Despite the growing popularity of promotions like New Japan Pro Wrestling, Ring of Honor, Progress, Impact and others, WWE is still the top game in town, and when it comes to wrestlers, most of them would absolutely love to work with them. Unfortunately, not everyone is made for WWE, and this will lead to some guys having great careers in Japan or all over the world without ever coming to the company. Today we are going to look to the future, and both sides of this coin.

**Spoiler Alert: No members of The Elite find themselves on this list, because WWE do have interest in them, but it’s in their best interest to keep creative control and be the performers that they are. Especially with the rumors of an impending promotion shared by The Bucks and Chris Jericho.**

So, sit back and read along as we take a look at 15 performers who will sign with the WWE once their contract allows them, and five that the company just aren’t interested in working with.

20 Sign – Jonah Rock

The wrestling scene in Australia is currently heating up, and that charge is not only being led by the Aussies in WWE, but the trio taking over PWG. That group is led by the King of Monsters, Jonah Rock. Rock is an absolute monster, but he has the capability of flying around with smaller guys, and if you’ve seen any of his work in PWG, you know that he would  not only be perfect for NXT,  he would be a star within WWE. Other Aussie performers like Robbie Eagles are opting to go with New Japan Pro Wrestling, and that’s a route that Rock could definitely take, but with WWE having the biggest platform, it makes sense that Jonah signs to NXT in the near future.

19 Sign – Jay Lethal

This boom era of independent wrestling was built on the backs of people like CM Punk, Samoa Joe, AJ Styles, Austin Aries, Kevin Steen and so many more. However, one wrestler that always gets overlooked is Jay Lethal, who is truly one of the best wrestlers in the world today. He is currently reigning as the ROH World Champion, so he’s in great standing, but to make an impact in wrestling, you need to be in WWE, and it’s time for him to have a run on the biggest stage. We’ve seen this move pay off for AJ Styles and others, who spent years on the indies before making it to WWE, and when Lethal’s ROH deal is up, expect him to follow suit.

18 Sign – Jeff Cobb

If there’s one thing that Vince McMahon loves in a Superstar, it’s legitimacy, and few on the independent scene are more legitimate than ROH TV Champion Jeff Cobb. Cobb is a former Olympian in amateur wrestling, and with his extensive history in wrestling all around the globe, he would be a perfect fit for WWE. Don’t start clamoring for a ‘Chozen Bros’ reunion too soon, though, as Cobb recently signed a two-year deal with ROH, but once that’s up, WWE would be wise to sign him and strap a rocket to him, as he has all the makings of a WWE Champion one day.

17 No interest – Flip Gordon

Flip Gordon is going to be a big star in the wrestling business one day, if he’s not there already. However, he’s not as polished as the other performers on this list, and until he can prove that he’s more than just flips, WWE won’t be interested. They could always try and sign him to a small deal in NXT to develop him into an all-round performer, but that process would be much easier on the independent scene, so that’s where he’ll stay. With his appearances on Being the Elite, it’s clear that he is already improving. One day, he might be a star on the big stage. For now, he’s not ready for that.

16 Sign – Adam Brooks

WWE continues to promote how it is a truly worldwide company, and with the talent they have from Australia already, there’s definitely a desire for more, and Adam Brooks is perfect. He is the protégé of Cruiserweight Champion Buddy Murphy, but The Loose Ledge blends Murphy’s style with fantastic charisma and character work. He’s not perfect, so he’d definitely need to go through NXT, but Brooks has been tearing it up all over the world in the last few years, and it’s about time he followed his mentor to the WWE.

15 Sign – Walter

WWE is all about showmanship and charisma, and while Walter doesn’t have much of that in the traditional WWE sense, he has an amazing aura, presence, and fantastic in-ring work. He would be perfect to join the ranks of NXT. If you ask anyone who has stepped in the ring with Walter, they will tell you that his chops and work is some of the hardest in the business, and bringing that legitimacy to NXT to join fellow Ring Kampf member Marcel Barthel is in the cards. The Ring General has been tearing it up all over the world for years now, and while ROH/New Japan is an option, NXT or NXT UK is the best place for him to be, as he has plenty of potential as a megastar in the company.

