Ever since NXT began, the black-and-gold brand has worked as a filter system for the main roster, providing talents to fill up Raw and SmackDown. From that point, the success has ranged from creating amazing World Champions like Seth Rollins and Charlotte Flair to more forgettable names like No Way Jose.
With the call-ups taking place on such a consistent basis, it is no surprise that not all of them end up leading to success. But how have the most recent call-ups managed to fair? Some have succeeded, while others have fallen short of the mark, but who has been the best so far?
12 Chelsea Green (Debuted On SmackDown, 11/13/20)
Chelsea Green got to debut on the main roster during the build towards Survivor Series in a qualifying match. She was reportedly set to win that match. However, she was unfortunately injured early on in the bout, bringing her involvement in the match to an early end.
Sadly, Chelsea never got to return to the ring as WWE made the decision to release her from the company before she could come back. Because of that, she was the weakest of the recent NXT call-ups.
11 Lars Sullivan (Debuted On Raw, 4/8/19)
Another wrestler who was plagued by injuries on the main roster was Lars Sullivan, who had a rocky time on the main roster. He was brought in as a monster, destroying Kurt Angle and then The Hardy Boyz, but it was downhill from then on.
Issues behind the scenes didn't help Sullivan's case, and while he was made to look great when he did appear, it didn't take long for him to be released from the company, bringing his WWE career to an end.
10 The Forgotten Sons (Debuted On SmackDown, 10/4/20)
The Forgotten Sons were brought into the main roster with a lot of hype and potential. They were pushed heavily early on and instantly became a threat to the SmackDown Tag Team Titles, but comments online from Jaxson Ryker saw the group pulled.
When they returned, the trio was split up. Wesley Blake and Steve Cutler had a brief run with King Corbin until Blake and Cutler were released. Meanwhile, Ryker has been working alongside Elias on Raw in forgettable segments.
9 RETRIBUTION (Debuted On Raw 8/3/20)
RETRIBUTION brought several NXT stars to the main roster, with Mia Yim, Dominik Dijakovic, Shane Thorne, and Dio Maddin all being members of the group. Changing their personas and their looks, none of them is anything like their former selves.
The group has had mixed results so far, having some impressive moments where they've looked dominant, and then other times where they're beaten with ease. However, they were a consistent part of the show until WWE made the decision to split them up, which leaves question marks over their future.
8 Austin Theory (Debuted On Raw, 3/30/20)
Austin Theory was a late addition to the Raw roster prior to WrestleMania 36 where he became part of Zelina Vega's group. He got to challenge for the Raw Tag Team Championships at WrestleMania and while he wasn't successful in that, he did showcase his in-ring ability.
Theory was eventually kicked out of the group and he ended up returning to NXT, becoming part of The Way. However, he was heavily featured during his brief spell on the main roster and his matches were impressive, even enjoying a run with Seth Rollins' group as well, although he didn't quite fit in as well as Buddy Murphy.
7 Angel Garza (Debuted On Raw, 2/4/20)
Angel Garza has become a forgotten man lately in WWE, which is a shame because he's a terrific wrestler. Angel has put together some great matches during his main roster career, and alongside Andrade and Zelina Vega, he did a great job.
His initial push went really well for him, but once the group split up, Garza has struggled to find a spot on the main roster. He could end up being someone who falls down the card, but with his talent, he should be able to salvage things.
6 Keith Lee (Debuted On Raw, 8/24/20)
Keith Lee came out of the blocks in a dominant manner on the main roster. He picked up a huge victory against Randy Orton and has gone on to earn WWE Championship matches and main event spots on Raw.
However, Lee has also spent large chunks of time randomly not appearing on-screen, which has halted the momentum that he had built up in the first place.
5 Damian Priest (Debuted At Royal Rumble, 2021)
Damian Priest is still very early into his main roster career, but he has been treated as a major name so far. Priest dominated in the Royal Rumble, and WWE positioning him with Bad Bunny is a sign of the faith the company has in him.
Priest has been picking up dominant and consistent victories, showcasing his in-ring ability throughout his matches, and getting a major WrestleMania moment as well. He's set to be a big deal heading into the rest of the year, and he could be a huge part of the future for the main roster.
4 Riddle (Debuted On SmackDown, 5/19/20)
While he lost his first name several months after joining the main roster, Riddle certainly didn't lose a step inside the ring. Even though Riddle didn't get the main event push that Keith Lee did, he has been more consistently booked.
Riddle has been able to showcase a lot of entertainment and really has thrived in backstage segments. Plus, defeating Bobby Lashley for the United States Championship was a huge moment that established him on the main roster, and while he lost that title to Sheamus, Riddle has continued to be well built since that point.
3 Rhea Ripley (Debuted On Raw, 3/22/21)
Rhea Ripley has burst onto the scene in WWE's Women's Division. Appearing and initially confronting Asuka, calling her out for a Raw Women's Title match, Ripley hasn't looked back since.
She got to defeat Asuka at WrestleMania 37, becoming Raw Women's Champion just weeks into her main roster run, and she has been positioned as the top star of the division since that point, which isn't bad going by any means.
2 Bianca Belair (Debuted On WrestleMania 36)
Bianca Belair got a huge opportunity to debut at The Grandest Stage Of Them All at WrestleMania 36 to assist The Street Profits, and since then she hasn't looked back. Belair has had a great run on the main roster since that point, putting together great matches and fantastic promos.
Belair has been pushed as a legitimate top star on the roster, winning the women's Royal Rumble and becoming a major part of the product. She's an even bigger name now on the main roster than she ever was in NXT, proving that the main roster move has been a good thing. Her WrestleMania 37 main event victory only reaffirmed that situation, with her move being a huge success.
1 The Street Profits (Debuted On Raw, 7/2/19)
When it comes to the most successful recent main roster call-ups, The Street Profits have been the greatest. While their initial backstage segments dragged on too long, Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford have seamlessly shown their personality and in-ring ability.
They thrived in NXT and haven't slowed down at any points on the main roster. They were given a lengthy run as Raw Tag Team Champions and have been one of the top teams in the company since that point, creating a great run for themselves.