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NXT has become a wrestling sensation since changing from FCW and becoming the third brand for WWE. A large percentage of main roster guys and girls have been in NXT at some point, with notable successes and failures.
Honourable mentions include Cesaro, Sasha Banks, Finn Balor and Samoa Joe. Here are five of the best NXT call-ups to the main roster:
#5 Dean Ambrose
Since debuting on the main roster in the Shield, along with Seth Rollins and Roman Reigns, Dean Ambrose has always been in the title hunt for multiple belts. Ambrose has the third longest United States title reign in company history and is also a former WWE Champion, 2-time Intercontinental Champion and RAW Tag Team Champion with Seth Rollins.
Whilst in the Shield, Dean feuded with the biggest stars in the company, from The Undertaker and Kane to HHH and Batista. A beloved member of the WWE roster, when Dean's music hits, the WWE Universe goes crazy.
#4 Charlotte
Charlotte Flair was always going to succeed in WWE. With unparalleled athleticism and a GOAT father, it was only a matter of time before she moved up to the WWE main roster. What couldn't have been predicted however was just how good she would become, and how many groundbreaking moments for women's wrestling she would be involved in.
A 4-time RAW women's champion and current SmackDown women's champion, Charlotte also boasts being in the first women's Hell in a Cell, first women's match to headline a PPV, longest women's match in WWE history and also being part of the first women's Money in the Bank ladder match.
#3 Kevin Owens
Kevin Owens had a violent start to his WWE career in NXT, attacking his former best friend (and now current) Sami Zayn after he won his first NXT Championship. A stellar run in NXT followed which naturally led to Kevin being called up to the WWE main roster. A first night US Title shot against John Cena followed with Owens disrespecting both the title and Cena by refusing to complete the match and stomping on the belt.
A victory then over Cena at Elimination Chamber PPV announced Kevin Owens to the world. From that point on, KO has been in high profile, main event feuds with AJ Styles, Shane McMahon, Vince McMahon, Chris Jericho and Goldberg. Winning the WWE Universal title after Finn Balor abdicated was a massive achievement for the Quebecer, and Kevin is also a 2-time Intercontinental Champion and 3 time US Champion.
#2 Seth Rollins
The architect of the Shield and the creator of its demise was on to big things when he debuted with Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns. Becoming the WWE Tag Team Champion with Reigns started off his quest for gold, and also became the Money in the Bank winner in 2014 after turning his back on his Shield brethren and siding with The Authority.
This led him to become the only man to cash in the Money in the Bank briefcase at WrestleMania, ultimately pinning Roman Reigns after he had suffered a full beating at the hands of Brock Lesner. Seth has been part of the main event scene ever since, at one point holding the US title at the same time as the WWE title, and beating Roman Reigns for the WWE title in 2016, only to lose his title in a cruel mirror image, being pinned by Dean Ambrose with a Money in the Bank cash in.
Rollins is currently the RAW tag team champion along with Jason Jordan and always looking towards becoming WWE Universal Champion.
#1 Roman Reigns
This list could not be topped by anyone other than the 'Big Dog' Roman Reigns. A 3-time WWE World Heavyweight Champion, US and Intercontinental title holder, plus the 2015 Royal Rumble winner and WWE Tag Team champion, Reigns has already won most of what WWE has to offer. Being positioned as the companies top man for a few years now has led to polarising opinions of him by the WWE Universe, but ultimately, he delivers in the ring. Headlining the last three WrestleMania's where he also beat
The Undertaker and forever being the Monday Night RAW main event, Roman is most definitely the top guy to come out of NXT. The ultimate prize is the WWE Universal Championship, which since it's inception as eluded 'The Guy' and must be on the horizon for the face of the company.
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