14 Sign – Brian Cage

When you think of a top WWE star, Brian Cage fits every single category imaginable, but for some reason, they let him go from developmental a decade ago. However, he has gone on to have a fantastic career on the independents. He’s now with Impact, reigning as their X-Division Champion, but when that contract is up, WWE would be foolish not to offer him a contract. It’s safe to say WWE fans don’t want another Brock Lesnar, but Cage is about as close a comparison to Lesnar as there has ever been, and if they wanted to thrust him right onto the main roster, he would be a star in absolutely no time.

13 No interest – Sami Callihan

The independent scene is currently full of a wide variety of talent, but there’s arguably no heel better in the world right now than Sami Callihan, who was once under WWE contract. In NXT, he worked as Solomon Crowe, but he felt like he was being held down, so returned to the independent scene. After his work recently in Impact, it’s safe to say that neither side is interested in a reunion. As a member of oVe (Ohio vs. Everyone, with Dave and Jake Crist), Callihan has been involved in some of the best stories and matches in all of wrestling. It's safe to say that he’s happy on the independents, which is good enough for everyone.

12 Sign – Aussie Open

The U.K. has been hot for several years now, and it’s drawn talent from all over the world. The hottest international talent in the U.K. are arguably Aussie Open, the team of Kyle Fletcher and Mark Davis, the current Progress Tag Team Champions. It took them quite a while to get going as a tag team, but they are now fantastic, perfecting the athletic/big man combination, and their unique look gives them so much potential. Whether it’s NXT or NXT UK, it’s only a matter of time until they are competing on a world stage, because these two truly have the potential to be Tag Team Champions in whichever promotion or on whatever brand they please.

11 Sign – Pentagon Jr.

Lucha Underground has been a revolutionary new show in the wrestling business, and the biggest star to emerge from that is Pentagon, who man who has now competed on plenty of big stages in wrestling, including Impact and All In. Despite the fact that WWE isn’t as graphic as it used to be, someone like Pentagon Jr. could be just the breath of fresh air that the company needs. Sure, he would be a great fit in New Japan with his strong style, but WWE is reportedly ready to throw big money at him, so he’ll be with the company as soon as his Lucha Underground contract is up.

10 No Interest – Alberto El Patron

Sometimes, despite putting all the effort in the world into a performer, the WWE Universe just doesn’t latch on like management expects, and that’s the case with Alberto Del Rio, who was meant to be a huge star in the WWE. His initial heel run was fantastic, but once they turned him babyface, his career in WWE never recovered. Adding that to several incidents backstage, they had to let him go. He returned once again, but it was incredibly underwhelming, and Patron/Del Rio hasn’t made any good headlines since. With all the talent the WWE has on its roster now, it’s just best to stay away from him.

9 Sign – Bandido

WWE has been trying to replace Rey Mysterio for quite some time now, and while they’ve got many masked luchadors already (as well as Andrade “Cien” Almas), Bandido is the best candidate yet. He’s only just begun to make his mark on promotions in America, working for the likes of PWG, Progress and others (All In included), and it’s now rumored that the WWE are wanting to offer him a big contract. There is still plenty for him to do on the independent scene, but Bandido is one of the most innovative wrestlers that we’ve seen in years, and it makes sense for him to go to the WWE very soon.

8 Sign – Elliot Sexton

Being The Elite is a YouTube series that has catapulted the cast to absolute superstardom, but plenty of other wrestlers are using that platform to build their resume, and the best and most overlooked of those is Trophy Life by Elliot Sexton. He often shows that he not only has the look and the in-ring ability to be a big-time star, but he has the creativity and the charisma too, and this should make the WWE take note. As we’ve noted, the wrestling scene in Australia continues to improve, and Sexton is potentially the countries biggest star. Also, and with his partner already in NXT, it seems like a matter of when, not if.

