5 Former NXT Stars WWE Wasted

For the past three years NXT has been the dominate force in the world of professional wrestling. Thanks to brilliant storyline's, division improvement, and phenomenal matches the WWE's developmental territory has now become it's own brand. Regular live specials, European tours, and arena sell outs, NXT is without question the biggest show in pro wrestling today. However, it has over the years seen many fantastic superstars both male and female failed by the WWE and today we are going to be taking an in depth look at some of those superstars. Listing five talents that the company completely wasted we are going to be taking a little trip down memory lane and there may just be a couple of stars you forgot were even apart of the WWE/NXT. This is a post that I have been interested in writing for quit some time now but I've never really gotten around to writing any notes and the actual post. Last week, however, I was watching a thew shows including Lucha Underground and TNA and all I could think about was just how badly I wanted to write this post so I hope you guys enjoy it! If you would like a part two than do let me know and if you would like to see the return of NXT Season than do also let me know. Before we get into to today's blog post I want to quickly mention that over the next couple of months you will start to see more post talking about the British Wrestling scene, Lucha Underground, TNA, and many more so look forward to that! Any recent blog posts will as usual be linked bellow including my most recent RAW Review and Reactions. Finally, you can have your say and tell me who witch NXT Superstars you think the WWE completely wasted by leaving a comment bellow or by tweeting me at @TezangiVictoria.

Sami Callihan 
A couple of years  back when I learnt that independent star Sami Callihan had been signed by the WWE I was left the happiest girl in the world! Being a long time fan I had seen Sami transform  so much over the years and seeing how hard he had worked throughout his career and personal life it was such an amazing thing seeing him finally arrive in the WWE. A young, promising guy with loads of experience and fan support, Sami Callihan was a man that had it all. I also have to mention that his history with Dean Ambrose was one of the things that left me most excited as the chances of a reunion only made me more and more delighted that he was now apart of the WWE. However, despite his popularity the WWE really did struggle with Sami right from the very start. He had several character changes and it took him much longer than expected for him to make his televised debut. I remember seeing videos and pictures online of Sami's work on the road with NXT at live events and just growing with anticipation to see his TV debut.Working under the name Solomon Crowe, Sami did eventually debut for NXT TV and as expected he was a fan favourite winning over the fans on his debut night. During his short time with NXT he was able to fit in a couple of very impressive performances/matches including a tag team match that saw him side with Adrian Neville  on an episode of NXT but it was never enough. The WWE never gave him the push we all expected and with men like Kevin Owens, Hideo Itami, Finn Balor and even Baron Corbin all making their impact and arriving on the scene he was just over shadowed and pushed to the side. Even though since leaving NXT Sami has gone on to achieve great things and compete in brilliant matches I have to say that I do really hope to see him make a return to the WWE at some point in his career because there truly is so much they could do with him and he would be the perfect fit in the new era. I have to also quickly say that his recent match up against Mark Haskins on British Wrestling Weekly was one of my favourite matches of the year so far and was the inspiration behind this blog post so defiantly go give that a watch over on What Culture!

Ethan Carter 
Now, I know this may be a cheeky entrant and I did spend a lot of time debating whether or not I should include this superstar but in the end I just could not leave him out. Ethan Carter other wise known as Derrick Bateman first came to our screens all the way back in two thousand and ten when he was a participant of Season Four of NXT where former Season one contestant Daniel Bryan took on the role a his mentor. Ethan had an interesting run during his time in NXT witch of course back then was a reality style game show based Wrestling competition where a number of talents from FCW would compete every week to earn the right to become a new active member of the WWE main roster. It was because of this that I wasn't sure whether or not to include Ethan. Everyone now associate  NXT with what it is today and so I wasn't sure if it was a good idea to do but I'm going to let this one slide because this list really wouldn't be complete without him. Now, while NXT was where Ethan first broke out he was nos stranger to the ring prior to his NXT arrival. Making his very very first TV debut back in two thousand and six Carter was featured on a couple of episodes of RAW working basic squash matches. He also spent a great deal of time working in Florida Championship Wrestling where his WWE career really did begin. However, despite the positive looking future things never went to plan. What was so strange is that Ethan really has always had it all, the body, the good looks, the charisma, the wrestling ability and the potential yet the WWE never gave him the push or the attention he truly deserved. Yes, he did have a couple of standout moments here and there and he always remained a promising talent but when you look back at what Ethan has achieved since joining TNA and what he is currently doing you have to look at the WWE and once again shake your head in disappointment. It's a shame that such a talented guy like Carter wasted so much. If they had spent more time with him and put more effort in Ethan working the character he has today could have been one of the most successful talents of this era.

