WWE is currently full of the best talent in the world, and with so much of it down in NXT, it’s only a matter of time until they are promoted to the main roster, and when that happens, WWE will do what they always do: restock their developmental brand with independent talent from all over the globe.

Most wrestlers grew up idolizing the top talent from WWE, and their lifelong dreams are to compete with the company, and while not all of the wrestlers from around the world want this, it’s going to be a long time before WWE run out of the power and influence they have in signing these performers.

So sit back and read along as we take a look into the future and predict the next 10 wrestlers from NXT who will be promoted to either RAW or SmackDown Live (in no particular order), and the next 10 wrestlers from the independent scene that will sign with NXT.

20 Indie Star to WWE – Eli Drake

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Impact has been getting much better of late, and that means they’ve begun bringing in huge names from around the independent wrestling world, and while that’s good for business, it’s pushed E-L-I Drake back down the card. Just a short year ago, Drake was reigning as Impact World Champion, and now, he’s barely getting time, but for such a talented old-school performer, WWE is a much better place. NXT is currently stacked full of talent too, but Drake would fit in perfectly, and it makes sense that he’d take the next step in his career and head to WWE.

19 NXT Call-Up – Heavy Machinery

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This might be an odd choice on the surface, but the NXT Tag Team Division is so stacked currently that Heavy Machinery just aren’t going to get the time they need to be stars, so why not send them to a struggling Tag Division on RAW? The duo of Tucker Knight and Otis Dozovic are incredibly charismatic, and with their size and athleticism, they’d be a hard team to stop. Sure, RAW has turned the Authors of Pain, the most dominant team in NXT history into a joke, but the expectations for Heavy Machinery wouldn’t be as high, and that may help them in the long run.

18 Indie Star to WWE – Rosemary

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In WWE, it’s always the over the top characters (think Velveteen Dream, Nikki Cross) who get over most, and when it comes to women outside of WWE, Rosemary stands atop that list. Sure, Su Yung has come into Impact recently and had just as much of an effect, but Rosemary at this point is more versatile as a performer, and WWE would be stupid not to chase her. She obviously wouldn’t be able to play up the full depth of her "Demon Assassin" character in WWE, but if they let her have some freedom, she could be the biggest star to ever come through NXT’s Women’s Division.

17 NXT Call-Up – Nikki Cross

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The Women’s Division in NXT has been exceptional since the promotion began, and one of the most underutilized stars over that time has been Sanity’s Nikki Cross. Unfortunately, when that faction was promoted to SmackDown Live, the company left Nikki down in NXT to help develop that division, but now, that’s full of stars, and Cross is ready to join her friends. Somehow, the group consisting of Eric Young, Alexander Wolfe, and Killian Dain has been lost in the shuffle on SmackDown Live, and adding Cross to that group gives them an X-factor. This needs to happen sooner rather than later.

16 Indie Star to WWE – Adam Brooks

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A lot of performers on the independent scene get over purely because of their in-ring work, but the Loose Ledge, Adam Brooks combines that with a charisma and attitude that few people can match. His mentor growing up in the business was current WWE Cruiserweight Champion Buddy Murphy, and he’s made it clear that WWE is his goal, meaning that he’d be a perfect fit for today’s NXT. Sure, he may not be able to be as "Loose" in WWE as he can on the independent scene, but he’s got the "It Factor" that will make him a star on a worldwide stage, and WWE would be wise to capitalize.

15 NXT Call-Up – Kairi Sane

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Kairi Sane has been fantastic throughout her time in NXT, but after being vanquished by Shayna Baszler for the final time, it only makes sense for her to take the next step in her WWE career. It may not happen until after WrestleMania 35, but Sane has the unique look, a great gimmick and the tremendous in-ring work that would make her a star on the main roster. Sure, Asuka hasn’t been anywhere near the level she was in NXT, but she’s still a big name on SmackDown Live, and if treated properly, Sane could be just as good as the Empress of Tomorrow.

