DeMarco: Top 5 Fears About WWE NXT 2.0 After WrestleMania Weekend

After WrestleMania season dies down, it’s time to look at WWE NXT 2.0, which could see changes in the coming months. Are they ready? Greg DeMarco has some concerns.

WWE NXT 2.0 was always going to be a big more fluid, but we could be embarking on a very fluid period for the paint splattered WWE developmental brand. And that has me worried.

Worried about what? Read on and see!

Are Fans Turning On Bron Breakker?

Bron Breakker opened up the first WWE NXT 2.0 after Stand & Deliver, and the fans were…not welcoming their hero. Quite the contrary, they were chanting “We Want Ziggler!” and Bron didn’t have the wherewithal (or the freedom?) to respond, he just had to pause, and stick to the script. On top of that, when Gunther came out, they didn’r react nearly as much. Now, Imperium changed their music, and the old music definitely got a reaction.

Hopefully this crowd was an anomaly, because the NXT crowds have tended to be positive for anyone not named MSK. All WrestleMania weekend we didn’t have the snarky crowd–it was mostly the WWE loyal mainstream fanbase.

Regardless, Bron didn’t get called up (I expect it in the fall), and he’s moving on to a feud with Joe Gacy. Can he keep the crowd behind him? Or is the NXT faithful treating him like Roman Reigns?

Where is Roderick Strong?

I know Roderick Strong is currently active in NXT UK, pushing a mini feud with Ilja Dragunov. But he’s been out of sight, out of mind in NXT 2.0, to the point where there is no mention of him when Diamond Mine is on screen. That is most concerning.

What if Roderick Strong returns to the states and gets called up to the main roster? Is he Drew Gulak? Akira Tozawa? Or is he Daniel Bryan? Well, his promo skills aren’t Daniel Bryan–he needs a mouthpiece. Is there one to give him? Can he get over?

I’m torn, and that’s rough as Roderick Strong has long been one of my favorites dating back to 2005 Ring Of Honor. But he might be on the brink of a main roster run, or closer than we think to a 90 day vacation that ends in Jacksonville and the Undisputed Elite.

Can The Call-Ups Be Successful?

It seems likely that several talents will be called up. We have Imperium–probably just Gunther and Marcel Barthel after this week’s NXT 2.0. You also have the likelihood that Dakota Kai and Raquel Gonzales move to the main roster as well. Finally, what about an LA Knight, who is turning 40 later this year.

Imperium had a great chance for main roster success, but the loss of Fabian Aichner could be a bigger deal than we think. He was the workhorse of the group, and carried the promos as well. And will Imperium have the same intimidation on TV? Gunther is 6’4″, huge by independent and NXT standards. On the main roster? Sheamus is 6’3″, Baron Corbin is 6’8″. Gunther is a special talent, but will what makes him special work on Raw or Smackdown?

Dakota Kai and Raquel Gonzales can easily see early success as a tag team on the main roster–a place with so few women’s tag teams. They would likely win the titles and fly under the radar for a bit, and could have a long reign. But then what? Same deal–they break up, and Raquel becomes the star.

What if they don’t win the titles at all? How did that go for Tegan Nox and Shotzi Blackheart?

There is no guarantee that LA Knight will be called up to the main roster. But why not? The man is going to be 40 years old this year, and when he has a mic in his hand he makes everyone else in 2.0 appear amateur. He’s main roster ready, and has been for years. If he’s given the chance, he can easily get over and have a run before it’s too late. But is he even being called up? We will know soon enough.

What’s Going On With Fabian Aichner?

Fabian Aichner is an unsung hero of NXT 2.0. He’s been carrying Imperium both as the workhorse in the ring and when cutting promos. He’s 31 years old, so he does have some time. My biggest fear is what happens after he’s without Imperium. What’s his gimmick? Does he go back to randomly wearing a vest? Does he get to maintain the same stature and attitude he had while serving The Ring General?

He’s essentually a more charismatic Cesaro, and with the right push (and maybe a manager–but it’s not 100% necessary), he could be a big success. I would love to see him get a run with Bron Breakker and a run with the NXT Championship.

Will he? Once again…time will tell.

Are The New “Top Guys” Ready?

I could have listed Carmelo Hayes (with Trick Williams) among those getting called up, but I think we’ll see him back in a few weeks. He has top guy potential, and while I think he was turned heel too soon, I do think he’s ready.

Grayson Waller is in the perfect place in NXT. He has it all, just needs to be given time to be ready. The gimmick, the heavy–it all works. Just don’t rush it.

Toxic Attraction is money–another act not to mess with. I could see them getting drafted in October, and then I would worry. But this is Mandy Rose’s best work by far, and if kept together they can be a force on Raw or Smackdown.

Santos Escobar and Legado Del Fantasma are a strange case for me. I would have assumed they get moved up, but instead we seem to be headed to a showdown with Tony D’Angelo. Escobar is 37, so his clock has to be ticking as well. I have high hopes–we’ll see.