'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
WWE's NXT brand debuted as a concept way back in 2010. The inaugural season was a pseudo-reality based series in which independent wrestlers were assigned "mentors" from WWE's main roster and competed in a series of challenges and matches, as competitors would be voted off, week by week, until a winner was crowned.
The star of the show on NXT season one was the former Bryan Danielson, the newly monikered, Daniel Bryan.
Bryan's immaculate body of work on the independent scene particularly in Ring of Honor wherein he reigned as ROH World Champion for a mammoth 462 days, was ridiculed on the air by WWE's announce team, particularly Michael Cole who was Vince McMahon's mouthpiece for the show.
The Cole ridicule led to a couple of white-hot angles in which Bryan castigated the ignorant Cole and stated he had more talent in his little finger than the announcer had in his entire body.
A furious Bryan lamped Cole and had to be forcibly restrained as Bryan also lunged at The Miz, his own mentor, who had famously mocked him also.
Bryan lost all six of his matches on NXT as WWE sought to erase his reputation but the hugely talented Bryan got over big with WWE's audience and the company would be forced to re-evaluate it's opinion of him, which is why he remained on the payroll, despite being the first man to be eliminated from the competition.
England's Wade Barrett would be the winner of season one of NXT and would use the notoriety he earned to establish the Nexus; a rogue group of NXT rookies who took the main roster WWE by storm, at least initially.
The subsequent two seasons of NXT followed the same format until the brand was given an overhaul as the unofficial third brand of WWE, which also played a key role in the seasoning and development of future WWE stars.
Many huge WWE names have come through the NXT system such as The Shield, Finn Balor, Bray Wyatt, Drew McIntyre, Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens.
In 2018, NXT is a hugely popular brand and possesses many fans that do not watch WWE's main roster shows, Raw and Smackdown.
While the brand goes from strength to strength, SK looks at five current NXT superstars who are likely to break out and achieve success on the main roster in 2019 and beyond.
#5 Johnny Gargano
The small and slender Johnny Gargano is not the typical type of wrestler that WWE likes for its main roster superstars.
However, Gargano has proven himself to be so talented between the ropes and adept at playing both heel and face, it is impossible to think that he will not receive an opportunity on WWE's main roster.
The 31-year-old Gargano has been wrestling professionally since 2005 and is an extremely polished act.
With no more seasoning needed, he could conceivably be called up tomorrow if WWE so desired.
After spells wrestling for acclaimed independent leagues such as Chikara, Dragon Gate, Evolve and Pro Wrestling Guerrilla, Gargano received his big break when he was granted a WWE tryout in June 2015.
He signed full time for the company in April 2016 and ever since then has been one of the standout performers for the NXT brand.
Gargano's NXT Tag Team Championship winning team with Tomasso Ciampa resulted in Ciampa turning on him which kicked off an epic feud between the two men over the NXT Championship.
Ciampa eventually triumphed in their feud which left many wondering what Gargano would do next after failing to wrest the belt away from Ciampa after numerous attempts.
The likeable baby-face was shockingly turned heel when it was revealed he was Alesteir Black's mystery attacker on the October 24, 2018 episode of NXT.
With a refreshed new character direction and feud with Black, Gargano is set for a white-hot run in NXT in the early part of 2019. However, a subsequent call-up to the main roster must be on the cards after that.
2019 should be Gargano's opportunity to sink or swim on the big stage.
#4 Toni Storm
It is easy to forget that Toni Storm is just 23 years old.
The Kiwi is a stunningly proficient wrestler for someone of her tender age. She began wrestling a decade ago at the age of 13, moving to the other side of the world to Liverpool, England to better expose herself to pro-wrestling circles.
Storm made her pro debut, days before her 14th birthday. Over the course of the next nine years, she wrestled for London based Progress Wrestling and the Japanese company, World Wonder Ring Stardom, before catching the eye of WWE scouts who invited her to participate in the inaugural Mae Young Classic in 2017. Storm defeated Ayesha Raymond, Lacey Evans and Piper Niven before crashing out of the tournament at the Semi-Final stage to eventual winner, Kairi Sane.
On May 24th, 2018 it was announced that Storm had signed a full-time contract with WWE and was assigned to the new NXT: UK brand.
Storm lost to Rhea Ripley in a bout to determine the first ever NXT: UK Women's Champion. Her ascent continued when she clashed with IO Shirai in the Final of the 2018 Mae Young Classic in front of a worldwide audience at WWE's first ever all-female pay per view, Evolution on October 28, 2018.
