WWE NXT Stars Are Lost in Transition to the Main Roster

Lost in translation from WWE NXT to the main roster shows.

With the recent call-ups of The Revival to Raw and Shinsuke Nakamura and The Perfect Ten, Tye Dillinger to Smackdown Live, my mind goes to the work that they put in at NXT. It’s hard to deny the abundance of talent and the quality of the matches we saw from these guys there. Then you wonder, will they be lost in that transition from WWE NXT to main roster shows?

Then, the past call-ups need to be taken into consideration, leading to concern about how these new guys will be used and what we will be able to see from them on the respective main roster shows. One would hope to see them used in many fantastic ways, but historically it seems as if somethings get lost in translation in the shift from NXT to the main roster shows.

Tyler Breeze is a great example. He showed amazing talent in the world of NXT, and was arguably a top guy there. He may never have achieved the world title, but he was still ranked among the best of the brand. Once he hit main roster status however, we saw him pushed to mid-card at best. At times, it could even be said that he has been used solely as comedic relief alongside the likes of Fandango. His talent is always in question and many who weren’t watching NXT in the Tyler Breeze days, believe he has no talent at all.

Another great example is Sami Zayn. He held NXT gold and delivered matches that were no doubt match of the year quality on numerous occasions. His match at TakeOver: Dallas against Shinsuke Nakamura is a prime example. Yet, since coming up to the main rosters he’s gotten caught up in, and lost in, the mid-card status. He’s not getting a lot of title opportunities, and it seems like he finds himself pushed down more and more.

This isn’t to say that all superstars from NXT get lost in transitioning to the main roster. The likes of Kevin Owens and Samoa Joe are a testament to that. However, to pretend that NXT doesn’t deliver on a consistent basis with all its talent is foolish. Not only are the competitors used properly, the product is on a higher level than it is on a show like Raw or Smackdown.

What is the difference between NXT and the main rosters though? Easy enough to answer. Triple H. Whether you love the guy or hate the guy, it seems like his touch is all that is needed to turn something to gold. Is that to say he’s got no hand at all in main roster happenings? In truth, I’m not sure how much involvement he has there or if there is any, but when you compare the product you must wonder. Maybe it’s time for the big shows like Raw and Smackdown, even 205 Live, to stand up and take notice of what’s going on in Florida at Full Sail.

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With the call-ups going on, we should hope against hope that there will be a difference with how that talent is used. With the likes of the Revival, Shinsuke Nakamura, and Tye Dillinger, to see them misused or buried in mid card matches with no big pushes isn’t a happy thought. Surely more call-ups are coming as I write this, and for them as well, I truly hope there is a shift in how they are used.