Last month, as we travelled on the Road to WrestleMania, I shared an NXT scouting report, discussing which members of the WWE’s developmental brand could be recipients of promotions to Raw or Smackdown once the ‘Mania dust settled. Now that many NXT talents have debuted on Mondays and Fridays, this is a first attempt to predict who could be primed, not only for main roster callups this time next year, but to be the main characters on Tuesday nights between now and WrestleMania 43. Take a look at some
stars whose trajectory seems to be pointing up, and as always, let me know what you agree with and who I’ve missed in the comments below!
Tony D’Angelo
Being one of the top champions in NXT typically means that the path to Raw or Smackdown is paved for you, and Tony D’Angelo will likely be no exception. Tony made his WWE debut in NXT in October of 2021 and received a few big opportunities in his first few months on the roster. In December, in WarGames (which was still an annual NXT event at the time), D’Angelo teamed with Bron Breakker, Carmelo Hayes, and Grayson Waller on Team 2.0 to defeat some of the NXT’s old guard. Then, early the next year, he beat Tommaso Ciampa at Stand & Deliver in the Blackheart’s NXT farewell match.
In the weeks that followed, we all witnessed the beginnings of the D’Angelo Family, a faction that would be prominently featured on NXT for the next three years. Along the way, Tony would complete three of the four legs of the NXT Grand Slam by reigning as North American Champion, Heritage Cup Champion, and NXT Tag Team Champion with his Underboss, Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo.
In 2025, The Family would crumble apart after Stacks turned on Tony at Stand & Deliver, leading to several matches between the two and Luca Crusifino that spring. After winning a triple threat match between last summer, D’Angelo went on a 5 month hiatus before returning last December, leaving behind his “don” persona for that of a ruthless vigilante. Not even 4 months after coming back into the fold, Tony finished his NXT Grand Slam by becoming the NXT Champion at Stand & Deliver last month in St. Louis.
With almost 5 years in developmental under his belt, it seems like this could be Tony’s final chapter in NXT before moving up. Losing the mafia gimmick might help his chances of being more successful on Raw or Smackdown and this title reign could be a way for WWE to give D’Angelo a test run to see what his career ceiling truly is. At best, the next few months could bolster Tony’s stock before a stint on the red or blue brand. At worst, it’ll set up D’Angelo for a “sink or swim” opportunity after WrestleMania 43.
Lola Vice
New NXT Women’s Champion and current AAA Mixed Tag Team Champion Lola Vice arrived on the scene in 2023 as part of the NXT Breakout Tournament. Unfortunately for her, what followed were several years of coming up short in her various championship opportunities. Vice would remain an important character on NXT, though, making a name for herself competing in NXT Underground matches, essentially becoming synonymous with the fight club inspired contests.
As perhaps a sign that the WWE sees a future for her, Lola began competing on AAA earlier this year, striking up a partnership with the popular reptilian luchador, Mr. Iguana. The unique duo would defeat Ethan Page and Chelsea Green in AAA this past February and have been reigning as AAA Mixed Tag Team Champions ever since. Then, at Stand & Deliver, Lola would finally get over the hump and win her first singles title in WWE, becoming the first Cuban-American women to ever hold a championship under the WWE banner.
It’s clear Lola is positioned to play a big role on NXT in the coming months, and after competing at Evolution and in the women’s Royal Rumble match last year, it seems as though she has a bright future in WWE. How she carries the NXT brand as Women’s Champion could be a determining factor in where she gets positioned, how long she stays on Tuesday nights, and what her main roster outlook is next year at this time.
Myles Borne
After signing with NXT in 2022 and spending most of that year competing on the now defunct Level Up, Myles got his first run as part of the original No Quarter Catch Crew. Borne would spend most of the next few years as a supporting character, frequently tagging with fellow NQCC member, Tavion Heights. The duo would compete for the NXT Tag Team Championships on multiple occasions against Fraxiom and Hank & Tank.
In May of last year, Myles would get his first real taste of singles success, winning a 25-man battle royal and earning an NXT Title match against Oba Femi, a match that he would eventually lose. In the weeks that followed, Borne would ask for NQCC leader Charlie Dempsey to let him out of the group so he could pursue his goals on his own accord. Myles would eventually defeat Dempsey in a rounds match, earning his freedom and kicking off his run as a singles competitor.
