10 Most Successful NXT Call-ups

According to the man himself, when Samoa Joe signed with WWE, he was given what he calls a “lowball offer” and told he was only ever meant to be used in NXT. Fast forward 18 months, and Joe very much put paid to those plans when he showed up on the 30 January 2017 episode of Raw.

He immediately started feuding with Seth Rollins near the top of the card, before eventually moving on to the Universal title scene and a match with Brock Lesnar at Great Balls of Fire. That match, and the build that preceded it, was something of a shot in the arm for Raw, helping the show’s viewership return to those pre-WrestleMania levels over the three million mark.

Though there hasn't been any tangible singles glory, per se, his ring work’s been excellent and he’s been a real breath of fresh air on the main roster.

Oh, and for the record, he’s one of very few men who can say they’re undefeated in three meetings with the company’s ‘chosen one’ Roman Reigns. Not bad going for someone who was never meant to progress beyond developmental...