Ivelisse 
Now, some of you may not remember or even know that current Lucha Underground star Ivelisse was once an NXT Superstar but I remember her work pretty well. Signing her developmental contract in November of two thousand and eleven Ivelisse began working under the ring name Sofia Cortez and would soon make an alliance with Paige were they worked as the "Anti Divas" and they actually were one of my favourites things going in Florida Championship Wrestling towards the end. Cortez wasn't always as strongly booked as Paige but she always managed to make an impact and her potential was as bright as anything. When FCW transformed into NXT Cortez and Paige went their separate ways working a brief feud which saw both women have their time in the spotlight. However, after some time Cortez began fading into the background and was released in two thousand and twelve. Since her release  she has spoken about her relationship with former head trainer, Bill DeMott . When her WWE career ended Cortez went on to carry on working in the wrestling world and has gone on to work in TNA, the independent scene and now is one of the hottest talents in Lucha Underground. Now, I personally am a huge huge fan of Ivelisse. You look at her and you see a star. She's a fantastic in ring performer, completely fearless, likeable, full of character, young, good looking, and full of potential. The WWE really did miss out on her and when you look at what she is doing now in Lucha Underground you once again have to be ashamed of the WWE for letting such a talent slip through their fingers. There is no doubt in my mind that if she stayed with NXT she would have been a mega star and would have played a huge role in the development of the women's division. Sasha Banks VS Ivelisse is still a huge dream match of mine. I mean come on, can you imagine how epic that would be!?

Bull Dempsey
Bull Dempsey was another superstar I wasn't sure whether or not to include in this blog post. While I was a big fan of his I know plenty of people just never got it with him and never jumped on board and with so many other superstars that could have featured on this list I wasn't sure what to do. But I had to go with my gut and I really wanted to feature Dempsey so here goes. Bull Dempsey; young, very talented, easy to market, and possessing extremely great potential, why the WWE did not push this guy to the moon and back I don't know. I think the issue once again falls to this expectation that NXT should be full of hugely big indie stars like Finn Balor and Kevin Owens. Now, I love having these guys apart of NXT, they are what making the brand that much more special but in the mix of it all so many people seem to forget that NXT is a developmental brand and the whole point of it is to prepare the stars of the future. It's the place for them to experiment, improve, develop and see what works. Bull Dempsey was the perfect example of that. When he first arrived on the scene the WWE were getting things right with him but a fall in his feud with Baron Corbin left Dempsey struggling to get back on track and a change in character saw the down full of Dempsey. Personally, I wouldn't have changed Bull. The character that he first had did need work but it could have been a great addition to both NXT and the WWE main roster. If the had put the effort in and made the things work than he would have been fine and I do think that he would have been able to have had a solid career. I do think that the British scene is something that will perfectly fit Dempsey as I have mentioned before and I would love to see him now come over here and do some work.

Chris Hero
The release of Chris Hero is something I'm very very passionate about. Yet another extremely extremely talented superstar known to the independent scene the WWE completely wasted. I remember when I first set eyes on Chris Hero; completely captivated and interested this was a man

that I as a young fan knew was going to be a big deal right from that very moment. His ring presence, skill and ability was something that could not be taught and when he arrived in the WWE I could not be happier and more interested. Throughout his time with the WWE he competed in a handful of fantastic matches that to this day I still think about, talk about, and re-watch. Stepping in the ring with likes of Cesaro, William Regal, and Seth Rollins the then known Kassius Ohno was making a mark in the company and looked to be growing into one of the most promising talents in developmental. You looked at him while he did not look like you typical WWE Superstars such as Randy Orton and John Cena he was an interesting character and a phenomenal in ring talent,anyone could see that he was a star. You can still watch some of his greatest NXT matches if you look hard enough on the internet and I would seriously advise that you do so if you haven't already done so or have never heard of him before. When you think about the stupid reasons WWE were not high on Hero you can't help but be extremely frustrated. Their have been plenty of superstars who haven't had the best bodies that have gone on to achieve great things, take Foley for example and so to this day I find myself still so mad that they Hero go. You look at the roster now and you can only imagine the phenomenal matches and feuds we could have seen Chris Hero compete in. Imagine the fantastic matches and feuds he would deliver against the likes of AJ Styles, Seth Rollins, John Cena, Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, Finn Balor and so so man more. WWE, you fucked up.

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