Falls Count Anywhere: Who’s NeXT? (Charlotte, Kevin Owens, NXT)

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Last week I got a little bit side tracked. I wanted to talk about the NXT guys who had the best chance to succeed in the WWE once they were called up to the main roster. I ended up writing about the guys from NXT that would most likely fail if they got called up. They would fail not because of their own actions, but because of mismanagement by WWE. But enough with all the negativity. Lets think positive for once. Not everyone in NXT is ill equipped for what the WWE thinks a “sports entertainer” should be. So, for your literary entertainment, I present to you, the top NXT stars who could have a big impact on the main roster, and hopefully sooner rather than later, because they deserve it.

Charlotte

Charlotte has the potential to revolutionize the Diva’s division, much the same way Lita and Chyna did before her. She is like no other Diva on the current roster. Whereas Chyna had the power no one had ever seen from a female wrestler before, and Lita had the athleticism and daredevil nature that made her unique, Charlotte has a combination of size, athleticism and technical ability no Diva, past or present can match. She could beat you with her technical ability just as easily as she could dominate you with her size. And her size comes with a certain femininity that former female wrestlers of her size lacked in the past. Lets be honest, the WWE doesn’t let their more powerful female wrestlers display their femininity too often. Chyna, Jazz, and Kharma are just a few examples of female wrestlers of the past that were billed more as physical freaks than good female wrestlers. Hell, I think Chyna wrestled more men in her career than women.  Charlotte has the potential to not only change the way female wrestling looks in the ring with her technical wrestling and athleticism, but she can change it with her looks as well. Charlotte can prove, once and for all, that a big female wrestler can be a WWE Diva.

Enzo & Cass

I know a lot of people view the certified stud and his 7 foot tall partner as no more than a comedy act. And I fear that if WWE called them up, Vince would view them the same way. But, CB40 commented in last week’s Falls Count Anywhere that Enzo & Cass could be used as a newer version of HBK & Diesel. I was thinking more along the lines of the original DX myself(especially if you include Carmella), but the premise is the same. Enzo is good on the mic while Cass can serve as the muscle of the duo. Now, I know there is only one HBK, but I think Enzo has the charisma you look for in a top guy. Is he the greatest in the ring? Of course not, but that can be improved upon. The most difficult thing to teach a young wrestler is how to connect with the audience. Enzo has that ability, and it looks like it comes so naturally to him. It doesn’t seem forced or scripted, even though he says pretty much the same thing every time out. Much like Chris Jericho, Enzo can have the audience cheering for him one minute, and booing him the next. That is not easy. And Cass as the muscle, there to protect Enzo at all costs, works for me. His size alone is enough to get him a shot on the main roster. I don’t want to see them become a comedy tag team, only existing to fill 5 minutes on a 3 hour Raw. These guys can bring the comedy, it’s a big part of what makes them entertaining, but they can be a serious in ring threat as well. Add in Carmella for the female component, and you have the makings of a great faction, the closest you can get to a modern day DX in the PG era of WWE.

Kevin Owens

What’s not to like about Kevin Owens? This guy has it all. He has the size WWE looks for. He is a no nonsense tough guy who just wants to go out there, every night, and kick someone’s ass. And for a big guy, he can really move. He can beat you just as easily with a power bomb or a swanton bomb. But the best part about Kevin Owens is his ability to tell a story in the ring. He can play the face or the heel(although I think he is much better as a heel), and he is very good at pacing a match the way it needs to be paced to tell the story that needs to be told. Too many young guys are only concerned with nailing the big spot, and not thinking about if that spot works at that time. Owens’ ability to tell a story in the ring comes from the vast amount of experience he gained working the indys for so many years. While there are some things he needs to work on, like showing a little more versatility on the mic, he is probably the guy in NXT who is most ready to step up to the main roster and make an immediate impact.

Finn Balor

Finn Balor is a special talent. Besides the obvious, like a good look and his in ring ability, Balor has that IT factor. He has a natural presence about him. I don’t know if it is confidence or cockiness, but every time his music hits, I feel like something big is about to happen. Everything from his theme, to his slow, methodical entrance, to his war paint during the live specials, works for me. I feel like if I blink I might miss something special. And that is all before the bell even rings. Once the match starts, his in ring work is brilliant. His offense looks great and he knows how to sell when he has to, which is becoming a lost art. There are too many matches that look like stunt shows instead of fights. Guys get hit with moves that look like they should devastate an opponent, and the victim just pops right up. Balor knows how to make an opponents weak moves look weak, and strong moves look strong. Too many young guys don’t know how to do that(I’m looking at you, Roman). Balor reminds me a little bit of Jeff Hardy. He doesn’t have to have a great promo to tell a great story. He can sell when he needs to, but can hit you with a wide variety of offensive moves.

So, we are going to get to see Balor v Ownes for the NXT Championship pretty soon. I hope one day we get to see them main event WrestleMania. I would pay to see that.