5 Superstars Andrade needs to face if he returns to NXT

Should Andrade return to NXT, there's a lot for him to do.
Should Andrade return to NXT, there's a lot for him to do.

The 2020 WWE Draft has come and gone, and a few notable Superstars were left in free agency. Former NXT Champion, Andrade, was never picked up by RAW or SmackDown. El Idolo has been putting up some classic NXT highlights on his Twitter account leaving fans to wonder if he would be returning to the Black and Gold brand soon.

Andrade's time in NXT, especially after pairing up with Zelina Vega, was incredible. His rivalry with Johnny Gargano over the NXT Championship is considered to be one of the best in the Black and Gold brand's history. He has also had some incredible matches with other big names in NXT as well.

If he does return back to the Black and Gold brand, the NXT Universe would welcome back with open arms.

With Finn Balor, Breezango, Ember Moon and Killian Dain returning to the Black and Gold brand, adding another highlight competitor from the NXT's past would help in elevating it.

The landscape of NXT has changed in the two years that Andrade has been away and there are a lot of new faces he could start a feud with. Let's look at five Superstars Andrade needs to face if he returns to NXT.

Honorable Mentions:

  • Finn Balor- We've seen it before but it would be better in NXT.
  • Cameron Grimes- Taking Andrade to the Moon!
  • Austin Theory- Revenge for Theory.

#5 Isaiah "Swerve" Scott- NXT is Swerve's House

Isaiah "Swerve" Scott needs a fresh rivalry against a top name
Isaiah "Swerve" Scott needs a fresh rivalry against a top name

Simply put, The King of Swerve Style is one of the best wrestlers in NXT at the moment. During his lengthy feud against Legado Del Fantasma, Isaiah "Swerve" Scott brought out more of a mean streak, which is something that the former United States Champion could take advantage of.

Andrade is a crafty Superstar and is someone who easily takes advantage of his opponent's mistakes.

The issue with Isaiah "Swerve" Scott is that he is yet to get a signature win in WWE. While he has produced some incredible performances against the best talent in the company, it seems that the man can't win big matches.

We have seen that during his current feud with Santos Escobar over the NXT Cruiserweight Championship. Swerve desperately needs a victory over a top opponent to get him back on track. Why not give him Andrade at an upcoming NXT TakeOver event?

The two can definitely tear the house down and could finally send Swerve to the top.

#4 Kushida- an NXT classic in the making

Kushida has finally hit his stride in NXT
Kushida has finally hit his stride in NXT

The thought of Kushida and Andrade battling over a title like the NXT North American Championship is something that will excite you as a wrestling fan.

The Japanese Superstar's first year in NXT didn't live up to expectations. However, we have seen a more aggresive side from Kushida recently on NXT.

The Time Splitter is currently involved in a bitter feud with Velveteen Dream and has even made the Vainglorious One tap out at NXT TakeOver: 31. He also took Tommaso Ciampa to the limit before Dream cost Kushida the match.

This is the Kushida that we saw during his time in NJPW. He's someone that can outwrestle the best talent on NXT. El Idolo vs The Time Splitter could very well be the Andrade/Gargano TakeOver: Philadelphia equivalent if given the right time and build, and that's no small task.

It takes the right kind of competitor to make something that magical, and Kushida is the guy.

#3 Johnny Gargano- An old NXT rivalry revisited

Turnabout is fair play, right?
Turnabout is fair play, right?

Any longtime fan of NXT knows about the four-month feud that we got from Johnny Gargano and Andrade in 2017-2018. Zelina Vega and Andrade were vital in keeping the feud between Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa fresh on the minds of the NXT faithful.

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With Tommaso Ciampa violently demolishing his old tag team partner before leaving for surgery, it was important to keep a little DIY nugget in the back of our heads, and Vega and Andrade were able to do that and more. At August's NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn III, Vega threw a DIY shirt at Gargano to distract him, allowing Andrade to get a win over the face of NXT.

Vega would pull this trick once again during their feud and when Andrade captured the NXT Championship from Drew McIntyre, his first defense was against Gargano at TakeOver: Phoenix.

Considered by many to be the best NXT Championship match in the brand's history, Andrade and Gargano put on a clinic. It was a hard-hitting rollercoaster of emotions that had fans on the edge of their seats begging to see Gargano come out with the title at the end.

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Everyone remembers the Gargano/Ciampa feud, partly because the thing lasted three years. However, Andrade's greatest rival while on the Black and Gold Brand was Johnny Wrestling, and with a few years on the main roster under his belt, it would be great to revisit this one.

Maybe this time around, we could see Andrade take a shot at being a face. After all, getting Candice LeRae involved like Zelina Vega could make for some really fun callback moments.

#2 The Undisputed Era- NXT's most dominant stable

Undisputed Era is fine...
Undisputed Era is fine...

The Undisputed Era takes this spot on the list despite being a faction. Four of the best wrestlers in the country are sitting in NXT under the same umbrella and Andrade must wrestle every single one of them.

Now, at the beginning of Andrade's heel turn, we saw him face Roderick Strong during the early part of 2017. It was good, but far from the best that we can get out of these two. Andrade was in the early stages of his new character and this was before we got Strong's Undisputed arrogance.

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Aside from that, El Idolo is yet to clash with the Undisputed Era and there's just so much we can get out of this. With Kyle O'Reilly getting a lot of time to shine lately, giving the Air Guitaring Maestro a shot at the former NXT Champion would continue to elevate him, while also placing Andrade right at the top of the card upon his return.

Bobby Fish hasn't really had time to shine as a singles star in NXT, but those who followed him in ROH know his potential and realize that Fish could be one of the most dangerous members of the Undisputed Era.

Finally, there's Adam Cole. What more can be said about the longest reigning NXT Champion of all time?

Imagine the instant five-star classic we could get out of him and Andrade, especially if there's gold on the line.

If it's a Championship match, Cole and Andrade are two men who have proven time and time again they'll do whatever it takes to win. That seems like an opportunity for some phenomenal storytelling.

#1 Tommaso Ciampa- Two former NXT Champions to battle it out

Can Andrade survive Tommaso Ciampa?
Can Andrade survive Tommaso Ciampa?

Again, this is better if WWE can somehow turn Andrade face. The Psycho Killer of NXT taking on a returning Andrade just seems like a no-brainer. In the past three years, there's probably not been a better character in he Black and Gold brand than Tommaso Ciampa.

The self-proclaimed Daddy of the NXT's sadistic nature is second to none. That's doubly true now that he's returned following his loss to Karrion Kross. His first match back saw him obliterate poor Jake Atlas, passing his face off the bottom of the ring with a slingshot and spiking him on the floor with Willow's Bell.

Those aren't even the worst actions in Ciampa's career. They're just the most recent. Abhorrent in every sense of the word and emphatically selfish, Ciampa only wants to be known as the best.

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Andrade walks a similar path, though the difference is, he doesn't need a title to prove his greatness to anybody. Andrade believes that he's the greatest professional wrestler to walk the Earth.

The Greatest Sports Entertainer of All Time versus El Idolo. Honestly, it kind of feels like the story writes itself.

Meet the man who called CM Punk the softest man alive HERE