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In two weeks, WWE NXT will debut live on the USA Network. It was announced a few days ago that the first two episodes of NXT Live, September 18 and 25, will air both on the USA and WWE Network.
The first hour of the show will be aired on the USA Network while the second hour will be available on the WWE Network. NXT moving to Cable TV is very big news and it is going to be interesting to see how the debut episodes perform on the USA Network, following this announcement.
For a long time, NXT has served as 'feeder' system for WWE's main roster shows, i.e, RAW and SmackDown. But over the past few years, there have numerous instances of NXT Superstars who were at the top of their game in the Black and Gold brand being criminally underutilized on the main roster.
Names like Asuka, Sami Zayn, Finn Balor, and Bayley, who were at one point touted to be the next big thing during their time in NXT, ended up being just another face on the main roster.
However, there have also been instances of NXT Superstars making a huge splash on the main roster. From Baron Corbin winning the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royale at WrestleMania to Paige becoming the Divas Champion in her debut match, these Superstars have in a way made NXT reach out to a wider audience. Their instant success made people take notice of the black and yellow brand.
Here are five Superstars who appeared on the main roster whilst still being champion in NXT.
#5 Paige (NXT Women's Champion)
To this date, Paige is the only Superstar to have held titles both in NXT and on the main roster, at the same time. The Brit debuted on the main roster on the RAW after WrestleMania 30 where she defeated AJ Lee to become the Divas Champion.
Paige became one of the youngest champions in WWE history at that point, at the age of 21. Paige's Divas Championship meant that she had to relinquish the NXT Women's Championship.
Paige's feud with AJ Lee was one of the catalysts for what was to become the Women's Evolution. The duo had several high-profile TV and pay-per-view matches which caught the attention of the WWE Universe. Paige has been one of the unsung heroes of the women's evolution and is someone who doesn't get enough credit for her role in bringing women's wrestling to the forefront in WWE.
The former Divas Champion's career inside the squared circle came to an abrupt due to a series of injuries. Paige made an emotional farewell address on the RAW after WrestleMania 34.
The anti-diva was out of in-ring action for over a year at that point. During that period, following her in-ring retirement, Paige took on the role of General Manager of SmackDown for a brief period in 2018 and currently serves as the manager for the team of Asuka and Kairi Sane, collectively known as ' The Kabuki Warriors'.
#4 Sasha Banks (NXT Women's Champion)
The debut of Sasha Banks, Charlotte Flair, and Becky Lynch was a watershed moment in WWE's women's evolution. The Boss debuted on the main roster on July 13, 2015 episode of RAW as part of TEAM B.A.D, aligning herself with Naomi and Tamina Snuka.
Banks would compete for the WWE Women's Championship against Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch at WrestleMania 32. In the fall of 2016, Banks and Charlotte Flair would feud over the RAW Women's Championship in one the best WWE feuds of the year.
The duo would become the first women to mainevent RAW in over a decade and would go on to become the first women to headline a pay-per-view when they competed inside Hell in a Cell.
Banks won the NXT Women's Championship when she pinned Charlotte Flair in a fatal-four way match at NXT Takeover: Rival in February 2015. She would successfully defend the championship against the likes of Charlotte Flair, Alexa Bliss, and Becky Lynch.
Banks lost the NXT Championship to Bayley at NXT Takeover: Brooklyn in a match many consider to be the best women's match in WWE history. Bank's final match in NXT was a re-match against Bayley for the NXT Women's Championship. The duo competed in a 30-minute Iron Woman Match at NXT Takeover: Respect on October 7, 2015, which Bayley won 2-3.
Banks is currently feuding with Becky Lynch over the RAW Women's Championship.The two are scheduled to face off for the same Championship at Clash of Champions. Banks has also re-united with her Boss 'N' Hug Connection friend and current SmackDown Women's Champion, Bayley.
#3 Tomasso Ciampa (NXT Champion)
When Tomasso Ciampa debuted in NXT as part of DIY alongside Johnny Gargano, no one could have expected The Blackheart to emerge as one of the top stars in the Black and Gold brand.
But, not only did Ciampa become one of the best heels in the business, he carried NXT over his shoulders as the brand's Champion for the better part of 2018. Ciampa defeated Aleister Black on the July 25, 2018 episode of NXT TV to capture the NXT Championship.
Gargano successfully defended 'Goldie' (Ciampa's nickname for the NXT Championship) against his then arch-nemesis, Johnny Gargano, The Velveteen Dream, and Aleister Black. Ciampa made his main roster debut on the February 18, 2019 episode of RAW, teaming up with Johnny Gargano to defeat The Revival.
Gargano and Ciampa would team up once again the next night on SmackDown in a match against The Bar (Sheamus and Cesaro), which they ended up winning. Ciampa had to relinquish the NXT Championship due to a series of neck injuries in March 2019. This meant that his scheduled match against Johnny Gargano for the NXT Championship at NXT Takeover: New York had to cancelled, thus putting an abrupt end to one of the best feuds in wrestling in last decade.
Ciampa is currently out with action due to the said injury. He is excepted to return to in-ring anytime now with some reports suggested that he could be cleared as soon as mid-August. Ciampa is going to be a major player for the Black and Gold brand once it makes the move to the USA Network.
#2 Kevin Owens (NXT Champion)
Kevin Owens shocked the wrestling world when he defeated John Cena in his very first match on the main roster at Elimination Chamber. A veteran of the independent circuit, Owens signed with WWE in August 2012. Owens made his debut at NXT Takeover: R Evolution on December 2014 where he defeated CJ Parker (Juice Robinson).
Following the show's main event which saw Owen's long-time friend and former tag team partner Sami Zayn win the NXT Championship from Neville, Owens would brutally attack Zayn, laying him out with a powerbomb on the ring apron. Owens would defeat Zayn and capture the NXT Championship two months later at NXT Takeover: Rival.
Owens made his main roster debut on the May 18, 2015, episode of RAW when he answered John Cena's US Open Challenge. But, instead of competing in a match, Owens attacked Cena and stomped on the US Title and even mocked Cena's ' You Can't See Me' hand gesture. The two would meet at Elimination Chamber in a ' Champion Vs Champion' Match which Owens won.
Owen's win over Cena was a momentous occasion as it brought to light that an NXT Superstar can go toe-to-toe with a main roster star. It also helped break the myth that Cena was someone who always buried young, upcoming Superstars.
Owens even defended the NXT Championship on the main roster as part of his 'NXT Championship Open Challenge' which helped attraction to NXT.
#1 Seth Rollins (NXT Champion)
Seth Rollins defeated Jinder Mahal in the finals of an eight-man 'Gold Rush' tournament to become the inaugural NXT Champion in August 2012. Rollins would hold on to the championship for the next few months before dropping it to Big E. As far as one can tell, WWE never mentioned Rollins being the NXT Champion when he debuted on the main roster as part of 'The Shield' alongside Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose.
Rollins successfully defended his title against the likes of Corey Graves and Michael McGillicuty while still being a full-time member of the main roster. Rollins' was the NXT Champion at a time when the brand hardly had any buzz and was being aired on WWE.com. The company never mentioned Rollins' reign as the NXT Champion on the main roster. Rollins would drop the title to Big E in a No Disqualification Match on the January 9, 2013 episode of NXT TV.
