We’ve built this idea up that NXT is a breeding ground for future WWE stars, many of which paid their dues working the independent scene long before they came to developmental. Guys like Cesaro, Kevin Owens, Neville, and even the WWE Champions Seth Rollins all began polishing their craft on the indys. While NXT has been able to create some stars without any real prior experience, for example Bray Wyatt & Roman Regins, more often than not these guys come from a different background.

WWE occasionally likes to acknowledge that fact and instead bringing on former bodybuilders or cross fit athletes they look around the indy scene for talent.

We’ve seen them recently acquire guys like Owens, Hideo Itami (KENTA), Finn Balor (Prince Devitt), Samoa Joe, and Apollo Crews (Uhaa Nation). For the most part these guys have helped make NXT go from developmental system to WWE’s third brand. When the network finally took off some of these men helped NXT gain the popularity and recognition that no one expected to come from the developmental show.

Quickly these guys were poached for the main roster, while others fell victim to injury. If you take a look at the first NXT big event…NXT Arrival there are only three active wrestlers still in NXT; Tyler Breeze, Mojo Rawley, & Emma (she was eventually called up and but came back down). Granted many of the wrestlers are still with WWE…but the landscape in NXT is much different from then. Even since the last NXT event four wrestlers have been called up and those were four big names; Kevin Owens, Charlotte, Becky Lynch & Sasha Banks. Along with those call ups Sami Zayn & Hideo Itami have been sidelined with injury and only Samoa Joe has come in to replace them.

We still see some of them make appearances in NXT but with one foot out the door, you start to lose interest in what they are doing in NXT. You get to see them on Raw & Smackdown so why tune into NXT?

Sure I still tune in every week, but I’ve noticed that I’m slowly transitioning from needing to catch it when it first airs to being able to catch up on it sometime during the weekend. NXT use to be that must see WWE program almost more so then Raw at one point now it seems like its heading down a similar path of Smackdown.

With NXT being taken on the road and more big events like the upcoming Takeover in Brooklyn, WWE is going to have to re-up their roster and make NXT exciting and fresh again. While we have a few guys waiting in the wing Solomon Crowe (who doesn’t get nearly enough time), Tye Dillinger (Who’s perfect 10 gimmick could be the next Yes!), and the upcoming debut of Apollo Crews here are ten fresh faces that I think could fit within the NXT system and help the brand continue to be one of the best wrestling products out there.

Disclaimer: I’m not going to list guys like AJ Styles, Jay Lethal or the Young Bucks…we all get it. These guys are entertaining and fun to watch but I want to take a different look at this. Plenty of list have these guys on them and by now we all understand how great it would be to have them in NXT. An granted I do plan on naming some obvious choices during this list…I just don’t plan on naming the top guys from every company other than WWE. I would love to see plenty of different wrestlers in NXT, way more than just ten, but these are the ten guys and girls that I think would fit perfectly into what they are doing down there. Some might have a shot at the main roster one day, but that isn’t what this list is really about.

10. Adam Cole

This is going to be my most obvious choice…It’s hasn’t been much of a secret that Cole is on WWE’s radar and while I have no clue if he would sign there or not I think he would be a great “short term” fix for NXT’s needs.

Cole has the look, the talent, he is versatility in his ability to play heel or face and has the ability to deliver in the ring with a level of confidence that you just can’t teach. He reminds me a little of Randy Orton (who I think would be a great dream match…but that’s for a different article.)

Anyway….I think Cole would have a tough time staying on NXT’s roster but a solid six month run would help them build up their house shows, bring back/in the audience that they may have lost from the other departures, and help get rid of meaningless matches on TV.

I would also like to see Michael Bennett and Kyle O’Reilly in NXT but are they too obvious of choices?

9. Johnny Gargano

This might be the last obvious choice…Gargano is exactly what I picture for NXT. When he comes through that curtain you’re not going to see a bad match…it might not be the best match of the night but I’ll guarantee that it won’t be close to the worst. This kid has emerged from that Midwest wrestler you’ve watched on YouTube to being the show-stealing, social media wizard, that wrestling hipsters are claiming to have liked way before he was on WWE’s radar.

With the right push behind him Gargano could be NXT’s version of Daniel Bryan. I say that because I feel like Gargano could come in and deliver with just about anyone, much like Bryan. I also think he would have an easy time connecting with fans….once he finds his rhythm there.

Finn Balor vs Johnny Gargano for the NXT Title would be an indy fans dream and a NXT fans surprise. Samoa Joe might actually have someone to go with and upon his return Itami could put on some great mid-card matches with NXT’s swizz army knife.

8. Drew Gulak

Remember when C.J Parker was walking around with pick-it signs and boring us all with his lackluster hippie gimmick…well let’s take the concept behind that and put it behind Drew Gulak. Gulak once used the concept “Campaign for a Better Combat Zone”….which is close to what Parker was attempting and more like what Steve Corino did in ECW with his anti-hardcore gimmick.

