So a constant hot topic over the last few years has centered around people getting called up from NXT to the main roster. The constant worrying about how each person getting called up is going to being changed and tinkered with or just the flat out pessimism around their future booking.
So i'm going to start with the people who were called up in 2016 and give my take on how I feel they've turned out. If it's someone I consider a slam dunk, whether a success or failure then I probably won't put any basic info in about them.
1.) Sami Zayn. Called up on March 17th 2016. SUCCESS.
Easy choice for me however I know there's gonna be plenty of people out there who will disagree purely because he hasn't been a world champion or a regular main eventer. To me he feels like a guy they've come to trust to do whatever they need, kinda like The Miz role if you will.
2.) Eva Marie. Called up on March 28th 2016. FAILURE.
Re-debuted on the March 28th Raw aligning herself with fellow Total Divas co-stars against Lana, Naomi, Tamina, Emma and Summer Rae. Her team was victorious days later on the WrestleMania 32 preshow. Disappeared off of TV until July 26th one week after being drafted over to SmackDown. Spent a few weeks doing the angle where she faked something being wrong with her so she didn't have to compete. Suspended on August 18th for 30 days and by all accounts wasn't seen again.
She's now into her third spell on the main roster with a chance to turn things around but as things stand currently, it doesn't look good.
3.) Baron Corbin. Called up on April 3rd 2016 at WrestleMania 32. FAILURE.
Feel like he's a hard one to judge and could go either way but because of the past few years where it's felt like everything he was involved in was just horrible, boring or dragged on forever that i'm gonna have to say it's a failure as of now. Funny thing is, I don't even think he's bad at all. Got a good size, moves around well, has some impressive looking signature moves and can talk well.
Lost the MITB briefcase cash in, was the disappointing choice for Kurt Angle's last match at WrestleMania, shit on by The Authority, the almost 2 year long KOTR run and the horrible feud with Roman Reigns involving dog food.
Currently looks to be turning face with the whole broke, loser angle which is going to be an interesting change of pace.
4.) Enzo Amore & Big Cass. Called up on April 4th 2016. SUCCESS.
Their run together on the main roster lasted just over a year but for that run alone I'm crediting them as a success. Were they limited in the ring? Undoubtedly, however with the way Enzo could work the mic and the catchphrases the crowd could join in with, these guys were fucking OVER. It's actually a big surprise they never won the titles and were split up so soon.
Once they split though it was always going to go south for them. Enzo would at least bring some personality to the Cruiserweight division before being canned over the sexual assault allegations.
Big Cass had that short singles run feuding with Bryan before being canned for a multitude of reasons, one being attacking that little person who was intimidating Daniel Bryan
5.) Apollo Crews. Called up on April 4th 2016. FAILURE.
Prior to this new Nigerian Royalty gimmick, can anybody remember anything about this dude other than he was all smiles? Only things I can give you is that he was in Titus Worldwide with Dana Brooke and he held the US Title for about 3 months before dropping to Lashley.
He at least seems to have found a bit of a groove with this new gimmick though.
6.) Aiden English & Simon Gotch. Called up on April 7th. FAILURE
Looked to have spent just under a year tagging together on the main roster before Gotch was released on April 5th 2017.
English did find a little bit of success I suppose when he aligned himself with Rusev and they got over pretty big with the whole RUSEV DAY shtick.
7.) Dana Brooke. Called up on May 9th 2016. SUCCESS?
Honestly, the fact she's been survived 5 years already and supposedly signed another 5 year deal not too long ago, I consider that a success. Aligned with Emma, aligned with Charlotte, aligned with Titus and Apollo and eventually aligned with Mandy Rose.
8.) Mojo Rawley. Called up on July 19th 2016. SUCCESS?
I say success purely because of his connection to Rob Gronkowski and we know how much WWE loves a celebrity. Unsurprisingly, his 2 biggest moments involved Gronkowski, the first winning The Andre The Giant memorial Battle Royal on the WrestleMania 33 Kickoff show and then the second being winning the 24/7 title on night one of WrestleMania 36 before losing it to Gronkowski on night two.
