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Bron Breakker is widely considered by fans to be the face of the new generation of NXT 2.0.Credit: WWE.com
WWE has made it quite clear with its recent rebranding that the “new and improved” NXT 2.0 is all about building the future and creating Superstars from scratch.
In the last month alone, we’ve seen a number of fresh faces pop up on the program. Some have made more of an impact than others, but overall, NXT 2.0 has shown signs of potential with who has been spotlighted.
It’s too early to say whether this drastic change in direction will be a success for the brand and WWE. While the company has yet to make the weekly television product any more exciting than it was previously, this influx of newcomers should create more stars who will thrive on the main roster in the next few years.
The key will be not to introduce too many new people at once but rather focus on a handful of them at a time. That will allow the talent to not get lost in the shuffle and ensure they’re given every opportunity to stand out and get over.
Viewers haven’t seen enough out of Tony D’Angelo, Dante Chen and Duke Hudson to get a good grasp on what they’re capable of, but with additional experience and exposure, there’s no reason why they can’t soon find themselves on the fast track to superstardom as well.
Based on what we’ve seen so far on Tuesday nights, these are the NXT 2.0 prospects who could have the highest ceiling for success going forward.
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Cora Jade
Following a few enhancement matches on AEW Dark, the former Elayna Black signed with WWE at the onset of 2021 and was rechristened as Cora Jade. She was squashed by several stars on NXT TV before being repackaged and re-debuting on 205 Live and later NXT 2.0.
Just this past week on the October 5 edition, Jade defeated Franky Monet in shocking fashion. Even at the age of 21, she’s proved to be more than competent in the ring, and her girl-next-door gimmick will get her over with the audience in no time.
Ikemen Jiro
Ikemen Jiro first caught the attention of WWE fans with his work on 205 Live earlier this year, having fun matches with everyone he stepped in the ring with all while wearing a suit jacket. His unmatched charisma made him an instant fan favorite and earned him a semi-regular role on NXT 2.0 in an enhancement role.
He’s done nothing but lose whenever he’s appeared on the program, but he’s so entertaining that his lack of success in the squared circle has hardly mattered. Don’t let his comedic demeanor fool you; this guy can hang with the best of them inside the ring.
Expect him to be a top contender to the Cruiserweight Championship eventually.
Xyon Quinn
In the few appearances Xyon Quinn has made on NXT TV over the last six weeks, he’s been incredibly impressive. It started with his win over Boa in late August, and after racking a few more victories on 205 Live, he returned to NXT 2.0 to make short work of former NXT tag team champion Oney Lorcan.
He wouldn’t be booked so dominantly if NXT didn’t have high hopes for him moving forward. His enigmatic personality combined with his in-ring intensity makes him one to watch.
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It was only fitting that the first match on the relaunch of NXT 2.0 featured none other than Bron Breakker, who is unofficially the face of this new generation for the brand.
At the start of the show, the 23-year-old challenged LA Knight to an impromptu bout and dominated him for the majority of it. Better yet, he scored a clean victory and put the entire locker room on notice.
Considering Knight went on to fight for the NXT Championship later in the night, that victory for Breakker was a sign that big things were on the horizon for him. Sure enough, he and Tommaso Ciampa teamed up the following week and defeated the duo of Pete Dunne and Ridge Holland.
Even with a mere two televised matches under his belt, he isn’t wasting any time in gunning for the gold. He laid the NXT Championship challenge for Halloween Havoc on October 26 and Tommaso Ciampa accepted.
Breakker clearly has elements of his father, Rick Steiner, and his uncle, Scott Steiner, in his work and has had no problem connecting with the crowd. Silly ring name aside, he’s a world championship-caliber competitor and should be prepared to see his stock skyrocket on the show and beyond if he can keep it up.
His success will define what NXT 2.0 is all about and pave the way for other aspiring athletes to follow in his footsteps. First, he has to shift his focus toward the NXT title, and regardless of the result, expect him to emerge from that outing an even bigger star.
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Between their infrequent appearances on NXT and Tyler Rust’s release, Diamond Mine really struggled to find their footing as a faction in their first few months on the brand. The experiment was almost over before it began, until the decision was made to have The Creed Brothers join their ranks.
