Predicting the next 5 NXT Women's Champions

More than anything else, the NXT Women's Championship is the symbol of the progression of women's wrestling in WWE. It's the talisman that took it from a three-minute bathroom break to headlining act. The holders of this championship are a who's-who of WWE's ballyhooed "women's revolution".

While Stephanie McMahon does all the hype, they were the ones that actually made it happen. The first five champions are all household names who made the upcoming first all-women's pay per view, Evolution, possible. No other championship in WWE has had such a strong lineage from beginning to end, even if the list is short.

The only champion whose reign disappointed was Ember Moon, and even then, there wasn't anything actively bad about it, in contrast to how titles are booked on the main roster.

Shayna Baszler is the current champion. She's done an excellent job in upholding the importance of this title, even if her matches aren't quite up to par with the performances her predecessors were capable of putting on.

With TakeOver: Brooklyn, NXT's biggest show of the year, fast approaching, and the second Mae Young Classic set to tape next week, the question is becoming more and more prominent - who will succeed Shayna Baszler? Who will come after the one that topples her?

With NXT's penchant for logical, satisfying storytelling, its influx of hot new talent in the division, and its emphasis on ring work, we can make confident predictions.

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#1 Kairi Sane

A princess crowned.

Unlike Asuka last year, Shayna Baszler's overweening arrogance is misplaced. She isn't undefeated for two years. She has a huge loss on her record, and it came at the hands of the woman she'll face in Brooklyn.

Kairi Sane has been keen to remind Baszler and the world of this, and no matter how many times the champion tries to deny it, it's true. Baszler and the world know that Sane can defeat her.

The two are currently 1-1 against each other. The rubber match will be the biggest one yet, and Kairi Sane is getting more aggressive and determined by the day. She won't be intimidated, and unlike Nikki Cross, has the offense to defeat Baszler. History will repeat itself.

The time to crown the Pirate Princess has come. This is especially true with the second Mae Young Classic coming. The importance of the tournament will be fully realized when its first winner knocks off the bully Shayna Baszler just like she did before. She'll go through a lot of pain, but get the job done in Brooklyn to become the 8th NXT Women's Champion.

However, that second Mae Young Classic tournament will also sow the seeds of the Pirate Princess' downfall, because she'll soon have to face up to a blast from her past, one that's hungry for revenge and recognition.

#2 Io Shirai

Another title soon to come?

To quote a certain famous advocate, this one's not a prediction. It's a spoiler.

It's a spoiler because Kairi Sane's victory in Brooklyn, dramatic though it will be, will nonetheless be somewhat based on a lie. Last year's Mae Young Classic wasn't actually hers to win. Her frenemy Io Shirai was also on her way into the company, but an injury caused her contract offer to be rescinded at the last minute. Devastated, Io Shirai sat on the sidelines as she watched her longtime rival and uneasy friend take the world by storm.

Now Io Shirai is here, and she's determined to prove that last year should have been her spotlight. She'll be one of the two overwhelming favorites in this year's Mae Young Classic. At the very least, she'll get to the finals at Evolution.

Win or lose, however - especially if she loses - only one thing will be on her mind - Kairi Sane, the NXT Women's Champion. Kairi Sane's success will sear into her memory as a burning insult. It's Io, not Kairi, who is the best! It should be her spotlight, her championship. Kairi's reign was only possible because misfortune robber her of her rightful place in 2017.

Io Shirai will do anything to prove this. She'll wage a brutal guerrilla war against the champion until, finally, the night before WrestleMania 35, the two will meet in direct combat. There, in the same building as her rival's greatest triumph, Io Shirai will prove that she is indeed the best in the world and walk out as the 9th NXT Women's Champion.

#3 Deonna Purrazzo

Different belt on the way.

While Io Shirai has the most buzz heading into this year's Mae Young Classic, another name has been quietly spoken of as one of the favorites to win the tournament.

