NXT, one of the best creations that WWE has orchestrated in recent memory has been home to a great percentage of the stars we enjoy on the main roster to this day. NXT has produced some of the best talent in WWE; names like Samoa Joe, Bray Wyatt and Seth Rollins just to name a few of the numerous superstars who built their stock in NXT. NXT is a place where superstars can home their skills, grow their character and ultimately make it to the main roster to continue flourishing. As of late, there has been a drought of sorts within the divisions in NXT due to the number of superstars that were and are being called up to the main roster.
The NXT tag team division has 3 teams at the current moment: The Revival, D.I.Y. and the current NXT Tag Team Champs, the Authors of Pain. NXT lost their other tag team in TM-61 who was set to feud with The Revival while D.I.Y. was busy with the A.O.P. A serious knee injury to TM-61 member Shane Thorne set the team back with an injury that will keep him out for half of the WWE calendar year.
With that injury and the likely debut of the Revival after WrestleMania, NXT’s tag team division is basically left with two teams after the promotion of teams: Enzo & Cass and American Alpha. I am positive that Triple H and the creative team for NXT has plans in store for the slim division, but at the current moment it does not appear that there will be any other possible feuds for the tag team titles besides D.I.Y. and A.O.P.
In my opinion, it is only a matter of time before D.I.Y. may be called up which could happen later this year. A.O.P. can hold on to the titles for the remainder of 2017. At the current moment, there is no other direction to go, unless NXT creative decides to put the titles back on Gargano and Ciampa. Only time will tell where the division will go from this point and things may possibly get clearer after WrestleMania heading into the summer.
The NXT Women’s division was once represented by Sasha Banks, Becky Lynch, Charlotte, Nia Jax, current SD Live Women’s Champion Alexa Bliss and current RAW Women’s Champion Bayley. The women’s division of this brand at one time was stacked and was without question miles ahead of the women’s division on the main roster prior to their debut’s. As we all are aware of, a superstar cannot remain in NXT forever, especially considering the women listed above had made a name for themselves and it was inevitable to call them up.
NXT’s current women’s division is not an immediate eye catcher, but there is potential there. There is the current champion, Asuka who still remains undefeated in NXT, Ember Moon, Billie Kay, Peyton Royce, Nikki Cross and Liv Morgan. Most of those names may not draw your immediate attention but there is possibility for a couple of the superstars to possibly break through. Asuka, the current NXT Women’s Champion has been champion for what will be a year coming up WrestleMania weekend.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkG0mTC-rOs]
It is almost clear that NXT creative is setting up Ember Moon as Asuka’s next challenger at Takeover: Orlando. If indeed Ember Moon is going to be the one to take down the undefeated Asuka, then where does that leave the rest of the division. Will Asuka remain in NXT? or does WWE decide to pull the trigger and bring up the “Empress of Tomorrow”. Ember Moon, Billie Kay, Peyton Royce, Nikki Cross and Liv Morgan are good talents, but to carry the division, NXT will need to reload. There have been rumors for months of a Women’s tournament. If that can come to fruition then the division will for-sure be stacked once again and new female superstars will arrive and we could get new mixtures of matches, feuds and a more competitive feel within the Women’s division.
The NXT Championship scene is not one that I will say lacks depth, compared to the other divisions on the brand, but lacks more of star power. The mid-card talent of the roster will eventually have to be pushed to provide fresh storylines for the championship. Bobby Roode, the current NXT Champion will most likely walk into Takeover: Orlando in a possible triple threat match with Shinsuke Nakamura and Kassius Ohno. Roode in my opinion will walk out with the championship and jump into a feud with Kassius Ohno, formerly known as Chris Hero.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eo1uFT88Sig]
There have been rumors swarming the internet of NXT’s most popular superstar Shinsuke Nakamura debuting for months and they have re-surfaced and are more talked about then ever which leads me to think he will not win at Takeover: Orlando.
Nakamura has been criticized often about being promoted to the main roster and most say he will not last long because his English is not fluent. I personally believe Nakamura is one of those special talents that gets a pass due to the uniqueness of the character. As far as the rest of the NXT Championship picture goes, NXT can build up Roderick Strong and also Tye Dillinger is staying with NXT for the foreseeable future and possibly could get a run with the NXT Championship which would be well deserved.
NXT is going through a re-building process and needs to load up on some new talent. But, seeing the mind of Triple H in the form of storylines, matches and more importantly Takeovers, there is no doubt that NXT will be fine as long as The Game continues watching over his prized possession.
