Jason Jordan, Willie Mack and Latest WWE NXT Developmental News

It was a week of surprises at WWE NXT. Jason Jordan got a new tag team partner, and Willie Mack got a pink slip.

Jordan and Tye Dillinger were just beginning to jell as a team, but WWE thought Jordan would be better off with someone else. Mack had yet to even begin his NXT career when WWE thought it'd be better if he never did.

In other WWE developmental news, Alex Riley stepped out from behind the announce desk, The Ascension may be headed for the main roster soon, and the company announced when the next NXT live special will air.

Jordan will be hoping to be a part of that event. Mack won't get that chance. He will have to settle for watching it on the WWE Network.

WWE Releases Willie Mack

California-based indy star Willie Mack is already gone from NXT.

Mike Johnson reports on PWInsider, "California independent talent Willie Mack, who was about to start with WWE NXT, has been released by WWE before he ever started with WWE developmental." Johnson later passed along a statement from Mack that included the following:

"

I would like to thank everyone for their support during the past few months. It is true that I was scheduled to report to the WWE Performance Center later this year and it is true that they have chosen not to employ me at this time. Although I am disappointed that I will not be headed to Florida, I am proud of the fact that I was on their radar to begin with and was offered the opportunity, and I look forward to future opportunities with the WWE.

"

Mack also talked about returning to the indys. 

Fans of Mack's work at Pro Wrestling Guerrilla have to be stunned to hear of this. If he didn't catch on after appearing on TV, that would be one thing. It's hard to imagine, though, why WWE would give up on him this early in the process.

Chocolate Caliente is a tremendous athlete, a man with a great build and explosiveness that awes. His early departure means that the independent circuit's talent pool just got better.

Parting with Mack is a mistake. He would have been one of NXT's prospects from the get-go.

Possible Sign That the Ascension Will Be Called Up Soon

WWE's tag team division may soon get a boost. There is one big sign that Viktor and Konnor of The Ascension are in line for a promotion to the main roster.  

PWInsider's Mike Johnson reports, "Former NXT Tag Team champions The Ascension are already slated for WWE toy lines, so their move to the main roster is pretty much a matter of time."

While WWE has created a lot of crossover with NXT, we have yet to see prospects get their own action figures. Just like their appearance on Main Event, this feels like a precursor to their call-up. 

With a severe lack of tag team depth, WWE could certainly use the former NXT tag champs on the big stage. They have looked ready to make that leap for some time now.

NXT's Next Live Special Set for End of the Year

Expect more greatness from Full Sail University. NXT is set to broadcast its next live special.

As noted by Jason Powell of ProWrestling.net, WWE sent out word to wrestling media outlets that the next live special will be on Dec. 11. 

Finn Balor, Kevin Steen and Hideo Itami are included in the graphic that went out with the press release. That's no sure sign that those three men will be a part of the show, but that prospect is an enticing one. The NXT specials have been fantastic so far, and involving that trio only assures that the fourth one will be as well.

New Tag Team Working Together

Jason Jordan has found a new dance partner.

The NXT prospect has been teaming with Chad Gable at recent live events. Per ProFightDB.com, Gable and Jordan teamed up at the Oct. 10 NXT house show. ProFightDB.com also lists the two battling as a team at the Oct. 11 event in Lakeland, Florida.

Gable and Jordan both have amateur wrestling backgrounds, so it makes perfect sense to pair them together.

Tye Dillinger, though, is left out with this alliance forming. The Dillinger and Jordan duo had potential, but the latter definitely came off as the bigger star. Perhaps that's what WWE was thinking here in moving forward with Gable instead. 

Alex Riley Working NXT Events

Alex Riley may be in line for the Tyson Kidd method of career resurrection.

Riley had stopped performing as a wrestler and stuck to doing announce work. That is, until this weekend. ProFightDB.com lists Riley as tangling with CJ Parker at the Oct. 10 and Oct. 11 NXT house shows in Florida.

Riley tweeted that it was good to be back in the ring. He also praised Parker on Twitter, calling him an "incredible opponent" and saying that he has a "tremendous future."

After seemingly retiring from in-ring action, it's a welcome surprise to hear of the athletic Riley competing again. Hopefully, he gets a crack at moving up the ladder at NXT.

He's been valuable as a commentator, but it's worth seeing if he can have a run in the ring before permanently fitting him with headphones.