Scouting Developmental - aka the WWE NXT Thread

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

Kassius Ohno

What He's Up To - The former Chris Hero has been in the mix at the top of the card since he debuted in FCW. He's been in feuds with Seth Rollins and now in the premier feud in NXT against Richie Steamboat.

Look/Physical Presence: 3*
- First off, he's got an epic beard. secondly, he looks like the Uni-bomber. Thirdly, he has fluctuated quite a bit in regards to body composition so this grade will range depending on his testosterone levels. Before he entered FCW, he got busted on a steroid test. And, to be fair, his last days in the Indy scene saw him with his best physique. Now, he's a bit more frail and pretty soft looking, but, it works with the Uni-bomber look.

*Bumped down to a 3, just because after months, there has been no improvement to his physique.

Promo Ability/Charisma: 4.5+
- Easily the best promo in FCW. I always dug his indy promos. I'm going to dock a half point simply because I'm intrigued to see how a live promo, in front of a live camera on RAW goes over. Also, very charismatic.

In-ring Ability: 4.5+
- He's better in the ring than 95% of the WWE roster and has been since he was in his early 20's. I've seen him have quite a few 4*+ quality matches in his day. He can go in the ring, and as a part of a tag team, he's great. It should go without saying, he can put on the best matches in NXT.

Overall: 13/15
- Ohno is the best NXT has to offer right now. He was at the top of the Indy scene for a decade. Much like the likes of CM Punk, Bryan Danielson, and Claudio...Ohno is unfuckable. He's good enough where he'll make whatever dumb shit the WWE has him do, work. He's also got a love for the business that should get him over with the boys in the back. If there is one critique, its that he still needs to adapt fully to the WWE style in the ring (there is an obvious learning curve all of the Indy talent the WWE signs needs to go through) and he still needs to get a grasp on the Ohno character. Minor critiques, really...he's good enough where he'll "get it" on the fly.

Is He Ready? Yup.

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

Richie Steamboat

What He's Up To - A member of developmental since 2009, Steamboat has worked with the gamut of talent FCW and NXT has had to offer. Currently, he is in NXT's top feud, versus Kassius Ohno, to which he has a decisive victory over.


Look/Physical Presence: 3
- He's pretty bland, but he's got the requisite size.

Promo Ability/Charisma: 2
- Can't cut a great promo. Pretty dull as a character, too...especially in the WWE where you have tons of shades of gray characters. But, he's just your classic "I'm gonna do the right thing" white meat babyface, and in another time, that would get over like a million bucks, in the WWE bubble...not sure how that'll get over.


In-ring Ability: 4
- very polished and crisp with a load of potential still. Just needs to work with top talent to bring better out of him.


Overall: 9/15
- If this were a classic territory, you could pretty much put the rocket on Richie Steamboat and book him as your white meat baby face and ride him for a while against your top heels, especially if you ran him along the Atlantic coast, and get good payoffs. To me, Richie is the definition of white meat babyface. So much so, I can't see him ever deviating from it. But, he is an ever improving wrestler in all aspects. He would benefit from working with guys on the main roster...it is naturally the next step in his evolution as a talent. At bare minimum, Richie Steamboat could work Superstars, the Main Event, Smackdown, and house shows with Tyson Kidd as a workhorse and put on an infinite amount of solid matches. At best, I think he's got a bit of a ceiling in the WWE bubble, but he'll have a ton of people behind him to be the best he can, especially with all of his dad's buddies in the back.


Is He Ready? In the ring, yes. As a character...if you are rolling with the token babyface to run house shows and curtain jerk...sure.

[Warner2BruceTD]

If BxB Hulk can go from effeminate lady boy to evil wine spitting heel, Steamboat can surely pull it off, right?

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

Bo Dallas

What He's Up To - The son of Mike Rotunda and brother of Husky Harris/Bray Wyatt has worked in developmental since 2008 and has faced pretty much everyone over the years. A constant upper mid-carder at the developmental level, he is currently feuding with no one in particular, just jockeying around to get a title shot against currently champion, Seth Rollins.


Look/Physical Presence: 2
- He's not a midget, but he's kind of small and pretty non-discript. Doesn't standout.


Promo Ability/Charisma: 2
- He is pretty bland on the mic, especially as a token babyface. He's that "Yeaaaaaaaaah, I'm fired up, and I'm coming to get you, bad guy!!!" babyface. It works with a crowd that is constant, but it gets over like a DUD in the WWE.


In-ring Ability: 2.5
- He's certainly capable of holding up his end of the bargain in a main event level match at this level, and a natural, as would an athletic second generation guy that has been around the business all of his life. He's good as that classic comeback style babyface. The crowd gets behind it at the Florida level.


Overall: 6.5/15
- Much like the recently scouted Richie Steamboat, Bo Dallas would be your classic second generation territory babyface and he'd get over great running Florida. Unfortunately, on a national scale, I just don't see a guy that will get over at this stage and he doesn't do much in the ring to set himself up as a curtain jerking, house show running, workhorse. And, it should be noted that he has the worst name possible. Brutal name. Bo Dallas sounds like a female porn star.

Is He Ready? No.

[s@ppisgod]

Best pic ever of Richie Steamboat.

[calgaryballer]

Larry, are you the Masked Man? Today's Grantland column covered almost everything discussed here, all the way down to Paige...

