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5 current WWE Superstars that had a lacklustre run in NXT

Triple H doesn't always get it right with the NXT talents
Triple H doesn't always get it right with the NXT talents

NXT has arguably put out more consistently strong content than either of WWE's main roster shows over the last few years.

Obviously, Raw and Smackdown Live reach a much larger audience and generate more revenue for WWE than NXT, but the standard of matches that the developmental brand have produced has resulted in them often outshining the main roster pay-per-views on the biggest wrestling weekends of the year.

For the most part, everyone is presented as a star in NXT, yet when they are called up to the main roster their success is hit and miss. The likes of Neville and Tyler Breeze, or more recently The Revival and Bobby Roode, have been a shadow of the characters that they developed and got over in NXT.

While this is a valid point and Vince McMahon has rightly received some criticism for this, there are a number of examples of superstars that were small-part players in NXT yet have found success on the main roster, and for that, Vince deserves credit.

Here are 5 current WWE superstars that had a lacklustre run in NXT…


#1 Elias

Who wants to walk with Elias?
Who wants to walk with Elias?

Right now, Elias is one of Monday Night Raw's most popular acts, but his run in NXT was largely forgettable.

'The Drifter', known back then as Elias Samson, never really clicked with the Full Sail audience. While he regularly garnered a reaction, most notably drawing "drift away" chants, it could be argued that it wasn't the right kind of heat. Elias was often met with indifference in NXT as opposed to the welcoming reception he often receives on Raw.

But while he struggled down in Florida, Elias found almost instant success on the main roster. Roaming around in the background of Raw with his guitar already eclipsed anything he did in NXT, and when he started performing his songs he went from strength to strength and continued his meteoric rise.

NXT may not have been a happy home for 'The Drifter', but WWE most definitely stands for "Walk With Elias".

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