1. The Characters
A common criticism of many members of the main WWE roster is their blandness. Many debuted with a gimmick, but soon become merely guys who wrestle, though the last year or so has seen the introduction of interesting individuals such as Damien Sandow, Fandango and Zeb Colter. NXT is heavily influenced by the companys character-driven era of the late eighties and early nineties, with performers who actually portray characters and embrace the theatricality of their profession rather than try and maintain the illusion that they are the same individual inside the ring as they are outside of it. This direction has resulted in the creation of many characters that have quickly gotten highly over with audiences, including but not limited to:
Big E Langston A powerhouse intent on pinning opponents for a five count, rather than the standard three. Leo Kruger A dark and disturbing South African mercenary/hunter. Corey Graves An outcast with underground Fight Club vibes. Emma A dancer oblivious to the awfulness of her moves. Xavier Woods A man obsessed with nineties popular culture. Enzo Amore A comedy guido. Paige The anti-diva who wishes to end the dominance of barbies in the womens division. Should such individuals make it to the big-time (Langston already has, though his gimmick has been seemingly dropped) and be given the opportunity to share the screen with the likes of Daniel Bryan and CM Punk, then the WWE could become a character-driven spectacle once again, incorporating impressive technical wrestling (the sports) and highly entertaining promos/backstage segments (the entertainment). Until then, however, their presence will continue to light up NXT, which has remained consistently enjoyable week-in/week-out since its most recent reboot.