5 Future World Champions on the Current NXT Roster

NXT has been cultivating the future of WWE ever since it became the developmental brand of the company. Some of WWE’s biggest Superstars are former members of the NXT roster like Roman Reigns, Drew McIntyre, Becky Lynch, Seth Rollins, and more.

Five of the Superstars who have won the WWE title in the last five years have spent some time in NXT.

Even the current NXT roster is full of stars who have the potential to become future World Champions on the main roster and possibly have the roster built around them in the years to come. That being said, let's take a look at five NXT stars who are future World Champions. But before that, here are some honorable mentions.

Honorable Mentions

Velveteen Dream

One of the youngest Superstars in WWE currently, Velveteen Dream has the potential to become a future World Champion. He’s turning 25 next month and already boasts a complete package of character, charisma, promo skills, and wrestling ability. If he gets the chance to compete in WWE again, the sky would be the limit for him.

Dexter Lumis

Dexter Lumis is one of the most unique Superstars on the NXT roster and he seems destined for great things on the Black and Gold brand. He has the look that Vince McMahon appreciates and his gimmick should do well on the main roster as well. Lumis’ mean streak and hard-hitting offense surprisingly mix well with his creepy and methodological approach.

WALTER

WALTER has "Future World Champion" written all over him and he is the current NXT UK Champion. The Austrian giant signed with WWE last year but there is one big problem for him. In an interview, WALTER revealed that he has no plans to move to the United States. He’s interested in working on the main roster but it would be hard for WWE to put all its chips on a Superstar not living in America, where most of the main-roster shows take place around the year.

Tyler Bate

Just like Velveteen Dream, Tyler Bate is one of the youngest Superstars in WWE currently. Bate is only 23 years old and he has already won the NXT United Kingdom Championship and the NXT Tag Team titles with Trent Seven. He’s one of the best in the world at the moment but his short stature might hinder him from becoming a World Champion on the main roster.

Mansoor

Mansoor was one of the first NXT signings from Saudi Arabia and he has received a considerable push already with wins over Cesaro and Dolph Ziggler on WWE's Saudi shows. He also won a 51-Man Battle Royal at the 2019 Super ShowDown event in Jeddah. Expect WWE to give Mansoor a World title on a future show in Saudi Arabia.

#5 Pete Dunne

One of the most gifted young wrestlers in the world today, Pete Dunne is already a one-time NXT United Kingdom Champion, holding the title for 685 days. Dunne has his Bruiserweight persona that could translate pretty well on the main roster. He’s also a former NXT Tag Team Champion with Matt Riddle.

Those who have followed Dunne's work in the independent circuit and now watch him on NXT and NXT UK should have no doubt that he is a future World Champion. It also helps that the NXT head honcho Triple H thinks that Dunne is a future WWE Champion. In an interview back in 2018, Triple H revealed his admiration for the Bruiserweight. He said:

"There is a lot of talent (in Britain) there but a guy that stands out to me the most is Pete Dunne. I think his ability to take a style from years ago in a classic UK style and blend that with a modern style and be comfortable in what he says and what he does, and his passion for this is what's impressive. He's like a sponge, he's constantly learning.”

In the last several months, the WWE Universe has definitely felt the absence of Pete Dunne and it's only a matter of time before he makes his return and continues climbing to the top of the mountain.

#4 Dominik Dijakovic

The former Ring of Honor star, Dominik Dijakovic, made his NXT debut back in December 2018. He signed his WWE deal in late 2017 and appeared mostly on non-televised matches initially. Dijakovic was sidelined for almost half of 2019 but he has been on a tear since returning to NXT late last year. His matches with Keith Lee are always magical.

The 33-year-old NXT Superstar is 6 feet 7 inches tall and it’s easy to see Vince McMahon being high on him once he gets promoted to the main roster. Despite his size, Dijakovic is agile like a cruiserweight. However, he still needs to work on his mic skills to become a complete package.

Nevertheless, Dijakovic is a future World Champion. His look and talent are sufficient to get the spotlight on him when the time is right. Another thing that could work for Dijakovic is his rivalry with Keith Lee. It may not be as iconic as Rock-Austin's rivalry but it will be interesting to see them fight for a World title at a future WrestleMania.

#3 Keith Lee

Keith Lee defeated Adam Cole on Night 2 of NXT: The Great American Bash for the NXT Championship and also successfully defended his North American title in the same match. This win cemented Lee’s place as the current face of the Black and Gold brand.

It was a tough road for Lee before he finally made it in WWE. He paid his dues on the independent circuit for 13 years, including a WWE cameo appearance as a security guard in 2009. The 35-year-old behemoth has already been tested against established Superstars such as Roman Reigns at the 2019 Survivor Series event and Brock Lesnar in the 2020 Royal Rumble match.

Here is what Triple H said in an interview regarding the current NXT and North American Champion's chances of winning the big one:

“He’s just the kind of guy that you wanna work hard for, and you wanna deliver for him. Man, I love working with him. You say “Keith Lee, world champion” – and you ask me what my opinion is? I say “Hell yeah!”

Just like his moniker, Lee’s potential is limitless and he is, without a doubt, a future World Champion.

#2 Adam Cole

One of the best in the world today, Adam Cole has been the face of NXT for more than two years as a part of the Undisputed Era. He recently lost the NXT title to Keith Lee in a colossal Champion vs. Champion match, which means he could be on his way to the main roster.

The three-time ROH World Champion was one of the biggest signings in NXT history back in 2017. He was already a huge star on the independent circuit and it was not surprising that he joined WWE. Since then, he has constantly remained the highlight of the Black and Gold brand, whether he opens a show or closes it.

Although he isn't as big as The Rock, Hulk Hogan, or Batista, Cole does have the potential to make it big on the main roster. Many tout him as the next Shawn Michaels, Daniel Bryan, or even A.J. Styles. The 31-year-old is just entering his prime and he could be on his way to bigger things on Raw or SmackDown soon.

#1 Karrion Kross

WWE may have found its next big thing in Karrion Kross and the company is making sure he succeeds on NXT first. The former Impact Wrestling star has the built of a Champion. Add his mysterious persona to the mix and you have a bonafide Superstar. And don’t forget Scarlett, his real-life girlfriend/on-screen manager, who fits perfectly with his character.

Kross made his NXT debut earlier this year by attacking former NXT Champion, Tommaso Ciampa. He went on to defeat Ciampa at NXT TakeOver: In Your House in a very dominant fashion. It was the perfect way for WWE to introduce Kross as one of the biggest NXT stars in the past four years.

The 34-year-old has only been in NXT for a few months and he’s already set to feud with Keith Lee for the NXT Championship. Don’t be surprised if Kross wins the title from Lee as well as gets promoted to the main roster later this year. Kross might be the next big Superstar that WWE has been looking for.

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