Former NXT Champions; A promo master - Grading rookie years of stars new to WWE main roster in first half of 2022
One constant in WWE is that new stars will debut every year. It keeps the roster fresh without changing things too much. New talent also offers different feuds and matches for those on the main roster.
In the past few years, about four or five new performers have joined the main roster annually. In 2022 alone, that number has almost doubled. Butch and Gunther debuted before WrestleMania 38. Tommaso Ciampa and Raquel Rodriguez also debuted in the first half of the year.
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With the transition in WWE from Mr. McMahon to Triple H, more stars have debuted since the summer. The likes of Dakota Kai, Johnny Gargano, and Dexter Lumis all returned to the company and joined the main roster at or after SummerSlam. The following grades are for the stars that debuted on the WWE main roster in the first half of 2022.
(Note: Logan Paul is omitted because he's had two matches. Also, Ezekial is just a new gimmick for Elias, so he's also not included here).
#6 Pete Dunne debuted as Butch
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The former Pete Dunne showed up on SmackDown as Butch before WrestleMania 38. He was revealed as a childhood friend of both Sheamus and Ridge Holland. They played his hyper and overly aggressive nature, but the name change was silly and unnecessary.
He has wrestled a few matches since his debut, with his later work better showcasing his talent. Part of the change is due to Triple H taking over WWE's creative duties from Mr. McMahon.
Butch has been sporting his old singlet gear from NXT in recent matches. Dunne was one of Triple H's favorites, so his booking will likely be better going forward.
Grade for Butch: C
#5 Ludwig Kaiser is a crucial piece of Imperium
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Kaiser joined the WWE main roster as Gunther's righthand man. He also announces The Ring General to the ring for every appearance. An interesting aspect of their relationship featured the latter punishing Kaiser for losing.
While Kaiser has lost a few matches, he's more important to the overall presentation of the former NXT UK Champ. It's similar to how Jey Uso was second to Roman Reigns. Now that Giovanni Vinci has joined SmackDown and Imperium, the two can resume their tag team.
Having another tag team join the WWE roster is good, but it's hard to take anyone seriously due to how dominant The Bloodline has been. If the Street Profits and New Day cannot defeat the Usos, who can? As long as Imperium continues winning, the grade will improve.
Grade for Ludwig Kaiser: C+
#4 Gunther is becoming one of the top heels in WWE
The Ring General has been presented as the same dominant workhorse that ruled over NXT UK for years. He made a brief stop in NXT before officially joining the main roster ahead of WrestleMania. Gunther quickly won the Intercontinental Championship and instantly added some prestige to the title.
His match against Sheamus at Clash at the Castle was a 'Match of the Year' candidate. But for Gunther, that's the type of match he usually has. Moreover, adding Giovanni Vinci back to Imperium should only solidify the group as one to watch.
With The Ring General leading the way, WWE is on its way to introducing another top heel faction. However, being on the same brand as the Bloodline might prevent Imperium from being the most dominant faction in WWE.
Grade for Gunther: A-
#3 Raquel Rodriguez bolstered SmackDown's Women's division
Rodriguez was pushed as a dominant performer in NXT. It led her to both the NXT Women's and Women's Tag Team Championships. That dominance continued on SmackDown, but parts of her character shifted.
Instead of being a no-nonsense attacker, Rodriguez would smile incessantly during her entrance. She maintained the back pose obsession, but it's still awkward. Apart from a loss to then-SmackDown Women's Champ Ronda Rousey, Big Mami has won most of her matches since her WWE debut.
Despite that loss, she still looked strong and formidable. Along with Aliyah, she won the vacant WWE Women's Tag Titles but only had a two-week run. Rodriguez has been booked consistently but could use a few character tweaks.
Grade for Rodriguez: B+
#2 Tommaso Ciampa officially joined the main roster after WrestleMania 38
Tommaso Ciampa wrapped up with NXT at the beginning of 2022. He was one of the last foundational stars to move on after the rebrand to NXT 2.0.
The Blackheart's first appearances this year involved blindsided attacks on faces like Mustafa Ali and others. He soon aligned with The Miz, with the two remaining together for the last few months. Ciampa worked well with Mr. McMahon in charge, but he was booked as a secondary player on WWE's main roster.
He is still a secondary star, but with more focus, his matches have improved. The Blackheart made great efforts against both AJ Styles and US Champ Lashley. The Miz could ultimately turn on Ciampa, especially with Johnny Gargano arriving on RAW.
Grade for Ciampa: B-
#1 Max Dupri emerged as the founder of Maximum Male Models
Max Dupri was one of the notable NXT stars to be given a new name upon joining WWE's main roster. He was formerly known as LA Knight, and the character was an extension of his Eli Drake character from IMPACT Wrestling and NWA.
Dupri is known for being one of the best talkers in the game, which continued during his NXT tenure. In his SmackDown debut, he randomly appeared backstage with Adam Pearce as the founder of Maximum Male Models. His original work for the group was strong.
Once Mace and Mansoor were revealed as the actual models. However, it seemed like Dupri was being phased out due to a clash with Mr. McMahon. The material was somewhat goofy and entertaining, but it seemed like it had a low ceiling. After the latest SmackDown, he might be returning to his former guise as Knight.
Grade for Max Dupri: C