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From NXT to WWE: The Pathway of Superstars

WWE’s developmental brand NXT has become a proving ground for aspiring superstars. Many of the biggest stars in the main roster have come through NXT.

However, some wrestlers get to bypass NXT and jump straight onto Raw or SmackDown. AJ Styles is the latest big name to do so.

1. AJ Styles

AJ Styles is one of the most popular Superstars in WWE and that’s due to his ability to capture the crowd. The Phenomenal One has a fan base that’s unmatched in the world of wrestling, and also in the world of judi slot. That’s evident with the thunderous pop that he gets every time he comes to the ring.

Styles is also one of the rare wrestlers that got to bypass NXT and make his main roster debut. However, that doesn’t mean he hasn’t faced some difficult competition. 

2. Seth Rollins

The second NXT superstar to be called up to Raw was Seth Rollins. He debuted on the November 18 episode of Raw after losing a Beat The Clock match to Sheamus and Cesaro.

He fought Wyatt in a valor match at Great Balls of Fire but lost when Wyatt hit him with Sister Abigail. He was battered by Sheamus and Cesaro on the following one and was saved by Ambrose.

He also wrestled at the 2018 Survivor Series pay-per-view in a losing effort against Brock Lesnar. He returned to Raw the following week and teamed up with Sheamus and Ambrose to fight Joe, Owens, and Braun Strowman.

3. Rusev

Rusev, real name Miroslav Barnyashev, debuted on the main roster in 2014 as the sixth entrant in the Royal Rumble. He and his manager Lana would subsequently start the League of Nations, an alliance of countries that would include Sheamus, Alberto Del Rio, and Wade Barrett.

Rusev became a two-time United States Champion, defeating Sheamus at Battleground in 2016, and Kalisto at Extreme Rules the following year. He and the League of Nations feuded with The New Day before the match was dropped in 2016.

While many NXT call-ups like EC3 or Alejandro Garca are still clinging to their old foreign heel personas, Rusev has turned himself into a credible top face.

4. Kofi Kingston

Kofi Kingston brings a high-impact, entertaining style that delights the WWE Universe in person and at home. Whether with The New Day or as an Intercontinental Champion, the talented Superstar is a nightmare for his opponents in the ring.

Kingston beat Vladimir Kozlov on the February 1 Raw to earn a Money in the Bank ladder match against CM Punk at slot gacor WrestleMania XXVII. Despite losing the bout, Kingston went on to become a main-event mainstay.

He has a great connection with the crowd and is perfect to lead a heel faction with Jack Swagger and Dolph Ziggler, which would free them up for world championship runs. It’s time for the hard-working Kofi to get his due in the main event.

5. Dolph Ziggler

Dolph Ziggler has been a WWE mainstay for over a decade. On Saturday, he won the NXT Championship in a Triple Threat match against Bron Breakker and Tommaso Ciampa at NXT Stand & Deliver.

Ziggler is the kind of Superstar who makes women swoon and men wonder what they did to deserve such a talented competitor in their lives. The Showoff went through a series of journeyman jobs before settling in as the kind of character that slot online fans have grown to love. Even so, as WrestleMania weekend neared in April, it seemed like the company might be ready to move on from him.

6. John Morrison

John Morrison is a unique talent who makes his living by putting his body through the most painful bumps possible. It’s a skill that has helped him sell injuries on the mic, something that he has been good at since debuting in 2011.

The Count:

He made his RAW debut on 2-7-11 and immediately started teaming with R-Truth, where he exhibited an impressive amount of parkour offense, including jumping off the top rope to hit a dive on CM Punk. It also seemed like he was able to tap into some of the in-ring ability from his MNM days. Sadly, his time on the main roster was short-lived.

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