10 Wrestlers Ready To Become NXT's Top Stars
4. Kassius Ohno
When Chris Hero first left the indies to join WWE in 2012, he was signed to a developmental contract in the pre-Performance Center days. This was during the time when the Tampa-based Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW) promotion was rebranded into NXT. Hero debuted as Kassius Ohno before he was released in late 2013. The K.O. initials were then given to NXT's newest indie darling, Kevin Owens, and Hero returned to the indies.
The rumors surrounding Hero's departure, plus considerable weight gain in the interim, rendered his chances for a WWE return bleak. Despite the weight gain, Hero continued to put on excellent matches in the indies and it earned him another shot at the big time.
Kassius Ohno returned to NXT television in early 2017 and immediately inserted himself at the top of the card. By March, Ohno was challenging Bobby Roode for the NXT Championship, but Ohno came up short.
Ohno took his first experience with FCW/NXT and made it a learning experience. With his positioning in the upper mid card and main events of numerous NXT shows since his return, it's clear that Triple H has plans for Kassius Ohno; he'll likely lean on the former Chris Hero to help carry the brand for 2017.