5 NXT Superstars who could move to WWE RAW or SmackDown following NXT New Year’s Evil
WWE NXT New Year’s Evil is right around the corner, and the brand will be looking to give the fans some exciting matches. In the main event, the NXT Championship will be on the line, as Kyle O’Reilly will get his second shot at Finn Balor’s title.
The whole card is filled with star-studded matches. Timothy Thatcher will look to prove his dominance in the Fight Pit in a match against Tommaso Ciampa. In the culmination of another heated feud, Rhea Ripley and Raquel González will compete in a Last Woman Standing Match.
Plus, Gran Metalik will challenge Santos Escobar for the NXT Cruiserweight Championship, and Damian Priest and Karrion Kross will clash in an explosive bout to kick off the show.
Many Superstars will be looking to get a push on NXT following this show on Wednesday. On the other hand, with the Royal Rumble approaching, WWE might be looking to move some NXT Superstars to RAW or SmackDown.
With an action-packed night booked for NXT New Year’s Evil, it's time to take a look at five NXT Superstars who could head to the main roster following the show.
#5 NXT Superstar Damian Priest could head to WWE SmackDown following New Year’s Evil
Damian Priest has been one of the most consistent performers in WWE NXT for quite some time now. Priest signed with WWE in October 2018, and he has been competing on NXT ever since.
"The Archer of Infamy" made an impact during WWE Survivor Series 2019, and he quickly became one of NXT's brightest stars, Priest won the NXT North American Championship in 2020, and he had a decent reign with the title.
At NXT New Year’s Evil, Priest will face the undefeated Karrion Kross. While "The Archer of Infamy" could give Kross a tough time, "The Herald of Doomsday" will likely pick up a meaningful win.
Kross is in line for another push following his injury, and Priest could take the fall for the big man. So WWE could plan to keep Priest away from NXT after the match and have him enter the Royal Rumble.
Priest could then make an impact in the Men’s Royal Rumble Match. From there, he might move to WWE SmackDown. Priest has had a similar run on NXT like the one [Matt] Riddle enjoyed. As a result, fans could watch him get a major push on the blue brand.
SmackDown has a solid mid-card at the moment, and Priest’s inclusion could help balance the overall strength of the roster.