The Role Players are Just as Important
Sanity is going to play a large part on the mid card development of many talents, including guys like No Way Jose, Roderick Strong, Aleister Black and even Oney Lorcan. With the departure of Tye Dillinger, it opens up a spot for someone to take advantage of their natural and genuine connection with the NXT Universe. Who will step up to the plate and take it?
Black is an intriguing character. Right now, he is going to be embraced with cheers and applause. His entrance is fantastic. His look is different and he will automatically garner a reaction every time he sits in the ring. He might not pander to the crowd, but they will connect with him and make him a star. The guy is a technical and physical presence that is hard to duplicate.
As for the other “non main-event” stories, look no further than a continued feud with Ember Moon and Asuka. Asuka is still in a perfect situation, waiting for her time to strike on the main roster. I expect her to appear there sometime around SummerSlam, while WWE needs to find the answer to her replacement. Will Billie Kay and Peyton Royce try to duplicate what Charlotte and Sasha Banks did years ago? Will they let Ember Moon take the reigns? How about Ruby Riot and Nikki Cross? As you can tell, they have talent but none near the level of expertise in the ring like Asuka. Time will tell if this will change.
The Tag Team division is the most interesting to me. With no TM-61 for a while, #DIY and The Authors of Pain are set for another few months of feuding. Who better than Ciampa and Gargano to get the best out of these large athletes? (Spoiler: Not Kanyon). With the arrival of Heavy Machinery, you get strong and old school looking wrestlers looking to make a statement. With their Greco-Roman wrestling background, they could be a project that needs additional time to make into “entertainers.” I hope they connect, but I would also like to see Ford and Dawkins get an opportunity to showcase their athleticism. Seeing them in a live event at the University of Miami, they can certainly use the exposure to gain confidence. The gimmick is there, but there needs to be more to them that meets the eye.
