One night in front of a massive audience was all it took to accelerate plans that were once viewed as long-term. Following Saturday Night’s Main Event on December 13, several NXT standouts suddenly found themselves much closer to the WWE main roster after winning over a crowd far larger than the usual developmental audience.
During Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer explained that Joe Hendry, Sol Ruca, and NXT Champion Oba Femi all generated reactions strong enough to force WWE officials to reevaluate their timelines. What mattered most wasn’t just that they were popular in NXT – it was that they connected immediately with a broader WWE audience.
Meltzer noted that Hendry and Ruca are already being discussed internally as main-roster ready, even if exact dates remain unclear. In Ruca’s case, her performance – including being positioned strongly against a top star like Bayley – stood out as a clear signal of confidence from the company.
The reaction reportedly came as a wake-up call backstage. WWE officials were said to be impressed by how seamlessly these performers translated outside the familiar NXT environment. Oba Femi, despite currently holding championship gold, was also included in main roster call-up discussions, with WWE viewing him as someone who could main event shows for years.
According to Meltzer, the shift happened almost immediately. By the day after the event, the perception surrounding these talents had changed. The key factor was exposure to a mainstream crowd – one drawn in by a show headlined by John Cena – rather than the smaller, more insulated NXT fanbase.
Meltzer explained that while these call-ups were always expected at some point, there had been lingering skepticism about whether their popularity would scale. Once they proved they could win over a large, diverse audience, those doubts reportedly disappeared almost overnight and WWE officials’ opinions changed “real fast.”
NXT stars Trick Williams and Je’Von Evans are also headed to the main roster. Williams will debut on this Friday’s taped SmackDown. Je’Von competed on this week’s RAW and Michael Cole called him “soon to be free agent.”
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