As seen on its premiere episode on the CW Network, WWE NXT is brimming with exceptional talent ready to break through to the next level.

The former black-and-gold brand has always been the breeding ground for future headliners, and now more than ever, WWE is doing a commendable job of building stars from scratch. Between collegiate-athletes-turned-wrestlers and independent scene standouts, there is a wealth of untapped potential among the current roster.

Although NXT is a proven commodity on its own, the ultimate goal for any of its competitors should be a call-up to Raw or SmackDown. The annual WWE draft sees several Superstars from NXT make the move to the main roster, but it isn't unheard of for fresh faces to grace the grand stage ahead of WrestleMania season as well.

With wrestling's premier developmental territory in the process of introducing more and more names, it's merely a matter of time before the bigger brands come calling for some of the Tuesday night program's top prospects.

The main roster could use a significant shake-up in the final few months of 2024, and by the Royal Rumble premium live event on Feb. 1, the following stars should find themselves repping red for Raw or bleeding blue for SmackDown.

Ethan Page

Ethan Page was main roster-ready from the moment he put pen to paper with WWE at the start of the summer, but he's greatly benefited from first stopping in NXT.

He was immediately positioned as a main event player on the brand by being placed in a program with NXT champion Trick Williams, who he shockingly dethroned at Heatwave on July 7 just weeks after his debut.

Although Page lost the belt back to Williams on NXT's CW premiere episode last week, he had an entertaining three-month run and was a natural in the role as champ.

Beyond regaining the gold (which he may look to do at Halloween Havoc on Oct. 27), there isn't anywhere for the 35-year-old to go on the brand but down, so an imminent call-up to Raw or SmackDown isn't out of the question.

Moreover, he has a logical storyline waiting for him upon moving to the main roster with CM Punk, who served as special guest referee for his title loss against Williams, leading to Page venting his frustrations to Raw general manager Adam Pearce the subsequent Monday night.

Not only would All Ego be a quality addition to the red brand's midcard scene, he'd have direction from the get-go and the perfect babyface foil in Punk if WWE did go forward with that feud.

Fallon Henley

Fallon Henley has enjoyed a three-year stint with WWE and shown incredible development and progress as a performer in that time on the NXT brand.

Her pairing with Josh Briggs and Brooks Jensen gave her a recurring role on television and allowed her to hone her skills as an in-ring competitor.

Henley turning heel over the summer and branching out on her own was long overdue, though she seems to have become a background player in Fatal Influence in recent months where the focus is primarily on Jacy Jayne and Jazmyn Nyx.

Blair Davenport and Kiana James' main roster runs haven't exactly panned out since they were drafted from NXT to SmackDown and Raw, respectively, but Henley would be a better fit for the bigger stage than either of them.

It would be ideal for the 30-year-old to get a run as either NXT women's champion or NXT women's North American champion before she leaves, but there isn't much room for growth as long as she's third-wheeling in Fatal Influence.

Henley could help with the depth issue in the Raw women's division right now.

Wes Lee

Wes Lee has been in NXT longer than most and has had an extremely decorated run as a two-time NXT tag team champion and former NXT North American champion.

After wrapping up a rivalry with his former tag team partners The Rascalz, he has set his sights on Trick Williams' NXT Championship. All signs point to them facing off with the prestigious prize on the line at Halloween Havoc later this month.

Once Lee fails in his pursuit to become NXT champ, there won't be much more for him to strive for in developmental. That bout with Williams should serve as his sendoff from the brand and free him up for a move to the main roster.

It's imperative WWE has something lined up for the 29-year-old on Raw or SmackDown to ensure he doesn't get lost in the shuffle. Despite their undeniable talent, we've seen stars such as Dragon Lee and Cameron Grimes marginalized shortly after getting called up due to their smaller size and Lee shouldn't suffer a similar fate.

A debut in the men's Royal Rumble match where he can have a strong showing would establish him as a star worth keeping an eye heading into WrestleMania 41.

Gallus

In a three-for-one pick, Gallus have been staples of the NXT and NXT UK brands for the past seven years and are in desperate need of a change of scenery.

Joe Coffey, Mark Coffey and Wolfgang are three hard-hitting brawlers who bring the best out of everyone they share the ring with. They dominated the NXT UK tag team scene before transitioning to NXT in late 2022 where they quickly captured the tag team titles.

They haven't been involved in a whole lot since dropping the belts in the summer of 2023, but they are often utilized as stepping stones for stars on the rise and never cease to make them look good in the process.

Gallus may never hold gold on Raw or SmackDown, but as a long-tenured team with credibility, they can occupy the same role on the main roster that they've had in NXT and elevate a fresh batch of opponents.

On Raw specifically, feuds with Sheamus and Ilja Dragunov would produce some serious bangers, not to mention a potential faction with fellow Scot Drew McIntyre.

Roxanne Perez

In two-and-a-half years, Roxanne Perez has put together a tremendous résumé for herself in NXT. Amazingly, she's only 22 and has barely scratched the surface of what she can—and will—accomplish.

Following a string of successful NXT Women's Championship defenses against Lyra Valkyria, Tatum Paxley, Jordynne Grace, Thea Hail and others, she was expected to drop the title to the debuting Giulia on the Oct. 1 edition of NXT and possibly be on her way to Raw or SmackDown.

In a surprising turn of events, Cora Jade returned to aid her former tag partner to victory and keep the prestigious prize in her possession. Perez's days as champ are certainly numbered, but her historic reign isn't over quite yet.

A move to Monday or Friday nights should be in The Prodigy's future not long after she's eventually beaten. She'll be among the best wrestlers in the women's division on either show out of the gate.

Perez has been a surprise women's Royal Rumble entrant twice before, but when she takes part in the 2025 version, she should be a full-fledged member of the main roster and in the running to win it all.

Graham Mirmina, aka Graham "GSM" Matthews, has specialized in sports and entertainment writing since 2010. Visit his website, WrestleRant, and subscribe to his YouTube channel for more wrestling-related content.