With one match still left in NXT, Cruz Montana’s WWE future sees him as a star on Raw and a member of The 946.
The November 2 episode of WWE Raw saw Cruz Montana make his main roster debut, attacking Roman Reigns in his first appearance.
There’s little doubt that being in the orbit of Roman Reigns is a pivotal moment in the former NXT stars career, but the gap he leaves on the show will surely be filled by others:
Wednesday night fight
WWE NXT goes up against AEW Dynamite on November 4, with Wednesday night being the temporary host due to election coverage.
With a previously announced Unsanctioned match between Montana and Dion Lennox, Robert Stone has confirmed it will still take place, tweeting:
“Anything can happen at any time on any show in the@WWE…
“Congrats to @Montana_NYPR on the RAW debut, but the unsanctioned match vs. @DionLennoxWWE w/@MikeChandlerMMA as the special enforcer WILL still go on this WEDNESDAY on @WWENXT”
The show was already stacked, with John Cena set to make an appearance and Cody Rhodes awarding the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic trophy to the winner of that tournament.
Add to this, CM Punk challenged Grayson Waller for the NXT Championship, and this week’s show could be a landmark for the brand.
Replacing Cruz Montana
Previously known as Mike Santana, the star’s journey has seen him move from Impact Wrestling to AEW, back to TNA and now to WWE. His tenure in AEW saw him ask for his release in 2024, not seeing himself as ” the type of person who can sit and collect a paycheck”, a detail he would reveal on the Ariel Helwani Show.
Santana’s NXT run may have been absent of championships, but his intensity, presence and hard-hitting nature leave a gap on the brand’s roster.
Who could step up?
It’s unlikely that NXT will want a one-to-one swap for Montana from its current roster, although charisma and presence will clearly play in the choice.
Moving Jackson Drake up to fill the gap could potentially focus the NXT North American Champion as a major player on the brand, knowing that he and Vanity Project could be snapped up for Raw and SmackDown at any moment.
Saquon Shugars is another star who could be on the verge of prominence in NXT, being a former NXT Tag Team Champion with Osiris Griffin. Now a singles competitor, Shugars recently face Drake in a losing effort to Drake for the North American Championship in a Triple Threat also featuring Tavion Heights.
When it comes to agility, Shugars isn’t the only one who could be an option, with Elio LeFleur having returned to competition from an injury suffered back in March. Yet to return to NXT television, LeFleur competed in two dark matches in October, defeating Tristan Angels and Brooks Jensen. Perhaps slotting him into Montana’s spot is a bit too early, but the star certainly has potential.
A name who is very much locked into a prominent NXT spot is Zilla Fatu, currently being targeted by BirthRight. A real-life member of The Bloodline, Fatu’s WWE future is main roster bound, but giving him extra exposure on Tuesday night would not be a bad thing.
Championship material without the title
Cruz Montana had all the potential to be an NXT Champion, yet didn’t hold one during his time with the brand.
What Montana did do, however, was carry himself with all the grace of a champion, backing up that aura with an impactful style that made him stand out.
There are plenty of other NXT stars who could follow a similar path; challenging for a title and being remembered despite never holding one. It’s a conundrum as to why Santana didn’t hold the gold, but there’s little doubt that his career has risen despite the absence.
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