Early Projections for All 6 Announced WWE NXT Call-Ups on Raw and SmackDown Live

We have known Lars Sullivan is coming to the WWE main roster for several weeks, but WWE recently added five more NXT call-ups to the list.

The McMahon family appeared on Raw on December 17 to address the complaints fans have had about the product and low ratings. They promised changes, with the first being these call-ups.

While this is exciting for fans of the six Superstars heading to Raw and SmackDown, some fans are wary because WWE already has a problem properly utilizing its roster.

Sullivan will be joined by Lacey Evans, Nikki Cross, EC3 and the duo of Otis Dozovic and Tucker Knight, known collectively as Heavy Machinery.

Let's take a look at how each Superstar is likely to fare on the main roster in 2019.

Heavy Machinery

When it comes to the tag team divisions on Raw and SmackDown, the blue brand has the red brand beat when it comes to storytelling and match quality.

Raw has some great teams like The Revival, AOP and Chad Gable and Bobby Roode, but it could benefit from having one more team to create some new match combinations.

Heavy Machinery will likely end up on Raw, where they can enter into a feud with a team like The Ascension to give them a few easy wins before they go after bigger fish.

Here is the problem: WWE already has powerhouse tag teams, so Dozovic and Knight aren't bringing anything new to the table other than their personalities.

If they don't find a way to connect with the WWE Universe through their blue-collar gimmick like Dusty Rhodes did back in the day, they won't last a year.

Fortunately, Dozovic and Knight are unusually athletic for guys of their size. They will either be champions or jobbers within six months.

Lacey Evans

So many things about Evans' character are going to connect with the WWE Universe that she could end up being the biggest star on this list by the end of 2019.

Not only is she a veteran of the U.S. Marines, a patriot and a dedicated mother and wife, but she is also a great wrestler with a marketable look and gimmick.

Nostalgia is all the rage these days, and nobody is more of a throwback than Evans. But at the same time, she is also a progressive character fighting for women's rights.

Whether she remains a heel or turns babyface shortly after debuting won't matter because Evans is going to have something for every WWE fan to connect with.

It's hard to say which brand would serve her best because both have thriving women's divisions. Regardless, whichever show WWE puts her on will benefit from her presence. 

EC3

Before EC3 became one of the biggest stars on the TNA roster, he spent four years training in the WWE developmental system as Derrick Bateman. He began with FCW before joining the original version of NXT as a competitor in Season 4 as Daniel Bryan's protege. 

This is not an uncommon thing. Some Superstars get signed before they are ready, leave and return to become bigger stars. Drew McIntyre, R-Truth and Bobby Lashley are a few examples.

As a member of the NXT roster, EC3 has shown the WWE Universe just how much he has improved. He went from being a floppy-haired rookie to a potential world title contender by changing his character.

There is little doubt EC3 will win a midcard title within his first year on the roster, similar to Bobby Roode and Shinsuke Nakamura. It's what happens after that matters.

The former Ethan Carter III might get lost in the shuffle, but if WWE books him like TNA did, he will be a top star in no time.

Nikki Cross

Many wondered why Cross wasn't called up to SmackDown with the rest of Sanity, but her time alone in NXT has allowed her to establish her character apart from the group.

Cross has a unique gimmick for WWE. She is unhinged and violent, but the crowd seems to love her for it. Sometimes, being the exact opposite of everyone else is exactly what leads to someone's success.

WWE hasn't indicated whether she will be rejoining Sanity when she heads to the main roster, but considering how poorly Eric Young, Killian Dain and Alexander Wolfe have been used, she might be better off on her own.

When it comes to someone with a gimmick like Cross', the first feud is more important than anything. WWE needs to find the right opponent who can help Cross show the world what makes her special. Throwing her in the ring with just anyone isn't going to work.

Her first match on SmackDown against Becky Lynch was a nice teaser, but an extended program between the two would be great for both Superstars.

Lars Sullivan

For weeks before WWE announced the other five call-ups, Sullivan was being hyped through video packages as a monster who had the ability to choose which brand he was going to join.

The powerhouse is similar to Braun Strowman in a lot of ways, so it would be better for everyone if he started on SmackDown so he could be the blue brand's most dominant force.

Once he is built up into someone who makes his opponents cower, Sullivan and Strowman can have the showdown we all know WWE will book at some point in the future.

It's going to be the WWE Universe that decides his fate. The reason Strowman is featured so prominently is because of his popularity. If Sullivan can connect with people the same way, it could lead to a showdown capable of breaking the ring.

It's going to be interesting to see where all six of these Superstars are in one year. They all have potential, but there are only so many spots at the top of the mountain.

---

Which one of the upcoming call-ups do you think will be the most successful on the main roster?