That doesn’t mean Bo Dallas and Jinder Mahal are going to
win world titles though.
The man who has to be considered the favourite to make an
impact on the main roster is Seth
Rollins. Look back at his work in Ring of Honor as Tyler Black and you’ll
see that even early on in his career he was an energetic and charismatic
worker. His promos may not be particularly great, but that’s a skill he can
pick up in time. He has the look and the athleticism to be a smaller headline
star in the mould of Shawn Michaels, CM Punk and Daniel Bryan.
Rollins has been presented as one of the major stars of
the rebooted NXT and the fact that he was chosen to be the programme’s
inaugural champion indicates that the booking team think very highly of him.
His ability to connect with audiences as a babyface shouldn’t be underestimated
either. It’s a useful skill for a WWE newcomer to have.
The next guy I’d pick is Big E Langston. There are guys I like more but none of them have
his mixture of muscular torso and impressive strength. These are not qualities
I look for when watching a wrestling match but they are qualities Vince McMahon likes. As he’s the man in charge I’m
pretty sure that sooner or later Langston will be given a chance to make his
mark with a push on RAW.
I’ve not seen him wrestle much. It’s too early to say
whether he has what it takes to succeed. But he’ll get the chance. If he plays
his cards right he could make it big.
Vince McMahon is a fan of muscles...
I am a huge fan of Kassius
Ohno. He has a great look, wrestles a realistic style and knows his way
around a microphone. He’s not really changed anything about his act since his
time in Ring of Honor (as Chris Hero), but then he didn’t need to. It’s a
well-rounded gimmick perfect for WWE television.
I expect Ohno will get a cursory callup sooner or later.
The writing team likely won’t put much into it but Ohno will be able to get
himself over. Dolph Ziggler managed it and I think ‘The Young Knockout Kid’
will too. It may take a little longer for him to get somewhere than the other
two men I’ve mentioned above but I think that once he gets a fair chance Ohno
will find a spot for himself.
Reforming the Kings of Wrestling alongside Antonio
Cesaro, probably under a different name, would be great to see. Don’t hold your
breath for that though.
One man who I think could surprise a lot of people is Bray Wyatt. He was on our screens a
couple of years ago as Husky Harris of the Nexus. He eventually got demoted
back to FCW (WWE’s then-developmental territory) because he was deemed too
green for the main roster. His weight was also an issue.
There’s something about the guy that makes him stand out.
Perhaps it’s that elusive “it factor”. Since going back down to developmental
he has created a new gimmick for himself. It’s essentially a southern preacher
persona but mixed with the former Husky’s rough and ready ring style and
surprisingly slick verbal skills it’s a hit.
Also worth noting is that Paul Heyman has stated on
Twitter and in interviews that he sees something in the son of IRS. Heyman
appears to be gaining influence on the creative direction of the company and
has a noted eye for talent. A blessing from Heyman is a good thing for Wyatt.
Finally there’s Richie
Steamboat. The son of Ricky ‘The Dragon’ Steamboat has managed to garner
cheers during his appearances on the show so far, including pops for using the
arm drags favoured by his father. If he’s introduced to WWE television in an
underdog babyface role, and given a sustained push and some credible wins, I
think Steamboat junior could become a huge star.
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