WWE NXT: Why Kassius Ohno Needs a Call-Up
When Kassius Ohno returned to WWE NXT in January of 2017, I thought that he would become the main focus of the brand within a matter of months. He even went right after Shinsuke Nakamura, who was the NXT champion at the time.
Later that same month, we saw Bobby Roode defeat Shinsuke Nakamura for the WWE NXT title.
I figured that Kassius Ohno was heading in the direction of competing against Roode for the belt at TakeOver: Orlando. Instead, we saw Ohno vs. Roode in a hot-shotted angle where the former Chris Hero was defeated on NXT TV just days before the major event.
Kassius Ohno hasn’t recovered since.
Source: WWE.com via YouTube
Since his re-debut in NXT, Ohno has been on the losing end of basically every significant match that he’s been a part of. His brightest moments have probably been in winning efforts against Hideo Itami in a mid-card feud. These wins meant very little for progressing Ohno up the card. as Itami is another former independent wrestling legend that has underwhelmed since coming over to the WWE system.
Recently, Ohno has lost every match that I’ve seen him in. He was even left entirely off of the TakeOver: New Orleans card over WrestleMania 34 weekend. (Although, he did compete (and lose) in a high profile match at Axxess against then WWN champion, Keith Lee.)
It seems like Ohno has been pigeonholed into a gatekeeper position in NXT. He’s basically there to help “put over” upcoming stars that are in line for a bigger push. This is a stigma that Ohno probably won’t be able to overcome because he’s been booked as a “glorified jobber”.
Luckily for Kassius Ohno, only a small percentage of the WWE “main roster” audience pays attention to NXT on a regular basis. That’s why I think the time is now to call up Ohno to Raw or SmackDown.
As Chris Hero, Ohno was known as one of the greatest and most accomplished talents in the history of independent wrestling. He’s been a pro wrestler since 1998 and has never had a chance to perform on TV for any major promotion.
Think about it, Ohno was around during the days of WWF, WCW, and ECW but was never brought in to show the world what he could do. The closest he’s gotten was a few matches in TNA but even then he was used on the syndicated Xplosion program and never on their main TV show or PPV.
Considering Ohno’s long history, his talent in the ring, and his knowledge level of the business of pro wrestling, I think it’s only fair that Ohno finally gets a chance on WWE TV.
In the past, Ohno’s look could have potentially been an issue. His weight has fluctuated drastically over the years and he’s currently as heavy as he’s probably ever been. But guys such as Kevin Owens and Samoa Joe have proven that work-rate is more important than being a “body guy” in today’s WWE landscape.
Source: WWE.com
The obvious question is: “If Ohno couldn’t get over in NXT, how do you expect him to on the main roster?”
My answer is simple: “Look at guys like Elias and women like Alexa Bliss.”
There have been many cases of WWE elevating Superstars that weren’t given significant pushes in NXT. Sure, it’s worked the other way as well, but that shouldn’t prevent us from wanting to see new talent get a chance on WWE’s worldwide stage.
All it would take are some video packages and showcase matches to educate the casual WWE audience about Ohno’s 20 year journey that has finally led him to the main roster.
Most importantly, Ohno is a legitimate fan of professional wrestling. He loves all different styles of wrestling from around the world. He’s a true pro wrestling historian and I think his passion for the business would be easy for the WWE Universe to recognize attach to.
The other option is WWE just releasing Ohno which I hope doesn’t happen because it’s hard to believe that he’d have the motivation to travel the indies all over again, similar to when he was released from NXT back in 2013. If Ohno is released again, it could very well be the end of his in-ring career.
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Of course, how Ohno is booked is ultimately the deciding factor as to what level of success WWE expects of him. His booking in NXT has been dreadful. I think it’s time to see if Kassius Ohno will sink or swim on Raw or SmackDown.