5 NXT Women who could shake up WWE’s main roster
For a generation now, WWE has been home to some of the most talented female grapplers in the world. It's an era that began with Hall of Famers like Trish Stratus and Lita; now, ladies like Charlotte Flair, Bianca Belair and Ronda Rousey rule the day.
The emergence of NXT several years ago helped WWE establish a pipeline of new performers from all walks of life. Suddenly, catalog girls and underwear models were replaced by real athletes who truly wanted to be wrestlers, not celebrities. The bar was raised, and the standards for what separated a 'diva' from a true WWE Superstar were made pretty clear.
Now, the next generation of ladies stands at the ready in NXT, preparing to make the jump to RAW or Smackdown and (hopefully) provide the WWE Universe with plenty of thrills and chills.
Having said that, let's take a closer look at five current NXT names that could shake up WWE's main roster.
#5 - Wendy Choo may never be a world champion, but she can contribute to the women's division in a unique way
Choo is a unique story in that she was an established wrestler when she arrived in NXT, only to take on a completely different persona. And quite frankly? She's knocked it out of the park.
Critics may argue that her 'slumber party girl' gimmick is incredibly cheesy (she wears a onesie-type set of pajamas like a small child), but Wendy Choo and the creative team have found inventive ways to keep it both fresh and funny.
Her practical jokes and overall hijinx don't take away from her skills in the ring, but they do provide comic relief for the audience when needed.
What a cowtastrophe!
#WWENXT @therealestwendy @WWE_MandyRose https://t.co/fRfC4fqSr9
It's true - The Girl with the Gadgets has more booby traps than Data did in The Goonies. Given some time, she can surely pack up that bag of tricks and use them to harrass the RAW or Smackdown rosters.
#4 - Roxanne Perez
At just 20 years of age, this youngster is marked for worldwide success. She has all the tools to be a huge star.
Known for her time in Ring of Honor as Rok-C, she was the first Women's World Champion there. Her reign lasted 119 days. Upon dropping the ROH crown, she made several appearances with IMPACT before signing with World Wrestling Entertainment.
She's already had the distinction of being the youngest female champion in another federation, so why not repeat the feat?
WWE is very high on this promising prospect, as evidenced by the fact that she won the NXT 2022 Women's Breakout Tournament. She was able to defeat fellow shooting star Tiffany Stratton in the finals.
The only reason Perez doesn't rank higher on this list is due to her age. If the company doesn't have to rush this diamond in the rough, they likely won't. Even if she didn't join the main roster for two more years, she would still only be 22. So, she has plenty of time to mature and fully capitalize on her enormous promise.
#3 - Tiffany Stratton is the perfect mix between good looks and incredible skills
Stratton looks more like she was carved out of WWE's diva era until you see her in the ring. She's way more than just another pretty face, she can flat out 'go' in the squared circle.
While she originally debuted under a 'Daddy's Little Girl' gimmick, she's moved away from that to be more of a serious competitor. However, she's still shown a little bit of her acting chops in backstage vignettes that have also included Grayson Waller.
Stratton will likely be fast-tracked in WWE due to the fact that she's very marketable and could (technically) learn on the fly as part of a tag team.
However, just because she might get there first doesn't put her at the top of this list. There's a chance that if she's rushed, her immense potential will go by the wayside. Let's hope that doesn't happen.
#2 - Nikkita Lyons has tremendous strength and explosive skill
Lyons was injured recently, forcing her to drop out of the NXT Women's Breakout Tournament and stalling her rapid development. She was on quite a streak leading up to that time and was considered the early favorite to run the table in the bracket. Nonetheless, it wasn't meant to be for the powerful grappler.
s o o n
#WWENXT 🦁 @nikkita_wwe https://t.co/eaFOyfQCPC
No harm, however, as she will be given plenty of time and opportunities to become a WWE Superstar. While there are more polished performers on the roster, none of them have the spectacular upside that The Lioness of NXT has. She's just got to keep on working to reach that potential.
#1 - Toxic Attraction is a ready-made faction with an established WWE star as its leader
These three ladies have to go to WWE together. Their coalition is that good in NXT, so we need to see what the trio can do at the next level.
The faction's leader Mandy Rose has gone from being a follower in the short-lived Absolution to being the captain of the ship with Toxic Attraction. She's helped elevate Gigi Dolin and Jacy Jayne to elite tag team status, as all three of the adies dominate the gold in NXT. Rose is the ladies' champion while Dolin and Jayne have the brand's tag team belts.
When they finally move up to RAW or Smackdown, they should immediately target a popular singles star like Bianca Belair or Alexa Bliss. They could then go on an absolute rampage through the women's division.