WWE: Pete Dunne has the tools to carry NXT and the future of WWE

The last few months of WWE NXT booking have been interesting in some regards while struggling in others. Wrestling fans have made it clear that they are not too excited in Karrion Kross as the NXT champion. As rumors abound that he is soon for the main roster, there is one guy who remains hot to fans, even though his character may not be the gregarious personality wrestling fans flock to. That man is Pete Dunne, and he could be due for a true main event run.

If there is one thing that AEW has over WWE, it is the fact that they are doing a much better job leveraging the performers on their roster that are under 30 years of age. Dunne is easily near the top of the list of the true prospects on the WWE roster that are less than 30. When he made his debut for the company back in 2016, the commentators harped on the fact that he was only 22 at the time. Look at how far he come since then.

When looking at the top of the NXT roster, Dunne is one of the freshest faces to have a potential run with the title. Yes, there are questions about how his brooding character would translate to turning eyeballs to the NXT product. Booking is an important aspect of a wrestler’s success and there is something about Dunne that comes off as a capable star for NXT, even if he is not putting on the scathing promos like some of his peers in Adam Cole or Johnny Gargano.

But when the bell rings, Dunne can hang with the best men and women professional wrestling has to offer. The COVID-19 pandemic kept Dunne out of NXT for an extended period of 2020, but once he returned his booking has been very solid. He has been involved with the biggest angles on the brand, joining Pat McAfee’s group to face the Undisputed Era, and being a central contender around the NXT championship. He was one of the shining spots of the Fatal Five-Way at NXT TakeOver: In Your House, further establishing Dunne as a top star for the brand.

The question is where he goes next. WWE is hinting at Dunne being a potential match for Samoa Joe, but Joe’s ability to compete in the ring is up in question. Then there is Gargano being singled out by Kross for his next feud. Keeping Dunne on television is key, but his next feud must be against a quality opponent that pushes him up the ladder. Perhaps he is the man to take the NXT North American title off Bronson Reed in the future. Kross has been protected to a point where many expect him to be called up to the main roster without taking a loss. Dunne should be considered as the next man to hold the belt, even if that means not picking up an actual win over Kross.

WWE has not always done the best job creating performers that fans want to see. That is even more so the case with those competitors that are young and on the come up. They have something special in Pete Dunne and he is someone that can carry the NXT brand now and be built around for the future.