'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
WWE NXT Champion Karrion Kross is currently in his second reign as NXT Champion.
Kross captured the WWE NXT Championship for the second time in his WWE career when he defeated former champion Finn Balor in the co-main event of NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver Night Two.
With Kross' NXT Championship victory, the landscape of the black and gold brand has certainly changed without a doubt. Karrion Kross' previous WWE NXT Championship reign was cut drastically short due to injury. Kross suffered a separated shoulder during his first championship victory over Keith Lee at NXT TakeOver: XXX in August 2020.
The shoulder injury was so severe that Karrion Kross was forced to vacate the WWE NXT Championship during the post-TakeOver episode of NXT on USA Network.
However, now that Karrion Kross has once again reclaimed his WWE NXT Championship, the question now becomes who will be the first to challenge the champion for his title?
Let's take a closer look at five potential WWE NXT Championship challengers for Karrion Kross.
#5 WWE NXT Superstar Dexter Lumis
Since debuting on the black and gold brand in 2020, Dexter Lumis has quickly established himself as one of the most unique and compelling characters currently on the NXT roster.
The tortured artist has both wowed and confused fans with his strange appearance, silent demenour and devastating in-ring moveset.
However, could now be the time for Dexter Lumis to finally challenge for gold on WWE NXT television?
Dexter Lumis is yet to hold championship gold of any kind in WWE NXT. Lumis is presently involved in a storyline with current NXT North American Champion Johnny Gargano and his faction, The Way. This rivalry seemingly involves a possible romance with The Way's Indi Hartwell.
Once Lumis' feud with Johnny Gargano is complete, NXT's resident man of silence could very possibly turn his attention to Karrion Kross and the NXT Championship.
Two of the larger and more powerful superstars on the NXT roster, a feud between Karrion Kross and Dexter Lumis would certainly present some fascinating television and matches.
#4 Current WWE NXT North American Champion Johnny Gargano
WWE NXT North American Champion Johnny Gargano is one of the most established and revered superstars on the NXT roster.
Johnny Gargano has competed on the black and gold brand since 2015, making him one of the most tenured WWE NXT Superstars of all time.
In addition to one of the longest tenures, the current North American Champion is also one of the most successful competitors in NXT history with a lengthy list of accolades on the black and gold brand.
Johnny Gargano is a former NXT Champion, NXT Tag Team Champion and a three-time NXT North American Champion. The former DIY member was also the first ever triple crown champion in WWE NXT history.
Given his history with the brand, it would make perfect sense for Johnny Gargano to be one of the first challengers for Karrion Kross' newly won WWE NXT Championship.
By defeating an established NXT legend such as Johnny Gargano, Karrion Kross would be able to put the NXT roster and NXT Universe on notice as he attempts to prove that he will be the most dominant NXT Champion in the history of WWE NXT.
#3 Former WWE NXT Cruiserweight Champion Santos Escobar
Former WWE NXT Cruiserweight Champion Santos Escobar is one of the most promising superstars currently competing on the NXT roster.
Since making his debut on the black and gold brand in 2020, Escobar has dominated the WWE NXT Cruiserweight division and quickly established himself as a major player in the NXT Universe.
Santos Escobar captured the interim WWE NXT Cruiserweight Championship in 2020, holding the championship for over 300 days, before becoming the undisputed NXT Crusierweight Champion by defeating Jordan Devlin at NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver Night Two in a breathtaking ladder match.
However, soon after, Santos Escobar shockingly lost the Cruiserweight Championship to KUSHIDA on NXT television.
While it appears that Santos Escobar is currently focused on once again retrieving his Cruiserweight Championship from KUSHIDA, could Escobar have his sights set on further championship gold in the future?
Now that he is without the cruiserweight gold, perhaps Santos Escobar will move from the cruiserweight division to the heavyweight division on NXT television. Santos Escobar facing off against Karrion Kross would no doubt lead to some fantastic matches and provide Kross with the obvious headache of attempting to deal with Legado Del Fantasma lurking around at ringside.
#2 Former WWE NXT Champion Adam Cole
Former WWE NXT Champion Adam Cole is synonymous with the NXT Championship.
The former leader of the Undisputed Era is the longest reigning WWE NXT Champion in WWE history with a record-setting reign of 403 days, lasting from 2019 to 2020. He lost the championship to Keith Lee at NXT's The Great American Bash.
In addition to his NXT Championship success, Adam Cole is also the second ever NXT Triple Crown Champion. Cole is a former NXT Tag Team Champion and was the inaugural NXT North American Champion too.
After concluding his bitter rivalry against former Undisputed Era teammate Kyle O'Reilly at NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver Night Two, many of the NXT Universe expected Adam Cole would be called up to Monday Night RAW or Friday Night SmackDown after WrestleMania 37 week. However, this has proven not to be the case.
Cole appeared this past week on NXT television in a sit-down interview in which the former NXT Champion discussed a variety of topics pertaining to the black and gold brand.
One such topic was the current NXT Champion Karrion Kross. After throwing a few verbal jabs in the direction of Kross, some are now suggesting that Adam Cole could be set to square off against Karrion Kross for the NXT Championship in the future.
Perhaps Adam Cole could compete in one last feud and put over the current WWE NXT Champion Karrion Kross before the former Undisputed Era leader finally heads to the main roster.
#1 Former WWE NXT Tag Team Champion Kyle O'Reilly
WWE NXT Superstar Kyle O'Reilly has truly had a breakout past 12 months.
The former Undisputed Era member was previously only seen as a tag team competitor on the black and gold brand, regularly teaming with long-time tag team partner Bobby Fish and becoming a three-time NXT Tag Team Champion in the process.
However, 2020 saw Kyle O'Reilly transition from a tag team wrestler into a singles competitor as he challenged for the WWE NXT Championship on several occasions against former-champion Finn Balor in some incredibly physical, memorable and critically acclaimed matches.
Despite being unsuccessful in his initial WWE NXT Championship pursuits, Kyle O'Reilly's matches against Finn Balor firmly established the former NXT Tag Team Champion as a major singles wrestler on the black and gold brand.
Recently, Kyle O'Reilly has concluded an epic rivalry against former Undisputed Era leader Adam Cole, defeating his former friend in the main event of NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver Night Two in an unsanctioned match.
With his feud with Cole seemingly in the rear-view mirror, it appears that O'Reilly has once again turned his attention to the WWE NXT Championship.
During a recent episode of NXT on USA Network, Kyle O'Reilly stated that his goal is to challenge Karrion Kross for the NXT Championship in the future. This was later followed by a staredown between O'Reilly and Kross, hinting that an NXT Championship showdown between the two could happen soon.
What makes Sting special? His first AEW opponent opens up RIGHT HERE.
