SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
A proving ground for young talent as well as veterans new to WWE style, NXT programming gives wrestling fans a peek at tomorrow’s main roster stars. Most of today’s Raw and Smackdown wrestlers did time on NXT first. However, a number of NXT wrestlers fail to make an impact on the main roster (e.g., Toni Storm, Keith Lee, Blair Davenport), or never make it there (e.g., Kassius Ohno, Velveteen Dream, James Storm).
Part of the joy of watching NXT is trying to predict who is main roster bound and who won’t cut it. The eve of NXT’s Heatwave is a great opportunity to do just that.
Who’s killing it on NXT and who’s floundering? Let’s take a look:
Rising Star of the Week: Je’Von Evans
Evans can bump like no one else on the roster. Although he won this week’s number one contender’s match against Trick Williams, he made his opponent look phenomenal in the process.
A lightweight (billed at 170 lbs), the Young OG is easily tossed around the ring by a variety of opponents. Not that he needs help — Evans is perfectly capable of launching himself when taking offense, in a manner reminiscent of Mr. Perfect or Shawn Michaels.
His incredible athleticism makes Evan’s offense nearly as impressive. His leaping ability is unmatched, which makes his leaping cutters and double spring tornillo splash look beyond impressive.
This week his most impressive stunt was being shoved off the top rope by Williams before soaring through the announce desk — a fall which would have made Mick Foley take notice. Although he hit hard, Evans finished the match without any apparrent injury.
Evans’s only weakness is his mic skills, which need a bit of work. For this reason, Evans seems unlikely to win the title on Sunday. However, after only 16 months in NXT, this 21-year-old has plenty of time to develop his promos.
The Young OG’s phenomenal athleticism and impressive ring skills make him a can’t-miss prospect for the main roster. It’s only a matter of time before Raw or SmackDown gets “bouncy.”
Runner-up: Trick Williams
On the mic and in the ring, Williams can truly do it all. If there’s a hole in his game, I can’t see it.
Let’s talk about it.
In his time in NXT, Williams has unexpectedly risen from Carmelo Hayes’s hype man to a main event star in his own right. He’s collected a number of accolades in the process, including capturing the NXT North American Championship once and the NXT Championship twice. Trick is the first WWE-contracted wrestler to ever hold the TNA World Championship.
His reign as NXT champion electrified fans, garnering incredible momentum which was cut short by an ill-advised heel turn. His heel run has been limited by fans’ desire to cheer him and chant “Whoop That Trick!”
Williams is the best all-around performer in NXT and is more than ready for a main roster whose main event scene is suffering a dearth of Black men. With the right booking, the sky’s the limit for this top-notch talent.
Second Runner up: Blake Monroe
Monroe knows her character and is incredibly effective in her role. As a beautiful, blonde mean girl, the former Mariah May is everything that Tiffany Stratton was supposed to be.
Her promos opposite Jordynne Grace have showcased Monroe’s malice and cowardice, making fans want to see this villain get the beating she deserves.
Monroe’s ringwork seems competent if nothing special, but her Heatwave Match with Grace will be her first real test. If the two can pull off a compelling, PLE-worthy match on Sunday, Monroe will cement her position as the NXT women’s division’s fastest rising star and future champion.
ARTICLE CONTINUED BELOW…
Check out the latest episode of “PWT Talks NXT” with Kelly Wells and Nate Lindberg, part of the PWTorch Dailycast line-up: CLICK HERE to stream (or search “pwtorch” on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or any other iOS or Android app to subscribe free)
Fading Star of the Week: Joe Hendry
Just a few months ago, no independent wrestler had more buzz than Joe Hendry. With a catchy entrance theme, a winning smile, and a fun gimmick, Hendry received the loudest response of any act on NXT— especially impressive given his status as a TNA wrestler. It was just plain fun to root for Hendry and audiences enthusiastically chanted “I believe.”
Then there were setbacks. Hendry failed in his bid to win the NXT title from Ethan Page. He lost to Randy Orton in three minutes at WrestleMania. Soon afterwards he lost his TNA title to Trick Williams. We are finding less reason to believe in Joe Hendry, and fan enthusiasm has waned considerably.
Recent wins over midcareer Wes Lee and Charlie Dempsey have done little to reignite his momentum. Recent skits in which he emerges from unlikely hiding places in response to his name being spoken are funny, but frame Hendry as a comedy figure rather than a main event star.
WWE has little reason to push Hendry until he signs a WWE contract. However, he has confirmed that his TNA contract does not expire until the end of the year. Given the likelihood he will jump ship, TNA seems unlikely to prioritize him in the meantime. This leaves Hendry in storyline limbo, which does not bode well for his significance in storylines on either brand.
Even if he does sign with WWE, it remains to be seen whether he’ll be able to recapture the magic in 2026.
Runner-Up: Tyra Mae Steele
As the first female Olympic Gold Medalist to sign with WWE, Steele benefits from a rare sense of legitimacy as a combat athlete. The two other gold medalists to compete in WWE had wildly different careers. Kurt Angle met with phenomenal success, while Gable Stevneson failed and was released after a single televised match on an NXT PLE. Which path will Steele follow?
First impressions weren’t great. In her featured talking segment on this week’s NXT, Steele floundered.
Although she seemed comfortable in her role, partnering with fellow Olympian Tavion Heights representing America opposite egotistical Canadians Chelsea Green and Ethan Page, Steele seemed to overact and failed to connect with the audience. The Philadelphia crowd seemed more interested in cheering for Green than rallying behind its American heroes.
The mixed tag team bout at Heatwave featuring the four will be Steele’s first high-profile match in WWE, and she has a lot to prove. Green is not an idea opponent, being of limited wrestling ability and getting favorable responses from fans following her sympathetic portrayal on WWE Unreal. A USA vs. Canada program may be ill-suited for today’s political climate.
However, a strong showing by Steele here would go a long way toward generating fan interest. Will she rise to the occasion under pressure? Tyra Mae will need nerves of steel.
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