NXT Call-ups: Who they are, how they will fare on the main roster, and why you should care

It's always a bittersweet moment when NXT call-ups are announced. On one hand, it's nice to see the superstar wrestlers moving onward and upward with their respective careers.

On the other hand, it does mean that those same superstar wrestlers will no longer be on NXT broadcasts. A long-running joke has been that WWE's developmental territories – from Ohio Valley Wrestling to Florida Championship Wrestling, to the NXT – have been more exciting than the so-called 'main' roster brands of Raw and Smackdown Live.

When beloved wrestlers move on, whether it be from a territory in the old days, to a brand or promotion in the modern era, fans are simultaneously joyous and saddened. It's been happening for as long as pro wrestling has been around. Sometimes, you just have to shuffle your talent.

Here are the six newest NXT call-ups, along with speculation about how they will fare on the main rosters in WWE.

#1 Lars Sullivan

Real Name: Dylan Miley

Years as a pro: 5

Wrestling Style: Smashmouth brawling mixed with high impact power moves.

Lars Sullivan was lucky enough to get on the radar of none other than Bobby Lashley, who recommended him to the WWE.

Sullivan made the most of his opportunity and has the advantage of being trained entirely in the WWE, meaning he has their style encoded into his wrestling moveset.

How will he fare on the main roster? Probably he will do quite well. Lars has the size, the power, and the look certainly sure, but it's his surprisingly articulate promos and interviews that really set him apart. Blending old-school grit with modern day intensity, Lars will probably be wearing gold around his waist before the end of 2019.

Why should the wrestling fans care? Lars is a relatively young talent with a lot of years ahead of him, and the WWE has invested heavily in his development. Expect to see him for a long time.

#2 Lacey Evans

Real Name: Macey Estrella

Years as a pro: 4

Wrestling Style: US standard worker, with some acrobatic flair and striking.

Lacey Evans is one tough lady. The NXT call-up is no stranger to high pressure, high-risk environments; She is a former US Marine and a member of the Special Reaction Team. That's like being a Marine times ten!

After five years in the service, she began dabbling in pro wrestling, actually working a match before she had been fully trained. She wound up working for the American Premier Wrestling league and finished her training under Tom Caiazzo.

Very quickly, Lacey got on the WWE's radar, and she was signed to a developmental deal. With appearances in the Mae Young Classic and being in title contention in NXT for much of the past year, she has demonstrated an ability to perform at a high level with aplomb.

How will she fare on the main roster? Things look good for Lacey. She's strong, athletic, and has excellent poise as if she has been wrestling a lot longer than she has. Lacey may not win gold before the end of the year, but she'll be featured prominently on television.

Why should the fans care? The WWE snatched up Lacey's contract when she was still relatively green, and pushed her into bouts with much more experienced women. This speaks well to her future with the company, and she has excellent potential for crossover appeal ala the Rock and John Cena.

#3 EC3

EC3, formerly of TNA/Impact and now headed to the main roster.

Real Name: Michael Hunter Hutter

Years as a pro: 16

Wrestling style: Scientific and technical, with some stiff striking and power moves for good measure.

By far the most experienced of the new class of NXT call-ups, Hutter seemed destined for greatness when he joined WWE's developmental brand Ohio Valley Wrestling and worked his way up the ranks quite quickly.

When OVW was transitioned to FCW, and then NXT, Hutter began to have issues with trainer Bill "Hugh Morris" DeMott. Despite WWE's supreme interest in developing Hutter, he wound up quitting because he and DeMott could not see eye to eye.

Hutter joined TNA/Impact, where he donned the EC3 moniker. Originally it was supposed to stand for Eric Carter the Third, as in Dixie Carter's protected nephew. Oddly, he kept the name even though he no longer works for Impact, albeit without referring to the Carter family connection any longer.

How will he fare on the main roster? The once and future king? EC3 has been on the WWE roster before and seemed full of potential. Whether or not he will fulfill that potential remains to be seen, but he has all the tools to do so.

