Cameron Grimes should thrive as a babyface in NXT

It was only a matter of time before Cameron Grimes turned babyface.

Even before the 12-year pro adopted this opulent goofball gimmick, fans had already taken a liking to him due to his charisma and comedic timing shining through in any segment/angle he took part in. Him diving headfirst into this new gimmick — which was inspired by Grimes’ actual stock market success — and attempting to one-up “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase only intensified that appreciation.

All of this culminated this past Tuesday on NXT, where Grimes and DiBiase held a “Million Dollar Face-Off”. After Grimes explained how he wanted to pattern himself after DiBiase and DiBiase responded with the “you got a lot to learn, young man” routine, L.A. Knight interrupted the proceedings, ran through his usual schtick, and dropped Grimes with his version of the headlock driver, seemingly aligning with DiBiase in the process.

This combined with the lack of canned heat being pumped in while Grimes spoke seems to indicate that the talented North Carolinian will be wearing a white hat going forward, which is the correct move.

Cameron Grimes is already becoming a beloved character in NXT, and this possible face turn would further cement that.

Of course, certain aspects of Grimes character would need to be tweaked to become more palatable as a babyface act. Keep in mind, Grimes has gotten cheered because of how funny he’s been in the role, not because the character is a decent person worthy of being cheered.

This doesn’t mean he needs to morph into a white-meat do-gooder, but Grimes still has to exhibit some level of growth after spending weeks trying — and failing — to emulate DiBiase. It doesn’t have to be anything too complex; a promo where Grimes realizes that he doesn’t want to be anything like “The Million Dollar Man” would suffice, and it would give the fans who are still on the fence about Grimes a reason to cheer for him outside of getting spurned by DiBiase.

The NXT creative team would also have to adjust the comedic elements of the gimmick. As a heel, it’s fine for Grimes to be the butt of the joke, but as a babyface, many of those same gags will have to be played for sympathy while still retaining the charm that rallied the fans behind him in the first place.

So, they basically have to alter the character’s presentation, but not too much to where they lose what made it so endearing. It’s a tight rope to walk, especially for a brand that struggles with building up compelling protagonists.

However, it might be one that a guy as talented as Grimes can navigate. His charisma and the obvious fun he’s having with the character should enhance the good material that he gets and mask the occasions where he’s handed scripted gunk. Oh, and as one of the best workers in NXT, his in-ring exploits will keep the fans just as invested when the bell rings.

Is there a chance that it flops? Sure, there always is, but it would also be foolish to wager against Grimes taking a more affable rendition of this character “To the moon!”.