Sami Zayn, Hugo Knox and Latest WWE NXT Developmental News

This pre-WrestleMania batch of WWE NXT news answers two questions: Where has Sami Zayn been, and how is Hugo Knox developing as a prospect?

Zayn hasn't been around much after Kevin Owens thrashed him at NXT TakeOver: Rival. He has barely had more screen time than Knox, the former soccer goalkeeper who has yet to debut on NXT TV. 

In addition to offering clarity about that situation, the latest WWE developmental news covers how NXT will impact WrestleMania, how ESPN will showcase it and what Justin Gabriel had to say about his experience there, while call-ups for house shows give fans clues as to who WWE might promote once The Showcase of the Immortals is over.

NXT Star to Enter Battle Royal at WrestleMania

WrestleMania 31 will have a touch of NXT flavor. One of four top NXT stars will be headed to that event to clash with Ryback and Company.

WWE announced on its official website, "An NXT tournament will be held this Thursday at WrestleMania Axxess, with the winner earning the right to compete in the second annual Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal days later at WrestleMania." Finn Balor, Tyler Breeze, Adrian Neville and Hideo Itami are the four men involved in the tourney.

Presumably, entrance in the Battle Royal then leads to a run on the main roster.

Any one of them could thrive at the next level, but Neville is the right move here. He's greatly refined his game during his NXT tenure, showing that he can be far more than a high-flyer. He's ready now, while Balor and Itami could still use some time to further adjust to WWE's  style.

Breeze is an intriguing option as well, especially if he forms a tag team with Bo Dallas, who has wrestled alongside him at live events.

Sami Zayn Update

Credit: WWE.com

Sami Zayn

PWInsider's Mike Johnson reports, "Sami Zayn is currently out injured with a shoulder issue."

That explains Zayn's recent absence from NXT programming. It also explains why Kevin Owens beat him up so badly during their title bout. That thrashing gave him a storyline reason to stay off screen for awhile.

His time away has given Kevin Owens more of the spotlight, but with the NXT champ now set to be on the shelf for a chunk of time himself, the top of NXT's hierarchy is especially wide-open. That's a prime opportunity for someone like Finn Balor to establish himself as a top-tier prospect.

Once Zayn and Owens are both healed, they can resume what has the potential to be the feud of the year. 

NXT Documentary to Air on ESPN

NXT is about to be introduced to a new audience. ESPN released a trailer for WWE: Behind the Curtain, a documentary about the inner workings of WWE.

From the peek the trailer offered, it appears that the film will be heavy on NXT footage. Xavier Woods', Leo Kruger/Adam Rose's and Tyler Breeze's work in the developmental system featured prominently in the clip.

This project gives NXT publicity and shows the industry in a light in which many folks haven't seen it. For all those sports fans who dismiss wrestling as "fake," this is a great way to potentially understand and appreciate the art more.

WWE: Behind the Curtain premieres on May 5.

NXT Prospect Impressing

The transition from the pitch to the ring is apparently going well for former Crewe Alexandra goalkeeper Stuart Tomlinson. Now known as Hugo Knox, he is reportedly making an excellent impression at the WWE Performance Center.

According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t Wrestling Inc) Knox is progressing faster than the other prospects. The report also notes that he is said to be agile for his size.

Knox has been limited to NXT house shows thus far, as he is still raw in the ring. He's only been part of the developmental system since the end of 2013.

It's encouraging to hear such a positive report about him. The more talented folks NXT boasts, the better.

Other News, Notes

The same names keep popping up in house show reports. Finn Balor, Tyler Breeze and Sasha Banks all worked with the main roster over the weekend.

At both the Anaheim, California, live event on March 21 and the one in Ontario, California, on March 22, Balor and Breeze battled each other. Banks worked a six-Diva tag match on both nights.

WWE continues to give these prospects hints at potential call-ups in the near future.

Elsewhere, the topic of the Bill DeMott controversy emerged again. This time, a current TNA wrestler and former WWE prospect talked about the allegations of abuse and misconduct against the former NXT head trainer.

Ethan Carter III (who worked as Derrick Bateman with WWE) spoke with Graham Herbert of WhatCulture. When asked about DeMott, Carter said: 

"

Asking talent to conceal injuries that your 'training tactics' are responsible for is unacceptable. Leading the charge on an anti-bullying campaign, while that very thing is taking place under your watch, is unacceptable.

A company making a statement that the accusations 'fully investigated' when they were not, well, that is just is very disheartening.

"

Carter's response goes well beyond that and is worth reading in its entirety. Add him to the list of developmental talents who have spoken out against DeMott.

Another noteworthy interview comes from Justin Gabriel. He recently spoke with Chris Jericho on the Talk is Jericho podcast, and his brief stint with NXT came up. 

Gabriel said that he requested the move to NXT. He wanted to prove himself to Triple H and tried to do so by working on his character and improving his promo skills. None of it was noticed. Gabriel's chance never came.

Not long after his stay at NXT, Gabriel left the company. He now works as PJ Black on the independent circuit.

Live event information courtesy of ProFightDB.com.