10 Best WWE Main Roster Debuts Of Former NXT Wrestlers

10. Baron Corbin

Baron Corbin isn’t to everyone’s tastes, and while he has shown demonstrable improvements in recent months, The Lone Wolf faced a tough adaptation from NXT to life on the main roster. There was absolutely nothing wrong with his debut, however, and while Corbin is still establishing himself as a major player on SmackDown, his first appearance on the main roster was a memorable one.

Corbin was added to WrestleMania 32’s Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal with little warning, and few expected him to pull-up any trees during the match itself. The 20-man Battle Royal isn’t one of Mania’s showcase matches, but it’s always a fun distraction away from the title matches, and Corbin impressed throughout. Competing against the likes of Big Show and Mark Henry, Corbin survived all the way to the end, then eliminated Kane to secure himself the victory, and custody of the oversized trophy.

He soon drifted into horrendous feuds with Dolph Ziggler and Apollo Crews thereafter, but Corbin’s debut appeared to position him as a future star. It’s only in recent months that he’s looked like breaking out, however, and WWE haven’t always done the best job of pushing the Battle Royal’s winner. Regardless, Corbin’s immediate success gave him something to bag about, and his debut’s strength is enough to separate him from honourable mentions like Enzo Amore & Big Cass.