Are NXT Callups Coming Soon, Why Moxley Squashed Punk

With a lot of new faces on RAW and SmackDown, are NXT callups coming soon? And, if you are wondering why Moxley squashed CM Punk on Wednesday, we have some insight.

Are NXT Callups Coming Soon

A couple of things happening might have you wondering: are NXT callups coming soon.

And, it would seem the answer is yes, and there could be quite a few inbound.

For months, even before the corporate leadership shift, several NXT talents were seen as on the fast track to the main roster.

Names that were heard include Solo Sikoa and Nikkita Lyons. Lyons, of course, was supposed to be a part of the WWE Women’s tag title tourney, but was pulled.

Sikoa is legitimately part of The Bloodline in real life, so perhaps WWE wants him involved there…but he is also recovering from an injury.

Now, some other names are floating around, with a lot of logic behind them.

One name that is out, for now, is Gigi Dolin and Toxic Attraction, due to a reported concussion…but there are others.

source: @thesbwrestling, twitter, screenshot

Indi Hartwell, for one, given her connections to Johnny Gargano, Dexter Lumis and Theory.

After losing a “loser leaves NXT” match more than a week ago, Santos Escobar seemed ticketed for RAW or SmackDown.

And, after this week’s NXT, he likely is not coming alone. Following a parking lot segment, it would seem we may see the entirety of Legado del Fantasmo join him on the main roster.

Santos Escobar created Legado del Fantasma by tossing kidnapped wrestlers into his SUV in the #WWENXT parking lot.

Santos Escobar took Legado to the main roster with those same wrestlers willingly jumping into his SUV in the NXT parking lot.

Tremendous.pic.twitter.com/okCMXbF6ZS

— Getting Over: Wrestling Podcast (@GettingOverCast) August 24, 2022

That point was confirmed by the Wrestling Observer. Having Legado on the main roster could indeed be good television.

Now, with no WWE Draft apparently imminent, we could see any of the above show up…well, just about any time.

Considering how we’ve been seeing returns and debuts nearly every show for a month, it is a few more reasons to keeps our eyes peeled.

Why Moxley Squashed Punk

Something else to ponder would be…why Jon Moxley effectively squashed CM Punk on Wednesday’s episode of Dynamite.

It was not even just a match. That was a squash in the AEW Heavyweight Championship unification bout.

So, it was arguably kind of a big deal.

The Observer threw out some curious but worthwhile tidbits about the match.

Per their report, this match wasn’t initially planned for television, but it also was allegedly not used to pop a rating.

Even if Tony Khan wouldn’t mind if it did.

From the sounds of it, some were not overjoyed with the idea of the “interim” title-including Jon Moxley, who now is the full-on AEW champ once again.

Before the bout was announced for Dynamite, expectation was that we’d see it at the upcoming September PPV, All Out.

source: @prowrestlingfinesse, twitter, screenshot

Per the report, that match is still expected to happen in September.

Now, instead of being a unification bout, it would be a re-match for Punk.

And given how rapidly Wednesday’s match unfolded, plus how it ended, AEW has a few more wrinkles in the story.

Like, did Punk come back too soon from his foot injury? Or is he even still injured?

Considering that we are looking at Punk-Moxley again just about two weeks after Punk lost in about three minutes, you could say AEW is taking a big risk.

AEW is hoping Punk’s chance at redemption serves as a hook to pull in buys. We will find out soon enough.