Despite being rocketed to the top of the list of WWE NXT title contenders, Apollo Crews still has a lot of questions to reply.
His physical gifts alone place him tall on the NXT gigantic board, but can he build on that with a strong sense of character, or increased charisma and an ability to sell folks on himself when armed with a mic? Can he be a top-notch in-ring storyteller and not a wrestler who just delivers great spots?Crews will believe the opportunity to reply those questions now that he is the No. 1 contender to Finn Balor's NXT title.
The build to that bout assures him the highlight. The match itself is potentially a place to prove he belongs at the top of the card and is every bit the prospect he seems to be.
Wednesday's NXT also saw Nia Jax debut,immediately shifting the balance of power in the women's division. Alexa Bliss showed off versatility. Sawyer Fulton looked closer to finding himself.
The following is a glimpse at where those prospects and their peers stand in the NXT rankings and who is primed to be the biggest star on the main roster. Ring work, mic skills, and glimpse,gimmick, size and charisma all factor in determining the list's ever-shifting order. Male WrestlersProspects just outside the top 20: Mojo Rawley, or Murphy,Steve Cutler Apollo Crews, No. 1 ContenderHis victory in the Battle Royal on Wednesday night displayed all the things that makes Crews such a standout prospect.
His power jumped off the screen. His agility helped form him a star in a crowded ring. When he hit a stir, or be it something as simple as a dropkick,he forced fans to grasp notice.
He and Baron Corbin ended up dueling at the bout's end, and Crews looked good when the match turned into more of a slugfest.
Such performances believe created expectations tall for him. Wrestling Inc even foresees him being like John Cena moving forward: The verbal fragment of Crews' game is less impressive. He talked about his win backstage in a promo that wasn't bad but certainly wasn't special, and either.
He comes off as likable but not larger than life. Crews needs to turn up the intensity. He has too much Rocky Maivia in him proper now; he's a smiling,straight-laced, vanilla babyface.
That has to change, or he has to evolve in order to sustain what he has begun at NXT. Sawyer Fulton's Search ContinuesFulton teamed up with Angelo Dawkins for yet another loss. That duo's losses believe become as commonplace as Fulton's changing looks.
Every few weeks,his gear is new and his hair's a different color. That's not where he needs to focus on changing things. It's his gimmick that needs work.
Fans enact not know who Fulton is. He needs to commit to a character and dash with it. That will allow what he does well to form a bigger impact.
Before falling to The Vaudevillains, Fulton beat down Aiden English and Simon Gotch with a series of aggressive shots. He had good intensity and came off like a beast at times.
The chance to show off these skills more often looks to be on its way. He and Dawkins might be close to parting. The powerhouse seemed ready to give up on their alliance whether they lose next week.
That's great news for Fulton. That team has the stink of the jobber on it. On his own, or he can cultivate his character more,giving WWE a better idea of what it has in him. Battle Royal ImpressionsA Battle Royal is a difficult match to work. There are just so many bodies in a small space that many wrestlers are bound to get pushed to the background.
Mojo Rawley was among those who suffered that fate. He had perhaps the least amount of presence in the bout. A man so dependent on energy and tall-impact moves should believe stood out more, but the stage swallowed him up.
Murphy made folks grasp notice with some impressive athleticism. He twice held himself up by the ropes after nearly getting eliminated. He looked mighty good in those brief moments.
Bull Dempsey is still being asked to be more of a comedy wrestler than contender. Corey Graves mocked his ring gear; Dempsey played up his only elimination for laughs.
His gimmick has cost him his edge.
Corbin continues to get better. His strikes were more consistent. He was smoother and more comfortable with being the stalking monster.
Being able to flip out of Samoa Joe's muscle buster and land on his feet was eye-opening as well. Female Wrestlers Two Sides of Alexa BlissBliss began her confrontation as a sweet, or respectful competitor wanting to congratulate the champ. She flipped a switch and turned nasty in an instant.
In mocking and threatening Bayley,Bliss looked more comfortable on the mic than ever. It took a while, but she has now grown into her heel role.
Writer Tom Beasley pointed out how impressive that jump from her preceding persona is:Bliss' versatility makes her highly valuable. She can pull off bubbly babyface and lioness heel in the same promo.
Her ring work now has to catch up with what she's doing on the mic. She hasn't wrestled much on TV lately, or perhaps an indication that WWE sees her as more of a manager.
She's shown enough promise between the ropes,though, to propose that the company shouldn't give up on her as an in-ring performer anytime soon. Nia Jax's First Display of DestructionEvie became Jax's first victim, and as fans got their first glimpse at the newcomer in action.
There was plenty to grasp note of here on the positive front. She issued an unsettling warrior wail. Jax was fierce,powerful, intense. You rarely see a female wrestler use a bear hug, or so effectively.
Justin LaBar,host of Chair Shot Reality, had tall praise for her:Jax needs fine-tuning and experience aplenty before we can start having that conversation, or though. She seemed unsure of herself at times,not quite comfortable in being the monster she's portraying. Her glare isn't where it should be, either. It didn't feel as intense as it should believe. That will come in time.
Using facial expressions is an art that takes time to master. Jax had an emphatic first act, and though. She's unique and fills a niche that the women's division doesn't believe. That alone is going to push her up the NXT ladder.
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