The WWE NXT call ups 2026 have reshaped the main roster following WrestleMania 42. A total of eight NXT superstars have been promoted to Raw and SmackDown in the days after the two-night event in Las Vegas, bringing fresh faces, new rivalries, and immediate championship implications to both brands. Here is the complete list of every NXT call up after WrestleMania 42, where each superstar landed, and what their main roster debut looked like.
These NXT call ups 2026 come alongside the 25 WWE superstars released in 2026 on the same day — a one-in, one-out roster reset that has significantly changed the WWE NXT roster and the main roster landscape heading into WWE Backlash on May 9.
This list will be updated if more NXT stars are called up to the main roster in the coming weeks.
NXT Call Ups 2026: Full List After WrestleMania 42
| # | Superstar | Called Up To | Debut Date | How They Debuted |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sol Ruca | Raw | April 20 | Challenged Liv Morgan in non-title match |
| 2 | Ethan Page | Raw | April 20 | Defeated Je’Von Evans on debut |
| 3 | Zaria | Raw | April 20 | Interfered in Sol Ruca vs Liv Morgan |
| 4 | Joe Hendry | Raw | April 27 | In-ring concert debut |
| 5 | Jacy Jayne | SmackDown | April 24 | Debuted with Fatal Influence, confronted Rhea Ripley |
| 6 | Fallon Henley | SmackDown | April 24 | Debuted with Fatal Influence |
| 7 | Lainey Reid | SmackDown | April 24 | Debuted with Fatal Influence |
| 8 | Ricky Saints | SmackDown | May 1 (confirmed) | Debut announced via SmackDown vignette |
| — | Blake Monroe | SmackDown (confirmed) | TBA | Debut confirmed via vignette, no date announced |
Every WWE NXT Call Up 2026 After WrestleMania 42: Full Breakdown
Sol Ruca — Raw (Debuted April 20)
Former NXT North American Champion and Women’s Speed Champion
Sol Ruca was the standout debut of the Raw After WrestleMania. The high-flying athlete interrupted Women’s World Champion Liv Morgan’s celebration, referencing their Royal Rumble encounter where they were the final two competitors. Raw GM Adam Pearce made a non-title match on the spot, and Ruca delivered a performance that earned “This is awesome” chants — connecting with her Sol Snatcher finisher, taking out Judgment Day members Raquel Rodriguez and Roxanne Perez with a dive, and only losing after Zaria interfered at ringside.
Ruca immediately established herself as a future Women’s World Championship contender. With both Stephanie Vaquer and Ruca now circling Morgan’s title, the Raw women’s division has been transformed by this single NXT call up.
Ethan Page — Raw (Debuted April 20)
Former NXT Champion
Ethan Page wasted no time on his Raw debut, defeating fellow NXT alum Je’Von Evans in his first main roster match. Page was introduced backstage alongside Intercontinental Champion Penta and Evans, immediately declaring his intention to win the IC title. After the match, Rusev attacked Evans, and Page helped Rusev gain the advantage — allowing Rusev to lock both Evans and Penta in the Accolade.
Page slots directly into the Intercontinental Championship picture, creating a three-way dynamic with Penta and Rusev heading into Backlash. His cunning heel character is tailor-made for the main roster.
Zaria — Raw (Debuted April 20)
Former NXT Women’s Champion
Zaria did not have a formal debut match but made her presence felt by attacking Sol Ruca during the Liv Morgan match, bringing their NXT rivalry to Monday nights. Zaria’s interference cost Ruca the match and established that their feud has followed both women to the main roster. Expect Zaria to factor into the Raw women’s division in the coming weeks.
Joe Hendry — Raw (Debuting April 27)
Former NXT Champion
The viral fan favourite was confirmed as a member of the WWE roster during the Raw After WrestleMania, with Michael Cole officially announcing Hendry’s promotion to the main roster. Hendry will make his official Raw debut on April 27 from Laredo, Texas with a live in-ring concert — the signature segment that made him one of NXT’s most popular acts.
Hendry lost the NXT Championship to Tony D’Angelo at Stand & Deliver earlier in April, appeared in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal on SmackDown, and competed in his final NXT match against Keanu Carver at NXT Revenge. His transition to the main roster has been gradual and deliberate, and the Laredo crowd is expected to deliver one of the loudest receptions of the night.
