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Business usually tends to pick up after SummerSlam each year. Here are 5 WWE NXT call-ups that could help kick start the company.
The night after the last 2 of the 4 major pay per views, The Royal Rumble and Wrestlemania, the WWE main roster has made 3 important call-ups from NXT that has shaped the current RAW and Smackdown rosters. The following evening after the Rumble, Samoa Joe made his RAW debut in brutal fashion, laying waste to Seth Rollins, legitimately injuring “The Architect’s” knee. Joe has had major success since that day, and will walk into SummerSlam with a chance to become Universal Champion in a fatal 4-way for that title.
A few months later, after Wrestlemania 33, arguably the best tag team on earth, The Revival also joined the RAW roster and after an injury to Scott Dawson’s jaw healed up, they look destined for a tag team title shot very soon. The night after that, Shinsuke Nakamura entered the Smackdown ranks and just 4 months later, “The King of Strong Style” is one win away from facing Jinder Mahal for the WWE Championship at SummerSlam.
Whether the company decides to make any major call-ups from NXT after SummerSlam remains a mystery but one thing is for sure, the main roster could clearly use a shot of life. What better way to do that than bring up some of the talent currently tearing the house down at Full Sail University?
Here are 5 call-ups that could potentially do just that.
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5. Asuka to RAW
Let’s start with the most obvious one. Asuka has virtually nothing left to prove in NXT. Since her first win at TakeOver: Brooklyn in October of 2015 against Dana Brooke, “The Empress of Tomorrow” has been a 1-woman wrecking crew. With nearly 200 NXT matches under her belt, she has yet to be pinned and since winning the NXT Women’s Championship from Bayley at TakeOver: Dallas, she’s held the belt for close to 500 days. And although she’s had a couple of close calls along the way, most notably her match with Ember Moon at TakeOver: Orlando in April, it’s almost been too easy for her.
Asuka heading to RAW opens up a slew of possibilities. She has history with Nia Jax, Emma, Mickie James, and of course Bayley, the superstar she defeated for the NXT title before “The Huggable One” left for the main roster. With Bayley heading into SummerSlam in a match against Alexa Bliss for the RAW Women’s Championship, now could be a perfect time to rekindle that rivalry whether it’s for the title or not. But what if Bliss walks out of SummerSlam as champ? Can you imagine a program between those two? That would be electric and could possibly turn Bliss baby face, a turn that almost seems inevitable due to “5 Feet of Fury”‘s popularity.
There’s just one question that needs to be addressed if Asuka is called up: can the NXT Women’s division survive without her? As of right now, that’s a resounding yes. With the aforementioned Moon, Ruby Riot, Nikki Cross, Peyton Royce, and Billie Kay already to step up, the girls of NXT will be just fine. Add in that the company will most likely sign some of the competitors from the Mae Young Classic, and it looks like NXT will be loaded for awhile. It’s time to let those girls shine, and for Asuka to be where she deserves to be.
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4. Wesley Blake and Buddy Murphy to Smackdown Live
Okay, so this one isn’t going to exactly light the world on fire but the fact is, the blue brand’s tag team division is about as shallow as it gets. Heading into Summerslam it seems pretty clear that The Usos will take on The New Day again for the belts. And why? Because they’re basically the only two serious teams on that roster. Outside of those duos, you have The Shining Stars, Breezango, Mojo Rawley and Zack Ryder (who look like they’re about to break up), and The Ascension. And unless Erick Rowan and Luke Harper decide to team up once again, it’s clearly a two-horse race right now.
Now, there are definitely some issues with this call-up. First off, Blake and Murphy haven’t teamed up in over a year after having a falling out, in fact they’ve actually taken each other on in singles matches in that time span. But that’s an easy fix. What better reason to reunite than using it as a promotion to the main roster? Smackdown could clearly use a fresh face even if it’s a team that hasn’t had much traction since their 219 day NXT title run in 2015, and let’s not forget, Blake and Murphy are good. At times, very good. Now, here’s an argument to be made for an Authors of Pain call-up. However they’re still very green and have two very good potential feuds ahead of them in SAnitY and the returning TM-61. They’d be best served with some more time to develop.
Fact is, Blake and Murphy have been with the WWE for almost 4 years. It’s time to make a decision on what their future with the company is going to be. Either call them up and see if they can make something work, or cut them loose and free up their NXT spots for someone else. Somewhere deep down I’m praying they’re the ones attacking Breezango. That would be a perfect way to bring them in. But if not, a debut and a halfway decent winning streak will put them in a position to challenge for gold in a very weak division.