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

Larry, are you the Masked Man? Today's Grantland column covered almost everything discussed here, all the way down to Paige...

What a piece of shit that motherfucker is.

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

Bray Wyatt

What He's Up To - The other son of Mike Rotunda, and brother of the aforementioned Bo Dallas, the former Husky Harris has been with WWE Developmental for a little over three years now and has run a fruend with tons of the top guys. He debuted on WWE TV as Husky Harris but after realizing he was a fat guy, the E shipped him back down to developmental for a token repackaging. He's had some highly regarded pre-tape promos and even worked his fair share of jobber squashes. After an injury, he re-debuted, and started putting together a stable of followers.


Look/Physical Presence: 2.5
- If the WWE ever liked fat dudes to be more than comedy acts or jobbers, Bray Wyatt would have a long career. He gets docked a bit here because he doesn't have the look the WWE often pushes to the top, but he's big enough (not just fat big) and with this new Bray Wyatt character, he's got a physical presence about him that just screams at someone to throw money at him.


Promo Ability/Charisma: 4.5+
- Ol boy can talk and he walks with a natural heel aura to him.


In-ring Ability: 3.5
- He has a firm grasp on this character's in-ring style. As Husky Harris, he showed some very crisp ring movement and a pop to his moveset. It can't be stated enough, that his current moveset and ability to sell his character IN THE RING, without words, might be the best in developmental right now. He could not say a word and you'd still be able to understand his character in the ring. The subtlety of his character in that regard is on point.


Overall: 10.5/15
- If this were 1997, someone would have thrown buckets of money on him and ran him as a stable leading heel not too dissimilar to Raven's Flock in WCW. His current gimmick has obvious comparisons to the aforementioned Raven meeting Waylon Mercy. There is some potential here for something special. His gimmick isn't too dissimilar to the CM Punk-led Straight Edge Society with all its religious undertones, which got over like a million bucks. He can sell himself, his gimmick, and is a strong worker. The only issue that could hold the guy back is his physique. Vince can't fap to it, so, he's limited in that regard. He was alread sent back down to developmental to lose weight once, and did so...but he's built like your traditional cornfed boy from the country, so, it'll constantly be an issue. In another era, someone would be swimming in cash with the guy, in the WWE, the potential is there for big things still, but, has a wart. As for his name...I guess it works, but his real name (Windham Rotunda) would have been just as creepy. It should be noted, at first...I wasn't into the gimmick, but, I was sold on it rather quickly after initially shitting on it. Paul Heyman would have milked the fuck out of this guy in 1997. Another note...perhaps this gimmick is a little too advanced for the basic TV the WWE pulls of.

Is He Ready? Yes.

[FedEx227]

Bray is the guy I'm most pumped to see. He's not generic, he's something different, he's something unique but he's not silly. It's not too over the top, but it's not boring CAW NXT/FCW guy. Really hope they give him time to shine and let his character get over. Kinda hope he does to Smackdown because I see more potential for him there than another name on an already overpacked, hastily thrown together Raw.

[EmpireWF]

He's great but his finisher needs a change. Can't stand those stupid spinning moves that look like shit on TV.

When he was part of NXT and his short stint on RAW, he clearly stood out as a guy who could go in the ring and he has his unique look compared to 99% of the main roster. Hopefully he can stay healthy.

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

Corey Graves

What He's Up To - Upon debuting in 2011 in FCW, he would work a tag team with Jake Carter and find tag team gold. Since the start of NXT at Full Sail, he's been stopped and re-started a few times, with his most recent re-debut as some sort of douchebag. Back on the Indy scene, he used to feud with Tommy Mercer, aka Crimson of TNA fame.


Look/Physical Presence: 1.5
- He looks like the tooliest douche you'd ever see. And, not the good kind of douche, the kind of douche that you change your channel to. He basically looks like a dude that you loathe to see your still-in-high-school daughter with.


Promo Ability/Charisma: 1
- I don't know if he can talk, but if he does, it'd resemble nails on a chalkboard.


In-ring Ability: 1
- I wouldn't know, I don't pay attention.


Overall: 3.5/15
- This guy is currently running some sort of douche gimmick. Good for him, as he looks the part. But your boy right here wants nothing to do with this faggot. Oh, and he has the words "Stay Down" tatted up on his knuckles. Die.

Is He Ready? I don't know, but I hope he never is.

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

He's great but his finisher needs a change. Can't stand those stupid spinning moves that look like shit on TV.

When he was part of NXT and his short stint on RAW, he clearly stood out as a guy who could go in the ring and he has his unique look compared to 99% of the main roster. Hopefully he can stay healthy.

The kiss of death thing works...but he needs to change it up somehow.

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

Bray is the guy I'm most pumped to see. He's not generic, he's something different, he's something unique but he's not silly. It's not too over the top, but it's not boring CAW NXT/FCW guy. Really hope they give him time to shine and let his character get over. Kinda hope he does to Smackdown because I see more potential for him there than another name on an already overpacked, hastily thrown together Raw.

Wherever he has to go to stay away as far away from Vince McMahon as possible.

[EmpireWF]

Your first FOUR profiles were called up within a month.

Hopefully Kassius Ohno is next!

[LiquidLarry2GhostWF]

I had one more of these that I hadn't posted...it was of the Ascension tag team...and...uh...I am glad I didn't since Kenneth Cameron got released for being arrested. They were an awesome tag team, though.