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NXT is one of the hottest brands in wrestling today, but it had a very different origin. It started out as a seasonal elimination-style competition, where eight developmental talents would be tested in various different challenges en route to one of them winning the season and earning a WWE contract.
Various known WWE Superstars started out in this version of NXT, with the entire cast of Season 1 forming the Nexus and making an impact on RAW. This concept continued for five seasons before the creative direction for NXT was altered. A couple of years ago, WWE unearthed some lost footage of the planned sixth season of the show, which was subsequently canceled.
All eight competitors in this "lost" season went on to the WWE main roster, with varying degrees of success. Some of them are still in the company, while others are not. Either way, it is interesting to see the list of names who could have had a different start to life on WWE programming.
This was a solid cast, which could have made for an entertaining season. Here is every Superstar who was planned to be on Season 6 of the NXT game show, before it got canceled.
#8 Leo Kruger
Before becoming a 'party boy', Ray Leppan paid tribute to his South African roots by playing the character of Leo Kruger. It was intriguing, to say the least, with a real sense of danger and lunacy. Kruger looked to have a bright future until he was repackaged into Adam Rose.
He left NXT shortly after, but things did not go to plan. Rose floundered for a while after his party gimmick died out, eventually becoming a part of the Social Outcasts, a 4-man team featuring some of the lower card performers in WWE.
Rose was released in 2016 and began wrestling on the independent circuit, even bringing back his Leo Kruger persona. It was probably his best gimmick in WWE. He retired from pro wrestling in 2019.
#7 Damien Sandow
Unlike Leo Kruger, Damien Sandow was not a part of the rebranded NXT. He debuted on WWE's main roster in 2012, after spending a couple of years in FCW. Sandow was an intellectual heel, playing the role pretty effectively. He rose up the ranks and even won the Money in the Bank briefcase.
However, the 'Intellectual Savior of the Masses' lost his subsequent title shot and slid down the card. Sandow became The Miz's stunt double, transforming into Damien Mizdow. This was probably the most over he ever got in WWE.
The company failed to capitalize on it and Sandow got released in 2016. He left wrestling a year later but returned to the ring in 2019. Damien Sandow is now a part of NWA and is currently their National Champion under his original in-ring name, Aron Stevens.
#6 Hunico
Hunico is another Superstar who went straight to the WWE main roster after Season 6 of NXT was canceled. He adopted the Sin Cara character while the original Sin Cara was suspended until the two versions had a rivalry which culminated with Hunico getting unmasked and revealed to be the "imposter".
After a year without a mask, Hunico became Sin Cara once again after the original version was released from WWE. He won the NXT Tag Team Championship alongside Kalisto, before doing alright back on RAW and SmackDown.
Last December, Hunico was granted his WWE release and returned to wrestle in Mexico. He changed his in-ring name to "Cinta de Oro" to continue the legacy of the original performer who died in 2016.
#5 Big E Langston
Moving onto the current WWE Superstars who were planned to be a part of the "lost" season of NXT, Big E Langston is one of the most recognizable names from this group. He enjoyed success fairly soon, winning the NXT Championship at the start of 2013 while debuting on the main roster as Dolph Ziggler's bodyguard.
Langston eventually grew as a performer, winning the Intercontinental Championship and shortening his name to just Big E. He would go on to form a trio with Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston called The New Day in 2014 and the rest, as they say, is history.
The New Day has become one of the greatest teams in WWE history, thanks in no small part to Big E's infectious charisma. He has won 8 Tag Team Titles with the New Day, but fans are excited to see him break out as a singles star. Big E is a future WWE Champion in the making.
#4 Bo Dallas
Back in 2012, Bo Dallas was touted as one of the brightest stars in the WWE system. And it seemed like he would get a similar start to his brother, Bray Wyatt, in WWE. Dallas would have been a favorite to go far in the game show version of NXT, thanks to his intriguing and wacky persona.
He was a regular Champion in developmental, whether it was in FCW or the rebranded NXT. Dallas defeated Big E Langston to win the NXT Championship, going on a memorable heel run with it. His main roster run has not been the best, taking up a number of different characters over the years.
At 30 years of age, Bo Dallas still has time to become a substantial part of the WWE roster. He has done well in his roles in the Miztourage, the B-Team, and even the Social Outcasts. Hopefully, his talent shines through in the company sooner or later.
#3 Xavier Woods
Big E was not the only New Day member to be among the names who almost went at it in the game show version of NXT. Xavier Woods was also a part of that group. He, like his New Day partner, spent time in the rebranded NXT before moving to the main roster in 2013.
Woods initially partnered with R-Truth, before going on his own and planting the seeds for an alliance with Big E and Kofi Kingston. When the New Day was born, Woods was seen as the mouthpiece or "manager" of the trio.
However, recent years have seen the former Consequences Creed come into his own as an in-ring wrestler. He has been responsible for some of New Day's greatest ever matches. Xavier Woods is currently out with an Achilles injury, with his charisma and talent sorely missed at the moment.
#2 Jinder Mahal
After plans for the sixth season of NXT were halted, Jinder Mahal seemingly went straight to the main roster. He instantly entered a storyline with the Great Khali, teaming up with him for a short while. However, Mahal did return to NXT for the Gold Rush tournament to crown the first-ever NXT Champion. He reached the final but was unable to win the belt.
Soon after, the Modern Day Maharaja formed a group with Heath Slater and Drew McIntyre, called 3MB. The stable is still beloved by many fans, especially considering its low position on the card and the success its members have had since then. Mahal was released in 2014 but worked his way to a return a little over two years later.
And in May 2017, the Punjabi-Canadian star shocked the world by winning the WWE Championship. Say what you will about his reign, but the changes he made to himself cannot be denied. Jinder Mahal was primed to challenge McIntyre for the title until a knee injury kept him out. Hopefully, he can return soon and have that full-circle rivalry with his former partner.
#1 Seth Rollins
He is by far the most successful WWE Superstar who was initially supposed to be an NXT rookie. That name wouldn't have fit Seth Rollins any more than it did to Daniel Bryan. He was a staple on FCW and the early days of the rebranded NXT, even becoming the first-ever NXT Champion after winning a Gold Rush tournament.
He went on to debut on the main roster in the biggest way possible, as part of a trio who took out WWE's biggest babyfaces in the name of justice. Rollins dominated the company alongside Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns, forming The Shield. It did wonders for all three stars and their characters.
Rollins eventually broke up the stable, turning heel in the process. He went on to win Money in the Bank and eventually, in the main event of WrestleMania 31, the WWE Championship. He would win several other titles, including Tag Team Titles with various different partners and the Intercontinental Championship.
As things stand, the 'Monday Night Messiah' is a four-time World Champion, after his two Universal Title victories over Brock Lesnar last year. He is one of the biggest stars in the company and is leading his own stable of up-and-comers from NXT. Seth Rollins is definitely one of the most accomplished stars to ever come out of any version of NXT, let alone it's early days.
