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If there is one brand in the WWE that is currently on fire, it has to be NXT. After triumphing with four wins at Survivor Series, The Black and Gold brand is now just as - and possibly even more - formidable a roster as RAW and SmackDown.
Although the men's team fell short at Survivor Series to the Blue brand and Roman Reigns, the ladies of NXT had perhaps the strongest weekend. Rhea Ripley and Candice LeRae won WarGames despite losing two members as Dakota Kai turned heel and attacked Tegan Nox.
And if that wasn't enough, Ripley outlasted the ladies of both SmackDown and RAW the following night at Survivor Series. While the brands will likely focus on their own in-house business for the next month or so, it doesn't mean that it's the end of NXT's interaction with the other brands.
The Royal Rumble is next month and we should expect the Black and Gold brand to have a much bigger presence than ever before. Two years ago, only Kairi Sane and Ember Moon participated in the first-ever Women's Royal Rumble match. Last year, Sane was joined by the likes of Ripley, LeRae, Xia Li, Io Shirai and Kacy Catanzaro. That makes six women in last year's match. NXT is chock full of uber-talented women and here are six names that could show up during the 2020 Royal Rumble.
#6 Mia Yim
Unfortunately for Mia Yim, she was "injured" prior to perhaps the biggest moment of her WWE career. As the NXT Invasion had been playing out, Yim was on track to be a member of both Ripley's team at WarGames and Team NXT at Survivor Series.
Due to a pre-event attack, however, she was taken off the team and out of the festivities. With that attack, it also deprived the HBIC of a potential spot at Survivor Series. Because she missed out on a main-roster PPV in November, the next best chance to get her in front of the WWE Universe is the Rumble. Yim has been hovering around the title picture in NXT but she could perhaps have an impact in the Rumble.
The HBIC has a great backstory that has been played up on NXT TV and she is popular with the crowd. Her veteran status is also something that would help the match out. Xia Li looked lost last year, but having Tamina be your base of offense will do that for anyone. Yim has been wrestling for almost a decade whereas Li is new to the sport. For those reasons, the HBIC should get a spot in the Over the Top melee.
#5 Dakota Kai
The perpetrator of the attack on Yim was Dakota Kai. It took The HBIC out of the match and opened up a spot on Team Ripley. Since Kai was standing next to them, Ripley basically said 'okay, you're in.'
Other than the former NXT UK Women's Champion (Ripley), the Leader of Team Kick was another Superstar who had a life-changing weekend. Not only did she turn on her best friend in Tegan Nox, but also embraced the dark side for the first time in her WWE career.
We'll get some more insight into her mindset in the following weeks, but a huge way to keep Kai's momentum going is to participate in the Rumble next month. She'll likely be both cheered and booed if she entered and if they wanted to, they could have her eliminate a Superstar from NXT or a beloved face from RAW/SmackDown.
There's a lot of untapped potential that could be used with Kai in the match. She has had her fair share of injuries and has been with WWE for more than three years. The Leader of Team Kick is more than ready for the spotlight and the storyline of her being told she wasn't good enough should be one of the top ones in NXT going forward.
#4 Bianca Belair
As far as Bianca Belair is concerned, she's done all she can in NXT. She's challenged Shayna Baszler for the NXT Women's Championship on a few occasions with nothing to show for it. The EST of NXT was also a part of Team Baszler at WarGames and Team NXT at Survivor Series. If anyone in NXT was ready for a promotion or "call-up" to either RAW or SmackDown, it would be her.
While that would take place following the Rumble, it would make plenty of sense for the EST of NXT to participate in the ladies Rumble match. She's strong, athletic and has exposure in front of the WWE Universe thanks to the invasion storyline. There are some women on the roster who are strong (Dana Brooke, Charlotte Flair) but Belair is just as or more athletic than those Superstars.
The former track star at Tennessee oozes star potential so it's just a matter of time before she joins the main roster. A lot of women are currently injured (Mickie James, Ruby Riott, Nia Jax, Ember Moon) so there are plenty of spots that should and could go to members of NXT. One should certainly be reserved for the EST of NXT.
#3 Io Shirai
Like Bianca Belair, Io Shirai is more than ready for a jump to either RAW or SmackDown. Before that, however, she needs to be a part of the Royal Rumble. Shirai did partake in last year's match, but that was as a smiling babyface. As things currently sit, she is a maniacal heel with a whole new persona and look.
For that reason, she'll likely still be around NXT for a while. It will make things hard with a heel Champion in Baszler, but Shirai could challenge whoever dethrones the Queen of Spades. Until then, however, the Genius of the Sky is a slam dunk pick to participate in the 2020 Royal Rumble match.
We saw a few stare downs between her and Kairi Sane during both the Survivor Series elimination match and during a few of the brawls. They could easily have another one in the match or she could have a heated confrontation with Asuka. Like the other women on Team NXT at Survivor Series, Shirai has had plenty of time in front of the WWE Universe. The crowd knows who she is and loves her. I just hope she doesn't miss out due to someone else getting a push, like Xia Li. Li has a long way to go but Shirai is already primed for another Rumble.
#2 Toni Storm
Toni Storm has the distinction of both winning a Mae Young Classic and the NXT UK Women's Championship. Ripley swapped NXT brands after dropping her title so will Storm now join Ripley on the Black and Gold brand after dropping the NXT UK Championship to Kay Lee Ray?
The former Champ was a member of Team NXT at Survivor Series but was technically the first member of the brand's team to be eliminated. Shirai and LeRae left the match earlier due to "injury" but returned later in the bout to help Ripley pick up the win. They have been considered survivors of the match alongside Ripley, making Storm the first elimination.
Prior to NXT being treated on the same level of RAW and SmackDown, it would have seemed like Storm would be in line for a main roster call-up. But with a level playing field, she might simply join NXT. A big step forward for her would be as a participant of the upcoming Royal Rumble match. The fans know who she is and have seen her work.
She's more than ready for the next chapter of her career and it should start in the battle royale next month.
#1 Shayna Baszler
Not many of these choices are necessarily meant to be for surprise purposes but instead for the reason of being ready and deserving. There are others in NXT who are ready, but a lot of those women haven't had nearly the amount of exposure to the WWE Universe as the Superstars on this slideshow.
Baszler may have lost at WarGames, but she was victorious in the main event of Survivor Series. That's no small task. While she technically submitted Bayley, that win also gives her a victory over The Man, Becky Lynch. That's a huge accomplishment that will lead to bigger things in 2020 for the Queen of Spades.
That actually might start, however, with a step back at the next TakeOver. Baszler has done more than enough as Champion in NXT and it's time for someone else to run with the belt. It looks like Ripley could be the lady to dethrone the Queen of Spades since she pinned Baszler at WarGames.
Vince McMahon might have huge plans for her and it would make plenty of sense for her to enter the Royal Rumble. She's headed for a showdown with Becky Lynch at some point next year and it could even happen at WrestleMania 36. The title pictures on both RAW and SmackDown need some new blood instead of Alexa Bliss or Charlotte always challenging Bayley or Lynch. Baszler offers up a legit threat to any women on the main roster and that might show up once more in the 2020 Royal Rumble.
