NXT Thread III

[Stanford]

Balor has switched off.

I feel like he's been switched off since he got to WWE.

[improper]

Was he ever switched on? I've never seen a Balor match that I'd call exceptional. He's got a bunch of good ones, but few great.

[Spens1]

Balor has switched off.

I feel like he's been switched off since he got to WWE.

This has honestly been my issue with basically every New Japan to WWE signing besides AJ, basically anyone who is going is going for the money and to essentially be semi-retired.

Nakamura tried for all of a month it would seem (only rising to the occasion here or there), Gallows and Anderson have been cruising ever since they first lost the tag team titles and Balor has never really gone all out like he can.

Like i know they're set but try even a bit.

[jakecronus8]

It’s interesting to me that I see so much star power in NXT right now, yet it’s been run storyline wise by the UE for so long without a single star in the bunch. All I see in that group are four really **** good wrestlers. They have no shot on the main roster. None have the look vince wants and in my eyes the charisma or it factor to be stars. I see Cole topping out as a Ziggler type. Fish and O’Reilly are kind of like a smaller, less charismatic Revival. We’ve seen how that story’s played out.

Conversely, their mid card acts have huge potential in Riddle, Dunne, Lee, Dream, and even sleepers like Isiah Scott.

Side note: I don’t think Ciampa or Gargano ever have an extended main roster run, nor do I think they want to.

[Ruzious]

It’s interesting to me that I see so much star power in NXT right now, yet it’s been run storyline wise by the UE for so long without a single star in the bunch. All I see in that group are four really **** good wrestlers. They have no shot on the main roster. None have the look vince wants and in my eyes the charisma or it factor to be stars. I see Cole topping out as a Ziggler type. Fish and O’Reilly are kind of like a smaller, less charismatic Revival. We’ve seen how that story’s played out.

Conversely, their mid card acts have huge potential in Riddle, Dunne, Lee, Dream, and even sleepers like Isiah Scott.

Side note: I don’t think Ciampa or Gargano ever have an extended main roster run, nor do I think they want to.

I agree with most of that, but I think Cole's a big star wherever he goes - moreso than Ziggler - though his slender build doesn't help. I think Cole really benefited from his time in Japan - the quality of his in-ring performances significantly improved. And while O'Reilly doesn't have that it-factor, I think he has value for the main roster. He's significantly better in-ring than both Revival guys, imo. Fish is 43 and I don't see him having a future outside of NXT, but a team or O'Reilly and Strong intrigues me for the WWE - with Cole as the band leader. They'd need a big guy - like Dijakovic - as an enforcer.

[Marcus]

It’s interesting to me that I see so much star power in NXT right now, yet it’s been run storyline wise by the UE for so long without a single star in the bunch. All I see in that group are four really **** good wrestlers. They have no shot on the main roster. None have the look vince wants and in my eyes the charisma or it factor to be stars. I see Cole topping out as a Ziggler type. Fish and O’Reilly are kind of like a smaller, less charismatic Revival. We’ve seen how that story’s played out.

Conversely, their mid card acts have huge potential in Riddle, Dunne, Lee, Dream, and even sleepers like Isiah Scott.

Side note: I don’t think Ciampa or Gargano ever have an extended main roster run, nor do I think they want to.

I agree with most of that, but I think Cole's a big star wherever he goes - moreso than Ziggler - though his slender build doesn't help. I think Cole really benefited from his time in Japan - the quality of his in-ring performances significantly improved. And while O'Reilly doesn't have that it-factor, I think he has value for the main roster. He's significantly better in-ring than both Revival guys, imo. Fish is 43 and I don't see him having a future outside of NXT, but a team or O'Reilly and Strong intrigues me for the WWE - with Cole as the band leader. They'd need a big guy - like Dijakovic - as an enforcer.

i brought this same issue up before. I love Adam Cole, might be his biggest fan here but i don't see main roster main event with him while Vince is in office. I think Cole is perfect for the small room NXT is and i think UE drowns if moved to the main roster of NXT. Cole is money across the board but he's tiny as hell and that, end of the day will be the downfall when it comes to the Brocks and Brauns of the world. KOR and Roddy would need a Daniel Bryan type of wave to maximize their success on the main roster in singles
and as a tag there wouldn't be a whole lot done with them in general because $%#$% TT wrestling in WWE. UE would be money in AEW if they ever decided to go that route. I think they should at least see how a call up goes before jumping ship. Even with HHH's invasion push I can't see Cole being taken serious on the main stage for that long. Lee, DD, and Ripley all have much better shots.

