8 Wrestlers Who Stayed In NXT Far Too Long
4. Sami Zayn
Sami Zayn was the face of NXT. No individual wrestler has done more to bolster the brand’s reputation than the former El Generico, and without him, it’s hard to imagine NXT being in such a great position today. He was a tremendous asset to the brand throughout his run, and his journey from ultimate underdog to NXT champion was incredibly compelling. Sami’s eventual title win was a hugely cathartic moment for those who’d followed him on that long road, and one of the most important moments in NXT history.
He signed for NXT in January 2013, but didn’t leave until April 2016. This gave him the opportunity to welcome Shinsuke Nakamura to WWE in one of the best performances of his career, but that’s about it. Zayn was injured from May 2015 through to December: Finn Balor had become NXT’s top babyface in that time period, and Sami had no further need for NXT.
Closing Sami’s NXT career on his NXT Championship loss to Kevin Owens at TakeOver: Unstoppable would’ve been far more effective. Owens obliterated his old friend during and after the match, and it felt like the perfect exclamation point. From there, WWE could have brought Sami straight to the main roster after returning from injury, rather than spending half a year flip-flopping between the two.