10 NXT Stars WWE Let Slip Right Through Their Fingers
7. Justin Gabriel
Justin Gabriel was among the few NXT Season 1 alumni to graduate to the main roster only to ultimately return to his stomping grounds after failing to find success on his own. He could have been the breakout star of The Nexus and gotten over with the audience through his amazing aerial abilities, but a lack of direction as a singles performer caused him to flounder.
That said, going back to NXT was the best thing he could have done, especially considering much had changed since he was there last. As he later disclosed on the 'Talk is Jericho' podcast, he randomly just showed up at a set of tapings hoping to be used, and it wasn't long before he was incorporated into the storylines.
He turned heel on an episode of NXT and teamed with longtime ally Tyson Kidd for a time, but he was slowly phased out at the end of 2014 before quitting the company in January. Although the chances of him ever holding the NXT Championship were slim to none, he could have been a valuable asset to the roster.
He now calls Lucha Underground his home and is currently one-third of the Trios champions as PJ Black.