There are certain stars in fixed positions in WWE. John Cena or The Undertaker probably could be booked to lose over and over and remain over nonetheless. A part of the reason why is because they’ve been kept strong for as long as they have, and have a body of work including world title victories, WrestleMania main events, and great matches behind them. They’re legends who have crossed over to the mainstream to a reasonable degree, and given each of their part time statuses with the company now, it’s doubtful they’ll ever drop below top star status.
For younger, less established, or more expendable talent, there is always a higher degree of volatility. There are inevitable ebbs and flows in a talent’s career as they get their opportunities and as storylines shift to feature different talents in different ways. As such, there are talents who will be pushed soon, and find themselves in a different position come late winter than they are in now, and those whose stock will plummet after WWE sees them as having run their course or had their chance.
NXT adds another dimension to this conversation, as there are dozens of talents there hungry for their call ups to the main roster. Some are main eventers waiting to happen who will thrive under the national spotlight and perhaps even do better among the broader main roster audience, as opposed to the relatively hardcore, niche NXT fan base. Some may stumble on the main roster, having to earn Vince McMahon’s respect and ways of connecting to the audience beyond work rate.
This article looks at seven WWE pushes, burials, and NXT call-ups to expect soon.
21 Push: Andrade Cien Almas
The latest rumors suggest that Vince McMahon is extremely impressed with Andrade Cien Almas and Zelina Vega, and may have found a replacement for his original intentions around Alberto Del Rio as a heel Latino star. Or any Latino star in general.
Some reports even indicate McMahon might be eyeing Almas for a Royal Rumble victory and prominent positioning at WrestleMania.
It's too soon to predict Almas’s 2019 with any certainty, but given the quality of his performances late in his NXT run, and since arriving on the main roster, there’s reason to believe he’s in line for a push.
20 Burial: The B-Team
The B-Team were the surprise story of the summer. Curtis Axel and Bo Dallas are each known for being skilled mechanics who have struggled to get over on the main roster, despite their talent and family pedigrees. As The Miz’s sidekicks, they seemed to more or less hit hteir stride—regularly featured, and well positioned to job to faces as gatekeepers for Miz.
Axel and Dallas’s comedic B-Team was fun enough, but underscored a dearth of tag teams on Raw, and how devalued teams like The Revival had become. Now that The B-Team’s tag title run is over, their time in the spotlight probably is, too.
19 Call-Up: Aleister Black
Aleister Black was one of the strongest pushed NXT stars. He was consistently featured in meaningful matches on TakeOver specials, en route to winning the NXT Championship. Moreover, with his combination of sound skills, crowd pleasing kicks, a vaguely occult theme, and a punk rock sensibility, he appeals to a big cross section of fans.
When Black lost the NXT Championship, it may have signaled that a call up is imminent. That he got injured, and WWE wrote him off TV with a mystery angle suggests he’s not entirely done in NXT. However, it would be a big surprise if he’s not on Raw or SmackDown by WrestleMania weekend, if not sooner.
18 Push: Rusev
Between his size, sharp in ring skills, and uncanny ability to get over with whatever WWE books for him, Rusev seems as though he ought to be a major star. Particularly in an era with two world championships, it’s a bit of a surprise WWE has never gone all the way with him.
WWE seemed to test the waters with Rusev when he challenged AJ Styles for the WWE Championship.
Styles is over enough, and Rusev hadn’t been sufficiently built for a title change to make sense right then. With a concerted effort to rebuild the Rusev as a threat, though, he could easily emerge as a legitimate main eventer before too long
17 Burial: Jinder Mahal
Jinder Mahal was the beneficiary of one of WWE’s grandest experiments when he caught a rocket ride of a push from the lower card to the WWE Championship, and got to hold the title for half of 2017.
The trouble is that Mahal didn’t help business in the U.S., or in India, as was WWE’s rumored intention for him. Moreover, he showed little discernible progress during or since the reign when it came to his in ring skills or mic work. WWE seems to have grown wise to Mahal’s limitations, in booking him against Roman Reigns early in his Raw run to get one last big time feud out of him. Mahal hasn’t been well featured since and will likely as not continue his losing ways until he returns to the bottom of the card in the next few months.
16 Call-Up: Shayna Baszler
Despite cynics who suggested that Shayna Baszler was only getting pushed because of her real life friendship with Ronda Rousey, The Queen of Spades showcased herself nicely in her original Mae Young Classic run, and over the course of her NXT tenure to follow. As an old school bully heel with a believable mean streak and real jiu jitsu training, she rightfully arrived as the top female heel in developmental.
