WWE NXT News: Former Impact Wrestling superstar makes NXT debut
What's the story?
Former Impact Wrestling Television and Tag Team Champion, Gunner, made his NXT debut at a show in St. Petersburg, Florida on Thursday night. He came up short against his opponent, popular NXT superstar No Way Jose.
In case you didn't know...
While there has been a massive exodus of TNA talent to WWE in recent months, Gunner does not exactly fit the bill as he has not been a part of the organisation since the year 2015. He was a part of the indie wrestling scene following his TNA tenure, where his most notable achievement was facing Road Warrior Animal in a match.
He is best known for winning the TNA World Tag Team Champion with James Storm at Slammiversary XI. He also won the TNA Television Championship earlier in his career, before dropping the title to Eric Young soon after. At the age of 35, Gunner has an impressive track record as well as exceptional professional wrestling skills.
The heart of the matter
There had been rumblings recently that Gunner was on his way to NXT. The rumours came true as Gunner made his NXT debut under his real name, Chad Lail, to take on No Way Jose in a singles contest. Interestingly, he was billed from Charlotte, North Carolina, and not Atlanta, Georgia, like he had been during his days in Impact Wrestling.
Here are two tweets from the event, that showcased Gunner in his glory!
A closer look at Chad Lail c/o @MichiKent83 pic.twitter.com/mb60CdZljF
— JJ Williams (@JJWilliamsWON) June 30, 2017
Highlights of the night so far! @roderickstrong, the debut of Gunner, and @YaOnlyLivvOnce! #NXTStPetersburg pic.twitter.com/BZEP7HUhpa
— Kent Klausner (@MichiKent83) June 30, 2017
Lail came up short against his opponent No Way Jose, but this is only the beginning of what could be a promising career in sports entertainment.
What’s next?
It is likely that Lail will be repackaged and given a gimmick to play out on screen. We look forward to his inevitable NXT television debut.
Author's take
I don’t know if Gunner is NXT Championship material, but he can certainly bolster the mid-card of the brand considering that he is a good hand in the roster. I look forward to seeing what gimmick Gunner is given on the main roster, and how far he is pushed in the months that follow.