With the shape of independent wrestling changing, WWE has had to shift its priorities somewhat - today's up-and-coming talent shows that there's more of a premium on skill than on look or size, and fans have been responding well to that. In turn, WWE has been giving developmental contracts to wrestlers they might not have considered in previous years. Unfortunately - and as proven by Solomon Crowe's recent departure from the brand after two years of general inactivity - sometimes skill still isn't enough, and an NXT contract doesn't guarantee anything. In addition to Crowe, one of the most glaring examples is Kassius Ohno. Known as Chris Hero on the indies, Ohno was signed by WWE in 2012 and became part of NXT's inaugural roster. Ohno drew rave reviews for his ring and microphone work - so much so that CM Punk suggested he be made part of The Shield. WWE chose Roman Reigns instead, and Ohno moved into an acclaimed feud with William Regal. Still, after rumors that the company was displeased with his appearance, Ohno was fired in November of 2013. More recently, independent standout Willie Mack was signed to NXT, but was fired before making his in-ring debut.
Scott Fried is a Slammy Award-winning* writer living and working in New York City. He has been following/writing about professional wrestling for many years and is a graduate of Lance Storm's Storm Wrestling Academy. Follow him on Twitter at https://twitter.com/scottfried.
*Best Crowd of the Year, 2013
