Ranking The Success Of Every WWE Star To Debut In The Crowd At NXT TakeOver
2. Bobby Roode
Bobby Roode was always one of those TNA guys you knew would thrive in WWE if given the opportunity but you never actually thought that opportunity would come. That's because prior to 2015, it was almost unheard of for WWE to pick up top talent from TNA.
Of course, that all changed when Samoa Joe broke barriers upon his arrival in NXT at TakeOver: Unstoppable and opened the door for more former TNA stars to be brought into WWE. AJ Styles and Austin Aries followed suit in January 2016 and immediately found success. Then it was Bobby Roode's turn, making his first appearance on WWE TV in over a decade by appearing in the crowd at TakeOver: Dallas.
It was a while before Roode officially joined the brand, but once he signed his name on the dotted line, he left a lasting impression on fans during his debut thanks to his glorious new theme song. The catchy tune made him a fan favorite right off the bat, and four months removed from his first match in NXT, he became NXT champion at TakeOver: San Antonio.
Roode's seven-month NXT Championship reign was one of the best in the brand's history, and it's no coincidence he was called up to SmackDown Live two days after dropping the belt. Although he's already won the United States and Raw Tag Team Championships, he's barely scratched the surface of what he can do as a heel in WWE.