Julius and Brutus, originally known as Jacob and Drew Kasper, have legitimate amateur wrestling backgrounds and fit into the group extremely well. They’ve only had a few matches on NXT 2.0, but they’ve looked dominant every time.
The power they possess makes them a force to be reckoned with in the ring and all of their opponents are automatically the underdogs. The told the audience everything they need to know about them simply by dismantling two dudes in under two minutes.
Fans haven’t heard from them at all yet, but with Malcolm Bivens serving as their mouthpiece, there’s no reason for them to cut promos. Rather, their in-ring destruction does the talking for them.
Being associated with a stable such as Diamond Mine is going to get them to the top a lot quicker, but their progress shouldn’t be rushed. At the rate they’re going, they’ll hit their stride and capture tag team gold in no time.
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It was apparent from the moment Odyssey Jones made his NXT TV debut as part of the Breakout Tournament over the summer that he was destined for greatness.
The football-player-turned-wrestler has been under a developmental deal with WWE since early 2019, but it wasn’t until recently that he was given a chance to shine on television. He made the most of the opportunity and left a lasting impression on the audience with his uncontrollable energy and impressive athleticism.
The 27-year-old fell short in the finals of the Breakout Tournament against Carmelo Hayes but did firmly establish himself as a future champion. That much has been evident in his recent outings on NXT 2.0, mowing down everyone who has gotten in his way with his destructive offense.
Jones even won a rare Handicap match show two weeks ago that showcased his strength and went on to take LA Knight to the limit in their war this past Tuesday night. His rivalry with Andre Chase doesn’t appear to be over yet, but once that runs its course, he needs to be slotted a bit higher up the card.
He has all the tools necessary to be a big star in WWE, and considering he’s taken part in a handful of dark matches before SmackDown recently, he could be called up to the main stage sooner than we all expected.
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Many fans didn’t know what to expect when Mandy Rose initially resurfaced on NXT over the summer. She was seen scouting talent but never made it clear what her intentions were in returning to her old stomping grounds.
Sure enough, it wasn’t long before she linked up with the likes of Gigi Dolin and Jacy Jayne to form a stable of her own. Together, Toxic Attraction have been making waves in NXT 2.0 and have been among the best parts of the program in recent weeks.
Not only has Rose excelled being back in the heel role, she’s also debuted a new look to go along with the updated gimmick. Dolin and Jayne have been fantastic in their respective roles as well and are bound to be NXT women’s tag team champions sooner rather than later.
NXT is faction-heavy at the moment, but Toxic Attraction are the first of their kind for the women. Their presence has been much needed and sparked interest in the NXT Women’s Championship picture with Rose setting her sights on Raquel Gonzalez’s title.
Rose, Dolin and Jayne may not be the greatest wrestlers on the women’s roster in NXT, but their brooding personas help them stand out from the pack.
God’s Greatest Creation is the perfect person to elevate the up-and-coming duo of Dolin and Jayne to that next level, and they’re off to a promising start.
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Within a matter of months, Carmelo Hayes has already cemented his status as a star on the rise in NXT 2.0.
The artist formerly known as Christian Casanova on the northeast circuit was one of the last few indie wrestlers NXT brought in before changing their approach to hiring talent. His arrival perfectly coincided with the return of the Breakout Tournament, which he won after beating Josh Briggs, Duke Hudson and Odyssey Jones.
By virtue of that victory, the 27-year-old now has a guaranteed shot at any NXT championship of his choosing in his back pocket. He’s teased targeting the tag titles as of late and even challenged for the cruiserweight title in his official debut in June, but the NXT Championship picture is where he belongs.
If that is the title Hayes ultimately decides to contend for, NXT shouldn’t rush the gold on him any time soon. He still has some developing to do in the promo department, but otherwise, he’s super-skilled in the ring and gives off the vibe of a star whenever he walks to the squared circle.
Trick Williams has been a nice addition to his act as well. Everything about Hayes screams “money,” and it’s more a matter of when than if he’ll be calling himself a champion in NXT 2.0.
Graham Mirmina, aka Graham “GSM” Matthews, has specialized in sports and entertainment writing since 2010. Visit his website, WrestleRant, and subscribe to his YouTube channel for more wrestling-related content.
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