10 Best WWE Main Roster Debuts Of Former NXT Wrestlers
1. Finn Balor
How could it possibly be anyone else?
Finn Balor’s main roster debut didn’t come with The Shield’s shock factor or Kevin Owens’ boldness, but immediately established him as the man to beat in Raw’s main event scene. NXT’s icon had recently became the longest-reigning NXT Champion of all-time, and was selected third overall in the 2016 WWE Draft. It was a huge statement of intent from Commissioner Stephanie McMahon, and a surefire sign that the Irishman was headed to the top.
Balor made his Raw debut six days later, and it couldn’t have gone any better. The entire roster were brought to the ring for the creation of the WWE Universal Championship, and a contender’s mini-tournament was announced. The winner would face-off against Seth Rollins for the belt at SummerSlam, and Balor made a tremendous start by beating Rusev, Cesaro, and Kevin Owens in the first round.
It looked like his luck was about to run out when he met company golden boy Roman Reigns in the main event, but it didn’t. Balor vs. Reigns was an outstanding match, and Finn prevailed, ensuring that he’d be fighting for a top championship within a month of his main roster debut.
Everyone knows how Finn Balor’s Universal Title quest ended, but the only way Balor could have had a better debut was if he’d been crowned champion that very night. Regardless of the misfortune that followed, Balor’s debut was immensely successful, and it’ll take a monumental effort for another NXT call-up to better him in this department.