CM Punk Names Multiple NXT Wrestlers Who Will Thrive On WWE Main Roster

CM Punk believes the NXT roster is filled with future main roster talent.

As the WWE World Heavyweight Champion who started in pro wrestling about 30 years ago, CM Punk is one of the most experienced wrestlers on the WWE roster.

Punk knows as well as anybody that, at 47, he’s closer to the end of his career than he is to the beginning.

With that in mind, Punk spoke to the No-Contest Wrestling Podcast recently about some of the talent in NXT who could do well on the WWE main roster. Punk has spent plenty of time in NXT since returning to WWE over two years ago, so he knows the talent well.

“I think you’re seeing it unfold live on television. I think the call-ups have been handled pretty well. One of the first was — well, you mentioned three of them [Oba Femi, Je’Von Evans, Trick Williams]. I think if you look at the landscape of things and people who have been called up to the main roster, those are maybe top three.

But somebody who snuck in before them is Carmelo Hayes. And those are — right there, those are four black athletes. I think that’s important to point that out. I think those guys are the future. I think those guys are special.

I think Sol Ruca… and you saw in the Rumble, Kelani was in the Rumble. She’s amazing. Jacy? Amazing. I think these are all people that are going to wind up paving the way and carrying the torch really. NXT is stacked. It really is like. Ricky Saints is another one… I think Ethan Page is another guy that’s in NXT.”

The NXT North American Champion, Ethan Page, and Ricky Saints both worked with Punk in AEW, and they are in their mid-30s with a lot of experience in pro wrestling, so they are in a different spot in their careers than some of the other names Punk mentioned, who are much younger wrestlers.

Paul Heyman Claims You Can Believe What CM Punk Says

When discussing CM Punk’s career as a legendary WWE superstar, WWE Hall of Famer Paul Heyman said a major reason for Punk’s success is his authenticity.

“I say that because he doesn’t speak from the perspective of a certain persona. He speaks from the heart. He means what he says, and he says what he means, and that’s whether he is as Phil Brooks or as CM Punk.

When he speaks into a microphone and addresses the audience, you can believe everything that he has is mind, body, soul, and spirit. It’s authentic.”

Next up for CM Punk is a World Heavyweight Title defense against Finn Balor at the Elimination Chamber PLE on February 28th. If Punk wins that, then he can focus on Royal Rumble winner Roman Reigns as his WrestleMania 42 opponent.

The next WWE PLE is Elimination Chamber on February 28th in Chicago. Here’s the lineup so far:

• World Heavyweight Championship: CM Punk vs. Finn Balor
• Men’s Elimination Chamber Match: Randy Orton vs. LA Knight vs. Cody Rhodes vs. 3 more wrestlers
• Women’s Intercontinental Championship: Becky Lynch vs. AJ Lee
• Women’s Elimination Chamber Match: Rhea Ripley vs. Tiffany Stratton vs. Alexa Bliss vs. 3 more wrestlers

You can watch WWE Elimination Chamber, streaming live on Saturday, February 28, at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT on ESPN in the United States and Netflix everywhere else.