New version of AEW's Blackpool Combat Club, main roster call-up - 5 reasons why Drew Gulak appeared on WWE NXT
Fans watching WWE NXT were lucky enough to witness a few surprise appearances made by main roster stars. Former tag team champions Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods surprisingly interrupted Pretty Deadly to set up a match for Deadline. Yet, they weren't the only main roster stars who appeared.
SmackDown star Drew Gulak appeared on the developmental program after not appearing regularly on the blue brand for quite some time. He played a crucial role in training Logan Paul for the latter's championship bout with Roman Reigns at Crown Jewel, but Gulak was otherwise MIA for quite some time before he appeared on NXT.
He stood in the entranceway, studying a match between Charlie Dempsey and Hank Walker. While his exact reasoning for appearing isn't yet known, fans are already speculating about his intentions. Indeed the talented Gulak watching Charlie Dempsey, in particular, wasn't an accident or a coincidence.
Below are five reasons why Drew Gulak appeared on WWE NXT.
#5. He may want to mentor Charlie Dempsey
What's @DrewGulak doing here??? 👀
#WWENXT https://t.co/D7DFbOmJ9C
Drew Gulak is a complicated superstar. While he can sometimes have a huge ego, he's also known for his leadership. Before joining World Wrestling Entertainment, he was the focal point of a faction called Catch Point.
While in WWE, he's also served as a mentor of sorts to some of the 205 Live stars of the past, including Tony Nese. His most prominent on-screen leadership role was that of Daniel Bryan's coach. The submission expert helped strengthen the former WWE Champion.
There's a chance that the 35-year-old star wants to continue to impart his knowledge to others, and who better to potentially mentor than the young Charlie Dempsey? Gulak likely sees a lot of potential in the hard-nosed bruiser and wants to guide his young career.
#4. Drew Gulak could want to fight the second-generation star
While there's a chance that Drew sees Charlie Dempsey as a future breakout star, there's no guarantee that means he wants to guide him. In fact, the opposite might be true. Drew could see Charlie either as a threat or as worthy of competition.
WWE has a lot of quality wrestlers, but few know the mat game as well as Gulak. The Philadelphia Stretcher knows as many holds as Dean Malenko with a vicious attitude that can lead to bone-breaking. Charlie Dempsey appears to have a similar style.
If Gulak wants to test himself, he may battle somebody younger with a similar in-ring style to see if he still has "it." If the approach is more sinister, the former Cruiserweight Champion may want to snuff Charlie out of WWE before he might take Drew's spot.
#3. Gulak could form a tag team with Dempsey
Charlie. Dempsey. 😮
#WWENXT https://t.co/gon8FUFfD9
The NXT tag team division is in an interesting place. Pretty Deadly is the reigning tag team champions. Other teams on the brand include The Schism, Josh Briggs & Brooks Jensen, Malik Blade & Edris Enofe, and The Creed Brothers, among others.
Given Pretty Deadly seems to have a stranglehold on the division, whichever team dethrones the pretty boys will instantly get attention. Gulak could be seen returning to NXT and feuding with the duo to get his name back in people's minds.
Of course, winning the NXT Tag Team Titles is easier said than done, and Gulak won't be able to do it alone. He may have appeared on NXT to watch matches up close and decide on a potential tag team partner. Based on Dempsey's big win, it could be Charlie that Gulak chooses.
#2. Charlie Dempsey may be pulled to the main roster
Because of Drew Gulak physically appearing on NXT, most people believe that the talented star is moving to the brand or at least appearing on the show short term to give it a boost and potentially inject some life into his career.
While Gulak on NXT is exciting, there's always the chance that he's instead recruiting for the main roster. Instead of The Philadelphia Stretcher teaming up with Charlie Dempsey on the developmental brand, maybe he's looking to recruit the second-generation star for the main roster.
Drew may look to either manage a young star on RAW and SmackDown or find one to team up with to challenge The Usos. Regardless, Gulak's appearance may be less about him returning to NXT and more about Dempsey moving to the main roster.
#1. A WWE version of the Blackpool Combat Club could be in the works
William Regal is returning to WWE, or at least that's what several reports are showing. He's been in All Elite Wrestling for the past several months, leading a stable known as the Blackpool Combat Club. The group features hard-nosed fighters and skilled technical competitors.
Given Regal is allegedly returning to WWE, a new version of the Blackpool Combat Club could be in the works. William's selection of Drew Gulak and Charlie Dempsey as the first members is highly logical.
If this concept does come to fruition, some former WWE NXT stars could return to the company to help flesh the group out further. Timothy Thatcher and Danny Burch would both be perfect for a potential stable. Oney Lorcan, currently coaching at the Performance Center, could also return to the ring and join the faction.