The NXT roster is absolutely jam-packed right now and, because of that, it isn't easy for creative to push absolutely everyone. Some names such as Johnny Gargano and Adam Cole are obviously always going to get major pushes due to their star power and ability, but every year there are surprise pushes that come out of nowhere.
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In 2020, NXT has given big opportunities to the likes of Bronson Reed and Leon Ruff, which were certainly unexpected, and 2021 will likely provide those chances for someone else. The roster is deep and there are plenty of people with the talent to pull it off, but which wrestlers need the unexpected push?
10 Kacy Catanzaro
Kacy Catanzaro has been part of the NXT roster for a while now. The American Ninja Warrior star was officially signed to a WWE contract in August 2017. However, she hasn't had a major push yet that has taken her to the main event level of the women's division.
Hopefully, 2021 will provide that opportunity for her. In the ring, Kacy is incredibly agile and innovative, which makes her matches a ton of fun to watch. Plus, she has the underdog spirit that would see fans get behind her with ease, which could make for a fun run if WWE gives her the chance.
9 Killian Dain
Killian Dain is someone who has all the talent to be a major heavyweight main eventer. Dain turned heads as a member of SAnitY and now his comedic pairing with Drake Maverick is showing promise.
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However, he has the ability to thrive on his own as a singles star if given the right push. After showing a different side to himself alongside Maverick, it would be good to see Dain get an unexpected push as a legitimate threat.
8 Rik Bugez
There was a brief period when Rick Bugez, who was better known at the time as Eric Bugenhagen, was enjoying a small push. His incredible charisma was winning people over and he felt like a natural fit in WWE.
NXT quite often pushes old-school, over the top gimmicks like his but his on-screen time randomly just stopped. Hopefully, 2021 can be the year he gets to break out because he has a lot of potential to show off.
7 Xia Li
There have been signs recently that WWE's considering a big push for Xia Li with her storyline alongside Boa with the mystery letters. However, she is still on a losing streak and is primarily used to put other people over.
Hopefully, it is going to actually lead to something, especially in 2021 as she would fit right in at the top of the NXT women's division. Xia is a hard-hitting wrestler who works a really physical style that's a ton of fun to watch. WWE just now needs to give her the push to make the most of that.
6 Kona Reeves
Throughout his WWE career to this point, Kona Reeves has primarily been used to put over other talents. He occasionally gets promo time or backstage segments, but he's mainly NXT enhancement.
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But a big push in 2021 could certainly be a lot of fun and it would absolutely be unexpected. Reeves has got a really firm grip on his character, which is quite an arrogant heel, and if he can be booked in a more dominant manner, there's no reason that he couldn't be a big success.
5 Tony Modra
While the recent name change to Tony Modra isn't great (previously working as Brendan Vink), he does have the right look and in-ring ability to be a huge star. He was randomly used on Raw at the start of the pandemic, but he is part of the NXT roster.
In those few appearances, Modra really showed the potential that he has. For a big man, he moved with a lot of paces, while also keeping his power and strength which made him a lot of fun to watch.
4 Simone Johnson
There's no doubt that at some point in time, The Rock's daughter is going to enjoy a push as there is just such a big story to be told. However, a push in 2021 would certainly be unexpected, purely because it's so early on in her career.
Obviously, Simone Johnson would need to be at the required standard to work in NXT when she debuts, but if she's anything like the rest of her family, she should be a great in-ring talent with tons of charisma.
3 Curt Stallion
Curt Stallion is one of the more recent signings to a WWE contract and he is someone who fans should expect big things from at some point soon. He's made a big name for himself on the indies prior to joining WWE, and he should continue that success in NXT.
He has everything that makes an NXT wrestler great in terms of in-ring ability and charisma, and if he's used correctly, he could be a breakout name in 2021 for the company.
2 Joseph Conners
The NXT UK roster has got a lot of top talent, with the likes of WALTER and Trent Seven really helping to carry the brand. However, there are other names who haven't been pushed as much as they deserve and one of those is Joseph Conners.
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He can really thrive as an unhinged heel and that is something that WWE needs to make the most of. On the indies, he had great feuds with talent like Drew McIntyre and Joe Hendry, and if he's given the chance, there's no reason he can't make an impact, either in the UK or in NXT in America.
1 Mansoor
Plenty of WWE fans are already well aware of who Mansoor is, as he has appeared several times at WWE's events in Saudi Arabia. He's been involved in those shows because he was born in Saudi and he always gets a huge reaction. And every time he's competed in a WWE ring, he's shown massive potential.
The fact that Mansoor has been capable of holding his own against people like Cesaro and Dolph Ziggler is a real sign of the talent he has. It's actually quite surprising WWE hasn't pushed him already, but hopefully, that will come in 2021 as he can continue to prove his ability.
