Long considered a big man’s game, the landscape of professional wrestling has been drastically leveled over the past several years. In 1992, a man of just 225 lbs winning the heavyweight title was laughable, and yet Bret Hart managed to do it. Shawn Michaels, Rey Mysterio, Daniel Bryan… WWE Champions seem to be getting smaller by the decade which could prove advantageous to the smaller statured stars of NXT. Could this be the break that wrestlers such as Hideo Itami need to get over, or is it safer to say there is strength in numbers? We’ll get back to that in a moment, but let’s talk about Hideo Itami real quick, shall we?
I was just as angry as anyone when the former KENTA declared he’d now be known as Hideo Itami. But in the few short months he’s been on television, it’s grown on me and it’s become almost as commonplace as Daniel Bryan or Seth Rollins. No doubt, Itami has made a name for himself wrestling around the world. But now that he’s a WWE Superstar, what can we expect out of his time as a sports entertainer? He’s already got one thing going for him: two names. Far too often WWE Creative seems to settle on singular names for Asian superstars; sometimes even established talents who already have full names get the Hakushi treatment. But Hideo Itami has already escaped the fate of such stars as Taijiri, and both of his names are already resonating with the NXT crowd. But being an NXT-favorite doesn’t necessarily guarantee success on the main roster, so how else can he break through and be noticed as more than just another Japanese worker who can kick? How can Hideo Itami minimize the size and language gap between him and the average WWE Superstar? I feel as though NXT Creative has already made the right choice by pairing Itami up with the most dominant tag team in the history of the Performance Center. Working a program with both members of the Ascension has given Itami the sort of credibility he needs for the casual fans to understand why the indie fans are so excited. Any one-on-one feud would have served to either job out an inexperienced rookie or bury an established talent.. We’ve seen that same story before, and I’m excited to see something different for someone as special as Itami. I’m particularly keen on the tag team combination of Itami and Finn Balor. One can only hope that this partnership eventually implodes leading to 5-Star NXT Championship matches between KENTA and Prince Devitt every week. With how excited I am for all of the potential possibilities, I’m almost frustrated by fans who are already clamoring for Hideo Itami to be called up to the main roster.
We’ve got some of the biggest names from the independent scene currently signed to the WWE and reporting to NXT, so rather than calling anyone up prematurely, I’d like to see the producers keep the roster in tact for the foreseeable future. Let’s enjoy the top quality contests we’re sure to see from everyone, especially the man who we’re talking about today. Instead of promoting someone like Itami to the main roster where he’ll be lost in the confusion of Raw, grow him in an environment that caters to his style and can provide him with the platform he needs to thrive. The fast paced, low lit, intimate conditions of NXT are appealing to indie fans yet they’re rooted in the WWE Canon, making it the perfect hybrid for any new signee to transition into the WWE culture. If Itami is pushed to the main roster too soon without having the chance to develop beyond a human-kicking-machine, many fans won’t know what to think of him, and others will be left with unbeatable expectations. I think that can be said for quite a few independent sensations turned NXT Superstars, come to think of it. As mesmerizing as I find Adrian Neville, I can’t for the life of me see how he could fit into the main roster in a meaningful way. Everytime I look at any of the popular NXT wrestlers, I just think of Justin Gabriel and Evan Bourne. Sadly, that could be the fate of many NXT talents once they venture out of their Central Florida comfort zone. But if connecting with the audience is the problem, the solution could be as simple as what WWE did to help introduce the superstars from the first season of NXT.
In order to create any depth of feel to their characters, WWE needs to allow the stars of NXT to give us our money’s worth on the WWE Network every single month. Let the Kevin Steen’s and Finn Balor’s of the world stand alongside Itami, Neville and Zayn and continue to deliver the quickest and strongest style of action the WWE has to offer. Keep hiring the best independent wrestlers out there, and continue introducing them in compelling ways against Itami who should be sold as the most dangerous man alive. By the time another two NXT Takeover’s have come and gone and we’ve got the top wrestlers in the world competing for the NXT title, the question of what is better, WWE or NXT, might be a valid question. Asked on message boards and even on WWE programming. Since the fall of WCW, and the subsequent end of the brand extension, the WWE is left with less competition than ever before. But if NXT can identify as a separate entity than it’s parent, claim it’s dominance and put on matches the likes of which you’ve only ever seen in Japan, than we could very well have a better developed Nexus on our hands. A black and yellow NWO that really does have it’s own roster and pay per views and referees. The invasion angle that could ensue would serve to solidify most any superstar associated with it, and if led by a legitimate global phenomenon like Hideo Itami, we could have another instance similar to D-Bryan yelling at Cena: “You are not better than me!” I think with so many independent wrestlers signed at the same time, three of which are considered to be among the best in the world, the WWE has to have considered an “Indie Invasion”. For guys like Itami, there is most certainly safety in numbers and that’s not just kayfabe commentary, that’s a shoot. It doesn’t matter if you’re the biggest star in another country; ask Sin Cara, when you walk into the WWE you hit the reset button. If Hideo Itami hits the WWE Roster as the cocky leader of the NXT renegades, it could give him the notoriety amongst fans to keep them engaged in his character beyond his initial debut. It could make all the difference in whether he becomes a Bray Wyatt… or a Bo Dallas.
However Itami makes his way to the WWE main roster, I certainly hope it isn’t for some time. I would like to see an NXT Showcase Match at WrestleMania 31, perhaps featuring Hideo Itami and Sami Zayn where they give the casual fans a glimpse at what the “Farm Team” can do. But I think it’s important to let Itami find himself and build his character in the confines of the NXT Arena at Full Sail University, before they move him up and start him in a program where he no longer has as much range to develop his character. That’s it for me guys. My name is Mark Adam Haggerty, I know my role, but I never shut my mouth.
