WWE Impressed With NXT Talent Following Saturday Night’s Main Event Appearances – WWE officials were reportedly very impressed with the NXT talent featured at 12/13 Saturday Night’s Main Event, with several names viewed internally as future main roster stars following their performances in Washington, D.C.

Dave Meltzer and Bryan Alvarez discussed the company’s reaction on the latest edition of Wrestling Observer Radio, focusing on Oba Femi, Sol Ruca, Leon Slater, Je’Von Evans, and Joe Hendry. According to Meltzer, the response backstage was overwhelmingly positive, particularly because the group connected strongly with the live crowd on a major stage outside of NXT programming.

“I know that people there were very impressed with the four that wrestled. Joe Hendry, everyone knows. He’s a guy that’s going to go out there and get a great crowd reaction and that’s a big part of their business,” Meltzer said. “But they see Oba Femi as a superstar, they see Sol Ruca as a superstar, and they see Evans and Leon Slater as superstars.”

Meltzer added that while developmental paths are rarely perfect, WWE clearly recognizes the upside of this group. “They may botch it, something may happen, but it’s not like they aren’t seeing it,” he noted. “It was right in front of them, plus they got over with the crowd in D.C., which is a big thing.”

Joe Hendry’s inclusion was viewed as a known quantity, as he has consistently demonstrated an ability to generate loud reactions in multiple environments. However, the perception of Oba Femi, Sol Ruca, Je’Von Evans, and Leon Slater as potential breakout stars appears to be a significant takeaway from the event. Internal belief in Femi, in particular, continues to grow as he remains positioned as a cornerstone of NXT’s future.

Several of these names will remain in the spotlight in the coming days and weeks. Hendry and Slater are scheduled to compete in a four-way match on NXT to determine the next challenger for Oba Femi’s NXT Championship. Evans is set for a notable stretch as well, with a match booked for next week’s RAW against Rayo Americano, along with an upcoming appearance at AAA Guerra de Titanes. At that event, Evans is scheduled to challenge for the AAA Cruiserweight Championship in a three-way match against Jack Cartwheel and reigning champion Laredo Kid.

Taken together, the strong crowd reactions and positive internal feedback suggest WWE is closely evaluating how quickly these talents could factor into broader creative plans beyond NXT.

WWE Impressed With NXT Talent Following Saturday Night’s Main Event Appearances

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