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3. Hideo Itami to RAW
So, all cards on the table, I’m really worried about Itami and his WWE future. When they signed the former KENTA in June of 2014, it was a massive deal for the company. With the signing, the WWE reeled in one of the best wrestlers on the planet and he seemed destined for big things. However, things for Itami took a drastic turn. Now, after 3 years with the company, and only being healthy for about half of that, having endured injuries to his shoulder and neck, what once seemed like a dream come true for both parties, suddenly looks like a possible nightmarish end. According to sportskeeda.com, Itami may be done with the WWE very soon.
So if that is actually the case, why call him up now? Well, why not? What’s to lose? The plan always had to be a main roster run. You don’t sign a guy with Itami’s resume just to bury him on the NXT roster for 3 years. If it hadn’t been for the injuries, he surely would’ve been competing on the main roster ages ago. Maybe the one way to keep the “Japanese Sensation” with the company is to bring him up and put him in a feud that could give him some exposure and avoid the signing from being a total bust.
And what could that feud be? Unquestionably it should be against Finn Balor. It makes sense on so many levels. When Itami suffered his first injury, NXT played it up that he was attacked backstage before his #1 contender match against Balor and Tyler Breeze at TakeOver: Unstoppable. Wouldn’t it be great to see Itami blame Balor for the attack? The matches these two could put on would be incredible and with Itami adopting a new heel side on NXT, he’d be a perfect fit for top baby face “Demon King”. It’s a stretch for sure, but an intriguing one at that.
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2. Bobby Roode to Smackdown Live
Much like Asuka, Roode has nothing left to prove in NXT. Not only has he been a dominant champion but we’re talking about a near 20-year veteran who is the arguably the most accomplished superstar in TNA history, and at 40 years old now, the WWE needs to strike with “The Glorious One” while the iron is still hot. His upcoming match at TakeOver: Brooklyn III against Drew McIntyre is a perfect opportunity for Roode to pick up another signature win, relinquish the belt, and head for the main roster.
At Smackdown, there are a bevvy of opportunities for Roode. After all, he’s the one that has the only 2 real decisive victories over Shinsuke Nakamura since “The Rockstar” has been with the WWE and considering that Nakamura is right near a shot at the WWE Championship, Bobby should, by default, be right there as well. And then of course is his old rival, AJ Styles. The duo have a storied past from TNA where they battled several times over numerous different titles with Styles almost always getting the better of Roode. They’re a natural pairing. Roode still seems to have some good years left in him and with the star-studded blue brand roster, he’d only add to that level of competition.
Now, where does that leave the NXT Championship? Losing Roode and Itami would leave a major void near the top of the NXT pecking order. But with McIntyre, Kassius Ohno, Roderick Strong, Kyle O’Reilly, Killian Dain, and if the sportkeeda.com report is right, an incoming Adam Cole, that title picture looks very bright and easily loaded enough for a title tournament after Roode gives up the strap. If Roode doesn’t debut after SummerSlam, then it’ll be after Survivor Series. Count on it.
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1. Aleister Black to RAW
Notice how I didn’t mention Black’s name in the previous slide about NXT title contenders? That’s because this guy is so red-hot right now that he could go straight to the main roster and pick up where he left off in NXT. Without question the best entrance in the entire company, Black also has what it takes in the ring and then some. He’s arguably the best striker in all of pro wrestling and possesses power moves that are just off the charts. Add in that he hasn’t lost a singles match since January and it’s pretty clear that the WWE sees him as a potential future star.
In-ring acumen aside, Black possesses something that few superstars do today: mystery. He doesn’t look the part of a wrestler, but more like a wandering ex-con with a horrifying story that people are too afraid to know. He’s the anti-hero that today’s wrestling sorely misses and with the correct booking could be a massive draw on the red brand. A perfect first feud for him? The Miz. The Intercontinental title will soon be looking for a baby face to take on once Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose inevitably implode and start their own feud. Debuting on RAW and winning the IC title in short order would be a career rocket launcher for Black. Imagine the night after SummerSlam, The Miz comes out to gloat about his amazing life and then this happens:
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Goosebumps. At 32 years old, Black is in his prime and with over 15 years of experience under his belt, is more than ready for the next step. And truthfully, he’s the type of talent that could go all the way. Fingers crossed that the company continues to book him just like this because if they do, watch out. The night after SummerSlam could and should be the first step for a new main event-caliber superstar, and his name is Aleister Black.