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Lemme know what you guys think / who you guys disagree with. I do plan on going through the callups all the way up to the present day.
So i'm going to start with the people who were called up in 2016 and give my take on how I feel they've turned out. If it's someone I consider a slam dunk, whether a success or failure then I probably won't put any basic info in about them.
1.) Sami Zayn. Called up on March 17th 2016. SUCCESS.
Easy choice for me however I know there's gonna be plenty of people out there who will disagree purely because he hasn't been a world champion or a regular main eventer. To me he feels like a guy they've come to trust to do whatever they need, kinda like The Miz role if you will.
2.) Eva Marie. Called up on March 28th 2016. FAILURE.
Re-debuted on the March 28th Raw aligning herself with fellow Total Divas co-stars against Lana, Naomi, Tamina, Emma and Summer Rae. Her team was victorious days later on the WrestleMania 32 preshow. Disappeared off of TV until July 26th one week after being drafted over to SmackDown. Spent a few weeks doing the angle where she faked something being wrong with her so she didn't have to compete. Suspended on August 18th for 30 days and by all accounts wasn't seen again.
She's now into her third spell on the main roster with a chance to turn things around but as things stand currently, it doesn't look good.
3.) Baron Corbin. Called up on April 3rd 2016 at WrestleMania 32. FAILURE.
Feel like he's a hard one to judge and could go either way but because of the past few years where it's felt like everything he was involved in was just horrible, boring or dragged on forever that i'm gonna have to say it's a failure as of now. Funny thing is, I don't even think he's bad at all. Got a good size, moves around well, has some impressive looking signature moves and can talk well.
Lost the MITB briefcase cash in, was the disappointing choice for Kurt Angle's last match at WrestleMania, shit on by The Authority, the almost 2 year long KOTR run and the horrible feud with Roman Reigns involving dog food.
Currently looks to be turning face with the whole broke, loser angle which is going to be an interesting change of pace.
4.) Enzo Amore & Big Cass. Called up on April 4th 2016. SUCCESS.
Their run together on the main roster lasted just over a year but for that run alone I'm crediting them as a success. Were they limited in the ring? Undoubtedly, however with the way Enzo could work the mic and the catchphrases the crowd could join in with, these guys were fucking OVER. It's actually a big surprise they never won the titles and were split up so soon.
Once they split though it was always going to go south for them. Enzo would at least bring some personality to the Cruiserweight division before being canned over the sexual assault allegations.
Big Cass had that short singles run feuding with Bryan before being canned for a multitude of reasons, one being attacking that little person who was intimidating Daniel Bryan
5.) Apollo Crews. Called up on April 4th 2016. FAILURE.
Prior to this new Nigerian Royalty gimmick, can anybody remember anything about this dude other than he was all smiles? Only things I can give you is that he was in Titus Worldwide with Dana Brooke and he held the US Title for about 3 months before dropping to Lashley.
He at least seems to have found a bit of a groove with this new gimmick though.
6.) Aiden English & Simon Gotch. Called up on April 7th. FAILURE
Looked to have spent just under a year tagging together on the main roster before Gotch was released on April 5th 2017.
English did find a little bit of success I suppose when he aligned himself with Rusev and they got over pretty big with the whole RUSEV DAY shtick.
7.) Dana Brooke. Called up on May 9th 2016. SUCCESS?
Honestly, the fact she's been survived 5 years already and supposedly signed another 5 year deal not too long ago, I consider that a success. Aligned with Emma, aligned with Charlotte, aligned with Titus and Apollo and eventually aligned with Mandy Rose.
8.) Mojo Rawley. Called up on July 19th 2016. SUCCESS?
I say success purely because of his connection to Rob Gronkowski and we know how much WWE loves a celebrity. Unsurprisingly, his 2 biggest moments involved Gronkowski, the first winning The Andre The Giant memorial Battle Royal on the WrestleMania 33 Kickoff show and then the second being winning the 24/7 title on night one of WrestleMania 36 before losing it to Gronkowski on night two.
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Lemme know what you guys think / who you guys disagree with. I do plan on going through the callups all the way up to the present day.
