Ranking The Subsequent Success Of Every NXT Champion

Bayley has started getting booed on Raw as of late, and the injury that forced her removal from Summerslam is really a blessing in disguise, giving her and the company a chance to revive her widespread appeal upon her return.

Such negative reactions would've been unthinkable just a short while ago, given how universally beloved she was in NXT. Her two year rise to championship glory was one of the greatest pieces of character development ever seen on WWE television, and her recent slump truly highlights the contrast between the slow-burning storytelling and character growth of the developmental brand versus the rushed nature of the main roster.

It's difficult to pinpoint exactly where things went wrong, but her eventual title win against Charlotte didn't feel special in the slightest. It was already their thirteenth televised match in the space of six months, and that it came with minimal build at a B-level pay-per-view event (instead of being saved for Wrestlemania).

For reasons unknown, the trigger wasn't pulled on a feud with Sasha Banks post-Wrestlemania 33. The two had always been kept apart in singles competition, presumably in an attempt to recapture the magic of their NXT rivalry, until they were pitted against one another in a recent Raw match. The opportunity is still there (perhaps with Bayley turning on Sasha instead of the other way around), but the potential returns have now vastly diminished.