WWE: 5 Superstars That Should Be Sent to NXT

Dalton Quix

WWE, WWE.com

With another WWE Superstar Shakeup rumored to take place shortly after SummerSlam, could we see Superstars get sent down to NXT?

In the WWE Universe constantly filled with rumors swirling around, there is almost no other time of the year where those rumors get kicked into overdrive like the countdown to SummerSlam.

One rumor, in particular, has caught the eyes of the WWE Universe, and the rumor is that WWE is planning another Superstar Shakeup shortly after SummerSlam. Apparently, Vince McMahon is not happy with the current state of the rosters and is looking to move around a few pieces.

This time, similar to the draft day a little over a year ago, more talent from NXT will be heading to the main roster on either SmackDown Live or RAW. What is rumored to be different about this upcoming Superstar Shakeup is that we could see main roster talent end up back down in NXT as a result.

While these rumors could just be rumors, and we may not see any Superstars get sent down to NXT, or there may not even be another Superstar Shakeup, there are a lot of Superstars that could actually benefit from this move.

Even with two exclusive brands, this is the deepest the main roster has been in recent memory, and it is only getting deeper with more and more call ups from NXT, so there ends up not being enough TV time for everyone.

So, Superstars should look for opportunities in NXT to either work on their promo, in ring skills, character, or even reinvent themselves. A lot of Superstars on the main roster could use a trip to NXT to help polish off or completely revamp their characters and skill set, and some could even get sent to NXT to help beginners out.

While being sent down to NXT may seem like a demotion for main roster Superstars, it could actually help their career and the WWE product in the long run. So, here are 5 Superstars from the main roster that should be sent to NXT.

Credit: WWE.com

5. Heath Slater

The One Man Rock Band has seemingly disappeared from WWE TV in recent weeks. Heath Slater, a three-time tag team champion, has had very little success in recent years aside from his championship runs.

Heath Slater found himself struggling as low tier member of the Social Outcasts, and he now finds himself as a member of a tag team with Rhyno that barely gets featured on RAW. While this bodes a poor future for Heath Slater, he was actually one of the hottest Superstars in the company last Summer.

After the WWE draft, Heath Slater found himself as a free agent. He was able to explore the role of an underdog trying to find a job in order to pay for his 5 (or 6 or 7) children’s pool and double-wide. He won over the hearts of the WWE Universe, which led to one of the most satisfying conclusions to an organic storyline when Slater and Rhyno captured the SmackDown Tag Team Championships an Heath earned his contract.

However, after the conclusion of that storyline, WWE creative kind of just forgot about Beauty and the Manbeast, and the duo just faded away into oblivion. Now, they are no more than enhancement talents on RAW.

Heath Slater shined on the mic and in the ring as an underdog, and a trip to NXT would send him right back to that level. If they sell his sentence to NXT as a demotion, Heath could begin his climb back to the main roster in order to provide for his family as the crowd rallies behind him.

Or, Heath could get released, fired, undrafted, or something of that nature, and he can debut at NXT in hopes to get a job. No matter how creative use Slater in NXT, Heath will surely allow his babyface underdog persona and natural charisma to shine.

Heath Slater should provide a bright spot in WWE’s developmental brand and could become a key player on the main roster if he performs well in NXT.

Credit: WWE.com

4. Dana Brooke

Dana Brooke was rushed to the main roster far before she was ready in order to pair her with Emma. When Emma came down with an injury, WWE could not just send her right back down to NXT.

So, Dana Brooke was paired with Charlotte Flair, as her protégé, until Dana broke away from flair and became a babyface. Since then, Brooke has been nothing more than a role player for the women’s division.

Dana Brooke definitely has the look of a WWE Superstar, and her mic skills are not that bad either, but Dana Brooke is incredibly green in the ring. Her in-ring skills are not quite there yet, and she has arguably accounted for more botches than anyone else on the main roster.

