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The United Kingdom has produced some of the best superstars in WWE history including the likes of William Regal, The British Bulldog, Dynamite Kid, Neville, Fit Finlay, Finn Balor, Wade Barrett, and Drew McIntyre. However, there have been no British WWE Champions still but UK fans are certainly hoping for it to finally happen in the next five years or so.
With the booming popularity of wrestling in the UK, the WWE launched the NXT UK brand with Johnny Saint as General Manager earlier this year. Triple H has been very hands-on with the division knowing that the future of the WWE is at stake.
And just like in NXT, there will be NXT UK stars who are going to get called up to the main roster. There is no chance of failure but with the talent pool it has, the brand will surely produce a big name that every fans around the world.
Without further ado, here the five NXT UK stars who will succeed on the main roster.
#5. Tyler Bate
The youngest superstar on this list at 21 years old, Tyler Bate comes in at number five on our list of NXT UK stars who will succeed on the main roster. Bate is the first-ever United Kingdom Champion, winning the championship tournament by defeating the likes of Tucker, Jordan Devlin, Wolfgang, and Pete Dunne.
With just his wrestling ability alone, Bate would be a great success on the main roster. However, he is only 5'7" and he could be sent to 205 Live to become the face of the Cruiserweight Division.
Bate could easily take over the Cruiserweight Division and become the next king after Neville. He can also play the role of heel and babyface, showing his versatility. After conquering 205 Live, Bate can easily transition into a top talent in the upper midcard of the main roster.
#4. Rhea Ripley
Many fans were surprised when Rhea Ripley defeated Toni Storm to become the inaugural NXT UK Women's Champion. Ripley also had a great showing at the 2018 Mae Young Classic wherein she reached the final four before losing to Io Shirai in the semifinals. Besides Storm, she also has wins over superstars such as Kacy Catanzaro, Tegan Nox, and Dakota Kai.
Ripley has it all including size, look, and charisma. She has room to improve her wrestling and promo skills before she eventually gets called up to the main roster. The 22-year-old Australian also has the capability to be successful as a babyface or a heel. She introduced an aggressive side of her in the 2018 May Young Classic.
For the next decade or so, Ripley and another NXT UK superstar on this list could lead the women's division into the next generation. With the current success of Becky Lynch, there is an assurance that a woman from the UK could be successful on the main roster.
#3. Zack Gibson
Zack Gibson is not a household name for many casual WWE fans but they will get to know him better when he gets called up to the main roster. For those who do not know, Gibson is the winner of the 2018 United Kingdom Championship Tournament. He earned a title shot against Pete Dunne for the UK Championship but failed.
Despite that, Gibson introduced himself to the WWE in a big way. He showed the qualities of a top heel during his run in the UK Tournament. He managed to work the crowd into hating him due to his Scouse accent. He is a natural in getting heat and it was evident during his debut year in the WWE.
If Gibson can maintain his momentum as a top heel in the NXT UK brand, there is a chance that he will succeed on the main roster as one of the best heels in the company. Currently, he is one of the top heels in developmental along with NXT Champion, Tommaso Ciampa.
#2. Pete Dunne
The current United Kingdom Champion, Pete Dunne is the longest reigning champion of the modern era. He has been UK Champion since May 20, 2017 and it looks like he will be holding on to the title even longer. Known as The Bruiserweight, Dunne mixes different styles in his arsenal. He needs to work on his microphone skills but he already has a gimmick that can stand the test of time.
Before he got signed by the WWE, Dunne was having a lot of success in the independent circuit. He has wrestled for different promotions such as Chikara, Progress Wrestling, and Revolution Pro Wrestling. He also has the support of NXT boss, Triple H, who said in an interview in the UK that he has big plans for Dunne.
Triple H believes Dunne will be a household name in the WWE and not just in the UK. At just 25 years old, Dunne will succeed on the main roster especially when Triple H finally takes over the WWE and replace Vince McMahon.
#1. Toni Storm
At just 23 years old, Toni Storm is already one of the best female wrestlers in the world today. She has won multiple championships around the world including at Impact Pro Wrestling in Australia, World Wonder Ring Stardom in Japan, Westside Xtreme Wrestling in Germany, and Progress Wrestling in the United Kingdom. Storm is also the winner of the 2018 Mae Young Classic defeating Io Shirai, who is considered as the best in the world, in the final.
The New Zealand native is just the complete package the WWE wants in a superstar. She can put on a good match, she can talk, she has charisma, and she is beautiful. Storm also has the time to improve her skills due to her young age. Not only that, she could carry the whole women's division of the WWE in the next decade or so.
Even though Storm did not become the first ever NXT UK Women's Champion, she has a great future ahead of her. She might spend a longer time at development but it will all be worth it when she debuts on the main roster.
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