10 WWE Wrestlers Who Should Have Bypassed NXT

There are many what-ifs in wrestling, especially in WWE.

Questions like, "what if they'd pushed Chris Jericho properly?" or "what if CM Punk never left?" are constantly floating around. One of the more dire questions has to be, what if NXT stayed as a goofy game show? Thankfully, fans got the better end of that stick.

NXT is one of the best wrestling brands globally. Although it's only a developmental brand, it features some of the best wrestlers and has a booking style that contrasts the traditional sports entertainment fans have come to expect from the company. It's an excellent means to put some talented performers together, but some just don't need it.

The likes of AJ Styles, Bobby Lashley and even Mike Bennett have jumped into WWE at the first floor rather than the ground level, appearing right on the main roster. But they're not the only wrestlers who were worthy of such a transition, as WWE has found an abundance of stars who never needed to work down in the black and gold brand.

Whether it was because of their experience or talent in general, these wrestlers didn't need "developmental"...

To put it plainly, Bobby Roode came into WWE having spent his youth working, training and developing his reputation. He was already considered a veteran by the time he joined NXT and was close to his forties, so placing him in a brand designed to give performers a chance to hone their skills seemed like a complete waste of time.

While WWE might have spent its time looking down on TNA, you cannot say the company failed to generate new stars. Roode was a top figure in the promotion now known as Impact, putting on solid matches and holding the World Title for a whopping 256 days - which is still the longest reign in its history.

He came into NXT with a tonne of momentum, and his Glorious gimmick was an instant hit with fans, which is why he should have gone right up to the main roster. Part of his appeal was how confident and arrogant his character was, so having him bypass developmental would have been excellent ammunition to feed his ego.

Overall, he had more experience than most of the stars on the main roster, so holding him in NXT felt like a bizarre decision.