WWE Draft 2016: Predicting The 6 NXT Wrestlers Who'll Be Drafted
1. Finn Balor
Finally, the likeliest of them all: Finn Balor.
Balor has used social media to tease a seemingly-imminent main roster debut for months, and with his NXT Title run out of the way, the Irishman’s developmental business looks to have concluded with his July 13th match against Shinsuke Nakamura.
It’s been a long time coming. Balor has been NXT’s most marketable superstar since Sami Zayn departed for pastures new, and while Zayn waged war with Kevin Owens on the main roster, Balor became the face of NXT. Taking the NXT Title from Owens in July 2015, Balor held-off multiple challengers before Samoa Joe ended his reign at 292 days, an NXT record, on April 21st.
The former NJPW star has been a rock for NXT. His popularity has remained consistent throughout his run, and when given the opportunity to perform in the ring, Balor never disappoints. Much improved on the microphone, Balor’s character work has grown considerably since he first arrived as Hideo Itami’s partner against The Ascension, and he now has all the tools needed to join the likes of Dean Ambrose, Seth Rollins, and AJ Styles in leading WWE through its New Era.
Balor’s situation is almost identical to Bayley’s in that he has exhausted all of his NXT possibilities. He’ll have no trouble finding his feet on Raw or SmackDown, and should be able to play an instant role in the ongoing Club storyline along with fellow Bullet Club alumni Styles, Karl Anderson, and Luke Gallows. Finn Balor isn’t just the most obvious NXT call-up to make at the moment: he’s the most likely to succeed.