WWE Has Reportedly Called Up Another NXT Superstar

A number of NXT superstars were called up in the recent WWE Draft, with names like Kiana James, Carmelo Hayes, and Ilja Dragunov joining Raw and SmackDown. According to a new report from PWInsider though, another of their peers will be joining them on the main roster, and it is happening pretty soon (H/T Wrestling News). The report states that Joe Gacy will be headed to the main roster very soon and has already been sighted at WWE Headquarters this week. According to sources, this was in relation to a call-up, but it isn’t known stated whether he will be added to the Raw or SmackDown roster.

Gacy had recently been feuding with Dijak, who was drafted to Monday Night Raw on Monday. Gacy has embraced a more unhinged character that actually got over as a babyface due to his surprising appearances and unwillingness to let anything stop him, which even included a straightjacket.

Gacy has continued to be a prominent figure in NXT since his debut, and soon he would become a major heel, leading a cult named Schism. That group would grow to include Grizzled Young Veterans and Ava Raine, and they would be positioned as the top villain stable on the brand. Despite that positioning though, they never actually amassed many wins, and eventually broke up after GYV left WWE. Raine would then become the NXT General Manager, and Gacy would go on a singles run.

He’s found success with this character, and it still lets him play in the unhinged realm without necessarily being a heel. It will be interesting to see if he debuts on the main roster with this same character or something different, but it seems like we won’t have to wait long to find out.

As for the rest of NXT, the draft featured call-ups for Hayes, James, Dragunov, Blair Davenport, and Lyra Valkyria, with Valkyria, Dragunov, James, and Dijak going to Raw, while Hayes and Davenport joined the SmackDown roster. Bron Breakker had already been signed to SmackDown recently, but he moved to Raw, while his former tag partner Baron Corbin was moved back to SmackDown after the successful run as Tag Team Champions.

Unfortunately today didn’t carry all good news for NXT talents, as 10 people were cut from the brand earlier today. Most of the talents released had only been signed since 2023, but there were a few more experienced names on the list, including Valentina Feroz and Drew Gulak. You can find that list here. We wish everyone the best and hope they land somewhere else soon.

Where do you want to see Gacy go next? You can talk all things wrestling with me on Threads and Twitter @mattaguilarcb!