NXT is the developmental brand of the WWE, otherwise known as the stomping grounds for future stars in the industry. Those who make it big and succeed in NXT likely have a better chance of a call-up to the main roster. Some take less than a year, while others take a little more seasoning before they are ready.
To date, there are 37 male wrestlers and 26 female wrestlers on the active roster. This count also includes names from the TNA and Evolve rosters, and will soon include LFG winners Tyra Mae and Jasper Troy, who will one day join the ranks. For the purpose of this list, we’ll focus on those currently participating on the live shows.
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The criteria will be simple when determining who are the ones most ready for a main roster call-up. Length of time with NXT, achievements, and impact on the show will all be considered, and the list will include ten names in total — five men and five women.
10Tatum Paxley
The Misfit With Nowhere Else To Go
August 03, 2025
NXT Record
46 Wins, 73 Losses, 2 Draws
Achievements
#141 of 250 Female Wrestlers in PWI Women’s 250 (2024)
Tatum Paxley is a name that continues to receive a ton of praise for her in-ring work and unique character. A misfit by nature, Paxley plays off the eerie character quite well, and her mood can change from cheery to destructive, depending on who she talks to.
Paxley joined NXT in early 2022 and quickly demonstrated her capabilities in the ring. A solid worker from bell to bell, and a character the fans could latch onto and cheer, it wouldn’t be long before Paxley became a fan favorite.
Debuting in a tag team match with Ivy Nile, the duo picked up a big win over Fallon Henley and Kayla Inlay, and won two of their first three matches as a team.
Despite failing to reach championship gold in her three-year run, Paxley is still a tremendous talent. In 2024, she was recognized as one of the top 250 female wrestlers in the Pro Wrestling Illustrated Women’s 250, recognizing her character work and in-ring ability.
Currently, Paxley has lost both her friends, Gigi Dolin and Shotzi, leaving her in a peculiar position in NXT. Her current storyline has left her in shambles, and with not much else to do other than backstage vignettes and meltdowns. Perhaps it’s time to give the main roster mid-card division a boost with some fresh talent.
9Tony D’Angelo
It’s Time For The Don To Move On
June 09, 2025
80 Wins, 33 Losses, 2 Draws
#182 of 500 Singles Wrestlers in PWI 500 (2022)
NXT North American Championship (1 time)
NXT Heritage Cup (1 time)
NXT Tag Team Championship (2 times)
Tony D’Angelo has a lot of things going for him during his nearly four-year tenure in NXT. Known as the Don and the head of The D’Angelo Family, Tony is more than a mafia kingpin gimmick and some fun backstage promos.
After just a year with the promotion, D’Angelo’s work was recognized by the PWI 500 list, placing him at 182nd. He’s also had two decent tag team championship runs with Channing “Stacks” Lorenzo, a Heritage Cup win, and was also responsible for taking down Oba Femi and putting an end to a historic North American Championship title reign.
D’Angelo has proven that he can put on a good show with some of the more experienced members of the NXT roster. His short feud with Shawn Spears is a great example of that, and despite his size disadvantage against Femi, D’Angelo never looks weak or out of place against a superior opponent.
After dropping the NXT North American Championship and engaging with Stacks, who turned his back on the family, D’Angelo’s time on NXT may be coming to an end.
His mafia persona may need some tuning down to avoid coming off as cartoonish, but his promo work and style in-ring would blend well with some of the talent on the main roster.
8Lash Legend
The Boujee Bully Will Be A Threat
August 23, 2025
48 Wins, 79 Losses, 1 Draw
Appeared in the 2025 Royal Rumble
It shouldn’t take much to convince any wrestling fan why Lash Legend is a main-roster talent. It’s not a matter of if she’ll make it there, but when, and that time may be coming. Simply put, there isn’t anyone quite like Legend, whether it’s in NXT or on the Raw or SmackDown brands.
Her win/loss record and lack of achievements may look underwhelming on paper, but when you peel back the layers and see her actual work in the ring, that’s where you’ll find the true value of her work. Legend was great in her tag team with Kiara Jackson, and as part of the Meta 4, the faction was always up for a challenge.
Unfortunately, with both Jackson and Oro Mensah parting ways, this leaves Legend and Noam Dar as the last remaining members of the Meta 4. It may take some more time to develop her in-ring work as a singles' competitor, but Legend has the strength, willpower, and charisma to win a crowd over.
She took part in the most recent Royal Rumble event, has picked up and bodyslammed Otis, and can be a real threat to any championship she sets her focus on. The real question will be whether the main roster is ready to have a talent like Lash Legend in the fold.
