9 Wrestlers WWE Has BENCHED
6. Carlee Bright
When Carlee Bright made her televised WWE debut on NXT LVL UP in January 2024, there was genuine optimism surrounding the collegiate cheerleader-turned-wrestler. Bright' gility and bubbly charisma made her stand out in the Performance Center and almost immediately she seemed poised to become a fresh face in a women’s division increasingly being promoted as the best and most diverse in wrestling.
Fast-forward to mid-2025 and her presence on WWE programming is practically nonexistent.
After more sporadic appearances on NXT's B-show and a brief tag team stint alongside Kendal Grey (more on her elsewhere) on Evolve, Bright’s trajectory stalled. She hasn’t been featured in any notable NXT storylines or live events since, and 43 matches in two years (as of this writing) aren't exactly the numbers that are likely to get the budding star where she potentially needs to be. While WWE has a history of slow-burn development for new talent, Bright’s vanishing act has been disappointing for NXT fans - and per CW chiefs, there are a satisfying number of them - who saw potential in her energetic style and underdog appeal.
Carlee Bright's disappearance exemplifies how WWE’s developmental system can sometimes swallow emerging stars. One moment, it's fanfare and big debuts. The next, somebody's off the radar entirely. Whether her absence is temporary or permanent remains to be seen, but for now, Bright is another example of an ostensibly promising talent left waiting in the wings.