Projecting Bobby Roode's Role, Impact on WWE NXT Following In-Ring Debut

Bobby Roode is poised to be a WWE NXT cornerstone in short time. The former TNA world champion, much like Samoa Joe, will be a veteran NXT leans on as it continues to straddle the line between developmental territory and traveling brand.

Roode debuted for NXT on Saturday, entering the ring during the Download Festival in Leicestershire, England. The surprise appearance ended with him defeating Angelo Dawkins, per CageMatch.net.

The It Factor left TNA in March after over a decade with the company.

A pair of cameos on NXT TV soon followed. He appeared in the crowd at NXT TakeOver: Dallas, stirring up a flood of speculation about his future. Just last week, fans caught the briefest glimpse of him at NXT TakeOver: The End, via Nick Paglino of Wrestle Zone. 

Now it appears that NXT is officially Roode's new home.

Looking ahead, it's hard to gauge what the company has in mind for him. There hasn't exactly been a consistent pattern with how WWE welcomes incoming talent like him.

AJ Styles shot straight to the main roster. Rhyno played a part-time, short-term role at NXT. And Joe, the Samoan powerhouse and fellow TNA alum, has become a vital figure for the brand, dethroning Finn Balor to become the current NXT champion.

That's the path most likely to mirror the one Roode takes.

Expect him to be a bridge for emerging stars as they advance to the main roster. Count on him being in contention for Joe's title, headlining shows alongside NXT's next wave of talent.

Staying at NXT

Roode's fans would like to see WWE push him into the spotlight on Raw and SmackDown, but there isn't enough room on those stages for NXT's newest addition.

WWE has been touting the arrival of a New Era since the Payback pay-per-view in May. That has resulted in a youth movement, with fresh faces such as Enzo Amore, Sami Zayn and Baron Corbin all getting significant opportunities. Roode doesn't fit into that mix.

He is 39 years old and started wrestling in the late '90s. Nothing about him says New Era.

Yes, WWE has pushed the 38-year-old Styles to marquee status, but don't count on the company making this period the era of TNA cast-offs. Roode won't get the Styles treatment, but he will instead be used to solidify NXT. 

Note the difference in how WWE debuted each man. Styles burst onto the WWE scene at the Royal Rumble, one of the four biggest shows of the year. Roode showed up as part of the matches NXT put on during a music festival.

Besides, while the main roster is filled with talent that WWE is struggling to juggle as is, NXT is in need of more star power.

A Veteran Presence

Roode's 18 years of experience and world title acumen will make him an invaluable piece of the NXT puzzle.

With stars such as Shinsuke Nakamura in tow and so many excellent shows each year, it's sometimes easy to forget that NXT is supposed to be a feeder system. The roster's younger, promising talent, from Jason Jordan to Gzim Selmani, will need in-ring teachers as they progress.

That's where Roode comes in.

The Natural has been a headliner and a tag team specialist, a heel and a babyface. He's been in stellar bouts and faced top names such as Kurt Angle and Booker T. He has wisdom to pass along while playing the ring general.

At times, Roode played a similar role at TNA. Emerging wrestlers such as Rockstar Spud, Robbie E and Magnus faced off against him.

And adding Roode to the NXT lineup shores up the roster just before it is in danger of being thinned out.

Depth and Name Power Post-Draft 

When WWE moves back to a brand split in July, NXT is going to be left hurting. The WWE draft is bound to move some of the brand's best to fill out the rosters for both Raw and SmackDown.

Suddenly, Full Sail could be minus Balor, Nakamura, American Alpha and others. Roode provides needed relief in that scenario. 

As Josh Nason wrote for F4WOnline.com, "With many of the top NXT talents expect[ed] to be brought up to WWE when the brand extension happens in July, NXT will still need to keep the cupboard stocked with a few veterans to mix with the up-and-comers."

Roode would be quite the addition to the cupboard. He's a strong storyteller in the ring and a good talker, and he wields enough presence to be one of the faces of NXT. Miami Herald columnist Scott Fishman summed up Roode's skills on Twitter: 

The It Factor is a good fit for NXT, too. The fans who followed him at TNA, die-hard enthusiasts who absorb everything wrestling, are also the portion of the wrestling fanbase most likely to buy tickets for NXT. 

Balor and Nakamura are among the biggest draws for NXT when it travels outside of Florida. With them gone, Roode will step up, maintaining buzz around the brand even after it undergoes a major shift in personnel.