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Rhyno is all but official for a match at next Wednesday's NXT live special on WWE Network. Former tag champ The Brian Kendrick got his name out there for of a whole new set of WWE fans that weren't watching during his mid-Aughts Smackdown heyday.
Those success stories, combined with Triple H's very public plans to transform what was originally a "Developmental" show into a full-fledged traveling brand that will compete with not only Ring of Honor and other large independents but even with Raw and Smackdown, has veteran wrestlers champing at the bit to make a run with NXT.
A Royal Rumble entrance wasn't enough for Bully Ray, who despite an one-time return to TNA last week is all but openly campaigning for a return to the 'E. And in a Q & A on his Twittah Masheen over the weekend, the former Dudley Boy hinted that NXT might be how he does it:
Thanks guys...Im out...good talk. See you next time. Keep watchin!!... Not about "Who's NEXT...it's where's NXT"
— Bully Ray (@REALBully5150) May 9, 2015
He's headed right to the top, too, speculating with a fan about a match with NXT champ Kevin Owens:
We fought once in a tag match...would be fun to wrestle him in a singles. Hmmm.... https://t.co/WBguQwhTfh
— Bully Ray (@REALBully5150) May 11, 2015
James Yun, better known to WWE audiences as Jimmy Wang Yang, was backstage at Raw last night, as he lives in the Cincinnati area. Earlier in the day he was Tweeting about a main roster appearance, but when that didn't happen, he too dropped the hottest three letters in pro wrestling sports entertainment:
Return to Raw didn't have a match but maybe NXT time.
— james yun (@akioyang) May 12, 2015
The wrestling business is all about buzz and perception, and right now NXT is highly thought of and often talked about. Rhyno and Kendrick won't be the last veterans to appear on the show (especially if the injury bug has hit the roster as bad as feared), and Ray & JWY won't be the last to hint at it.
What do you think, Cagesiders? Will we see the TNA Hall of Famer or the Japanese Redneck in Full Sail? What other experienced pros would you like to see brought in to The Performance Center for a run?