Fatal Influence (Jacy Jayne, Fallon Henley & Lainey Reid) — SmackDown (Debuted April 24)
Jayne: 2x NXT Women’s Champion. Henley and Reid: NXT tag team specialists
Fatal Influence made the most impactful group debut of any NXT call up in 2026. The trio arrived on the first SmackDown after WrestleMania and immediately inserted themselves into two separate storylines in a single night.
First, they attacked Women’s Tag Team Champions Paige and Brie Bella during their match against Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss, yanking Paige off the apron and laying out all four women to force a disqualification. Later, Jayne confronted new WWE Women’s Champion Rhea Ripley, leading to an 11-minute match that Ripley won by DQ after Henley and Reid stormed the ring. Jayne’s Rolling Encore discus elbow left Ripley laid out to close the segment — Fatal Influence standing tall over the champion on their very first night.
Lainey Reid has been one of the fastest-rising names in the Trends data, with search interest up 60% in the last 24 hours. Fatal Influence’s immediate positioning against both the Women’s Tag Champions and the WWE Women’s Champion makes them the most significant faction call-up since Damage CTRL.
Ricky Saints — SmackDown (Confirmed for May 1)
Former NXT Champion
Ricky Saints’ SmackDown debut was confirmed via a vignette during the April 24 episode. Saints is set to have his final NXT match against Shiloh Hill on Tuesday before making his SmackDown debut on May 1. As a former NXT Champion, Saints arrives on the blue brand as a ready-made main event talent. His placement on SmackDown — alongside the Undisputed WWE Championship, the United States Championship, and the ongoing Bloodline saga — suggests WWE has significant plans for him.
Blake Monroe — SmackDown (Confirmed, Date TBA)
Former NXT Women’s North American Champion
Blake Monroe’s main roster arrival was confirmed via a vignette during the April 24 SmackDown with the tagline “The Glamour. Coming Soon.” No specific debut date has been announced, but the vignette confirms Monroe is heading to SmackDown’s women’s division. Monroe’s search interest sits at 11 and is steady — once a debut date is announced, expect that number to spike.
How The NXT Call Ups 2026 Change The WWE Roster 2026
The NXT call ups after WrestleMania 42 have reshaped both Raw and SmackDown’s championship pictures heading into Backlash on May 9. Here is how the WWE roster 2026 looks after the call-ups:
Raw gains: Sol Ruca (Women’s World Championship contender), Ethan Page (Intercontinental Championship contender), Zaria (women’s division), Joe Hendry (upper midcard/main event). Raw’s roster has been significantly strengthened, particularly in the women’s division where Ruca and Zaria join an already stacked lineup featuring Liv Morgan, Becky Lynch, Bayley, and IYO SKY.
SmackDown gains: Fatal Influence (Women’s Tag and Women’s Championship challengers), Ricky Saints (main event level), Blake Monroe (women’s division). SmackDown’s women’s division has been completely overhauled — Rhea Ripley arrived as champion, Fatal Influence debuted as challengers, and Monroe is incoming. The blue brand’s roster now has more depth than at any point in 2026.
What the NXT roster loses: These call-ups strip NXT of several of its biggest names. Sol Ruca, Ethan Page, Joe Hendry, Jacy Jayne, and Ricky Saints were all former NXT champions. The NXT roster will need to elevate new stars — names like Myles Borne (Breakout trending), Tatum Paxley (+110% rising), and Lola Vice (+30% rising) are the most likely candidates to fill the void left by the call-ups.
NXT Call Ups 2026 vs WWE Releases 2026: The Full Roster Reset
The post-WrestleMania 42 period has been one of the most dramatic roster overhauls in recent WWE history. On the same day that Fatal Influence debuted on SmackDown, 25 superstars were released — including the entire Wyatt Sicks, Kairi Sane, Aleister Black, Zelina Vega, Motor City Machine Guns, and Alba Fyre.
The pattern is clear: WWE is cycling out veterans and underutilised talent while promoting younger, NXT-developed performers who have been groomed for the main roster. The eight NXT call ups in 2026 replace the 25 releases almost dollar-for-dollar in terms of TV time and roster slots. This is the Netflix-era WWE roster strategy in action — invest in homegrown talent, build them in NXT, and promote them when the moment is right.
For the complete breakdown of every WrestleMania 42 result and all the storylines that led to these call-ups, follow the WWE section on The Dakia.
For the latest WWE news and coverage, follow the WWE section on The Dakia.
