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Despite essentially being the WWE’s quote on quote “farm team,” the NXT roster is stacked with learning rookies and seasoned veterans trying to adapt their styles to the WWE landscape. Over the years, NXT has evolved from being a simple developmental territory to its own full-blown entity, on par with the likes of Ring of Honor and Impact Wrestling, if not better.
NXT’s TakeOver pay-per-views create a buzz amongst the WWE Universe, and often, the event outshines those of their main-roster counterparts.
The point of NXT is to prepare superstars for the main roster. Regardless of whether you’ve been in the business for 15 years, or two, everyone who enters NXT starts with a clean slate to be molded into something fitting for WWE television.
Some stars may get to bring their gimmick from the outside world into the WWE landscape, whereas others are completely repackaged. Long-time stars can, at times, see fresh stars leapfrog over them to the top of the WWE totem pole.
Whether you’ve been in the game for years, or are a brand new face, here are five NXT stars who are ready to make the jump to WWE.
#5 Aleister Black
Formerly known as Tommy End, Aleister Black made waves in the independent U.K. scene, marking his debut during the United Kingdom Championship Tournament under his original name in an unbracketed match against Neville.
Black’s mix of speed, strength, ruthlessness, and agility immediately caught the eyes of the WWE Universe and he made his NXT debut under his current name not long after.
Though he is yet to hold the NXT Championship, it’s more than clear that Black’s athleticism shows that he can hold on his own with the top stars of WWE. Aside from that, his pseudo-gothic troubled-soul type character has intrigued the WWE Universe and has a production value perfectly fit for a bigger stage.
He’s had great matches, he has a great character and it’s only a matter of time before Black makes his inevitable WWE debut in the near future.
#4 Authors Of Pain
Akam and Rezar made an impactful debut on NXT, attacking Jason Jordan and Chad Gable, then known as American Alpha at NXT Take Over: The End. These two monsters immediately enthralled the WWE Universe with their powerhouse dynamic.
Their credibility was further enhanced with the unveiling of their manager, WWE Hall of Famer Paul Ellering. Ellering, of course, was most famous for managing the legendary Road Warriors.
With Ellering working as the mastermind behind the monstrous duo, the Authors of Pain quickly ascended the NXT tag-team ranks, winning the second ever Dusty Rhodes tag-team classic and soon after that, the NXT tag-team titles.
At this point, there is nothing left in NXT for the Authors of Pain. Their presence on the main roster would certainly shake up the tag-team division on either Raw or SmackDown.
#3 Velveteen Dream
As many may know, Velveteen Dream first made his appearance on WWE TV as a contestant on Tough Enough in 2015. Performing under his real name, Patrick Clarke, he was quickly disliked by competitors, judges, and audience members at home for being very cocky and self-absorbed.
Although his undeniable talents made him a high-contender to win the series, he was placed on the chopping block by Paige for his lack of humility and was eliminated by fan vote early in the competition.
Despite this, the flamboyant one still received a contract and has proved that not everyone needs years upon years of experience to show they have the chops. Velveteen Dream was immediately thrown to the wolves, facing Austin Aries in his first televised match.
Soon after, Velveteen was put in a rivalry with Aleister Black, a tremendous matchup took place on NXT TakeOver: War Games. It’s clear that the Prince-inspired Dream can hold his own in the ring and has charisma on the mic.
Velveteen Dream is the whole package and his unique character style will surely make him a polarizing figure on the main roster.
#2 Iconic Duo
There have only been a handful of female pairings in recent memory. LayCool, the Bella Twins, but not a whole lot more to mention. The team-dynamic of Peyton Royce and Billie Kay are a natural pairing that could really shake up the division.
The Iconic Duo’s friendship formed in the Australian independent scene and made its way into the NXT ring. Their onscreen chemistry is undeniable. At the moment, there aren’t really any on-screen “teams” in women’s division on the main roster.
Bringing Billy and Peyton to the fold would add a dynamic that could possibly open the door to unveiling the women’s tag team titles. With the addition of Absolution and the Riott Squad, WWE seems to be heading in that direction.
#1 Johnny Gargano
Johnny Wrestling has proved time and time again that he can work a great match with any type of opponent. He was recently involved in a mammoth fatal-four way match against Aleister Black, Lars Sullivan, and Sanity’s Killian Dain, all three of which towered over him in size.
Not only did Gargano hold his own magnificently in the match, but he came out victorious. All on his own accord, proving that his size would not be a hindrance on his talent against these three behemoths.
Gargano then moved on to face NXT Champion Andrade Cien Almas in a 32-minute bout that is already in talks to being the match of the year. Gargano’s skill and personality have already earned him a tremendous amount of respect amongst fans and fellow performers.
Rumours suggest that Gargano may be set out to 205 Live to join the Cruiserweight division. Gargano and Almas had a title rematch where if Gargano lost he must leave NXT. Gargano ended up losing that match. This should set-up Gargano bringing his talents to the main roster!
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