Storm's performance in her highest profile outing to date wasn't perfect and in truth lacked co-ordination in places but the win was a huge vote of confidence from the office.
The New Zealand born Storm is not yet ready for the main roster and the NXT: UK gig is the perfect home for her to hone her craft ready for a call-up to Raw or Smackdown in 2019.
Storm by then will be the finished product. With her good looks, excellent ring skills and Australasian heritage to set her apart from the pack, a hugely bright future lies in store.
#3 Tommaso Ciampa
Tommaso Ciampa looks like he would mug your granny. The terrifying maniacal heel, Ciampa is destined to be a star in McMahon-land.
How can he not? He possesses all the attributes WWE boss, Vince McMahon loves in a top act.
Despite lacking height, standing at a relatively small, by WWE standards, five feet 11 inches, Ciampa has a hulking, intimidating frame that would scare even the most robust of men.
A 13-year veteran, Ciampa has had a long road to the top but it is a route that will soon pay off for the reigning NXT Champion.
Ciampa spent years wrestling for small independent wrestling companies before receiving an opportunity to compete for Ring of Honor in 2011.
Over the course of the next four years, Ciampa polished his act and became a huge star in the promotion, winning the World Television Championship at ROH's biggest show of the year, Final Battle on December 14, 2013.
In late 2015, Ciampa began competing for NXT on a semi-regular basis and signed on full time with the group in April 2016.
Keeping his ring name, Ciampa quickly ascended the ranks and turned heel on his buddy, Johnny Gargano to kick off a long-running feud over the NXT Championship which Ciampa won.
With little else to achieve in NXT after three years in the development brand, Ciampa is awaiting the call from McMahon.
It will come in 2019 and Ciampa's dynamic act will take him far, perhaps to the WWE World Championship.
#2 Velveteen Dream
Velveteen Dream is 23 years old. Belying his years, Dream is already a fully developed act. If the charismatic youngster can continue to progress at the current rate, then he may well end his career as the greatest professional wrestler of them all.
Confident, athletic and naturally gifted on the microphone, Dream can do anything. With time on his side, there is no reason for WWE to rush him up to the main roster but it would truly be astonishing if he does not debut by the time the post-Wrestlemania Raw and Smackdown episodes conclude.
Dream participated in the 2015 series of WWE's reality series, Tough Enough but was eliminated early in the competition due to a lack of humility.
Harnessing his real-life arrogance, an undeterred Dream crafted his incredibly original Velveteen Dream character which was inspired by popstar, Prince.
A memorable feud with Alesteir Black throughout summer 2017 cemented Dream as a player and his face turn earlier this month suggests his time in NXT is coming to an end.
It remains to be seen whether Dream can make his character a success as a baby-face but the signs thus far are promising.
WWE should strap a rocket to this man's back. If 2019 isn't Dream's breakout year in wrestling then WWE are out of their minds.
#1 Alesteir Black
Alesteir Black is the biggest star in NXT right now and it isn't a stretch to believe he could become one of the biggest stars on the main roster in 2019.
The Dutchman has a curious family history, with his father growing up inside a religious cult. That upbringing has inspired Black's occult-like character and lends it an authenticity that the likes of Bray Wyatt, Kane and even The Undertaker cannot match.
In fact, if WWE are struggling to find an opponent for Undertaker at Wrestlemania 35 then they can do a lot worse than Black.
It is easy to forget now but Black has actually only been a part of WWE since summer 2016 and did not debut for the promotion until the early summer of 2017.
Black's rise has been meteoric. Engaging with a highly intense feud with Velveteen Dream, the dark, brooding, Black refused to say his opponent's name. It was only when he emerged victorious in their feud ending collision at NXT TakeOver: Wargames that he very deliberately whispered Dream's name into his victim's ear.
Black won the NXT Championship on Wrestlemania weekend, defeating the main roster bound, Andrade "Cien" Almas in a thrilling battle. He would keep hold of the strap until July when he lost to Tommaso Ciampa.
Black was attacked by a mystery assailant following NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn 4 which was the storyline excuse to excuse him from competition while he underwent groin surgery.
When Black returned in October, he discovered that Johnny Gargano was responsible for putting him on the shelf.
The Black/Gargano series promises much and when Black inevitably proves victorious, he will have other obstacles to slay on WWE's main roster.
Black could end 2019 as the biggest star in the company.
