractured pattern of face paint around his eyes and forehead. We were never really given a great explanation for his change in character other than he was unhappy with his past character's failings.
By having Rawley go back to NXT, he can work on his character tendencies as a singles star. It's easy to not have much depth when you are an over-hyped tag team wrestler who seems like he needs to cut back on the sugar. If he does return, he can refresh his character and perhaps get a singles push towards the North American Championship.
#3 Lacey Evans
While her character work is great, Evans appeared out of her depth during her title matches with Becky Lynch. Lynch is one of the better female workers in the ring, but even she had trouble getting a decent match out of Evans.
It wasn't necessarily Evans' fault because she was new to the sport when she started in NXT and was called up before she seemed ready. If she was an independent star beforehand, it would have made more sense to call her up.
But as things sit now, she's lost any momentum that she might have had upon her debut. She lost three-straight PPV matches to Lynch and then one to Bayley on RAW. Her only wins are over Natalya and local talent. If she had been allowed to hone her skills more in NXT, then she might have been more prepared for those big spots.
By going back to the yellow brand, she can work more on her in-ring skills and get the experience that those who go through the independent scene get. NXT is going to need some better top heels once Shayna Baszler moves on and Evans would be a good choice due to her character work.
#2 The Viking Raiders
This suggestion has nothing to do with the ring work of Erik and Ivar. They are both extremely talented workers who were signed for a reason. While they are more than deserving of being on the main roster, it seemed a little premature to be called up since they were the current NXT Tag Team Champs.
They needed to leave the belts behind in NXT to cap off their run on the yellow brand, and instead, simply relinquished them rather than dropping them. If WWE had big plans for them, then that would have made sense. But instead of that, they have been dropping local talent when appearing on RAW.
A move back to NXT would serve two purposes for the Viking Raiders. Firstly, it would give them more to do rather than just beat down two guys who barely look like they could weigh no more than 350 pounds soaking wet. Secondly, it would give the NXT Tag Team division some depth. Right now, since the Street Profits are going through the same treatment given to the Viking Raiders, they aren't a part of the yellow brand any more.
That leaves the Undisputed Era, the Forgotten Sons, Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch and Breezango. Is that a division that screams depth? While I'm sure that some teams will be formed with some of the Breakout Tournament stars, the fact still remains that NXT needs some better tag teams. It could start with Erik and Ivar heading back to Full Sail.
#1 Apollo Crews
Like the Viking Raiders, Crews doesn't need to work on improving in the ring. He's already one of the most athletic and entertaining stars in the ring. But for some reason, he hasn't been able to connect with the audience. There is a portion of the crowd that cheers for him, myself included, but his matches have usually been met with silence.
Part of that reason might be because of the fact that he doesn't have a defined character. He smiles, is nice and is a great in-ring worker. But other than that, he doesn't have a hook to get the crowd behind him. A move back to NXT would not only offer up an experienced worker with main-roster experience to help the rest of the talent but it would also allow Crews to work on crafting a character.
Working alongside the Velveteen Dream would do wonders for him as would getting to re-watch the process for other stars new to NXT and WWE. Crews is a great talent that has put on some great matches lately including his bout with Andrade and his contest in NXT with Kushida. He just needs a personality and he might be able to find it by going back to the yellow brand. That crowd would definitely also appreciate him more.