“A Campaign for a Better NXT” where Gulak looks to rid NXT of former NFL rejects, cross fit athletes & body builders and bring back the prestige of pro-wrestling. NXT is missing those types of angles and storylines and this along with Gulak’s in ring talent, think Malenko with a little more zip behind him. Like Gargano before him Gulak can wrestle just about anyone, which is something NXT needs. With guys like Corbin and Dempsey on the roster they could use some more versatile pieces.

7. Sara Del Rey

I understand that she is already down there, but she is off camera what I’m suggesting is that she becomes a part of the show. It’s no secret that the NXT women’s division is going to take a huge hit with Charlotte, Becky Lynch & Sasha Banks making their way to the main roster. With NXT’s next crop of divas still pretty green, it would only make sense to bring in a veteran like Del Rey to help them along.

This isn’t a new concept for NXT as they’ve been using Rhyno for a few months now and had Brian Kendrick do a few matches. Del Rey already trains these girls, so who better to get in the ring with them and help transition over the new class. As far as signing new talent I’m sure at least three of the last four women from Tough Enough will be making their way back.

6. Kyle O’Reilly

I’d like to point out that this isn’t a top ten list…it just a list of ten wrestlers that I think should be in NXT…no particular order just how it flows out. With that being said I thought about it and O’Reilly being in NXT is worth being like every other list of indy wrestlers who belong in WWE/NXT.

With that being said I’m entering O’Reilly into this list with the thought that either one of two things will happen or have happened; 1. He ends up teaming/feuding with Adam Cole with a brutal blow-off match at a Takeover event. 2. Bobby Fish joins him and reDRagon actually make the NXT tag team division bearable.

Another reason why I pulled an audible and added O’Reilly…besides the fact I’m really into the MMA/Strong-style he bring. I’d really like to see O’Reilly & Itami go at it.

5. Rhett Titus

Alright I’m a homer…Titus is to me like the Celtics are to Bill Simmons. I can’t not cheer for the guy and it would be great to see him in NXT. Regardless of my allegiance to him, I really do see him fitting down there.

Just imagine the entire Full Sail crowd doing the Rhettski (If you don’t know what the Rhettski is think the People’s Elbow, but instead of the arm waving back and forth Titus mimics being on a jet ski before dropping a leg drop.) Titus vs Tyler Breeze would be the greatest prima donna match up in a long time.

Also if for some reason or another Kenny King lands down there you have two guys with chemistry who would lend a much-needed helping hand to that tag team division.

4. War Machine (Hanson & Raymond Rowe)

Not only do these guys have a different look then the rest of the NXT tag teams, but they also look like they could and would kick your ass for fun. When I look at these guys I think this is what The Ascension should have looked like…or least resembled. It’s no secret that the NXT tag division is lacking. Enzo and Big Cass are one foot out the door it seems and Blake & Murphy suck…that might literally be the worst tag team in the company. Behind them you have the Mojo Rawley & Zack Ryder, Vaudevillians, who are entertaining but the gimmick will eventually hit a stalemate, and The Mechanics who are good, but not enough to hold the division together.

That’s where these guys come into play. You can throw them a new tag team each week like you did The Ascension and you can get a solid year and a half out of them before you have to really worry about what to do next. Just keep feeding them teams and eventually they will get the call up where just like every other tag team they will be wasted, but at least during their NXT run they will have some fun.

3. Brian Cage

The guy was down in developmental before but that was FCW and he had a silly name. I’m sure his current deal with Lucha Underground would interfere in this dream scenario but I’m just going to act like it doesn’t matter. Cage would be one hell of an addition to NXT and would certainly please Kevin Dunn’s lustful eyes.

2. Curtis Axel

Yeah he is on the main roster, but so was Tyson Kidd and look what that did for him. Kidd’s career was rejuvenated while being now in NXT, so maybe it can do the same for Axel. The guy is fun to watch and really gives everything his all.

I say move him down there, toss the Axelmania gimmick in the trash with the European title and let’s give Axel something he can work with. Other suggestions like this would be Heath Slater, Fandango, Adam Rose, Cameron & Jack Swagger. All these guys could do some time down in NXT help refresh their characters or in Rose’s case toss it to the side and bring out something new like *cough*Leo Kruger*cough8. I would start with Axel and maybe work my way down, with a new fresh face every six months or so. If something works call them back up and bring the next one down. This would allow for NXT to always have an established name down there and it would help with those house shows when the big names are gone.

1.Cheeseburger

His raw talent and ability to perform in the ring is match by none. I can see it now they could have the Burger King guy walk him down to the ring like he was Floyd Mayweather….

I’m just kidding my last and final choice to help fill out the NXT roster is Moose. The guy is a beast and has picked up wrestling rather quickly. Aside from someone like Ronda Rousey or IK Enemkpali entering the ring Quinn Ojinnaka is the only outside talent I’m interested in.

He has the size that management seems to love, the guy is 6’5” and weighs 295 pounds in the wrestling world…who knows how close that really is but the fact is this guy seems like the perfect project to watch grow in NXT and that’s something we are currently missing. Everyone seems to be coming in already polish and ready for the display aisle and the whole point of NXT is to watch these men and women develop and we could do just that with Moose…who might need a name change.