Dana Brooke has been praised for her work ethic, so I believe she will get to the point where she can be a respectable worker in the ring, but the more time she spends on national TV with such little experience, the more her image and overall career will be hurt.

So, since Brooke doesn’t currently have a storyline or any plans, it would be a perfect time to send her down to NXT to improve her work in the ring. Once she gains more experience and is a more polished performer, she will be able to actually got toe to toe with the likes of Charlotte, Sasha, or Bayley and look like she’s not out of her league.

NXT is a developmental brand, and Dana Brooke has a lot of developing to do. So, NXT seems like the perfect fit for Dana Brooke.

Credit: WWE.com

3. The Ascension

The poor Ascension seem to never get a chance on the main roster. Despite their dominant performance in NXT, The Ascension were buried and completely forgotten about upon arrival.

Over recent years, The Ascension have been nothing more than jobbers and can’t seem to win a match. This is ironic since their gimmick is supposed to be two incredibly strong monsters. So, they have lost all credibility as a tag team in the division, and they’re gimmick is no longer believable.

Basically, there are no two people in the WWE that need a complete reboot to their characters and careers than the ascension. Their gimmick simply is no longer credible, and it is nearly impossible for them to come back from such a loss of momentum.

However, The Ascension have been able to show off their comedic sides in some recent skits with Breezango in the Fashion Files, and quite frankly, they have been pretty funny. They also showed off their humor in the hilarious short series on the WWE Network, Southpaw Regional Wrestling, as The Surf Dudes with Attitudes.

NXT would provide The Ascension with a fresh platform to experiment with a new gimmick that better suits their personality. The Ascension have shown that they are impressive in the ring, and their natural charisma is just now being exposed, so they just need a better gimmick to showcase themselves.

The Ascension could take advantage of the currently weak NXT tag team division and get some TV time there to perfect their act. Anything would be better than what they have been doing on the main roster in recent years.

Credit: WWE.com

2. Lana

This one is a no brainer. Lana has very little experience as an in ring competitor, yet she was just thrust into SmackDown‘s women’s division without even having a run in NXT.

Her inexperience has definitely shown. She has had three title shots with Naomi and multiple matches on SmackDown, and her inexperience is obvious. Fans have been chanting “You can’t wrestle”, and Lana has been botching moves left and right.

1. Dolph Ziggler

Dolph Ziggler has seemingly always been filled with potential, but he has never been able to realize it. Whether it has been due to creative booking, injuries, or his own doing, Ziggler has never been able to stay atop the mountain in WWE for quite some time.

Besides his exciting rivalry with The Miz over the Intercontinental Championship last year, Dolph Ziggler has done nothing of note lately. In fact, Ziggler has been just about missing from SmackDown Live ever since Money in The Bank.

Ziggler’s career has been filled with several highs and lows. After competing for the WWE Championship at last year’s SummerSlam, The Showoff will now find himself completely absent from this Summer’s show.

When Ziggler hasn’t been irrelevant, Ziggler has been helping to put over recent NXT call ups. His incredible work and selling in the ring helps to make the new talent look good in their feuds. Ziggler has done this with most notably Baron Corbin and Shinsuke Nakamura in recent memory.

Ziggler has so much experience in the business and is such a good performer, but he is not being utilized on the main roster. It appears that Ziggler, for now, has missed his time to shine at the top of the card.

If he is not going to be used as he should on the main roster, NXT could take advantage of the veteran performer. Ziggler could help beginners at the Performance Center and could also help put over NXT talent.

NXT could also be an opportunity for The Showoff to revitalize his career and make a comeback. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, and after a break from the main roster, Ziggler could come back fresh and over with the crowd.

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NXT is all about developing talent, and Ziggler is a perfect choice to help develop others and himself in the world of pro wrestling.

Dalton Quix

Just a student of the game (no, not Triple H) that is pro wrestling. Here to bring my hot takes on the hottest business in the sports entertainment industry.