Also agree with the statement about Ciampa and Johnny wrestling.

I don't know how far WWE wants to run with NXT being this hot and overshadowing the main product as it currently does but it's an ideal entity as is. I'm all for pumping some of the "misused" talent back down there to maximize the investment. Just don't know how the workers look at it and how much Vince wants it to remain the hottest thing in the company though that could stay viable with the head to head with AEW.

[Stanford]

Sometimes a faction can be the star

[Marcus]

Sometimes a faction can be the star

i just don't trust Vince with the finally say so.

[Ruzious]

Sometimes a faction can be the star

i just don't trust Vince with the finally say so.

I think as long as they add a big enforcer type, Vince would get on board. And I don't think he wants NXT to overtake Raw and Smackdown - even if that's already happened to an extent.

[spykelee]

I think Matt riddle is on pace to become the biggest star in pro wrestling. F'n love that dude. Burning bridges left and right though

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[Marcus]

I think Matt riddle is on pace to become the biggest star in pro wrestling. F'n love that dude. Burning bridges left and right though

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someone should definitely figure out the right way to back him without losing a whole locker room in the process and ride that wave. Riddle brings a lot to the table.

[daoneandonly]

I think Matt riddle is on pace to become the biggest star in pro wrestling. F'n love that dude. Burning bridges left and right though

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someone should definitely figure out the right way to back him without losing a whole locker room in the process and ride that wave. Riddle brings a lot to the table.

He needs to wear wrestling boots though. I mean I know the flip flops are part of his shtick, but just cant take it seriously in a wrestling ring.

[Flames24Rulz]

I think Matt riddle is on pace to become the biggest star in pro wrestling. F'n love that dude. Burning bridges left and right though

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idk, I don't feel that way about him at all. He's a good worker, but his gimmick wouldn't really get him over in the main roster, as long as Vince is around at least. The stoner persona seems like a total locked down mid-card move for Vince.

Feuding with everybody in the company isn't a real good look either. It's good that the dude has confidence, but pick your battles. Guys like Lesnar and Goldberg should absolutely be laughing at this dude when he's trying to pick fights with them on Twitter.

Cole and Lee are the two NXT guys that I think have a chance to be main event stars on the main roster. I understand the criticism of Cole if he were on the main roster, but smaller guys like Styles & Bryan have obviously worked their way to the top and stayed there. Why can't Cole continue that trend? I don't think he's at that level of ring work, but he's at least on par with Styles as a talker and he's better than Bryan in that aspect.

[Marcus]

I think Matt riddle is on pace to become the biggest star in pro wrestling. F'n love that dude. Burning bridges left and right though

Sent from my SM-N975W using RealGM mobile app

idk, I don't feel that way about him at all. He's a good worker, but his gimmick wouldn't really get him over in the main roster, as long as Vince is around at least. The stoner persona seems like a total locked down mid-card move for Vince.

Feuding with everybody in the company isn't a real good look either. It's good that the dude has confidence, but pick your battles. Guys like Lesnar and Goldberg should absolutely be laughing at this dude when he's trying to pick fights with them on Twitter.

Cole and Lee are the two NXT guys that I think have a chance to be main event stars on the main roster. I understand the criticism of Cole if he were on the main roster, but smaller guys like Styles & Bryan have obviously worked their way to the top and stayed there. Why can't Cole continue that trend? I don't think he's at that level of ring work, but he's at least on par with Styles as a talker and he's better than Bryan in that aspect.

Styles has leverage in his position as he's a large enough name outside of WWE to not have to live or die by WWE booking which is why i think he's been booked without some of the pitfall that non Vince made guys go through when they cross over. Also his offense is more aerial and high impact type stuff than Cole's is.

