PWI Weekly for August 17, 2026

THE FUTURE IS NOW! At least when it comes to the future of WWE, it is. Regular viewers of NXT no doubt enjoy keeping tabs on who is doing what on Tuesday nights … and who might just be the next wrestler called up to the main roster.

While none of us at PWI will claim to be Nostradamus, we like to think we’ve been around the grappling game long enough to have an eye for talent. In this edition of the PWI Weekly, we are singling out some folks who we think should be a shoo-in for success on Raw or Smackdown in the not-so-distant future.

Of course, we could name the likes of Kendal Grey and Tony D’Angelo. But, to make it a little more interesting, we’ve decided to stay outside the ranks of the top singles champions. Let us know what you think: pwi@kappapublishing.com

Vanity Project are the most annoying of things: young, good-looking, and successful. Although grizzled PWI staffers like Matt Brock prefer their wrestlers to look more Berzerker than beautiful, the rest of us will concede what the Vanity gang has brought to Tuesday nights.

Led by former EVOLVE Men’s champion Jackson Drake, alongside Brad Baylor & Ricky Smokes, the Project possesses the total package that WWE often looks for. Adding the intimidating Myka Lockwood to its ranks has only bolstered the group’s already formidable credentials.

With their smug, entitled, Gen-Z frat-house personas, we can only imagine how grating (and entertaining) the group could be on the main WWE roster. Don’t be fooled by appearances, though. Behind the carefully tailored clothes and neatly coiffed hair, there lies some serious wrestling talent that might soon be ready for bigger stages. No wonder they’re so vain (they probably think this song is about them).

If you think that Rhea Ripley is the only Amazonian Australian capable of dominating WWE, think again. Zaria has been a force since landing in NXT. Just ask former partner Sol Ruca, who tasted success as her tag team partner, then felt a lot of pain as her opponent. Currently the NXT Women’s North American champion, Zaria’s intense aura and big-time power game make her an incredibly intriguing prospect for either of the main two WWE brands.

And that’s where the Ripley comparison becomes so compelling. Born out of the same Australian independent scene, an eventual match between the two seems appealing. In the January 2024 issue of PWI, Ripley herself name-dropped Zaria (then called Delta) as someone she was keeping an eye on. We reckon “Mami” still is.

He’s big, he looks weird, and fans can’t get enough of him. We are, of course, talking about Shiloh Hill, but we remember a time when the same words were being said about The Undertaker. While it would be deeply unfair of us to compare Hill to the legendary “Deadman,” to liken him to an early “Mean” Mark Callous might not be far off the mark.

With his unique charisma—and imposing size and strength—Hill has made a strong connection with NXT fans during his tenure with the brand. The former college football standout might not be the most technically proficient grappler. But when one possesses some of Hill’s other intangibles, you don’t need to worry about that.

The fact that The Undertaker mentored Hill on season two of WWE LFG speaks volumes about the young star’s potential. Hill unsurprisingly emerged as the winner of the men’s competition that season. We think a lot more victories are in his future.

Quite frankly, we can’t believe that Kelani Jordan isn’t already a multi-time NXT Women’s champion with Adam Pearce and Nick Aldis fighting to sign her. The ultra-athletic 2024 PWI Rookie of the Year has impressed nearly everyone who has ever seen her compete. So why the lack of a call-up to the main roster? Well, keep in mind that just four years ago, Jordan had never even set foot in a wrestling ring. The fact that she stands today as a former TNA Knockouts World champion (as well as the inaugural NXT North American Women’s champion) says plenty about her abilities.

Before Jordan is drafted to Raw or Smackdown, she might want to claim the elusive NXT Women’s championship. At Heatwave on August 30, she will get her chance.

Special mention to the other woman in the photo above, Kali Armstrong. We like her chances of being an impact player in WWE someday.

Okay, so we might be cheating slightly, as Grayson Waller has already been a fixture of WWE’s main roster. Not this Grayson Waller, however.

If you’re only familiar with the Aussie’s comedic antics alongside Austin Theory and The New Day, then you owe it to yourself to watch this clip. After gate-crashing NXT in July, Waller cut a scathing promo. He took aim at what he perceived as an NXT men’s roster that wasn’t stepping up to the plate.

If the former WWE tag team champion can somehow bottle this attitude and take it back with him to the main roster, Mondays and Fridays could have another highly motivated wrestler in their midst.