This year saw over a dozen NXT call-ups to the WWE roster. The career of Bull Dempsey took a much different turn.
Early in the year, Dempsey was cut from the WWE and essentially killed off on NXT programming by Samoa Joe. Despite his release, Dempsey, now known as Bull James, doesn't hold any ill-will. In a recent interview with The Two Man Power Trip of Wrestling, James said that he wasn't surprised by any of the 2016 promotions, and says there are no shortage of others who are prepared.
?No. I think that if it wasn't one of those people (that were drafted) there are 60 or 70 others that are ready to go. That is the whole point of that place is to be over-prepared and everybody down there is being prepared to be over-prepared to go up and I always catch myself saying "go up" because we are used to developmental being a thing that nobody talks about but now it is its own brand. Having lived through it you still get caught up in using the terminology but there are people there that bust their ass every day and are going to get a shot whether it is in WWE or a different company they will get a shot somewhere because they are over-prepared for any situation that this industry or life is going to throw at them," said James (h/t Chad and John for the transcript)
The WWE brand extension caused a huge influx of new talent. James mentioned in the interview that there are certain names he think will benefit from the move.
"(Tyler) Breeze is a guy who is probably the most under-utilized talent on that roster, if not one of them. He is that good. I have had some of my favorite matches with him and I think that he is incredible and I'm sure that with this brand split he is going to get some more opportunities and I already know he is going to take full advantage of it," James said.
As mentioned, James was written off of WWE TV after being choked out by eventual NXT Champion Samoa Joe. James had nothing but kind words for the TNA veteran.
?Joe is the man. The only time I wrestled him was that one TV match and it was only a couple of minutes and I'd love to be able to do it for longer next time. I have so much respect for him as a person and as a performer and he is definitely one of my favorite people that I have ever come across in wrestling. We just clicked and I felt that I got really close to him before I was let go and I think that for him and everything he has done and as much as he has accomplished that I still think this is just the beginning for him. Everywhere he has gone and been World Champion he has been "the guy" and the right guy for it. I think it is just a matter of timing and when it is right, you don?t want to take too much away from the top of the food chain in NXT.?