NXT has recently been making bold moves with their talent. Miles Bourne was unexpectedly thrust into an NXT title match against OBA FEMI. Jacee Jane surprised everyone by defeating the rising star Stephanie Verker to become the NXT women’s champion during a regular episode. What’s happening?
These developments stem from recent roster cuts and LFG’s decisions. Now, it’s either about promoting talent to the main roster or quickly elevating them to make space for new prospects. Stephanie Vaquer has officially moved to the RAW brand. Jordyn Grace joins her, alongside Julia and Roxanne Perez, with the possibility of more to come. While this might seem like a significant gap in the women’s division, it’s not as severe as it appears. The division was already strong before Grace, Verker, and Julia arrived, although it took time to find its rhythm.
Jacee Jane has long stood out as the most powerful talent among the toxic charm group, being the main driving force in the ring. Mandy Rose and Gigi Dolin gained more recognition for their looks than wrestling ability. Though Rose improved considerably, she ultimately chose to focus on her fan appeal. Other talents like Cora Jade, Nikkita Lyons, and Lola Vice also leaned heavily on their image, but that hasn’t consistently translated into main event success. Jade is gone, while Lyons and Vice continue to struggle to break through. WWE now seems to prioritize the complete package, including wrestling skills, charisma, and reliability — exactly what women’s wrestling needs.
Jane’s title win was a surprise since she had never really been established as a top singles competitor before. She’s not the most technically skilled wrestler compared to Vaquer, Giulia, Perez, and Grace, who have spoiled fans with their performances. Still, Jane seized the moment and earned the victory with her confidence. Many expected Vaquer’s reign to last longer after her win over Grace at Battleground, but WWE clearly had different plans, and Jane wasn’t widely seen as a future leader in the division.
On the men’s side, things feel a bit more stagnant. Bourne got a chance due to a lack of reliable threats against Obafemi. Jasper Roy just had his debut match last week. Ethan Page has taken a prominent role as North American champion, competing against both main roster stars and TNA talent. Trick Williams holds the TNA world title amid frustrations about the company’s roster. The trio of Femi, Williams, and Page will be tough to dethrone, but that’s the NXT spirit — someone has to keep stepping up.
The midcard scene is mostly quiet, aside from the Tony D’Angelo vs. Stacks feud. The tag team division is rebuilding after the loss of Fraxiom. Currently, standout male talent is scarce, but hopes lie in TNA, AAA, LFG, Evolve, and Crossover to help fill the gaps.
However, these crossovers reduce time available for developing homegrown future stars. Unless WWE regularly features NXT talent alongside visiting stars from TNA or AAA, outsider influence, like Trick Williams’ title win, might become more common. Although no outsider has won a WWE title yet, Joe Hendry’s surprise match against Randy Orton marked a significant moment, showing WWE is willing to reward when appropriate.
This is why Triple H and Shawn Michaels are making bold booking decisions. Change is necessary. Maybe they waited too long to act with some names, but now they’re pushing full throttle. It’s always tough to see jobs lost, so more releases might occur before year-end. The transition from NXT to the main roster is accelerating, with the factors guiding NXT evolving quickly too.
There are more opportunities than ever for outside talent to make a name for themselves and sign with WWE. While this is great for newcomers, it complicates creative direction, juggling internal and external talent simultaneously. Some argue WWE is stretched thin, but the company never stops evolving. Triple H is leading the charge to make NXT the ultimate feeder system for RAW and SMACKDOWN.
What do you think about these sudden changes in NXT? Share your thoughts in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
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Fan Take: These swift shifts in NXT talent reflect WWE’s adaptive strategy, which can invigorate the product but create uncertainty for established stars. For TNA Wrestling fans, this could mean more cross-promotion opportunities and spotlight moments, potentially raising the profile of their favorite wrestlers on a bigger stage.
