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NXT’s men’s division is in the midst of a rebuilding period. After losing top stars (Oba Femi, Trick Williams, Je’Von Evans, Ricky Saints, and Ethan Page, to name a few) in the past several months, the division found itself populated by a collection of unknown newcomers.
The good news is that the cupboard isn’t bare. The past month has seen WWE reinsert some star power. The returns of Grayson Waller and Cruz Montana, along with the arrival of Zilla Fatu, have helped give the division some badly-needed juice. Even more notable, a number of performers are beginning to establish themselves as potential future main-roster players.
Here are a few of the men currently on the rise and a couple who seem to be losing some of the momentum they had when they first arrived.
RISING STAR OF THE WEEK: Grayson Waller
When Grayson Waller returned to NXT, he talked about how the division had lost its energy along with its star power.
His words stung because he was clearly speaking the truth.
Waller has clearly gotten his groove back since returning to NXT. His main roster run, consisting of playing second fiddle to Austin Theory and The New Day or serving as enhancement talent to mid-card babyfaces, never afforded him much of a chance to showcase his abilities. Back in NXT, he’s had his moment in the limelight.
He’s made the most of it.
Waller is beaming with brash swagger in his role as an abrasive, self-absorbed heel. NXT has smartly leaned heavily into his arrogance and his ability to play the irritating antagonist without overcomplicating the role. There’s a little bit of The Miz in what he’s doing, particularly the 2011 version of Miz, but Waller brings a more youthful, Logan Paul-style social media influencer energy to his character. Fans have also rediscovered something important: He’s fun to watch.
The “Aussie Icon” nickname, on the other hand, still doesn’t do much for me. Waller doesn’t need a generic nickname to tell us he’s a star.
His personality does that job.
First Runner-up: Tony D’Angelo
The former Don, and the last holdover from the NXT 2.0 era, feels very close to a successful debut on the main roster.
D’Angelo carries himself like a man who belongs on a bigger stage. There’s confidence, experience, physical presence, and a sense that he understands how to work a crowd. He’s an athletic powerhouse whose ring work is reminiscent of a young Brock Lesnar.
The biggest question isn’t whether D’Angelo can wrestle or whether he can deliver on the mic. It’s whether WWE has found the version of the character that will connect with a larger audience. Shedding the limiting mafioso gimmick allowed him to embody a more contemporary and believable character, which works well as a big fish in the small pond of NXT. Whether it will work on the main roster has yet to be seen.
If he does get the call, I suspect WWE must find the central hook that makes fans immediately understand and care about him.
He’s ready for the next step. WWE just needs to figure out exactly what that step should look like. Challenging Oba Femi as one of the only men to ever defeat him may be a good start.
Second Runner-Up: Romeo Moreno
Romeo Moreno has one of the simplest characters in NXT — and that’s part of why it works.
He’s the wide-eyed rookie, the young lion who’s a little overeager, excited to be there, and eager to prove himself.
It isn’t complicated. It doesn’t need to be.
Moreno is also fantastic in the ring. He has the kind of fundamentals that make it easy to believe he’s going to have a long career if WWE continues developing him properly.
A crucial part of his character is his terrific chemistry with veteran Noam Dar. Moreno’s enthusiasm plays nicely against his more experienced tag team partner, creating an easy dynamic that the audience can understand without a lot of exposition. Think Luke Skywalker’s apprenticeship to Obi-Wan Kenobi.
He’s a great kid — literally and figuratively — and WWE should resist any temptation to make this plucky underdog more complicated than he needs to be.
Honorable Mention: Dorian Van Dux
ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…
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NXT FALLING STAR OF THE WEEK: Zilla Fatu
Zilla Fatu has enormous potential. That’s precisely why the current direction is frustrating.
Fatu came into NXT a few weeks ago blazing hot. He immediately looked like the kind of star WWE could build around. There’s a powerful charisma reminiscent of his cousin The Rock, a compelling physical presence, and a natural connection to the legacy he’s carrying.
That rare momentum seems to be cooling.
Part of the problem is that Fatu’s presence can be a bit too much. The “Hello” catchphrase has already been overused and is in danger of becoming annoying. Fatu has shown a tendency to overact, which can also be off-putting.
Fatu’s history in prison is the most remarkable aspect of his personal story and lends him a rare type of authenticity. Rather than take advantage of that authenticity, WWE seems reluctant to acknowledge it. His six-year sentence has not been mentioned on NXT TV, much less been incorporated into his character. WWE can’t hide this aspect of his story, so why not embrace it? It’s particularly strange considering how prominently WWE leaned into Jacob Fatu’s briefer incarceration as part of his presentation.
More importantly, the current feud with Birthright feels like a significant step down. Birthright has been presented as a group of entitled, privileged nepo babies, something Fatu has repeatedly expressed that he is not. The problem is that the story doesn’t really match what we’re seeing on television. If they’re supposedly people who believe they’re entitled to opportunities because of their family ties, why have they received so few opportunities while Fatu has been pushed toward the front of the line? The contradiction makes the story unnecessarily incongruous.
If WWE wants to take advantage of his potential as a top star, he should not be beaten up by the likes of lower mid-carders like Birthright. Fatu should be steamrolling through guys like this. Let him look dangerous. Let him look special. Let the audience get excited about what he might become.
For now, WWE should get out of the way and let Zilla Fatu be Zilla Fatu.
First Runner-Up: Mason Rook
Mason Rook is a big man who’s getting his first significant push as the top contender for Waller’s NXT Championship. However, something isn’t clicking. WWE has yet to discover why fans should connect with him.
In recent weeks, NXT has essentially tried to present Rook as an underdog, leaning into his early losses. This is a poor fit for a behemoth of a man who is billed at weighing 408 lbs.
NXT has simultaneously framed Rook as a relatable common man. Kim Hendricks actually spelled it out, calling him an “everyman” a few weeks back, a notion Vic Joseph has echoed.
Telling us that Rook is an everyman is not enough. WWE needs to show us.
Give Rook a buddy. Let us see him hanging out at a bar. Show him talking to fans. Let him have a life outside the wrestling ring. Give us some reason to think, “Yeah, I could see myself hanging out with this guy.”
Right now, the character feels more like something WWE is telling us about Rook than something we’re actually seeing.
His ring work is fine, but he occupies an awkward physical space. He’s not quite big or athletic enough to be presented as a monster.
Fans’ greatest connection with Rook has come from chanting, “He’s big, he’s bad, he’ll bodyslam your dad.” Maybe they should run with that and make it more than just a catchphrase.
Birthright’s dads, William Regal and Fit Finlay, often seen on set, would make fitting targets.
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