5 NXT Superstars that should be in the North American Championship Ladder Match at TakeOver: XXX

Keith Lee changed the landscape of NXT once again as he relinquished the NXT North American Championship to kick off the most recent episode of NXT. With that move, the door was opened up for several other stars of the brand to get the same chance that Lee capitalized on.

William Regal added that a series of triple threat matches would be held from now until TakeOver: XXX during SummerSlam weekend. At the event, the winners of the numerous triple threats will vie for the recently vacated title in a ladder match. For those who have followed the title's history, the first-ever Champion, Adam Cole, was crowned after he won a ladder match for the belt.

A graphic appeared during NXT that showcased five spots in the ladder match. The first ladder match had six participants so the number of performers could feasibly change. After defeating Roderick Strong and Johnny Gargano on Wednesday, Bronson Reed became the first person to qualify for the ladder match. So who will join him in the title match next month? Here are five people who should be in the match one way or another.

I'd personally like to see Isaiah Scott in the match but it appears as if he is targeting NXT Cruiserweight Champion, Santos Escobar. And even though Gargano lost, he could still weasel his way into the match somehow, especially if one of the triple threats is a last chance type of contest.

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#5 Dexter Lumis

Dexter Lumis would certainly add an interesting element to the ladder match

Dexter Lumis has been in the spotlight in NXT over the last nine months. His character was originally supposed to come off as a creepy heel, but after helping out the Velveteen Dream against the Undisputed Era, he has undergone a shift of character.

While his persona has slightly changed, Lumis has also taken to drawing pictures of events in NXT. He sketched Dream and himself as NXT Tag Team Champions as well as the events of the Great American Bash. On the most recent episode of NXT, he defeated Killian Dain via his choke-hold. Dain did not tap but passed out instead.

Since he's had such a high profile spot over the last five months, it appears as if Lumis is moving up the card. His character work has been great and his recent offerings in the ring have matched his efforts. It's nice to see someone else move up the ladder in NXT rather than having the same four or five people vie for titles. For that reason, Lumis should be in the ladder match.

#4 Cameron Grimes

Cameron Grimes

The ladder match at NXT TakeOver: XXX will need to have a blend of faces and heels. The original match featured Dain, Cole, Ricochet, Velveteen Dream, EC3 and Lars Sullivan. At that point, it was Dain, Cole and Sullivan as the heels with Ricochet a clear face and Dream and EC3 as tweeners.

Although some may find his character annoying, Grimes is one of the best young heels in all of WWE. We need all types of heels and faces to make things work and Grimes has been doing well as a boastful heel who runs once he's confronted by the person he's tormenting. The most recent instant has been Damian Priest. While Priest would be another good choice for the match, he's challenged for that title on numerous occasions.

Grimes would work because he's a good blend of strength, speed and high-flying moves. He hasn't truly dipped very far in his high-flying game in NXT but participating in the ladder match would allow him to do so. Grimes could also cheat somehow to win his qualifying triple threat match.

It would provide him with opponents both leading up to and after the actual event. With Lee reigning atop NXT as a face, the next North American Champion should be a heel. Someone like Grimes is the epitome of sneaking away with the win.

#3 Tommaso Ciampa

Ciampa needs to put Kross behind him and move forward.

After being decimated at the hands of Karrion Kross a few months ago, Tommaso Ciampa felt as if he was at a crossroads in his NXT career. Johnny Gargano is a Triple Crown winner in NXT and has been synonymous with the brand for the duration of his WWE career. If Ciampa needs a direction and wants to stay in NXT, why not go after the one title he hasn't held - the North American Championship?

We haven't seen much of him since that destruction at the hands of Kross. Only one more of the matches has been announced with Finn Balor, Timothy Thatcher and Lumis vying for the next slot in the ladder match. It would be strange not to have one of Gargano, Ciampa, Strong or Balor in the match, so Balor may be victorious next week. That would still leave three more triple threat matches to fill will many stars.

Ciampa is still one of the top stars in NXT despite falling to Kross. Kross was just the wrong monster at the wrong time for the Blackheart. A good way to keep him busy, and in NXT, would be to have him go for the secondary title. Balor made that part of his mission prior to Lee relinquishing the title. Ciampa should also try to add that title to his trophy case if he does not want to move to RAW or SmackDown. Only time will tell.

#2 Johnny Gargano

Johnny Gargano

Johnny Gargano, like Ciampa and Balor, is one of the biggest stars still in NXT. He lost the North American title to Lee and has been engaged in a huge character shift. While he has had his time with the title, his star power alone in NXT warrants at least a spot in the match.

We all know that he's Johnny TakeOver, so what would it look like if he wasn't in a match next month? He's also one of the top heels of the brand so even though he failed to qualify in the first match, he could still work himself into the match somehow.

If there are three more matches slated to take place on NXT leading up to the event, that will require nine more stars to compete. With a limited slate of the roster available to compete due to COVID-19 restrictions, having a second-chance match with some stars who have already lost would make sense. Gargano could get in that way or attack someone who has qualified and take their spot.

Johnny TakeOver is the kind of star that has carried the brand for the last three years, but this time, we want to see him get smashed in the face instead of kicking out of numerous pin attempts. It would only make sense for the former Champ to be in the match in August.

#1 Finn Balor

Finn Balor

When Finn Balor returned to NXT last fall, he immediately targeted Adam Cole and the NXT Championship. It only made sense since Balor was the previous longest reigning NXT Champion, prior to Cole breaking his record. He failed in his bid to become a two-time NXT Champion but didn't take long to turn his attention elsewhere.

Prior to Lee winning both titles, he challenged the Limitless One for the North American Championship. That match turned into another triple threat as Gargano talked his way into the bout. Lee eventually won and the rest is history. Since Balor didn't get his one-on-one with Lee for the title, he needs to be in the match at the very least. His return to NXT needs to bear some fruit and that fruit comes in the form of a gold belt.

The jury is also out regarding which stars are going to be in the actual ladder match. Reed hasn't had many opportunities before so the rest of the participants could also be like that. If that's the case, it wouldn't bode well for someone like Balor.

Both Lumis and Thatcher haven't been in title pictures and would represent the message Lee set forth after relinquishing the title. He wants to give others in NXT the chance to grow with the opportunity that pushed him to the NXT history books.

Balor is still one of the biggest stars and should be in the match regardless. While it would make sense to have a heel win the ladder bout, I don't think many people would be upset if the first Universal Champion won it.