Bryan caught a wave with the fan support and we're essentially why he's there and won't come down. Don't think the company would make that kind of mistake again with him.

Like i said earlier, i might be the biggest Adam Cole guy around but I don't think Vince could would buy into making him the guy regardless of how damn good he is in all aspects. I think for Vince to pull that off the performer needs to be believeable in front of the Brocks and Brauns of the world. Not to say Cole can't work against bigger guys because he can and has but even those guys have styles better suited for what Cole brings to the table. He would likely have to change his whole offense to make that work.

[Ruzious]

I think Matt riddle is on pace to become the biggest star in pro wrestling. F'n love that dude. Burning bridges left and right though

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idk, I don't feel that way about him at all. He's a good worker, but his gimmick wouldn't really get him over in the main roster, as long as Vince is around at least. The stoner persona seems like a total locked down mid-card move for Vince.

Feuding with everybody in the company isn't a real good look either. It's good that the dude has confidence, but pick your battles. Guys like Lesnar and Goldberg should absolutely be laughing at this dude when he's trying to pick fights with them on Twitter.

Cole and Lee are the two NXT guys that I think have a chance to be main event stars on the main roster. I understand the criticism of Cole if he were on the main roster, but smaller guys like Styles & Bryan have obviously worked their way to the top and stayed there. Why can't Cole continue that trend? I don't think he's at that level of ring work, but he's at least on par with Styles as a talker and he's better than Bryan in that aspect.

Riddle's such a great performer and has such a big personality and good look that I think he'll be an exception to any rule that says he won't make it to the top. It also helps that he has the MMA background. That offsets the negativity of his goofiness, because you know he's a legit fighter.

[Stanford]

Read on Twitter

Good lord

[spykelee]

I think Matt riddle is on pace to become the biggest star in pro wrestling. F'n love that dude. Burning bridges left and right though

Sent from my SM-N975W using RealGM mobile app

idk, I don't feel that way about him at all. He's a good worker, but his gimmick wouldn't really get him over in the main roster, as long as Vince is around at least. The stoner persona seems like a total locked down mid-card move for Vince.

Feuding with everybody in the company isn't a real good look either. It's good that the dude has confidence, but pick your battles. Guys like Lesnar and Goldberg should absolutely be laughing at this dude when he's trying to pick fights with them on Twitter.

Cole and Lee are the two NXT guys that I think have a chance to be main event stars on the main roster. I understand the criticism of Cole if he were on the main roster, but smaller guys like Styles & Bryan have obviously worked their way to the top and stayed there. Why can't Cole continue that trend? I don't think he's at that level of ring work, but he's at least on par with Styles as a talker and he's better than Bryan in that aspect.

See I don't see it with Keith Lee. I see a very mojo rawley/Rob gronkowski type vibe from him. I'm not a huge fan of his ring work, and I think his character works in NXT where the crowd gets everyone over but I don't see it at all on the main roster. He does not have natural charisma at all and even in NXT his character seems kinda forced and awkward to me. He def has the size and look of a Vince guy though, and that still counts for alot so who knows

Riddle though? His character is perfect, I love the flip flops, the hair, the goofy look on his face, everything. Everyone connects to the bro, his promos are wildly entertaining, and his ring work is pretty solid. He's a strong legit dude. Not sure he's going about promoting himself in the right way, but even thats hard to say. We all know Vince is a weird dude, who knows what he values. I think riddle is just getting his name out there really and even if it's bad publicity he's gaining, I think thats gonna hold some weight. Longterm I see the biggest baby face in the company with riddle.

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[Spens1]

Read on Twitter

Good lord

I mean i know they tried to murder him but Dream is a dick He'll die twice in this feud the way its going.

[WRau1]

I think Keith Lee is about as a sure thing as an NXT star can be. He's going to have a huge career on RAW or SmackDown.

[jakecronus8]

I think Keith Lee is about as a sure thing as an NXT star can be. He's going to have a huge career on RAW or SmackDown.

Given their past, there’s no such thing as an NXT sure thing. Mind boggling how badly they’ve screwed up so many of their call ups.