NXT Prospects Most Deserving of Increased TV Time

NXT gets just one hour a week to showcase its stock of talented prospects, which means that potential-rich wrestlers like Solomon Crowe are relegated to the bench too often.

Each week, Kevin Owens, Hideo Itami and Sasha Banks appear on our TV screens and prove why they are at the top of NXT's list of prospects. Beneath that top tier, though, a host of compelling bruisers and mat technicians are forced to the side.

Crowe, for one, is a dynamo with an eye-catching look. It's a look that fans haven't seen between the ropes since February. That's too long.

WWE needs to get him in the mix more. The same goes for the rest of the grapplers who comprise this list, the NXT stars whose characters are beginning to engage fans, whose ring skills or mic work deserve to be displayed and who are gaining a following.

In addition, Chad Gable and Tye Dillinger deserve a mention. Fans know next to nothing about Gable, but his technical skills warrant more screen time. As for Dillinger, he feels poised to gain traction thanks to his showmanship and proficiency, but we only see that for seconds at a time.

Bull Dempsey

Early on, WWE portrayed Bull Dempsey as a human freight train. He bowled over his competition and looked ready to ascend NXT as its No. 1 predator.

Since then, he appears far less often. When he does, it's only for a blink of an eye, as he is the one receiving the freight-train treatment nowadays.

Solomon Crowe beat him in three minutes. Hideo Itami outdid that by about 15 seconds. 

And comparing Itami's match totals in 2015 to Dempsey's on CageMatch.net reveals just how different the company is using both men. Itami has wrestled 10 televised matches this year; Dempsey has worked half that amount.

Dempsey is too good of a brawler, too much of a ring general in control of his opponent and the match to not be wrestling more. He leans on his power but has impressive technical skills and flying ability to bolster his bouts.

In addition, he's one of the best talkers at NXT right now. Few prospects exude as much as confidence in their promos as Dempsey does.

He's a storyteller with a mic in hand and a far more convincing actor than most of his peers. That, along with the fact that he has a complete character to work with, make him someone NXT needs more of.

Carmella

Enzo Amore and Colin Cassady are NXT regulars. That often means that Carmella is following right behind them, but she's too often a sidekick in the shadows rather than a star.

Someone with as much presence as she has needs a stage of her own at times. She's compellingly sassy, strong on the mic and has the kind of energy that grabs fans' attention.

That said, she has only competed on TV twice in 2015.

While she is raw as a wrestler, she's shown enough athleticism and flair that officials should find more ring time for her. All of a sudden, Dana Brooke is being called upon to compete on a regular basis, while Carmella, who is further along in her progress as a prospect, is asked to play cheerleader for her New Jersey boys.

Carmella has star power that WWE has to take advantage of far more often. 

Jason Jordan

Jason Jordan grew more aggressive, embraced his vicious side, broke up with his tag team partner and then essentially disappeared. 

WWE would be smart to let Jordan play out his in-progress character arc on NXT TV. He's so far shown glimpses of his potential, displaying a star quality that outshined his former ally, Tye Dillinger.

Jordan is an impressive athlete with an equally impressive look. Pair that with his recent strides as a showman and how he was diving into his persona, and it's a no-brainer to get him on screen more.

He's shown that he is on an upward trajectory. There has to be more space on NXT to let fans watch him make that climb.

Scott Dawson

In Scott Dawson, NXT has a wrestler with stout technical skills who can brawl and grapple at a high level. So far, though, officials have decided to only let him work his in-ring magic on rare occasions and for just the briefest of bouts.

Last week, for example, Dawson and Dash Wilder came out to the ring to face Enzo Amore and Colin Cassady, but Wesley Blake and Buddy Murphy ambushed the babyfaces, ending the match before it began. Dawson and Wilder didn't throw a single blow. Even so, it was the most action they had seen in a long while.

Dawson's limitations involve his charisma and mic skills. Even if WWE doesn't believe he can move to the main roster with those weaknesses holding him back, it makes sense to get him in the ring more.

He can lead other rising stars to high-quality matches.

Let him help get the most out of a raw guy like Baron Corbin. Let him help elevate Solomon Crowe or Colin Cassady by pushing them into tough matchups.

Just don't let him waste away on the sidelines.

Solomon Crowe

It's hard to stand out in the circus atmosphere that is pro wrestling; Solomon Crowe does.

He possesses a frenetic energy to go along with his unconventional look and engrossing ring work. He's a buzz saw in the ring—energetic, powerful, dangerous. Crowe employs an in-ring toolbox that impresses with its uniqueness.

It's not often that ones sees an over-the-shoulder, single-leg Boston Crab.

All that being said, WWE has been slow to let Crowe debut on NXT. Since then, he hasn't made many appearances on Wednesday nights.

Crowe has the skills to be one of NXT's cornerstones. Make him a top contender, a chief rival of a guy like Hideo Itami or as half of a prominent tag team. Just do something with him.

He is one of the prospects officials should most have in mind when looking for a way to fill the holes left by Sami Zayn and Itami's injuries.

The Vaudevillains

The tag team division's spotlight has been aimed at Enzo Amore and Colin Cassady of late, along with the champs Wesley Blake and Buddy Murphy. The Vaudevillains, meanwhile, have been shuffled off to the side.

Aiden English and Simon Gotch have yet to produce a great match as a pair so far, but the same goes for the duos mentioned above.

This squad, though, is too fun of an act not to put it in front of the cameras more. Their entrance is an entertaining trip back to the days of vaudeville. Their exaggerated mannerisms and goofy characters engage as well.

And they are both solid in the ring. A strong rival is likely to bring out the best in them. They just didn't click with The Lucha Dragons. Officials should seek out a new set of enemies for them and let them put their showmanship to work once more.

NXT just hasn't been the same without those scamps.