9 Forgotten RAW and SmackDown Superstars who could move to NXT in the WWE Draft

It's almost time for the WWE Draft to begin on Friday Night SmackDown and as always, it's a chance for overlooked stars to get a new beginning. This time, with NXT on live television, it will bring a new angle to the draft.

Which overlooked RAW and SmackDown Superstars could move to NXT for a new beginning? Finn Balor is already present as one of their top stars, but which forgotten stars could join him?

#9 Rusev (and Lana)

Rusev really needs a change to kickstart his career again

One Superstar WWE have repeatedly dropped the ball on is Rusev. They didn’t capitalize on Rusev’s momentum and he was an afterthought after his loss against John Cena at WrestleMania. Despite entering the arena on a tank and being built up as a monster heel in the year before the match, WWE did nothing to get Rusev back on track afterward.

After one terrible romantic storyline involving Summer Rae and Dolph Ziggler, Lana is now once again with Bobby Lashley in what looks like another uninspired storyline. Rusev had a ton of momentum behind him at the end of last year when the Rusev Day chant took over but WWE did more to subdue it than to capitalize and push Rusev.

Moving back to the storyline involving Bobby Lashley, it just doesn’t work in the current day and age. Fans know very well that Rusev and Lana are happily married. Rusev looks to be in the best shape of his career and it’s all getting wasted right now.

The best thing WWE could do for Rusev and Lana now is to scrap the Lashley storyline right away and move them back down to NXT to build them back up. Rusev would immediately slot in as one of the top heels on the black and yellow brand and would bring a ton of television experience with him to help the younger stars on the NXT roster.

#8 The Ascension

The Ascension never got the chance to truly shine on the main roster after an impressive initial run in NXT

When you talk about forgotten WWE Superstars, one tag-team that hasn’t been on television for so long that they've been completely overlooked is The Ascension. You’d be forgiven for forgetting that Konnor and Viktor were one of the most dominant tag-teams in the history of NXT before it all went wrong on the main roster.

Konnor and Viktor held the NXT Tag-Team Championships for 364 days, which is still the 4th longest tag title reign in the history of NXT. It isn’t hard to decipher that WWE have absolutely no plans for the duo on the main roster so the only logical thing to do would be to send them to NXT to give them a chance to revive their careers.

Even if The Ascension doesn’t regain the momentum they had years ago on NXT, they can still be used as an experienced developmental talent who can help bring through WWE’s younger tag-teams.

#7 Sin Cara

Sin Cara needs a change to help rejuvenate his WWE career

Sin Cara, the former Hunico, hasn’t really done much since the Lucha Dragons broke up. However, it’s worth remembering that he had a successful run in WWE NXT where the Lucha Dragons are former NXT Tag-Team Champions.

Sin Cara hasn’t really done much at all on WWE television since WrestleMania 34 last year. He tried to connect with Andrade ‘Cien’ Almas following WrestleMania 34 but that storyline didn’t go anywhere. A knee injury in August didn’t help matters for Sin Cara and he only returned to television in March this year. Sin Cara then competed in the battle royale at WWE Super ShowDown.

Main roster creative has no plans for Sin Cara and moving him from SmackDown to RAW in the upcoming draft won’t really change anything for him. The only hope he has of reviving his WWE career will be if he’s drafted to NXT but even then it could be a long shot, looking at how stacked the NXT roster is right now.

It will be sink or swim for Sin Cara in NXT but it’s still the best option for him right now.

#6 Naomi

Naomi could be ready to return to action later this year

Naomi hasn’t been on WWE television for a while now, her last big match coming at Money In The Bank where she was part of the women’s ladder match. She recently took to Twitter to explain why she hasn’t been in the ring, stating that she had to deal with the death of a loved one as well as her own health issues. However, she should be back soon and an ideal spot for her would be to be drafted from RAW to NXT on Wednesday nights.

Naomi would be a big draw for the black and yellow brand as she is a former women’s champion and also an experienced and popular performer. The NXT women’s division could do with a couple of big names right now for the NXT Women’s title scene and Naomi would easily slot in as a credible future challenger for Shayna Baszler’s title.

Naomi doesn't need to beat Baszler for the title but just facing the Queen of Spades will further cement the legacy of the NXT Women's Champion.

#5 Apollo Crews

Apollo Crews is another Superstar who WWE creative hasn't done anything for

One WWE Superstar who was called up to the main roster too soon was Apollo Crews. Apollo is a talented performer but he needed more time on the black and yellow brand to reach the next level as a performer. WWE creative called him up at a time when they had no plans for him.

