4 WWE Superstars that could move to RAW or SmackDown after NXT Battleground
WWE NXT Battleground has come and gone, delivering some incredible title matches and crowning a brand new TNA World Champion. With another PLE in the books, it's time to take a look at the Tuesday night titans that may be moving up to the main roster.
NXT has several wrestlers on the roster who could be on Monday Night RAW or Friday Night SmackDown as early as this week. After Battleground, though, there are four who seem ready for the move, and one of them has only been signed for five months.
#4. Former WWE NXT Champion Ethan Page
Ethan Page and Men's North American Champion Ricky Saints may not have had a match tonight, but it seems their feud will conclude on Tuesday. All Ego jumped Saints mid-promo tonight following a major announcement from NXT General Manager Ava.
On Tuesday, this rivalry is put to bed. Ethan Page vs. Ricky Starks for the North American Championship. This will kick off Tuesday's episode of NXT. The winner will not only leave with the title, but they'll also head to WWE Worlds Collide to face a mystery challenger.
It could be argued that Page could have skipped NXT altogether, though it's a good thing he didn't. He became the quickest to capture the NXT Championship after his debut, winning the title just 40 days after arriving in WWE. That was last summer. Another title run couldn't hurt, but there's not much point when you can keep the hot Ricky Saints strapped up while setting RAW or SmackDown up with some much-needed new talent.
#3. Former Men's North American Champion Tony D'Angelo
Tony D'Angelo went to war with his former right-hand man, Channing "Stacks" Lorenzo, at Battleground. The Underboss stabbed The Don in the back at Stand & Deliver in April. Since then, Lorenzo has been systematically picking off members of The D'Angelo Family... or so we thought.
During tonight's match, D'Angelo had the bout won until a missing member of the crew, Luca Crusifino, appeared and distracted Tony D and the referee. Stacks went low and finished his former mentor off. After the match, Tony didn't seem angry with the decision. More than anything, he was depressed. Luca Crusifino attempted to hug Tony after the fact, for some reason, but Tony stopped him and walked away.
There's a little juice left here, perhaps enough for one more run at the next PLE. However, Tony has been in NXT since October 2021 and has a few championships to show for it. He's a former Men's North American Champion, a former NXT Heritage Cup Champion, and a former NXT Tag Champion alongside Stacks.
With the main NXT Championship scene moving on from D'Angelo, there isn't much left for him to do. Don't be shocked if we see Tony D appearing on RAW or SmackDown soon. Much like Roxanne Perez and Giulia before him, he could make several appearances and matches before officially being called up. As for his NXT career, it might be time to move on before he's sleeping with the fishes.
#2. Former Women's North American Champion Kelani Jordan
Kelani Jordan made history at last year's Battleground event, besting five other women, including her opponent tonight, to be crowned the inaugural Women's North American Champion. To this day, she's got the record for the longest reign with the gold at 140 days.
While the 26-year-old star could certainly stick around on Tuesday nights longer, she has grown faster than some expected. Despite being a complete rookie when she signed in 2022, Jordan routinely has one of the best, if not the best, matches of the night whenever she's on the card.
She's in a bit of a weird place currently with losing the match tonight. She's less of a heel and more of a young superstar fed up with proving what most already know. She belongs in WWE, and her wins don't come by way of flukes. With several names getting released from the main roster this year, Jordan would be a great pick to assist with the reload.
#1. Former TNA Knockouts World Champion Jordynne Grace
Jordynne Grace is the odd one out on this list. Although she has been working in WWE since the 2024 Royal Rumble, the Juggernaut didn't officially sign with WWE until this year. Still, Grace made her presence known on the Tuesday night brand multiple times, even leading to several title opportunities.
Though she just arrived, Jordynne Grace doesn't need to be in NXT long. She could've been placed on RAW or SmackDown from the get-go, and she would've been fine. Her Royal Rumble appearances alone proved that the WWE fanbase knows her and wants her working the big shows.
Giulia's track to the main roster was even shorter, moving up to SmackDown a mere eight months after her first WWE match in September. With others like Sol Ruca, a solo Lash Legend, Lola Vice, and more ready to step up, WWE could move Grace straight to the main roster and give any of the four champions a dangerous new threat to face.