The NXT Championship can be considered as one of the most important titles in professional wrestling. NXT brand has grown immensely in the past few years with its loyal fan-base and this championship signifies who sits on the top of the mountain of this brand. This championship has also served as an introduction for many upcoming stars who have no made their way to the main roster and are thriving in that environment.
History of the NXT Championship
The NXT Championship was introduced in 2012 during the early days of NXT as a reality show competition. Seth Rollins became the inaugural champion by winning an eight-man tournament. Initially seen as a secondary title, it quickly gained prestige and is now one of the most coveted titles in wrestling.
In 2013, NXT changed it's reality show format to turn into a developmental brand and pushing top talents to refine their skills and go after the top title of the brand. Finn Balor, Seth Rollins, Kevin Owens, Shinsuke Nakamura are some of the main roster stars that started their journey by winning this prestigious title. It has been defended at NXT TakeOver events and main roster shows like SummerSlam and Survivor Series. The NXT Championship serves as a stepping stone for rising stars in NXT. At Worlds Collide 2022, the NXT UK Championship was unified with the NXT Championship, further enhancing its prestige as the unified NXT Championship.
Current NXT Champion: Caremelo Hayes defeated Bronn Breaker on April 1st, 2023 at Stand & Deliver to become the new NXT Champion.
List of NXT Champions
| Champion | Date | Days Recog. |
| Seth Rollins | July 26, 2012 | 133 |
| Big E | December 6, 2012 | 153 |
| Bo Dallas | May 23, 2013 | 260 |
| Neville | February 27, 2014 | 286 |
| Sami Zayn | December 11, 2014 | 62 |
| Kevin Owens | February 11, 2015 | 142 |
| Finn Balor | July 4, 2015 | 292 |
| Samoa Joe | April 21, 2016 | 121 |
| Shinshuke Nakamura | August 20, 2016 | 91 |
| Samoa Joe | November 19, 2016 | 13 |
| Shinsuke Nakamura | December 3, 2016 | 56 |
| Robert Roode | January 28, 2017 | 202 |
| Drew McIntyre | August 19, 2017 | 91 |
| Andrade | November 18, 2017 | 139 |
| Aleister Black | April 7, 2018 | 108 |
| Tommaso Ciampa | July 18, 2018 | 237 |
| Johnny Gargano | April 5, 2019 | 57 |
| Adam Cole | June 1, 2019 | 403 |
| Keith Lee | July 8, 2020 | 44 |
| Karrion Kross | August 22, 2020 | 3 |
| Vacated | August 26, 2020 | - |
| Finn Balor | Septemeber 8, 2020 | 212 |
| Karrion Kross | April 8, 2021 | 136 |
| Samoa Joe | August 22, 2021 | 20 |
| Tommaso Ciampa | September 14, 2021 | 111 |
| Bron Breakker | November 22, 2021 | 63 |
| Dolph Ziggler | March 8, 2022 | 27 |
| Bron Breakker | April 4, 2022 | 362 |
| Carmelo Hayes | April 1, 2023 | 40+ |
NXT Championship and WWE's Main Roster
The NXT Championship is undeniably the most prestigious title within NXT, and it holds immense significance in shaping the careers of rising talents. It serves as a springboard for these young stars to reach new heights and achieve remarkable success on WWE's main roster. The history speaks for itself: Drew McIntyre toppling the beast and claiming the coveted WWE Championship, Seth Rollins ascending to the pinnacle by capturing the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, and Kevin Owens making a resounding impact by defeating John Cena and clinching the U.S Championship. These triumphs highlight the pivotal role that the NXT Championship plays in the industry. It propels budding talents, hones their skills, and propels them to the forefront of the wrestling world. Its ongoing mission is to continue fostering the growth of exceptional talents, ensuring that WWE possesses a world-class roster capable of captivating audiences worldwide.
