Finally arriving to NXT a year shy of his 40th birthday, Bobby Roode immediately made an “impact” (pun intended) in his new home.  Roode had already proved for years in TNA that he was an incredible talent who deserved a main event spot there and could be a large fish in any bond.  If he keeps up this “glorious” pace, the WWE Hall of Fame is a distinct possibility.

Longtime wrestling fans knew that A.J. Styles was an incredible worker.  Styles was an original in TNA and regardless of what big name came in or what angle (good or bad) felt important in that realm. 

February 8 – 21, 1960
Mark Dinning
Teen Angel

Matt Belisle didn't arrive in Denver as a high-priced savior; instead, he was a former starter from Cincinnati who reinvented himself as a high-frequency weapon out of the bullpen, and for six seasons, he was the rubber-armed heart of the Colorado relief corps.

He reached a definitive level of efficiency in 2010, posting a career-best 2.93 ERA and a 1.087 WHIP over 92 innings, and the year after, he had an atypical 10-4 record for a middle reliever. 

In 2012, Belisle led the National League by appearing in 80 games, a grueling workload that would have broken most arms at altitude. He functioned as the ultimate bridge to the ninth inning, utilizing a sharp slider and a heavy sinker to navigate the most dangerous hitters in the division. He finished his run in Colorado with 392 appearances, a total that places him among the most tenured pitchers in the team's history. His career 3.97 strikeout-to-walk ratio with the club remains a benchmark for relievers trying to survive the thin air without giving up walks.

He stayed with the organization through 2014, eventually returning for a brief second stint in 2018 to provide veteran leadership to a young, postseason-bound squad.