Bayley, Johnny Gargano and Latest WWE NXT Developmental News

An injury is changing the way Bayley entertains WWE NXT fans for now, a group in front of which indy star Johnny Gargano got a chance to perform recently.

While Becky Lynch and Charlotte generate great buzz, Bayley is forced to take things easy for the moment. Her climb to title contention is slowed due to being hurt.

As for Gargano, he took a break from working the indy circuit to wrestle at Full Sail University. This recent visit will have his fans wondering if an NXT contract is ahead for him.

In other WWE developmental news, one wrestler made a big impression at the latest tryouts, officials reportedly want more big names at NXT and one prospect made a venture into the world of action figures.

Indy Star at NXT Tapings

A young but experienced wrestler took his brand of in-ring theater to NXT. Chikara and Dragon Gate USA star Johnny Gargano made some noise by appearing at a recent NXT show.

PWInsider's Mike Johnson reported last week, "Gargano worked a dark match at the WWE NXT taping this evening, losing to Uhaa Nation." Johnson also noted that "Gargano worked the most recent invitational WWE tryout at the WWE Performance Center."

The World Wrestling Network issued a statement (h/t DailyDDT.com) about the match. Part of it read, "We are very happy that WWE gave Gargano this opportunity."

Gargano is among the biggest names left for WWE to potentially scoop up from the indys. He works the mic well and is a well-rounded performer in the ring. Fans who have seen his work against Kyle O'Reilly and Davey Richards have to be thrilled with the prospect of his heading to NXT.

The tryout and the dark match don't guarantee anything, though. WWE has passed on some talented names in the past.

Word on Recent WWE Tryouts

One wrestler looks to have endeared himself to scouts. A pair of bruiser brothers, however, likely got themselves blacklisted.

According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t Wrestle Zone), twin brothers Derek and Dustin Mehl did not show up to the second day of the tryouts. The brothers' no-show reportedly upset a lot of talents.

There's no word yet on what led to their absence. These tryouts are grueling and tend to trim the field in result.

On the other hand, an indy wrestler left quite the impression with NXT officials. Wrestling Observer also reported that Drew Gulak was said to be the standout at the tryout, noting his success both in the ring and on the mic.

Gulak is known for his work with Combat Zone Wrestling, at which he has won several titles. 

He's a smaller competitor at 5'11'', 185 pounds, according to CageMatch.net. His technical skills are his biggest strength. Judging by this reported response to his first tryout, he'll likely get a second shot at showing those skills off to WWE decision-makers.

Bayley Injured

Fans will have to high-five Bayley on her left hand for a while. Word emerged that she had suffered an injury to her right hand when she appeared at recent live events with a cast.

Bayley tweeted that she has a broken hand. She also noted on Instagram that several fans signed her cast at a recent live event.

So it's clear that she's still active as an entertainer, even if she has to stay out of the ring for now. She hasn't wrestled since June 13, according to ProFightDB.com. There's no word yet on how long she'll be out.

The race to the top of the NXT women's division will go on without her for now, with Carmella and Alexa Bliss looking to surpass Bayley. 

Here's hoping she has a speedy recovery and is back to suplexing her foes once again.

More Part-Timers on the Way?

WWE reportedly wants to add star power to NXT.

Recently, Rhyno joined the crew on a part-time basis. He's added to the appeal of the show by allowing NXT to pit a veteran like him against up-and-comers. Fans will apparently see an influx of established names like his.

According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t Wrestle Zone), WWE wants to add more part-time talent to bolster the roster, as many of the top NXT stars are likely to move to the main roster soon.

Without Hideo Itami, Kevin Owens, Finn Balor and Sami Zayn, NXT would feel quite understaffed. It makes sense to hire some faces from the past while waiting for guys like Baron Corbin to bloom.

It will certainly aid the NXT prospects, as they will face top-notch competition in addition to battling each other.

Other News and Notes

The WWE toyline is now more gorgeous. As noted by PWInsider, Tyler Breeze is featured in the new line of action figures. This is the first Breeze figure to date.

This feels like a precursor to a call-up to the main roster. WWE isn't just making toy versions of everyone at Full Sail University. This speaks to Breeze's place in the company hierarchy. 

On Tuesday night, the newest season of Tough Enough premiered. The revamped, social media-heavy show didn't do great ratings-wise. According to Headline Planet, the show drew a 1.209 rating, down from the 2.86 garnered by the previous season's first episode.

The field of 13 contestants is now down to 12.

Hank Avery Jr. was the first contestant to be eliminated. He had a good build and size, but lacked the charisma of some of his competitors.