5 Stars from NXT who should join the main roster immediately following the Royal Rumble
As NXT started to gain steam, its Superstars started to represent the brand in past Royal Rumbles. Starting with the 2016 match won by Triple H, NXT was solely represented by Sami Zayn. He lasted for 4:55 and eliminated his sometimes friend, sometimes foe Kevin Owens.
In 2017, the man formerly known as Tye Dillinger showed up in his favorite spot as the tenth participant. 2018 really kicked things into high gear as not only did NXT have representation in the men's match but the women of the company got their own Royal Rumble contest. With two full matches in 2018, more names started to show up like Adam Cole and Andrade in the men's match and Kairi Sane and Ember Moon gracing the first-ever women's match.
Last year's over-the-top-rope melee included several more stars from the yellow and black brand. Aleister Black, Pete Dunne, Johnny Gargano, Candice LeRae, Io Shirai, Xia Li, Rhea Ripley, Sane and Kacy Catanzaro all showed up for the chance to main-event the Show of Shows.
While NXT has a bigger role in the match with each passing year, there are stars from the brand that should be on the main roster following the event. It happened last year when Black, Ricochet, Lacey Evans, Heavy Machinery, Nikki Cross and EC3 all joined the main roster. This year, some names from Full Sail should also join either RAW or SmackDown before WrestleMania.
Some divisions need bolstering for one reason or another (departures, injuries, new faces). Here are five NXT stars who should join RAW or SmackDown following the Royal Rumble.
#5 Mia Yim
Yim has been a big part of the NXT scene for the last year or so. She's had a few shots at the NXT Women's Championship (or just NXT Championship now I guess) but was unsuccessful against then-Champ Shayna Baszler.
The former Impact star was originally part of Rhea Ripley's WarGames team but was taken out by Dakota Kai. Yim is a veteran of several years and has nothing left to prove in NXT. Both SmackDown and RAW either need some fresh faces or they need to push some different names. Lana is in the spotlight way too much right now when an actual female performer could be getting that time on TV.
The NXT women's division is already stacked. It just got more crowded with Toni Storm joining the likes of Bianca Belair, Io Shirai, Candice LeRae, Baszler, Kai, Tegan Nox, Ripley, Li and now Shotzi Blackheart and Chelsea Green. There are so many talented women already on TV and others who have been on and off TV that are also more than ready for a chance.
Santana Garrett and Mercedes Martinez are indie legends, but in Garrett's case, she's only been used as enhancement talent. That's not even mentioning Deonna Purazzo and Scarlett Bordeaux.
Simply put, like a few other people on this article, it might be time to move on so others can get the exposure in 2020. Bayley - and SmackDown in general - needs some new faces. Yim would be perfect for Friday nights.