7Ethan Page
Destroy The Main Roster With A Smile
June 19, 2025
20 Wins, 17 Losses, 0 Draws
#75 of 500 Singles Wrestlers in PWI 500 (2024)
NXT Championship (1 time)
Coming in as the oldest but most experienced wrestler on this list is “All Ego” Ethan Page, and that shouldn’t surprise anyone. In terms of mileage, Page has everyone beat on this list by a country mile, and his body of work is proof that hard work pays off.
It was a shock to see Page show up in NXT after his somewhat public dismissal from AEW made waves on the internet. Naturally, Page fit in, bringing his egotistical personality to NXT and proving he was all bite and no bark by winning the NXT Championship in his third appearance on the brand.
Page was also considered a top-75 talent worldwide in 2024 by PWI, and has a reputation for being both a good singles and tag team wrestler. Page has represented countless promotions as a tag team champion with Josh Alexander, and on one occasion with Cody Rhodes, and can no doubt be a formidable member on either Raw or SmackDown.
When you mix great in-ring work with a solid promo and excellent character work, you solidify your chances of being called up to the main roster. In fact, it’s almost a surprise that he hasn’t gotten that chance sooner.
Career Potential Brighter Than The Sun
June 27, 2025
48 Wins, 44 Losses, 0 Draws
#107 of 250 Female Wrestlers in PWI Women’s 250 (2024)
PWI Rookie of the Year (2023)
NXT Women’s North American Championship (1 time)
WWE Women’s Speed Championship #1 Contender Tournament (2025)
WWE Women’s Speed Championship (1 time)
Sol Ruca is quickly proving just how good she is by not only being a champion on NXT, but on the main roster too — sort of. In terms of pure accomplishments, it’s quite remarkable what Ruca has done in under three years with the NXT brand.
Bringing to the table a Californian surfer style and one of the most unique finishing moves on the show, Ruca has quickly turned her character into one fans truly enjoy seeing every week. Recognized by PWI by not only earning the PWI Rookie of the Year in 2023, but also earning the 107th spot in the Women’s 500 listing, one year later.
Ruca is also a one-time NXT Women’s North American Champion and a one-time WWE Women’s Speed Champion, making her a double champion while competing on two different levels. Sure, WWE Speed is a social media-style event, but the championship gold on her shoulder is very much a real thing.
At just 25 years of age, Ruca has an extremely bright future ahead of her, and the company’s trust in putting two championships on her is a great sign of that. She can be slotted in anywhere on the card and be a true competitor, no matter the role she’s given.
5Ricky Saints
The Revolution Will Continue To Be Televised
June 17, 2025 (Current run: June 19, 2025)
5 Wins, 1 Loss, 0 Draws
#92 of 500 Singles Wrestlers in PWI 500 (2020)
Similar to Ethan Page, Ricky Saints came over from AEW and instantly made an impact in NXT. Only in his case, Saints was one of those shocking moments that caught everyone off guard, simply due to the fact that his release from his former company happened not too long ago.
Known previously as Ricky Starks, Saints is an extremely gifted wrestler and talker, as evidenced by his work in the short time he’s been in NXT. Despite the fact that NXT is a developmental brand, Saints needs no further improvement, as his character and ring work are almost second to none. He’s a confident guy, and everybody knows it.
His run in AEW ended quite abruptly, with a memorable promo that turned almost shoot with Adam “Edge” Copeland, followed by his inability to get any time on TV after that. Following his release, the WWE wasted no time getting him over and making him a champion on the NXT brand.
Saints is currently the NXT North American Champion, so he’ll likely be in NXT for some time, but don’t expect it to be forever. Saints is one of the best talkers in NXT, and could no doubt cut a good promo against some of the best on the main roster.
4Jaida Parker
Ms. Parker’s Time Is Quickly Approaching
July 20, 2025
31 Wins, 31 Losses, 2 Draws
#90 of 250 Female Wrestlers in PWI Women’s 250 (2024)
It’ll be Jaida Parker’s time soon enough, and it’s about time people quit playing with her. With one of the best charisma levels in NXT and continuously improving in the ring, Parker is a sure-bet to be included on the main roster within the next calendar year.
Similar to Lash Legend, Parker hasn’t tasted championship gold on the NXT roster yet, but that doesn’t mean her run hasn’t been successful. With PWI placing her in the top 100 of the 250 female wrestlers list, it really is indicative of just how much she’s grown within the last two years.
