NXT is WWE’s star factory, or more the star refinement plant, it takes names from the
indie circuit, polishes them up, introduces them to the WWE audience and then passes them
on to the main roster, where they inevitable get grossly mishandled, but that’s a video
for another time.
While the likes of Seth Rollins, Finn Balor, Samoa Joe, Sasha Banks and Bayley to name
just a few, are all well known for their time on the black and yellow brand.
Actually the doors to Full Sail University are ever revolving, and hundreds of names
have come and gone through the doors in the six years the show has been in its current
home.
Some you’ll recognise, some you’ll be surprised about and some you might not, it’s
Jericho, he gets everywhere nowadays.
Anyway, I’m El Fakidor Laurie Blake and here are 19 wrestlers you probably don’t
remember being in NXT. 19.
Mickie James
After Asuka arrived in NXT, she tore through the women’s locker room like it was fresh
crusty bread and the ring was a delicious steaming bowl of soup… skipped lunch weird
simile.
With Asuka quickly exhausting the roster on her march to her 914 day winning streak, WWE
had to bring in challengers, read fodder, from elsewhere.
Once such fodder ws Mickie James who faced Asuka in a one-off appearance at NXT: Takeover
Toronto in 2016.
I say one off but Mickie actually performed so well she was offered a full-time contract,
and she’s still there now!
18.
Too Cool That’s right Scotty Too Hotty and Grandmaster
Sexay were drafted in to add some star power to NXT’s debut WWE Network special ArRival.
Too Cool brought the nostalgia in a match against the dominant tag team champions The
Ascension, who are just doing wonderfully well right now, can we all take a moment to
appreacitate how well the Ascension are doing now.
Ok moment done.
But once upon a time they beat Too Cool.
17.
John Cena Big Match John has never stooped to having
a little match on NXT, but he has showed up a few times.
The first was all the way back in 2013 in a post-show segment with Damien Sandow, Enzo
Amore and Big Cass.
Surprisingly enough Cena was fairly warmly received, with fans appreciating him taking
the time to show up and support the next generation of talent.
And he was also sat in the crowd for ArRival and even jumped in the ring to celebrate with
Neville after the show went off the air.
Sounds like a happier time.
16.
Sami Callihan Yes, Sami Callihan, he of stapling a WrestleTalk
Magazine to Jimmy Havoc’s face fame was once in NXT.
After WWE used it’s random wrestler name generator he was dubbed Solomon Crowe, which
suuuuuuuccckkkksss balls.
He was then also kept off television for two years, his original debut match against Sylverster
LeFort never aired and it took another year for him to debut against Bull Dempsey.
He stuck it out another 8 months but nothing really came of it, which is a criminal waste
if talent from WWE, I mean Sami’s multi-talented, great wrestler, fantastic promo, rudimentary
DIY skills, knows his way around a screwdriver at least.
15.
Jushin Liger Aside from being an absolute sucker for a
segway and daft enough to dance, Jushin Thunder Liger has also appeared on NXT, one time.
The Japanese legend took on Tyler Breeze at the first TakeOver supercard in Brooklyn.
Liger was managing his own booking at the time so didn’t have to go through NJPW and
wanted to tick WWE off his bucket list.
NXT was the perfect place to do it, as the crowd were knowledgeable and weren’t just
like, which Power Ranger is this?
Shit ranger?
It also made sense from WWE’s perspective as Breeze got to face a bona fide legend,
and it skyrocketed his career...
14.
The Great Khali Thank goodness this was a one time deal.
The Great Khali made an appearance on April 17 2014 on NXT TV.
He interrupted a CJ Parker promo and then destroyed him in a squash match.
Cool.
Fortunately he didn’t stick around so the rest of the roster got to carry on wrestling
good matches, CJ left and became Juice Robinson.
13.
Rob Van Dam NXT has many similarities with ECW, in particular
the way Triple H tries to accentuate the positives and hide the weaknesses of his roster, something
ECW boss Paul Heyman used to be famous for.
RVD was one of the trailblazers of the modern style back in his ECW days.
It made sense that he would stop by Full Sail during his final run with WWE in 2013-14 to
work with some of the young talent.
In his first appearance in 2013 he made a surprise appearance and defeated Aiden English
in a decent outing.
In 2014 he put over NXT Champion Neville in what would be something of a dream match if
both men were in their primes.
Again sounds like a bygoneera. 12.
Eva Marie People did not like Eva Marie in NXT at all.
The hardcore NXT fans hated the prospect of the 'Diva' coming in and ruining a women's
division they were immensely proud of.
Eva milked the animosity for all it was worth, playing off the crowd’s hatred brilliantly.
She also did fairly well in the ring, despite one slip-up with Carmella that left her injured.
Mella is medical bills.
11.
Sheamus
The Great White.
The carrot-topped celt, Sheamus showed up on NXT a few times between 2012 and 2014,
wrestling in dark matches after tapings and appearing on a couple of episodes of the show.
Sheamus debuted on NXT television in 2013, defeating Luke Harper.
The following year he gave Aiden English a kicking.