14 Indie Star To WWE – Allie

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The Women’s Division of WWE  are all quite fantastic, but the first company to take their women seriously were TNA, as their Knockouts Division has been great for years, and one of their current best is Allie, who could be a big-time star in WWE. She has the traditional looks that WWE look for in a woman, and she’s a fantastic character worker, so adding her to an already stacked NXT Women’s Division makes sense. She’s currently in a long-term story involving Su Yung, but sometime in 2019, WWE is going to take a chance on Allie, giving depth to what is a great division already.

13 NXT Call-Up – EC3

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EC3, much like Drew Galloway/McIntyre, transformed himself on the independent scene, and like Drew, the third in line of the Carter name is ready to make a major impact on the main roster. It was rumored that EC3 was meant to debut on the main roster after Summerslam 2018, but he suffered an unfortunate injury, but now he’s back and healthy, and it’s time to let him loose on the main roster. EC3 is charismatic, can work as a heel or a babyface and has the prototypical look that WWE love, meaning that he could be a major player on either RAW or SmackDown Live.

12 Indie Stars to WWE – Aussie Open

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The UK scene has been incredibly hot for a few years now, and it’s caused talent from all across the globe to join the scene in the hope of making it big, and one such duo who have done that is Kyle Fletcher and Mark Davis, aka Aussie Open. They have been having great matches with every team they’ve encountered, and as the reigning Progress Wrestling Tag Team Champions, it’s clear that they’ve got a very bright future. Progress has great connections with WWE, and given that these two are treated so well there, it’s clear that WWE is in their future, as they could be champions on every WWE brand possible. Besides, NXT may need a new Aussie tag team onboard following the recent release of The Mighty's Nick Miller.

11 NXT Call-Up – Johnny Gargano

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Johnny Gargano has been the heart and soul of NXT for quite some time, in the same vein of Sami Zayn. While he’s proven to be as dynamic and versatile as anyone to come through the yellow brand, but it’s time for bigger things. His story arc has not yet concluded, as many people still believe he is going to rise to the top and win the NXT Championship, but he’ll be main roster bound by the end of 2019. With so much talent coming through, there are many people who can take his spot on the developmental brand, so expect to see Johnny Wrestling have plenty of dream matches on the main roster soon.

10 Indie Star To WWE – Jay Lethal

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Jay Lethal is one of the greatest performers of this generation, and although he’s doing fantastic work in Ring of Honor, he deserves the biggest stage possible, and to get there, Black Machismo needs to head to NXT. He has proven all this time that he can work as a babyface or a heel, and his in-ring work allows him to work any kind of style inside the ring. This could make him a big star in NXT. WWE is grabbing top-tier talent left and right in 2018, with Matt Riddle and Keith Lee being the highlights, but 2019 will be highlighted by the signing of Lethal.

9 NXT Call-Up – The Undisputed Era

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The Undisputed Era, consisting of Roderick Strong, Kyle O’Reilly, Adam Cole, and Bobby Fish, are the best thing about NXT right now, and on the main roster, their potential is limitless. The main roster is currently stacked with talent, so they’ll likely stay in NXT for the most part of 2019. When they get promoted, they will have a major impact. All four men are incredibly talented on their own, but together, they make up the most talented group since The Shield, and it would be a shock if they didn’t have a similar impact.

8 Indie Star To WWE – Slex

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Currently, Australians are starring all over WWE, with the likes of Toni Storm, Rhea Ripley, and Buddy Murphy all doing fantastic work, but there’s still plenty here that haven’t been signed, and the one with the most potential is "The Business," Slex. Sure, there are others who’ve made a bigger impact on the international scene, but Slex has the look, the gimmick and the in-ring work to become a star. The company is clearly looking to expand all across the world, and with the recent signing of Jonah Rock, guys like Slex will no doubt be on their radar.

