Meet Eric Bugenhagen, WWE NXT’s Next Breakout Star

Eric Bugenhagen is ready to rock WWE NXT to its very core, and is bound to be a breakout star in no time.

Every episode of WWE NXT TV on Wednesday nights promises to feature something exciting. This week’s installment was no exception.

Between Velveteen Dream issuing a challenge to NXT North American champion Johnny Gargano and Matt Riddle putting on a clinic with Drew Gulak, it was a night full of fun matches and moments.

However, it was Eric Bugenhangen who stole the show and left everyone in attendance (as well as those watching from home) in awe.

If you’re like me, then you had no idea who Bugenhagen was until this week, yet you now want to know more about him after the impression he made on during his debut on Wednesday’s show.

A decorated former amateur wrestler, Bugenhagen first gained traction online a few years ago with his entertaining YouTube vlogs that focused on weight training and intensity. It wasn’t long after that WWE caught wind of his popularity (and potential) and signed him to a developmental deal in the fall of 2017.

Despite not having any experience on the independent scene, Bugenhagen’s quick transition to wrestling was seamless. He honed his craft on NXT’s house show circuit in Florida, and although he lost far more matches than he won early on, it was his crazy charisma that caused fans to take notice of him.

NXT tends to take its time with talent and not push them into a prominent spot on the show if they aren’t ready yet. Thus, it was a smart call by the company to keep him off to the side until he was deemed worthy of a match on NXT TV.

Photo Credit: WWE.com

Bugenhagen wasn’t meant to be more than stepping stone for Drew Gulak ahead of the 205 Live Superstar’s match with Matt Riddle. However, he ended up being the real center of attention on Wednesday night, wasting no time in captivating the crowd with his Bohemian Rhapsody-inspired dance moves and unmatched energy.

As noted, he hasn’t been wrestling for very long and has only just begun to find his footing in the squared circle. That said, sometimes all it takes is a performance like the one he had to win an audience over, and sure enough, he is already a massive fan favorite in Full Sail University.

Due to popular demand, Bugenhagen resurfaced later on in the taping for an encore and had the entire crowd in the palm of his hand as he got groovy with Kayla Braxton and jammed out to his addictive entrance music.

Common criticisms of NXT are that it’s merely a playground for established indie wrestlers who cut their teeth in other promotions and that the brand isn’t incapable of creating stars from the ground up.

That has previously been proven to be false with Lars Sullivan and Bianca Belair serving as prime examples, and Bugenhagen may soon be added to that list as well.

Of course, to call Bugenhagen a bona fide “star” at this point would be premature considering he has made all of one appearance on television, but it’s safe to say he has “future champion” written all over him.

As stacked of a roster as NXT has at the moment, he is the type of anomaly the black-and-gold brand could use right now. Besides, there should be no doubt that he will do well if the reaction he received on Wednesday night was any indication.

Based off his epic entrance alone, it’s easy to compare Bugenhagen to the likes of Adam Rose and No Way Jose, two former NXT stars who were overshadowed by their catchy theme songs. It was just about five years ago that Rose arrived in NXT and became an overnight sensation thanks to the way he walked to the ring.

Unfortunately, he was moved to WWE’s main roster too quickly and suffered from a lack of character development before receiving his release from the company. No Way Jose had similar success, but never recovered from being booked like an enhancement talent in NXT, not to mention how he hasn’t been seen significantly on Raw in nearly a year.

Bugenhagen can go much farther than Rose and Jose ever did, assuming NXT can stay the course with him and (hopefully) ensure he isn’t butchered by Creative when he is inevitably called up. He has the raw skill and charm needed to be successful, but his ascent must be slow and steady to avoid running the risk of rushing his progress.

Keep an eye out for this throwback competitor in the weeks and months to come, as it shouldn’t be long before he breaks out and becomes the next big thing in NXT.