Which is a lovely way to treat up and comers. 10.
Randy Orton The Viper graced the Full Sail audience in
March 2013 for a Road To WrestleMania special edition of NXT TV, which also had Howard Finkel
handling the ring announcing.
Orton defeated Damien Sandow with an RKO out of nowhere, like, nowhere, it’s as if he
produced it from thin air, in the main event, in what was your basic Orton match.
They should rename The Viper, The Coaster, The AutoPilot.
The Hand Shandy, allegedly.
9.
The Bellas Nikki and Brie Bella first appeared on NXT
programming back in 2010 when it was still a naff gameshow.
Now NXT is no longer a gameshow, but the Bellas are still naff.
They have appeared on the modern version of NXT, wrestling on a taping filmed in March
2013 shortly after their return to WWE following a brief hiatus.
The twins defeated Cameron and Naomi in under four minutes.
And now they’re strong enough to beat up Ronda Rousey.
Live your dreams people 8.
Juice Robinson
We’ve touched on Juice already, known as CJ Parker in NXT, the future IWGP United States
Champion was a relatively well-featured act during his time in the developmental brand.
He got loads of TV time but was mostly used as glorified enhancement talent.
Although he appeared on three NXT Network specials in 2014, Robinson lost every time
in short order, putting over Mojo Rawley, Baron Corbin and Kevin Owens.
Only one of whom has done well out of that win, so I guess that’s revenge of a sort
for Juice. 7.
Chris Jericho
Here he is.
Y2J or should that be Where2J, because he keeps showing up everywhere - WWE, WCW, ECW,
NJPW, All In.
And he also appeared on NXT back in 2013.
He faced Bray Wyatt who was on the cusp of being called up to the main roster and would
go on to great things, lionsaulting off the back of this Jericho matcch, oh no that’s
someone else.
6.
James Storm
The long-time TNA star made a surprise appearance at NXT's tapings in October 2015, defeating
Danny Birch in short order.
The Cowboy returned the following month to defeat Adam Rose then changed tact and re-signed
for Impact, where he remained until earlier this year.
There has been speculation of late that Storm will return to WWE for a full-time run, with
much talk about a proposed reunion with Beer Money partner Bobby Roode.
Thankfully Bobby Roode, who was NXT Champion for crying out loud, has literally nothing
else going on right now.
5.
Richie Steamboat
The son of the great Ricky Steamboat looked to be a can't-miss prospect, the next in the
long line of second generation stars to make it big in WWE.
Unfortunately, it never happened for him.
Steamboat appeared on several of the very early NXT tapings in 2012, where he was involved
in a feud with Kassius Ohno but was sidelined with a back injury in November.
One year later, Steamboat was released from his contract and retired from wrestling due
to his injuries.
Curiously enough it was a back injury that had cut his father's career short as well.
4.
Dolph Ziggler
Dolph Ziggler was the perfect choice of main roster worker to put in front of the Full
Sail Crowd as way back when he was a firm favourite with the hardcore WWE Crowd.
He was a good choice of opponent for NXT stars too, with his big bumping selfless ring style
and willingness to work hard.
His one NXT TV appearance in 2013 was against Rusev, who back then was still doing a gimmick
that fell somewhere between Kamala and one of the Wild Samoans, and he’s gone on to
great things since.
Has anyone done well on the main roster?
Like, fucking anyone?
3.
Beretta After spending three years on WWE main roster
programming with little to show for it, Beretta was moved to NXT in 2012 to revitalise his
career.
Beretta certainly managed more ticks in the win column during his time in NXT than he
had in WWE, recording victories over the likes of Luke Harper, Kassius Ohno and Adam Rose,
but it never really went anywhere.
Where have i heard that story before, oh yeah 16 other entries on this list.
Except Randy Orton, who has had too many wins if anything.
Despite receiving a minor push on television, Beretta was released from his contract in
January 2013.
Against all the odds he found great success on the independent circuit and has become
a star in ROH and New Japan.
2.
Tanga Loa
The son of Haku started in the WWE system in 2009 and made it to the main roster in
2011, teaming with Hunico.
The duo were mostly confined to live events and C-shows Superstars and Main Event where
the real action happens anyway.
Loa also wrestled regularly for NXT during this time, although his win/loss record was
less than favourable.
He did make it to a Network special, putting over Adam Rose in the opener of the first
NXT special named TakeOver in May 2014, less than a month before he was released from his
contract.
I mean he’s fine now, so no hard feelings?
1.
Corey Graves
The only man in WWE to straddle either side of the Raw and SmackDown fence as the colourful
voice of both, was a regular competitor on the developmental brand once upon a time.
In 2013 he teamed with Adrian Neville to unseat NXT Tag Team Champions Erick Rowan and Luke
Harper, which they lost three months later to The Ascension.
Graves spent two years competing in NXT rings before concussions forced him to call time
on his career in 2014 and start calling matches instead.
Something he does really well - so he landed on his feet, and not on his head, for once.
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Speaking of NXT, what on earth happened on this week’s show?
Watch mine and luke’s review by clicking the link onscreen now,