7 NXT Call-Up – Shayna Baszler

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Following her performance in the first Mae Young Classic, it was clear that WWE were high on the Queen of Spades, and it’s clear to see why, as she has a great look and employs her legit background perfectly inside the wrestling ring. She is currently reigning as NXT Women’s Champion, and with Jessamyn Duke and Marina Shafir by her side, no one is taking that off her anytime soon, but when it does, it’s easy to see all three going up together. With Ronda Rousey as the fourth member of their group, it’s clear that the future is bright for all three of these women, and they are main roster-bound by the end of 2019.

6 Indie Star To WWE – James Storm

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Not long ago, WWE would stay away from former TNA talent at any cost, but now, their roster is filled with them, and in the near future, we expect another TNA legend, James Storm, to join the company on a permanent basis. He appeared in WWE down in NXT twice before resigning with TNA, but now, it looks like he’s done with Impact, and it makes sense for him to sign full-time with the opportunities he has. The Cowboy can either go down to NXT, or he can rejoin his former partner Bobby Roode, who desperately needs to turn heel on Chad Gable despite their recent RAW Tag Team Championship win, but either way, WWE could use another veteran like this, and it will likely happen in 2019.

5 NXT Call-Up – Kassius Ohno

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Kassius Ohno has been one of the best wrestlers in the world over the past 2 decades, and in his second run with NXT, he is proving that he’s worthy of a great run on RAW or SmackDown Live. He hasn’t had a chance to have a main event run in NXT, but he would be well-suited on the main roster, as he has a unique look, great size, and a hard-hitting style that Vince McMahon loves, and we could see him as a key player in the Intercontinental or United States title picture. Many other names have been brought WWE specifically to stay in NXT (Samoa Joe and Asuka to name a few), but they’ve been big successes on the main roster, and it’s about time that the former Chris Hero got that chance.

4 Indie Star To WWE – Kushida

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WWE has acquired plenty of talent from New Japan over the past few years, and while they won’t get Kenny Omega, Kazuchika Okada, Hiroshi Tanahashi, or Tetsuya Naito, there is certainly a chance that they pick up one big star. Kushida has been rumored to be on WWE’s radar for quite some time, and the Back to the Future cosplayer reportedly has mutual interest, so it’s a possibility in 2019. He is currently in his sixth reign as IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion, so there’s a big possibility he stays in WWE. But with more chances in WWE, we think he’ll do it in 2019.

3 NXT Call-Up – Tommaso Ciampa

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The Greatest Sports Entertainer of All Time is just hitting his strides in NXT, but he’s been so good as a Champion over the last few months, that it’s hard to see him staying in NXT for much longer. He has finally finished his rivalry with Johnny Gargano (or so it seems), and with so many more stars coming through (Riddle, Lee, Ricochet, Cole, Dream and others), it’s only a matter of time. Ciampa has a great look and is one of the best heels in all of professional wrestling, and if the main roster can book to his strengths, there is no reason that The Psycho Killer couldn’t be a World Champion on either RAW or SmackDown Live.

2 Indie Star To WWE – Shane Strickland

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Shane "Swerve" Strickland is one of the most athletic and impressive professional wrestlers in the world, and although he hasn’t made it big in companies like ROH or New Japan, it’s time he makes a big leap. Strickland has been doing well for himself in MLW and Lucha Underground, but his charisma, infectious personality, and high-flying antics make him perfect to join NXT. Like with Ricochet, he is going to need to wait for his Lucha Underground contract to expire, but there has been a lot of interest on both sides, and with the likes of Ricochet, Johnny Gargano, Aleister Black and others in NXT, there’s plenty of dream matches to be had.

1 NXT Call-Up – Aleister Black

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Aleister Black has been almost perfect since joining the NXT roster following an amazing career in Europe, and over WrestleMania weekend, expect the Anti-Hero to make his way to RAW or SmackDown Live. In almost two years with NXT, Black has had classics with Andrade “Cien” Almas, Velveteen Dream, Johnny Gargano, and almost everyone in between, and he carries an aura with him that can’t be matched by anyone on the main roster. We’re all worried about how everyone in NXT will be booked, but Black has a unique look and is an incredible performer, so he’ll no doubt be a star.