Apollo has hardy had any memorable matches on the main roster and the only proper storyline he was involved in was with Titus Worldwide which ended up going nowhere. Apollo’s appearances on RAW have been few and far between but he was featured on this week’s episode where he lost to Ricochet in a Draft showcase match.

WWE creative clearly either don’t know what to do with Apollo or don’t want to do anything with him. As someone who still has a ton of potential, the time is right for Apollo to get drafted to Wednesday nights where he will actually get a chance to showcase what he brings to the table.

It’s a lot better than sitting in catering most weeks on RAW, something that shouldn’t be happening to a Superstar as talented as Apollo Crews.

#4 Shelton Benjamin

Shelton Benjamin's tag-team with Chad Gable did not really work out

Regardless of how Shelton Benjamin’s current run in WWE has gone, the World’s Greatest Tag-Team (with Charlie Haas) were one of the best teams of their era. As far as his return since 2016 has gone, Shelton Benjamin hasn’t really done much apart from the odd match here and there. Benjamin teamed up with Chad Gable early on after his return but the duo couldn’t even reach American Alpha’s level.

Benjamin is still on the SmackDown brand and he does wrestle from time to time but is mostly used as enhancement talent. Even though Benjamin isn’t at the level he was earlier on in his career, the man still has a lot to offer and it’s a shame that he’s wasting away on SmackDown.

A move to RAW wouldn’t really help Benjamin’s situation right now so the best thing to do would be to move him to NXT. Benjamin will have a lot to offer in NXT both as a performer and someone who could help bring along less experienced stars.

#3 Aiden English

Aiden English has transitioned to commentary since the end of his partnership with Rusev

Aiden English’s most memorable moments in WWE NXT came as part of The Vaudevillains along with Simon Gotch. The duo even won the NXT Tag-Team Championships once, defeating Blake and Murphy at the first NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn.

The Vaudevillains debuted on the episode of SmackDown following WrestleMania 32 but success on the main roster never arrived. The appearances became sporadic before Gotch was released by WWE in April 2017. English transitioned into a singles star and helped get ‘Rusev Day’ over after the duo were paired together.

This was the most success English had and his appearances became sporadic again after his pairing with Rusev was disbanded.

English now does commentary on 205 Live but still has something to offer as a performer. The only way English could make a return as a wrestler would be if WWE draft him over to NXT. However, we don’t quite know if English is happy being a commentator or if he wants a return to the ring as a performer.

#2 Buddy Murphy

WWE hasn't done much with Buddy Murphy since he moved to SmackDown Live

Buddy Murphy reinvented himself as a performer on 205 Live, winning the WWE Cruiserweight Championship in his hometown at the first WWE Super ShowDown.

However, since he was drafted to SmackDown Live earlier this year, WWE creative hasn’t done anything with him. He accidentally became a part of the “who attacked Roman Reigns” angle but that was as good as it got for the Aussie.

Murphy has repeatedly proven that he’s an incredible performer but creative still overlooks him. There’s no point having someone as talented as Murphy sitting on the sidelines. With the Cruiserweight Championship now being rebranded as the NXT Cruiserweight Championship, it’s the perfect time for Murphy to head to Wednesday nights.

Murphy could immediately slot in as a challenger for the new NXT Cruiserweight Champion Lio Rush. Murphy could also be someone who challenges for the NXT North American Championship after the feud between Roderick Strong and the Velveteen Dreams comes to an end.

Even though some would say going to NXT is a backward move, that’s just not true now that NXT is live on the USA Network.

#1 Ember Moon

Ember Moon could use a refresh in the black and yellow brand

Shayna Baszler has been the most dominant women’s champion in WWE NXT history. It’s hard to see anyone dethroning her right now even though her upcoming program with Rhea Ripley will be one of her toughest tests so far.

The NXT Women’s Division needs more credible challengers for the title right now and someone who fits that bill perfectly is former NXT Women’s Champion Ember Moon.

Moon moved to RAW in 2018 and even though her time on the main roster started off really well, she hasn’t really been featured that much of late. With the RAW women’s division pretty stacked right now, and looking at the fact that creative don’t seem to have anything for her, the best move for WWE could be to draft Ember Moon to NXT for the time being.

The War Goddess needs her momentum back and returning to NXT could be ideal for her right now. This move doesn’t have to be permanent and WWE could call her up again when they finally have proper plans for her.

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