Ex-WWE Name On Why Some NXT Stars Were ‘Afraid’ Of Main Roster Call-Up

WWE

Former WWE star Axel Tischer (fka Alexander Wolfe) has commented on the differences between NXT and the main roster.

In WWE, the typical route to the top will see wrestlers start their runs with the company in NXT, before they are called up to Raw or SmackDown after gaining experience on the developmental brand.

Speaking with So Catch, Tischer noted that he recalls a number of stars being ‘afraid’ of getting called up.

Explaining that talent receive a lot more help on the developmental brand, Tischer said:

“A lot of people were afraid of getting a call-up, and that spread to the office, that they say, ‘Guys, what the hell?’

“‘NXT,’ they help you with that a little bit more. You tour together … they book for you the hotels, they take care of the food.”

Comparing main roster call-ups to the transition students go through when they finish college and enter the real world, Tischer noted that acts who get over in NXT aren’t necessarily destined to be popular stars on Raw or SmackDown:

“If you present them somebody who’s an awesome wrestler but not charismatic, you do something wrong,”

Tischer was called up as part of the SAnitY faction with Eric Young and Big Damo (Killian Dain) in 2018, before returning to NXT in 2019, ahead of his eventual WWE departure in 2021.

In an exclusive interview with WrestleTalk, Tischer previously revealed the bizarre way he found out that WWE planned to split SAnitY up.

Several NXT stars made their main roster debuts on the May 12 edition of SmackDown, with Cameron Grimes notably pinning Baron Corbin in a matter of seconds.

Here are results from the Friday, May 12 episode of WWE SmackDown:

AJ Styles def. Edge, Rey Mysterio in the WWE World Heavyweight Championship tournament

Bobby Lashley def. Austin Theory, Sheamus in the WWE World Heavyweight Championship tournament

Grayson Waller appeared in a backstage segment with Adam Pearce and announced the winner of the Styles vs Lashley main event would appear on his Grayson Waller Effect talk show next week

Cameron Grimes def. Baron Corbin

Roman Reigns made his first appearance since WrestleMania 39 and said that Solo Sikoa has stepped up, but the Usos are a problem and that they embarrassed him

Paul Heyman then announced Reigns and Sikoa would be challenging Sami Zayn & Kevin Owens for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship at Night of Champions in Saudi Arabia

Liv Morgan & Raquel Rodriguez def. Bayley & Dakota Kai to retain the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship

Former NXT Tag Team Champions Pretty Deadly made their SmackDown debut backstage, setting up a match against the Brawling Brutes for next week

Bianca Belair appeared for a ‘celebration’ in her hometown of Knoxville, but was interrupted by a returning Asuka who spat mist in Belair’s face

AJ Styles def. Bobby Lashley in the WWE World Heavyweight Championship tournament

Transcription via Wrestling Inc. 

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• Axel Tischer
• main roster
• Alexander Wolfe
• nxt

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