10 Wrestlers Who Should Return To WWE NXT
Like Dolph Ziggler and Finn Bálor before them, who could benefit from a return to NXT?
Since the rise of NXT, the history of the black and gold brand has been littered with main roster stars helping elevate the show. First, it was the likes of Tyson Kidd and Zack Ryder, followed by sporadic appearances by Kevin Owens, Charlotte Flair and a lengthy return for Finn Bálor.
Now, with the advent, of NXT 2.0, the hits keep coming as Mandy Rose, AJ Styles, Dolph Ziggler, Rey and Dominik Mysterio have come to the Performance Center to freshen up their WWE careers. While on paper seen as a demotion, popping up on Tuesday nights, whether for the first time or making a return, can be the perfect way to revitalize a wrestler who is wasting away on Monday or Friday nights.
Some wrestlers could use a move to NXT to recapture their former glory, while others simply deserve more than sitting on the sidelines of Raw and SmackDown. Since the brand split in 2016, the rules that govern who can switch between shows have slowly faded away, opening the door for a litany of wrestlers to show up wherever management sees fit. With that being said, here are ten wrestlers who should return to NXT.
With the ever-evolving rules that govern brand splits slowly dissolving and the post-WrestleMania roster shakeup right around the corner, now is the perfect time to look at who should be shifted to Tuesday nights...
10. Sami Zayn
Since the advent of Sami Zayn's conspiracy theories, he has been absolute gold for WWE. His rivalry with Kevin Owens, Johnny Knoxville and even Brock Lesnar have been some of the most entertaining aspects of WWE television in recent times.
With all that Zayn has accomplished on the main roster, there has been one thing missing from The Great Liberator's resume of late: stellar wrestling matches. From the moment the former El Generico arrived in NXT, nearly every time he stepped in the ring it was pure magic. From his breakout rivalry with Cesaro, his title matches with Adrian Neville and Kevin Owens to his final match in NXT against the debuting Shinsuke Nakamura, nothing was stopping Sami Zayn from having the best match of the night.
While the character work of Sami Zayn has been incredible, he has not been able to show off his trademark in-ring skill much as of late. At 37 years old, the former Intercontinental Champion is soon leaving his prime. With the time Zayn has left, returning to the place he helped put on the map should be a high priority for the former face of NXT.