10 NXT Stars That Failed On The Main Roster (And Why)

Before Adam Rose, South African wrestling veteran Ray Leppan wrestled in FCW and NXT as Leo Kruger, a madman with a neat line in giggling lunacy. However, by late 2012 he’d abandoned the incomprehensible, creepy promos and, upping the intensity by a factor of ten, shifted gears to become LEO KRUGER, alpha male hunter and mercenary.

Compared to Leppan’s later, leaner look, Kruger was huge: a spinebuster machine with a sinister grin. These days, it’s fairly universally agreed that Kruger had more potential on the main roster than the louche, party-obsessed Adam Rose, a lollipop-sucking cross between Andrew WK and Russell Brand.

Naturally, that meant ‘Adam Rose’ was the one called up, where he very nearly got over, despite resolutely apathetic booking. This was largely thanks to that theme tune, that entourage… and an odd bromance/feud with an anthropomorphic rabbit.

Even with Leppan’s usual unswerving commitment, he was never going to make it far with a character based entirely around gimmickry. Once the audience tired of the schtick, there wasn’t anything left to the character to keep their interest - and the downward spiral of disinterested repackaging and lame-duck team-ups was only going to lead one way.

Leppan was later suspended following charges of domestic violence. Although the charges were dropped, he’d had enough, and requested his release.