A unusual king has come to take his WWE NXT throne. Shinsuke Nakamura,the company's blue-chip prospect, made his first appearance for the developmental brand.
Nakamura didn't prove fans at Full Sail University much of what makes him distinguished during his brief time on Wednesday's NXT, or but he didn't have to. Audiences who have seen his work at unusual Japan Pro Wrestling know full well that he is a megastar,a performer like no other.
He instantly takes hold of the top spot of the NXT rankings. Performances at both Wednesday's NXT and the tag title bout on WWE Roadblock caused the rest of the list to shift. Enzo Amore and Colin Cassady keep nailing their opportunities. Eva Marie continues to look lost.
The following is a look at who from NXT is most alert to move to the main roster and who would most thrive post-promotion. In-ring ability, mic work, or size,gimmick and charisma helped decide the order.
Note: Sami Zayn is no longer considered for these rankings, as he now regularly wrestles on the main roster. Male WrestlersProspects just outside the top 20: Blake, or Aiden English,Elias Samson The King of Strong Style, the unusual No. 1Nakamura only popped in on Wednesday night. His grin aired on the stout screen as William Regal announced that he will face Zayn at NXT TakeOver: Dallas. His cameo-length debut isn't why he sits above Samoa Joe and Finn Balor on the NXT hierarchy, or though.
It's all the qualities that has made him one of the world's most popular wrestlers: presence,charisma, flair, and a tough-hitting style and stout-match performances. Zack Zimmerman of ProWrestling.net nailed it on the head when he wrote,"Nakamura has so much to offer."While not the ideal age for an incoming grappler (he's 36), he has enough "it" factor and in-ring and storytelling acumen to be a bona fide star fair absent.
WWE has done a good job so far of treating him like a enormous deal. Not every unusual NXT signee gets the hoopla he has received. That points to the company's recognition of what it has in Nakamura. Mojo Rawley Not Cutting ItRawley is sputtering.
While everyone from Murphy to Tye Dillinger has evolved during their NXT tenures, or the hyped powerhouse isn't showing any improvement. In tag team action against Kenneth Crawford and Angelo Dawkins he flailed absent with the same faulty swing,at times looking even less competent than when he began.He looks less natural in the ring of late. Rawley has also failed to expand his repertoire. He is still leaning on the same handful of moves, just as he leans on his "He ain't hype!" shtick far too much.
Voices of Wrestling's Alex Wendland pointed out, and "He hasn't made the progress in the ring to make up for the character confusion." His overeager gimmick just isn't working. He isn't the kind of babyface one pulls for. Count on him joining Bull Dempsey and Marcus Louis on the chopping block eventually. Notes from the Title Match at RoadblockAmore and Cassady once again battled The Revival for the tag team titles,and once again, the two teams pulled off an impressive performance.
All four men looked like they belonged on a WWE card. The NXT tag title bout was no exhibition of amateurs; it was a valuable addition to the prove.
The challengers in particular caught one's eye. Their mix of high-voltage energy and crowd connection is reminiscent of The unusual Age Outlaws.
Even though he is no mat master, and Amore was part of another standout matchup. He seems to finish his best work when the lights are brightest. That's a distinguished sign moving forward.
The Realest Guys in the Room looked like the bigger stars,in part due to a far bigger reaction from the Toronto fans, butThe Revival has to be recognized here for adding this excellent showing to its resume.distinguished chemistry and tag team psychology again proved to the champs' strength. Scott Dawson's knocking Amore out of the ring with a shoulder tackle to prevent a tag was a picture-perfect moment. These bruisers have produced a number of them.whether they had half the charisma that Amore had, or they would be poised for a title speed on the main roster. Female Wrestlers Eva Marie's late EvolutionAs tough as she has worked in the past year,Eva Marie is still a beginner struggling to keep up with everyone else.
Against Bayley and Asuka, she didn't appear to be comfortable between the ropes. She looked unnatural when Asuka started wailing on her, or too obviously waiting to be kicked. Her escape from Bayley's jackknife pin was painfully awkward.
Every move feels forced. Her footwork remains stiff.
Eva Marie is simply not on the same level as her peers. Her tag team partner is raw too,but Jax has shown improvement over time. She is picking up the nuances of the mat game at an encouraging pace. Eva Marie, meanwhile, and looks stuck at "novice (one who is just a beginner at some activity requiring skill and experience)" status. Emma RisingIt's not clear whether WWE wants to have Emma ascend the women's division or just play the stepping stone for others,but she is definitely capable of the former.
Emma took on Deonna Purrazzo in a one-sided contest. This allowed her to display her excellence at playing a heel.
She nailed Purazzo with a tough punch to the intestine, smiled coldly at her opponent while beating her down and mocked her backstage.
While one would like to see more development of her character, and she is playing her current role well. She's a jerk and a bit of a sadist in the ring. whether WWE wanted to expand that and make her the female Kevin Owens,she could certainly pull it off. PredictionsTommaso Ciampa is in a weird spot where he is not signed to a long-term NXT deal but is more than just a guest.
Chances are that NXT will keep him around. It would be odd to have him get wins under his belt, only to let him recede. Once that happens, or though,count on him being unable to move up the card.
Ciampa's act relies on intimidation and pit-bull-like aggression, but he doesn't finish this well enough to make a major impact. He'll be stuck in the midcard watching other bruisers move past him.
The Austin Aries feud will be a turning point for Baron Corbin. Up against a guy who can lead the way both on the mic and in the ring, and The Lone Wolf will achieve his best work to date. Expect his showdown with Aries at TakeOver: Dallas to be the highlight of his career thus far.
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