6 Ups & 4 Downs From Last Night's NXT (Jan 15)

1. Directionless Stars

The NXT formula, for years, was incredibly simple. Sign the best stars in the world, allow them to hone a more WWE-friendly style through a weekly show with a modest audience, build to critically-lauded blow-off events every few months, before finally moving them up to either Raw or SmackDown.

The brand still has the same intake and acquisition of stars (as well as adding Finn Balor, incorporating the entire Cruiserweight division, and occasionally featuring NXT UK) but suddenly they can't afford to lose anybody. This is slowly but surely leading to a log-jam at the top, and those stuck behind seemingly have nothing substantial to do.

Kushida, who's now on an improbable losing run to Cameron Grimes and a team from NXT UK, looks a million miles away from the megastar he seemed when he signed. Tyler Bate has comprehensively outgrown his native brand, but still can't seem to score a win over here. Isaiah 'Swerve' Scott advances to Worlds Collide following a win this week, but has hardly featured since he debuted. Dominic Dijakovic has had his gimmick reduced to little more than "man who fights Keith Lee sometimes". Dunne and Riddle look fantastic in the Dusty Classic, but neither has had a feud of genuine substance since the move to TV.

That's all without even mentioning Velveteen Dream as well. There's simply not enough TV time for the number of performers who deserve it.