Now that Baszler has dropped her title, and Rousey is mowing through the competition on Raw, it makes complete sense for Baszler to move up and join her. The main question is whether Baszler is booked as a challenger to her friend, or is part of Rousey’s heel turn as they go on a dominant tear together.
15 Push: Drew McIntyre
When Drew McIntyre re-debuted on the main roster, there were a lot of questions. In his pairing with veteran Dolph Ziggler, was WWE suggesting that they didn’t think McIntyre was ready to cut it as singles star? Worse, would he be relegated to primarily a bodyguard role, as opposed to actually working his own matches?
It seems there was a master plan in place for McIntyre, as a feud between Ziggler and Seth Rollins positioned McIntyre directly into the path of the reunited Shield.
While McIntyre is still, at best, second banana to Braun Strowman in his alliance against The Shield, he’s situated as a Raw Tag Team Champion, and in a spot from which he could reasonably enough transition into a Universal title feud with Roman Reigns.
14 Burial: Dolph Ziggler
Dolph Ziggler is one of the best and arguably most under-decorated stars of his generation. While he’s still in great shape, he’s not exactly white hot with fans these days, and has to be approaching the twilight of his prime. For these first months of his partnership with Drew McIntyre, he’s benefited significantly, including getting Intercontinental and Raw Tag Team Championship reigns, plus a PPV main event at Extreme Rules.
It looks like it’s time for McIntyre to take over as the beneficiary of this partnership, though, and as the big man edges closer to main event status, Ziggler’s prospects aren’t great. Best case scenario, he gets to hang around McIntyre in an elevated tag title scene. At least equally likely, Ziggler becomes McIntyre’s sidekick, and perhaps his eventual victim, turning de facto face when McIntyre needs someone to really destroy to build up his heat.
13 Call-Up: Johnny Gargano
Johnny Gargano had a remarkable last year, as he rode the wave of his #DIY tag team’s success to become very arguably the top singles star in NXT. He still has unfinished business, as it seems his story is built for him to eventually win the NXT Championship. The real question at this point is whether he’ll ever collect that big win, or if WWE will feel compelled to call him up to the main roster sooner.
Gargano isn’t a prototypical fit for the main roster, as a smaller guy who doesn’t exactly look intimidating.
Based on how over he’s gotten in developmental, though, based on his truly exceptional in ring performance, it seems like his talent will be too much to deny. Maybe he won’t be a main eventer on the main roster, but he’s certainly going to get his call up before too long.
12 Push: Lio Rush
Lio Rush looked as though his career might suffer after some ill advised remarks on social media last year. When Triple H took over 205 Live, Rush may have been the biggest beneficiary as he was given a fresh start among the Cruiserweights, and an opportunity for his brash persona to shine.
Between being booked strongly in his early 205 Live appearances, and then teases of some sort of storyline with Bobby Lashley, Rush looks poised to make a big run at the Cruiserweight Championship. His new partnership with Bobby Lashley should also keep him somewhat relevant on television, at least for the next few months.
11 Burial: Drew Gulak
Drew Gulak has been featured as 205 Live’s top heel for most of the time since Enzo Amore left WWE. Gulak rose to the occasion, elevating his game on the mic, and consistently delivering at a very high level in the ring.
Gulak has failed in multiple challenges to Cruiserweight Champion Cedric Alexander, and it’s look increasingly unlikely WWE is ever going to pull the trigger on him winning the title. While Gulak could be the big beneficiary if other top 205 Live guys go down to injury, at this point, the only thing he looks poised for is to slide back down the card, his time in the spotlight expired.
10 Call-Up: Tommaso Ciampa
Tommaso Ciampa has been a revelation of a heel for NXT. After his white hot betrayal of #DIY tag team partner Johnny Gargano, Ciampa had the misfortune of going down to injury.
The real life time on the DL may have been the best thing for Ciampa, though, as the feud only gathered more heat while he recovered, and Ciampa came back in sensational shape.
His matches with Gargano to follow have been great, and Ciampa’s rejection of breaking kayfabe on social media, and not using ring music have only fed into a tremendously vile heel persona.
Ciampa was rewarded with an NXT Championship reign, and there’s plenty of reason to believe he’s main roster bound shortly after he drops that title.
