Sami Zayn, Mojo Rawley and Latest WWE NXT Developmental News

Not long from now, WWE NXT is set to get an injection of energy in the form of Sami Zayn's in-ring return.

The former NXT champ has been out nursing a shoulder injury. The news on when to expect him back is sure to thrill NXT fans. The wait to see him flourish between the ropes is almost over.

Mojo Rawley earned a notable opportunity, one that points to what the NXT brass thinks of him. In other news, Steve Austin offered his thoughts on Finn Balor and Cal Bishop has big-time post-NXT dreams. Debuts, a name change and a tryout round out the news cycle.

As the roster gears up for a tour of the United Kingdom, the developmental brand is accumulating the kind of buzz Raw and SmackDown has been missing. That only will increase once Zayn is back in the fold.

Sami Zayn Returning in Time for United Kingdom Tour

NXT's booking options are about to expand. Sami Zayn is set to come back to action this week.

ProWrestling.net noted that Zayn is advertised to face Finn Balor at Thursday's show in Newcastle, England.

He's not booked for NXT TakeOver: London, but clearly he's healthy enough to be a part of the show if officials choose to go that route. After that, one has to assume that he will charge back into the title picture. That means that stellar matches like Zayn vs. Samoa Joe or Zayn vs. Apollo Crews are strong possibilities moving forward.

Former Prospect Reportedly Training for Olympics

Injuries halted Cal Bishop's chances as a WWE Superstar. He never made it to the top rungs of NXT. Most fans only know him thanks to WWE Breaking Ground airing the moment the company let him go.

He already has his eyes set on a new goal, though.

Ryan Satin reported on Pro Wrestling Sheet that Bishop will be working for a shot to compete in the Olympics as a wrestler. Satin wrote, "His quest for gold begins Saturday in Las Vegas where he'll compete to advance to the Olympic trials."

Bishop (real name: Clayton Jack) was an NCAA All-American at Oregon State University, as PWInsider's Mike Johnson noted when WWE first signed the prospect.

Steve Austin Comments on Finn Balor

Steve Austin has his eyes on NXT. He was quick to commend the talent he sees there but pulled no punches when talking about Finn Balor.

Austin appeared on Taz's The Taz Show: Bodyslams and Beyond (h/t Wrestling Inc), and Balor's name came up. Stone Cold said of the NXT champ:

"

I'm wondering if he's going to get lost in the shuffle a little bit. He does that crawl to the ring and sometimes it takes so long. It's a little disconcerting because I've seen the kid. Good looking kid, worked for many years in Japan, and he's very technical from Ireland or wherever he's from. Great kid! Great kid! Hell of a worker. Ten times the worker I ever was, but he got to connect with those people. 

"

Austin went on to talk about whether Balor's entrance was too long and said that his opponents should take advantage of him when he's on the ground. Balor doesn't crawl for every entrance, though. As they should be, the demon body paint and elaborate antics pre-match are saved for big events.

However, every NXT talent has to worry about getting "lost in the shuffle." Full Sail is an entirely different world than the main roster.

Ask The Ascension who went from world-beaters to doormats.

Balor is the kind of talent Vince McMahon may struggle to figure out how to use. He's a mold-breaker with a Japanese-influenced style. Whether Balor neglects himself once he gets called up is a major concern going forward.

Prospect Works His First Event with Main Roster

The bulk of NXT fans may have dismissed Mojo Rawley's chances, but WWE doesn't appear to have done the same.

He and Zack Ryder continue to team up. And recently, WWE invited Rawley to travel with the main roster and wrestle at a number of WWE live events.

As noted on ProFightDB.com, Rawley and Ryder competed together at three WWE house shows over the weekend.

Several of the NXT talents that eventually moved to the main roster had similar opportunities before making that transition. Still, it's hard to imagine that WWE believes Rawley is anywhere near ready to follow their lead. He's a raw, one-dimensional performer who isn't even among the 10 best NXT wrestlers right now.

Other News, Notes

Josh Bredl now has a ring name. He is going by Bronson Mathews. He confirmed the switch on Twitter.

Fellow WWE Tough Enough contestant Daria Berenato reached a big milestone in her own NXT career. Last week, she noted on Twitter that she made her NXT debut, going up against Nia Jax.

That reality show is being well-represented at WWE.

PWInsider's Mike Johnson reported another Tough Enough competitor, "Amanda Saccomanno aka Mandy Rose on the new season of Total Divas, was at this past week's TV Tapings." No word on what she was doing, but one has to assume that it is Total Divas related. She's not near ready enough to make an appearance on the main roster.

Akira Tozawa noted on social media (h/t Wrestling Inc) that he was part of a WWE tryout in July. The report added that Towaza said it was a good experience.

At 5'7'', he's much smaller than the prototypical WWE prospect (i.e. Mathews), but he's an exciting performer with a decade's worth of experience.