Why should the fans care about him? EC3 has been in the sports entertainment game for a very long time, and his smoothness in the ring shows it. He still has some good years left in him if WWE takes advantage of him right.

#4 "All Night" Tucker Knight (Heavy Machinery)

Real Name: Levi Rolla Cooper

Years as a pro: 5

Wrestling Style: Given that he has a strong amateur wrestling background, you might expect a very scientific style. You'd be wrong. Tucker Knight devastates opponents with big power moves, taking advantage of his massive size.

At six foot three, and just under three hundred pounds, Tucker Knight has great size for the world of pro wrestling. He also has a strong amateur wrestling background, which may not mean as much to the fans as it does to the locker room but is still going to open doors for him.

Despite his potential, Knight is often thought of as the "Marty Jannetty" of Heavy Machinery, but only because Otis Dozovic is such a cult of personality.

How will he fare on the main roster? As a tandem with Otis in Heavy Machinery, we expect him to be dominant and probably capture gold. Should the two split up, he will definitely fare the worst of the duo.

Why should fans care about him? Tucker Knight is another example of a wrestler who has been taught exclusively the WWE style, which gives him an advantage moving forward. He's young, athletic, and barring injury should have a long and storied career.

#5 Otis "Dozer" Dozovic

Otis Dozovic holds up his 'mighty' opponent with apparent ease.

Real Name: Nikola Bogojevic

Years as a pro: 3

Wrestling Style: Power. Power. Power! However, he mixes in some flashy crowd-pleasing moves, like the Worm.

Otis Dozovic is one of the most unique wrestling talents to ever come down the pike. In fact, it's hard to find anyone to compare him to, past or present. He has the amateur wrestling acumen of men like Brock Lesnar and Kurt Angle, but given his massive frame and unbelievable strength, he tends to rely more on traditional wrestling power moves in the professional ring.

Despite Otis's seemingly ungainly bulk, he moves with a grace that belies his size. He is definitely the 'funny one' in the Heavy Machinery team.

How will he fare on the main roster? It's sink or swim time for Otis. Triple H is very, very, very high on Dozovic and sees him as a future world heavyweight champion. However, even Triple H admits that the main roster is Vince McMahon's sandbox, and if he doesn't like Otis's particular brand of charm it could be tough for him. Still, Heavy Machinery will wind up wearing gold on the main roster by the end of 2019, but if they split up he will either rise to the main event or sink to the mid-card.

Why should the fans care about him? Much like Rusev or Kenny Omega, Dozovic oozes a certain charm that makes fans like and care about him. Even if Vince McMahon is lukewarm on him initially, we're betting on Otis having a very long pro wrestling career.

#6 Nikki Cross

Real Name: Nicola Glenncross

Years as a pro: 10

Wrestling Style: Top notch brawler with technical and diving moves.

Nikki Cross has been one of the most beloved, albeit bizarre, members of the NXT roster since her debut in 2016. As the only woman tough and crazy enough to be part of the Sanity stable, she was so much of a powerful presence that she was left out of the group when they were called up, for fear she would overshadow her male cohorts.

The first ever WWE Last Woman Standing match took place between Cross and Asuka, and people are still singing its praises for brutality, tight execution, and storytelling. Cross was also heavily involved in the "Who ran down Aleistair Black?" angle on NXT, proof of the force of her personality.

How will she fare on the main roster? Rumors abound that Triple H kept Nikki Cross in NXT because he feared she would not do well on the main roster. However, with all due respect to The Cerebral Assassin, we believe Nikki's unique personality and smashmouth style will set her apart in the women's division.

Why should fans care about her? A relatively young ten-year veteran, Cross is going places in the red-hot WWE women's division. Her ability to sell storylines and angles will be just as valuable a commodity as her polished yet unpredictable wrestling style.

There you have it; The newest class of NXT call-ups, and why you should care about them.

Who are you excited to see on the main roster? Please comment and let us know, and as always thanks for reading!