9 Push: Big E
Big E was rumored for a push this summer. Whether management’s interest fizzled, plans changed, or his presence was simply needed with New Day (especially after Erick Rowan’s injury), that push never materialized, at least as expected in a singles run. New Day has remained a top act for the company, though, and it’s far from too late for Big E to get his big push.
Between his power, athleticism, and look, Big E has a lot of key tools.
Moreover, his work with New Day helped showcase his personality, and allowed him to establish a more organic connection with fans. New Day may not splinter, but we may yet see at least Big E pushed, not just as part of a tag team, but as a solo wrestler from a small stable.
8 Burial: Chad Gable
Chad Gable got over in NXT based on his remarkably fast paced flurries offense, technical prowess, and deceptive strength. His relatively small size makes him a natural for an underdog role. Unfortunately, when he and Jason Jordan didn’t thrive on the main roster, and Gable’s follow up pairing with Shelton Benjamin felt largely like a placeholder. Since moving to Raw, things have gotten even worse for the youngster as he has traded wins and losses with miscellaneous talent, only to most recently find himself in a makeshift partnership with Bobby Roode.
Ideally, Gable would transition to a mid-card title scene, but with Seth Rollins holding the Intercontinental Championship, Gable doesn’t look to have a place there. 205 Live might be a good destination for him, too, but it looks like WWE is going to keep misusing him on Raw at last a bit longer, continuing his unofficial burial, before he gets there.
7 Call-Up: Adam Cole
Adam Cole is one of the top stars in NXT today. While he is a good worker, Cole’s success is far more rooted in his big personality and organic connection with the audience.
Be it as the conniving heel character he plays now or as an undersized face, and whether he goes up solo or with his Undisputed Era faction, Cole has plenty of potential to succeed on the main roster. Dropping the North America championship to Ricochet may indicate WWE is tying up his NXT business to prep for a call-up. The question is how many Undisputed Era members would join.
6 Push: Authors of Pain
WWE doesn’t have the best track record when it comes to pushing NXT-established tag teams on the main roster, with pairs like The Revival and The Ascension mostly floundering and Gable and Jordan split up before they could do much of consequence.
The Authors of Pain have the potential to be the exception.
They’re not only sound workers, but big men with an imposing look.
The addition of a Drake Maverick as their manager demonstrates that WWE is committed to trying with them. Particularly with a paucity of credible tag teams on Raw, The AOP should be nicely situated to win gold going into the winter.
5 Burial: Titus O’Neil
Titus O’Neil is a legitimate athlete with a great look and tremendous enthusiasm. The one problem? He’s not a very good professional wrestler. His philanthropy and spokesperson work have helped shore up hid spot on the WWE roster. Moreover, his largely managerial role with Titus Worldwide was probably the best use for him. His hilarious botch at the Greatest Royal Rumble bought him a few months of good will. Nonetheless, even that seems to have run its course.
O’Neil may maintain his employment as a lower card job guy, but that’s probably about his best case scenario in the months to come.
4 Call-Up: Lars Sullivan
There’s a long standing perception that Vince McMahon likes his muscled up giants, both so he can feature larger than life stars as spectacle to the audience and because they’re, at least in theory, less likely to get injured. Lars Sullivan easily fits this mold as a giant with an intimidating look. Better yet, he has proven himself capable of working big matches, in challenging Aleister Black for the NXT Championship
One of the bigger tell tale signs Sullivan is moving up soon—he hasn’t been featured prominently in NXT as of late. The odds are we’ll see him on a Raw or SmackDown soon.
3 Push: Baron Corbin
When Baron Corbin got moved to Raw this spring, he looked like he might get lost in the shuffle as an upper mid-card guy without a clear direction. That WWE went to the trouble of appointing him to a kayfabe authority figure role proved that they still see something in him.
As a chosen one of The Authority, Corbin will remain relevant in storylines.
He may be in line for an in ring confrontation with Kurt Angle in particular, based on their interactions while co-presiding over Raw. Plus with Angle's current absence, it's been reported that his return opponent may be in fact Corbin.
2 Burial: The Singh Brothers
The Singh Brothers may be the ultimate right time, right place act on the contemporary WWE landscape. They hit their stride on the indies just in time to get noticed and have a shot on the Cruiserweight Classic. According to their interview on Chris Jericho’s podcast, they were sent down to NXT rather than getting to hang around for 205 Live. A big push for Jinder Mahal got them called back up to the main roster, though, to play his henchmen.
As Mahal’s stock had dropped, so too has the brothers’. They’ll be lucky to still be employed with WWE in another year, and there’s no reason to expect to see them winning.