SmackDown Pay-Per-Views, NXT, Finn Balor and More from the Demon Mailbag

WWE seems to be hitting its stride with NXT call-ups of late. Following Wednesday's NXT Takeover: The End live special and with the brand split looming, it's only a matter of time before the NXT exodus begins.

So what's the secret that will create more Enzo and Big Cass and less Ascension?

NXTodus?

Timing, patience and booking are really the three crucial elements to the success and failure of NXT call-ups. WWE called up Enzo and Cass at the perfect time, the night after WrestleMania, before a partisan crowd that ate right out of their hands.

From there, even casual fans were immediately educated as to the singalong antics of the duo. Enzo and Cass rode their post-WrestleMania momentum into the thick of the tag team division, and WWE has kept them strong as they continue to get the better of the legendary Dudley Boyz.

The Vaudevillains are benefactors of perfect timing because they are the antithesis of hip groups like the New Day and Enzo and Cass. Were they super-hot upon their debut? No. But as party-pooping heels, they didn't have to be. Their ability to serve as foils to popular tag teams allowed them to feed off that momentum, thus creating some for themselves.

As far as failed acts like The Ascension are concerned, WWE simply threw them on television as joke tag teams from day one. The Ascension blatantly ripped off the Legion of Doom, and none of the ironic cheers from NXT followed them to WWE because mainstream fans were not aware of such nuances.

There is no longer a significant disconnect between casual and hardcore fans, but the onus remains on WWE to manufacture fanfare and a competent origin story for its incoming talent.

As long as WWE continues to demonstrate timing, patience and booking with future call-ups, NXT integration will be seamless.

Balor (The) Club?

With WWE soon to be a two-brand television product, Finn Balor's future main-roster debut shouldn't get in the way of anything. Following a recent surge of cuts, WWE can't call up NXT talent fast enough.

Whether Balor is kept on a separate brand as Styles or the two exist on the same brand, there will be enough television time to go around for everybody. Balor could either feud or join forces with Styles for some intriguing results. However, I'm not sure if bringing Balor in as yet another member of The Club will allow him to realize his potential.

Balor's character is supernatural and larger than life. He has a spectacular entrance that needs room to breathe. As just another 30-something in the Club, all that mystique is lost.

If he were an opponent for Styles, the two could put on very good matches (while healthy) and Balor can come off as a big star if he is able to single-handedly take out all three members of The Club. With Balor, WWE could easily go the route it seemed to be going with Styles, as The Club could attempt to recruit Balor only to see him opt out.

Pay-Per-Blew It?

One of the many downfalls of the previous brand split was the oversaturation it created. More titles and branded pay-per-views led to a watered-down product and even more watered-down viewership. WWE's audacity of adding a third brand was enough to kill ECW, which was once popular even under the watchful eye of WWE through its One Night Stand specials.

The lesson learned last time around is that less is more. There's nothing wrong with the Raw or SmackDown-exclusive WWE Network special once in a while, but this should be the exception, not the rule.

The more WWE adds to its brand extension, the less it will mean. I'm all for one champion who can travel to each brand, inter-promotional pay-per-views and even one Money in the Bank briefcase.

Everything else will quickly lead to overkill.

Alfred Konuwa is a featured columnist and on-air host for Bleacher Report and Forbes. Like him on Facebook.