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WWE NXT continues to thrive and grow as a brand with each passing week, month and year that passes. This past year has seen the likes of Samoa Joe, Shinsuke Nakamura, Asuka, Bobby Roode, The Revival, Ruby Riot, Liv Morgan, Sarah Logan, Hideo Itami, Mandy Rose, and Sonya Deville all added to either the Raw or Smackdown Live rosters. Their call-ups came about because there was little to nothing for them left to achieve in NXT and to ensure that other talents were used in a capacity where they can develop and thrive.
The likes of Velveteen Dream, Roderick Strong, and Lars Sullivan proved that 2017 was the start of something great for them. However, for our list, only a select few were identified as not only having tremendous years in the ring but once they were elevated to a point that they were either featured in main events of either weekly programs or NXT Takeovers.
Those mentioned are still on the brand, as we are not measuring based on being brought to Raw or Smackdown Live. Who are the ones that managed to stand above the rest at the end of the year? Here are the top five NXT superstars for 2017.
#5 Peyton Royce
While Royce hasn't captured any championships with the brand, her importance and overall growth as a featured character in NXT cannot be ignored. After an injury that appears to have sidelined, her iconic duo partner Billie Kay, Peyton Royce took the ball and ran with it. In the process, she has been a featured adversary for so many in the division and has been a part of essentially every NXT Takeover event this year. Her success isn't measured necessarily in wins and losses, but how completely over her character is with the crowd.
Royce was required to maintain that ‘I'm better than you' persona, and has been completely committed to that character with each strut, pose and standing spin heel kick. Whether it was against Asuka, Nikki Cross, Kairi Sane or Ember Moon, Royce has been a prominent character throughout 2017. It is only a matter of time before Royce is recognized for her contributions and awarded with an NXT women's championship reign, as she has been more than deserving of it.
#4 Ember Moon
If there was ever a talent who faced adversity and had to overcome it to be successful it was Ember Moon. While it may have always seemed possible, even probable, for Moon to capture the NXT women's championship, it may not have always been planned to be this way. Her year saw her faced with challenges from some of the best talents on the roster, including the Iconic duo and Nikki Cross. However, Moon's greatest challenge remained her uphill battle facing NXT women's champion Asuka.
Each time Moon faced Asuka, she came up short, but with each match, she appeared to be closer to being successful than the last. Also, the triple threat NXT women's championship match that pitted Asuka, Ruby Riot and Nikki Cross against one another should have been a fatal four way involving Moon. However, Moon was forced to sit on the shelf due to an injury. As a result, she was faced with not only returning to action but returning to a high-level of competition in doing so. She certainly did so, earning her a spot on this list.
#3 Johnny Gargano
Fans that were familiar with Gargano long before he joined NXT knew that he was a talented wrestler in the ring, and an overall exceptional performer. This year could easily be described as a whirlwind that could have completely gone downward. After he and his partner Tommaso Ciampa, lost at NXT Takeover: San Antonio in May, Gargano was beaten by Ciampa so badly that he was left lying in a broken mess on the floor. It could have easily been the start of a bad run for him, simply by virtue of the fact that Gargano was deserted by his partner and was left to start at the bottom as a singles competitor.
However, with time, and successful exhibitions against the likes of Kassius Ohno, he continues to show that his size and past don't define him. As 2018 is upon us, it is important to note that Gargano may be engaged in the most important feud on the brand, as Tommaso Ciampa is sure to make his return soon.
#2 Aleister Black
The man from Holland came in quietly and laid waste to everyone and anyone in his path. Since his arrival in NXT, Black has beaten all comers, up to and including the current NXT champion Andrade ‘Cien' Almas. Whether it was Hideo Itami or the impressive and promising Velveteen Dream, Black has beat down his opposition and left them laying as a result of his spin heel kick. With each and every time he has hit his ‘Black Mass' finisher, Aleister Black has continued to build a name for himself.
During the tournament to determine a number one contender for the NXT championship, Black knocked out Adam Cole with his finisher, and in the process advanced to the finals. While he may not have been successful in the subsequent fatal four-way to determine the number one contender that doesn't mean that Black won't see a championship run in his future. He is considered among the top NXT superstars of 2017, if not the most successful one.
#1 Andrade "Cien" Almas
What a difference a year makes! Looking at where Almas is today compared to a year ago, fans would not have seen it coming. However, whether it was the long-term booking, the addition of Zelina Vega at his side, or an enhanced sense of confidence, Almas has skyrocketed up to the top of the men's division and is the current NXT champion. Along the way, he has defeated the likes of Johnny Gargano and former NXT champion Drew McIntyre.
In the past, he would lose time and time again, but with Vega by his side, Almas has competed with a sense of focus that he didn't appear to have prior. The year of 2017 has seen him reclaim his place as someone to be reckoned with on the roster, by returning to being the talented wrestler fans knew of him to be. His ascent to the top of the brand shows his commitment, and he has earned the respect of the fans along the way.
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