The Royal Rumble appearance is also a clear sign that the company has big plans for her. They don’t just give out Rumble appearances to anyone, and the fact that names like Parker and Legend both got that opportunity means there’s a road map, and it’s up to them to follow it.
At just 26, Parker is on track to be a big-time player on the main roster, sooner rather than later. She has aspirations of becoming a champion, and that opportunity may be reserved for when she gets called up to one of the two big shows.
3Trick Williams
It’s Finally Time To Whoop That Trick
81 Wins, 46 Losses, 3 Draws
#28 of 500 Singles Wrestlers in PWI 500 (2024)
NXT Championship (2 times)
Men’s Iron Survivor Challenge (2023)
When his music hits the speakers, it’s clear just how over Trick Williams is in NXT. You would be hard-pressed to find someone as charismatic and engaged with an audience as Williams is, and that has translated into the main roster already.
While he remains in NXT and is already a two-time NXT Champion, Williams has made an appearance on an episode of SmackDown, making the save for Carmelo Hayes. The beauty of this one-off appearance was that the SmackDown crowd was chanting “Whoop That Trick” for Williams, a chant that has gotten over on NXT, but wasn’t expected to carry over to the main roster the way it did.
PWI also listed Williams as the 28th best singles wrestler of 2024, ahead of notable names like Randy Orton, AJ Styles, Rey Mysterio, and Bron Breakker. Yes, Williamsisthat good, and it’s about time he gets his chance on the main roster and shows his worth.
A theme song that can get the crowd pumped up, an in-ring style and finisher that are both exciting, and let’s not mention the fact that Williams isn’t a bad talker either. His main roster push will likely happen in 2025, and he’ll be instantly pushed as one of the future stars of the business.
2Stephanie Vaquer
La Primera Is Already A Main Event Talent
July 30, 2025
32 Wins, 4 Losses, 1 Draw
#5 of 250 Female Wrestlers in PWI Women’s 250 (2024)
NXT Women’s Championship (1 time)
Slammy Award - Breakout Superstar of the Year (2025)
Stephanie Vaquer was a main roster wrestler before she even stepped foot in NXT. In fact, her current run in the developmental brand feels almost like courtesy over protocol, as she’s been instantly shot up to the main event and made to be the number-one star on the NXT brand.
By the time Vaquer was 30, she had already become a multi-time World Champion across several brands, including CMLL, Guerreros de la Lucha Libre, IWC Legacy, and New Japan Pro Wrestling. It seemed like anywhere she went, the promotion trusted her to be their star, and the same could be said for her current run in NXT.
In less than 50 matches, Vaquer became a double champion, holding both the NXT Women’s Championship and NXT Women’s North American Championship, and is one of the biggest draws in the promotion. She was also named the 5th best women’s wrestler worldwide in 2024 by PWI, and earned the 2025 Breakout Superstar of the Year by WWE.
The crazy thing is, despite her call-up not being finalized just yet, Vaquer has already made several appearances on the main roster, including a Royal Rumble appearance and a one-on-one match against Iyo Sky, the Women’s World Heavyweight Champion. That re-match will happen this year, once Vaquer is a full-fledged member of the main roster.
A Future Main Roster World Champion
July 29, 2025
52 Wins, 18 Losses, 1 Draw
#53 of 500 Singles Wrestlers in PWI 500 (2024)
NXT Men’s Breakout Tournament (2023)
Men’s Iron Survivor Challenge (2024)
NXT Year-End Award - Match of the Year (2024) – vs. Josh Briggs and Dijak
NXT Year-End Award - Male Superstar of the Year (2024)
There was never any doubt who the number-one spot belonged to, and that honor goes to Oba Femi. Currently, the NXT Champion, Oba Femi, is a phenomenon that cannot be denied.
In less than three years, Femi has stockpiled accomplishments in NXT like they’re going out of style. His run as the longest reigning NXT North American Champion was followed up in quick succession by becoming the NXT Champion. He was named Male Superstar of the Year by NXT, and earned Match of the Year honors for his triple threat bout with Josh Briggs and Dijak.
In terms of presentation, there’s nobody like Oba Femi, on either NXT or the main roster. Simply put, he’s a physical specimen and an intimidating figure when he enters the ring. The atmosphere changes when Femi is wrestling, and there’s always the feeling that nobody can stop him.
2025 should be a big year of NXT call-ups, and Femi will be the headliner beside Stephanie Vaquer. Names like these two, along with Trick Williams and some of the younger stars in NXT will not only change the WWE landscape, it will set up the next decade of competitive wrestling and create stars in the industry that fans will talk about for a long, long time.
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