After months of feuding, Borne finally defeated North American Champion Ethan Page back in February, winning his first championship in his NXT career. Since then, Borne has continued to show more charisma and personality and has been one of the most consistent babyfaces on the roster. Finding a way to become so successful despite losing his hearing as an infant makes him the kind of human behind the character that is really easy to cheer for. The comparison in looks between him and Randy Orton are likely not going to go away, but Borne seems to have all the pieces in place and the potential to continue his trajectory towards the main roster.
Kendal Grey
Former Evolve Champion Kendal Grey has been considered one of the brightest young prospects in NXT for the better part of the last year. Signing with WWE in 2023 as part of the NIL program, Grey would begin competing on Level Up and Evolve in 2024, eventually winning the Evolve Women’s Championship in 2025 by defeating Kali Armstrong. Kendal would go on to hold the championship for 150 days, vacating just this past March so she could officially move up to the NXT roster.
While Evolve Champion, Kendal had previously competed on NXT anyways, forming a partnership with Wren Sinclair as the WrenQCC. Grey won the Iron Survivor Challenge last December, earning an NXT Women’s Championship match that she would eventually lose to Jacy Jayne. Less than a month after her official promotion to NXT, Grey would get another shot at the top women’s title in NXT, headlining Stand & Deliver in a triple threat match with Jacy Jayne and Lola Vice.
Despite not being able to win NXT’s top prize yet, Grey has become somewhat of an internet darling, earning overwhelming praise for her skills and drawing comparisons to amateur wrestling crossover contemporaries like Kurt Angle. With many of NXT’s top females moving up, Kendal is sure to step into one of those top spots and with another year of development, could be heading towards a move to Raw or Smackdown at this time next year.
Zaria
The Australian powerhouse Zaria debuted at Halloween Havoc 2024 after weeks of memorable vignettes airing on NXT programming. After competing in the Iron Survivor Challenge less than two months later, Zaria would form a partnership with Sol Ruca. The duo would be a focal point of NXT for much of 2025 until their prominent breakup earlier this year.
Despite not winning any championship gold yet, Zaria has been around the title scene almost constantly since her debut. After winning a brutal Last Woman Standing match with Sol on NXT Revenge just a few weeks ago, Zaria seems to be ready to start a singles run now that Ruca has moved to Raw. She’s got a great look and I contend that her spear is one of the best in the business. Along with the women mentioned above, Zaria figures to fill the void left at the top of the card in the NXT women’s division, and it wouldn’t be surprising if a strong year propels her to the main roster by this time next year.
Other Possible Prospects
- Josh Briggs – Briggs has been wallowing a bit on the NXT roster for quite some time now after his partnership with Brooks Jensen and Fallon Henley dissolved at the end of 2023. Briggs has a good look and could potentially fill a Baron Corbin like role on the main roster. At this point, after almost 5 years on the NXT roster, Briggs might need a strong showing this year to remain with the company. One glance at G0mez’s Main Event recap from this past week reveals that Briggs competed on the show in a losing effort to Otis. Could that have been somewhat of a main roster tryout for Briggs? If not, and Briggs returns to NXT, this year is a pivotal one for the 6’8” Arizonan.
- Kelani Jordan – Less than three years into her pro wrestling career, The Standout has compiled a pretty solid resume. Kelani is a former NXT North American Champion and TNA Knockouts Champion and has competed in the NXT Breakout Tournament, the Iron Survivor Challenge, as well as the 2026 Royal Rumble match. After spending most of her NXT stint as a babyface, Kelani has been a heel for the last year or so and has been really settling into her more villainous character in recent months. The former gymnast has all the physical tools to succeed on the main roster and could find herself there if she continues to develop this year.
- Shiloh Hill & Tatum Paxley – Tatum has become one of the more beloved characters on NXT in recent months and might find herself on this list alone, but I can’t help but put her here with Shiloh Hill after the work the duo has been doing recently. Shiloh (who has one of the coolest shoot names I’ve ever seen) won season 2 of LFG and brought a personality that could only be described as unique to NXT shortly after. After interacting in backstage segments for a few weeks, the Shiloh and Tatum partnership has been appearing together regularly for the last few months. As a fan of even late-stage WCW, Shiloh and Tatum have a chemistry and presentation that reminds me a lot of Crowbar and Daffney. If this relationship continues to flourish, it could be a ticket to a callup for both Hill and Paxley this time next year.
So what do you think, Cagesiders? Liking the main roster prospects for the stars mentioned above? Is there anybody else on NXT that you think we could see on Raw or Smackdown by this time next year? Let us know in the comments below!
