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One of the biggest knocks on the WWE today is the lack of internal talent development. The current Smackdown main event feud wouldn't look out-of-place in TNA Impact's main event program from 2009, and the WWE Championship fight at this years Wrestlemania feud was a rematch from New Japan Pro Wrestling's Wrestle Kingdom 10.
This issue is further entrenched when looking at the talents coming up from the WWE's developmental program, NXT. Stars like Ricochet, EC3, Tomasso Ciampa, Johnny Gargano and Undisputed Era made their names wrestling in big promotions like Ring of Honor, Impact Wrestling, and various other Independent promotions. All of them had made names before signing to the WWE, or back to the WWE in some cases.
At the same time, WWE's home-grown talent hasn't always gone as planned. The WWE continues to push Roman Reigns; to the dismay of a large section of the WWE universe. Dolph Ziggler has fizzled and failed to become the main event star that he showed the promise of becoming, along with a whole host of "The Next Big Thing" that failed to live up to the hype.
As a creative way of discovering new talent, and trying to take advantage of the boom in reality shows, the WWE developed Tough Enough and WWE's NXT as a way of scouting for fresh talent. While this wasn't always the most successful option, this list discovers the most successful Superstars to come out of either the Tough Enough or NXT programs. Please note, this list will not include Daniel Bryan, who appeared on NXT's first season, because he had already made a name for himself at Ring of Honour, New Japan, and other Independent promotions before joining the show.
#7 Fandango - NXT Season 4
Fandango was first introduced to the WWE universe on NXT's fourth and final season, winning the competition ahead of Derrick Bateman (aka EC3), Brodus Clay, Byron Saxton, and Conor O'Brian (Konnor from the Ascension). Wrestling under his real name of Johnny Curtis, and working under R-Truth, Fandango is the only winner who is still under contract with the WWE.
Originally saddled on the main roster with an obnoxious dancer gimmick, Fandango won his Wrestlemania debut against Chris Jericho. However, Fandango has reached new heights with his tag team partner, Tyler Breeze. While it was anyone's guess how far the fashion police gimmick would go, the Fashion Files clips quickly became one of the best parts of Smackdown on a regular basis. While Deputy Dango and Tyler never picked up many wins or titles, they routinely entertained the crowds with their in-ring antics and backstage segments.
#6 Ryback - Tough Enough Season 4 and NXT Season 1
Ryback has the distinct honor of featuring in not one, but both of WWE's reality TV recruitment programs. Ryback, competing under his real name of Ryan Reeves, suffered during the first week of the show with Bronchitis and a Rib injury. Despite the injuries, Ryback made it through to the final 8 and appeared on an episode of Smackdown with the rest of the finalists.
After initially signing with the WWE, Ryback would go back and forth between the developmental program and the main roster. Ryback, later repackaged as Skip Sheffield, would take part in the original WWE NXT program with Wade Barrett, Daniel Bryan, Michael Tarver, David Otunga, Justin Gabriel, Darren Young and Heath Slater, all of whom would debut as a stable named "The Nexus".
After breaking apart from the Nexus, Ryback was successfully repackaged into a dominant beast, lighting up audiences with chants of "Feed Me More".
#5 Velveteen Dream - Tough Enough Season 6
The Velveteen Dream is best known for his current run as the most enigmatic man in NXT. His feuds with Aleister Black, Kassius Ohno and more recently Ricochet, as well as his involvement in the spectacular 6-Man Ladder Match to crown the inaugural NXT North American Champion.
However, few people are aware that Velveteen Dream took part in WWE's rebooted Tough Enough series under his real name, Patrick Clark. Dream finished 9th in the series but showed some of the promise he is now fulfilling in NXT. Of all the people the WWE has developed through Tough Enough and NXT, Velveteen is the one with the greatest potential.
#4 AJ Lee - NXT Season 3
AJ Lee took part in the all-female third season of NXT, in a roster that included Naomi, Aksana, and eventual winner Kaitlyn. AJ Lee is undoubtedly the most successful female to emerge from the WWE Reality show programs, despite her relatively short wrestling career. AJ Lee finished third in her season, behind Kaitlyn and Naomi.
During her tenure at the WWE, AJ Lee was able to capture the Diva's title 3 times, with one of the longest reign standing at 296 days, and the most combined days as champion, standing at 408 days. AJ had some great feuds, including a feud against Paige and the Bella Twins.
However, AJ was probably most notable for her time as the Raw General Manager and for her on-screen relationships with Daniel Bryan and Dolph Ziggler, as well as her real-life relationship with former WWE Champion CM Punk.
#3 John Morrison - Tough Enough 3
John Morrison, wrestling under his real name of John Hennigan, participated in Tough Enough Season 3, finishing as the co-winner of the show with Matt Cappotelli. Morrison was given a developmental contract with WWE developmental territory Ohio Valley Wrestling. After 2 years in the developmental territory, Morrison graduated from Developmental to the main roster before being called up to form a stable with Joey Mercury and Melina, a valet and Morrison's girlfriend, named MNM.
After his time with MNM, Morrison broke out into a singles career, finding himself with at various times holding the Intercontinental and ECW titles, as well as having top-level feuds against former tag team partner The Miz. Morrison was also given a few opportunities to challenge for the WWE Championship but was never successful in any of his shots.
However, it is in the independent promotions that Morrison has found his place, performing at the highest level for Mexican promotion AAA and TNA Impact, as well as being one of the headline stars of Mexican-American promotion Lucha Underground.
#2 Bray Wyatt - NXT Season 2
Bray Wyatt competed on NXT's second season under the unfortunate moniker, of "Husky Harris", but the WWE Universe voted Bray off the show before the final. After NXT, Wyatt returned to Florida Championship Wrestling, before being called up to the main roster to join the Nexus at the Hell in the Cell PPV later in the same year. After Nexus lost momentum, Wyatt returned to the developmental program, where he would team up again with his brother Bo.
After Florida Championship Wrestling was rebuilt into the new version of NXT, Wyatt debuted his new cult leader gimmick. Wyatt would then add Eric Rowan and Luke Harper to create the Wyatt family stable. Following success in the NXT Tag Team Division, Bray and the rest of the Wyatt family joined the main roster. After a long series of stop-start booking which involved lots of top card feuds, Bray would constantly see himself losing big matches against names like John Cena, The Undertaker, and Brock Lesnar.
More recently, Wyatt has enjoyed some success, capturing his first singles title in the WWE Championship from AJ Styles, and more recently with the Raw Tag Team Championships with Matt Hardy in a Tag Team called the Deleters of Worlds.
#1 The Miz - Tough Enough Season 3
Mike "The Miz" Mizanin will always be the best product the WWE ever discovered through its reality tv show programs, and the Miz is an expert on reality TV. Getting his break on The Real World in 2001, The Miz would join the $1,000,000 season of Tough Enough, which also featured John Morrison and Ryback. The Miz would make it to the final 2, against eventual winner Daniel Puder. While Puder would have a short run in the company, The Miz would be signed to a developmental contract and sent to Ohio Valley Wrestling.
The Miz would later debut on Smackdown in 2006, mainly playing the role as a host, interviewer and hype man before he transitioned to an in-ring competitor. Since then, The Miz has gone through some fantastic patches in his career, having won the WWE Championship and even having headlined a Wrestlemania against John Cena. The Miz is also a 7 time Tag Team Champion and 8-time Intercontinental Champion. The Miz has had a career resurgent in his recent Intercontinental Championship reigns as well as his feud with Daniel Bryan.