7 Sign – Moose

Throughout the years, wrestlers have come from many different sports, and there’s no shortage of former MMA or football guys in the world today. The best example on the independents right now is Impact Wrestling’s Moose. He was with ROH for quite some time, and with his catchy chant, his look and impressive athleticism, he became a star, and now, it’s about time WWE is going to bring him in. NXT is currently loaded with incredible talent, so it may not happen for another year or so, but when they are ready, they can make Moose the star that he’s been in every promotion he’s worked with so far.

6 No Interest – Austin Aries

Austin Aries is one of the best professional wrestlers in the world today, and he’s been amazing audiences all around the world for over a decade now, but his attitude and ego will hold him back from becoming all he can be. It was great to see him follow in the footsteps of Cody and Neville by betting on himself, but since leaving, he’s proven that his ego still can’t be controlled and that it’s getting in the way of good business. If WWE had something creatively for PAC and Cody, they’d definitely be open to bringing them back, but Aries is another story altogether, and it seems he’ll never be a top guy in any big wrestling company again.

5 Sign – Tessa Blanchard

After Evolution, Women’s wrestling is at an all-time high, and with the Mae Young Classic’s second edition, WWE continues to shine a light on women outside of the company, and there so much more talent out there. The best of that lot right now is Impact Women’s Champion and third-generation star, Tessa Blanchard, who appeared in the first Mae Young Classic in a losing effort to Kairi Sane. She has signed a multi-year deal with Impact, so it will be a while before we see her back in the WWE, but by that time, she’ll be in her prime, and ready to make a mark as one of the best female wrestlers in history.

4 Sign – Mark Haskins

The U.K. is full of incredible wrestlers making it big in the WWE or New Japan Pro Wrestling, but one that goes criminally underrated is Mark Haskins, who has all the skills to be a big-time star. Sure, he has a history of neck problems, to the point where he had to relinquish his Progress Championship two years ago, but Haskins is an intense performer who would fit right in with NXT. This has been coming for quite some time, and Haskins works very hard and deserves this opportunity. While he might not be a big star on the main roster due to his size, he will be great in NXT and potentially, 205 Live.

3 Sign – Jordynne Grace

We’ve talked about Tessa Blanchard who is already a star after her appearance in WWE and All In, but one future star that everyone is talking about is Jordynne Grace, who needs to be on everyone’s radar. Grace has been wrestling for several years now, but it’s only recently that she’s begun to pick up steam, wrestling for Progress, All In and now Impact. It seems only a matter of time until she’s considered a worldwide star. She can throw people around with ease and has the personality and the charisma to back it up, and the WWE would be stupid not to throw a lot of money in her direction, which they will do in due time.

2 No interest – Joey Janela

When it comes to wrestling, you can look at several different factors that makes someone a star, but some people just have that undeniable X-factor, and that perfectly describes the Bad Boy, Joey Janela. He stole the show alongside Hangman Page at All In, and although he is known as a D-Match specialist, he can definitely go in the ring. Still, that doesn’t mean WWE will be interested. Janela likely won’t be interested either, as he has all the freedom in the world on the independent scene. In Ring of Honor, PWG, and Impact around, he can make a great living away from the WWE, and he will need too.

1 Sign – Dalton Castle

Ring of Honor has historically been built around incredible wrestling and unparalleled athleticism, but as that becomes the norm around the world, the company has had to adapt, and that is very evident in the likes of The Party Peacock, Dalton Castle. He has remained loyal to the company that gave him a chance, but the pomp and circumstance that accompany his fantastic wrestling ability are just too perfect for WWE for them to not make that connection. There have been many comparisons to The Velveteen Dream, and rightfully so, but Castle is another beast altogether, and if the WWE let him be him, he will be a megastar.