10 WWE Superstars Who Could Debut (Or Return) The Night After WrestleMania 33
Brother Nero, we've knew you'd come.
WrestleMania is almost upon us, and many of WWE's top storylines are set to conclude - Brock Lesnar and Bill Goldberg will battle in what's likely to be their final match, while Roman Reigns and The Undertaker will meet to decide whose yard WWE truly is. In many ways, WrestleMania is a "season finale" for the company.
If that's true, then it also stands to reason that the Raw immediately following the show is a season premiere of sorts - new programs are introduced, the wheels are set in motion for stories that will carry the company for months, and both new and familiar faces are brought to the roster.
A look at the past few years shows just how fans have been shocked by the most-anticipated Raw of the year. At last year's post-WrestleMania Raw, Cesaro returned from a lengthy injury layoff, while Apollo Crews, Enzo Amore, and Big Cass all debuted on the main roster. The previous year, it was Neville and The Lucha Dragons who got the call-up from NXT. In 2014, Paige made her arrival, beating AJ Lee for the Divas' Championship. Finally, all fans remember 2012, when Brock Lesnar made a shocking return to the company with an F5 on John Cena.
What can fans expect this year?
10. Elias Samson
Elias Samson is a man without a brand.
A couple of weeks ago, he lost a "Loser Leaves NXT" match which banished him from the developmental territory, but the fact that he still works for WWE means that it's either an angle and he'll be returning to Full Sail University soon, or he's on his way to the main roster.
Given the talent currently in NXT, it would be sadly humorous for Samson, of all people, to get the call up. Still, he's more known for his gimmick than his ring work, and the character he plays has been great at drawing heat in Florida. As 'The Drifter', Samson saunters into arenas playing simple songs on his guitar, usually referencing how much he hates to be in the city in which he's performing. Samson gets so many boos in NXT that he often can't finish his songs.
The audience at the post-'Mania Raw will be a hardcore group of fans well acquainted with NXT, so odds are that they'll know Samson's shtick and respond to it passionately.