Triple H has expressed regret about not adding Deonna Purrazzo, who was one of last year's alternates, into the Mae Young Classic. She's joined Io Shirai in the latest class of recruits into the Performance Center, and reportedly, The Game has massive plans for her. In fact, the company has already begun exposing her by having her do a video interview before the tournament begins, which no other competitor has done.

Toni Storm might be better known, but with her likely to become the inaugural NXT UK Women's Champion and compete for that title at Evolution, no other name has a bigger chance of competing against Io Shirai in the final than Deonna Purrazzo.

That won't be the last time they meet in battle.

Firmly settled atop the NXT women's division, Io Shirai will rule it differently than her predecessors. It won't be as an outright bully like Shayna Baszler, a gladiator who dares opponents to come at her like Asuka, or a snappy boss like Sasha Banks. Instead, she resembles Drew McIntyre in temperament. She disdains people who aren't motivated and demands perfection. Those who can't meet her standards will face her wrath.

But Io Shirai, like Shayna Baszler and Sasha Banks before her, will eventually begin to believe her own hype. Deonna Purrazzo will step to the challenge. She'll demand respect and tell Io that her standards aren't necessarily the right ones.

At some point in mid-late 2019, the two will do battle. Deonna will be pushed harder than ever before, but somehow, someway, she'll prevail to become the 10th NXT Women's Champion.

#4 Bianca Belair

The EST will become the B-EST.

In case you haven't heard her in recent weeks, Bianca Belair is un-de-fea-ted.

Well, not quite.

It's true that she has yet to lose a match on NXT TV, but she lost in the second round of last year's Mae Young Classic to eventual winner Kairi Sane. She was supposed to be involved in a match to determine Shayna Baszler's challenger in Brooklyn but was unable to compete due to a kayfabe injury. Kairi Sane won that match, too.

Bianca's path to a title shot is clear. It's very likely she'll get the next opportunity, whether it be at Evolution or TakeOver: War Games II, where she'll challenge Kairi Sane.

She won't be successful, but she'll have turned more heads than ever before. Bianca Belair is an athletic freak who the Performance Center is very high on. Assuming the main roster doesn't come knocking before then (and hopefully it won't because she isn't ready yet and could use some more time in NXT to truly reach her potential), she'll be back eventually.

With Deonna Purrazzo having ended Io Shirai's stern and strangling championship reign, she'll want to prove herself a different kind of champion. She'll accept challenges from all comers, inviting them to prove themselves.

Bianca Belair will demand a spotlight. From there, it will be time for the world to truly watch her shine. Proving too athletic and explosive for Deonna to match, she'll come out of the contest the 11th NXT Women's Champion.

#5 Dakota Kai

Triumphant at last.

Dakota Kai hasn't done well of late. After being bullied by Shayna Baszler, she regained a sense of confidence by taking the fight to the champion during parts of their match in June. However, that regained sense of confidence was quickly destroyed by consecutive losses to Bianca Belair and Lacey Evans. Those losses weren't random.

We can expect more defeats to follow. Dakota Kai won't escape Io Shirai's wrath. She'll probably suffer a heartbreaking loss in a competitive match with Deonna Purrazzo as well. Other Mae Young Classic newcomers will defeat her too.

But Dakota Kai has a devoted following that, like Bayley before her, sticks by her regardless of her defeats. When she mounts her comeback, it will be a triumphant return.

Bianca Belair will await her. The champion's raw athletic power will have dominated all her competition. Unmatched by anyone in sheer, pound for pound physicality, Bianca will invite anyone to step up and fail to match her.

When Dakota Kai takes up the challenge after coming off a hot run, the NXT Universe will be behind her. Digging down deep, she'll land that decisive kick and become the 12th NXT Women's Champion in one of the most feel-good moments in the title's history.

Who will come after her depends on who's signed, what happens in this and next year's Mae Young Classic, and so on. But whoever it is, we can be confident that the prestige of this title will continue onward into the far future.