NXT Takeover: New York: 5 Superstars who could challenge Tommaso Ciampa

The WWE's 'developmental' brand, NXT, hosted its first Takeover of the year this past weekend, and once again, the brand set a near impossible standard for their main-roster counterparts to live up to.

While the show may not have been as excellent as some of last year's incredible offerings, it still featured an early match of the year contender in the way of Johnny Gargano vs Ricochet and two excellent matches for the NXT Championship and the NXT Tag Team Championships.

With that now in the history books though, the brand will turn their attention towards WrestleMania weekend and their next big event, NXT Takeover: New York.

NXT Takeover: Phoenix provided us with a few hints as to what the show, which will take place in Brooklyn, may look like, but it still remains unclear as to who will be challenging the reigning NXT Champion, Tommaso Ciampa, for his title belt.

With that in mind, let's take a look at five superstars who could challenge Tommaso Ciampa when NXT takes over New York in April.

#5 Aleister Black

Black was defeated by Ciampa at Takeover: Phoenix

This would be the laziest option for the WWE, especially given the fact that Ciampa has just picked up a clean victory over the former NXT Champion.

It also seems highly likely that Black, given all that he has achieved down in NXT, will be one of the stars to soon make the step up to the main roster.

Regardless of all of that, though, if creative wants to continue the Gargano/Ciampa storyline post WrestleMania, then having Black once again step up as the challenger before finally moving on to pastures new could turn out to be their best decision at this juncture.

#4 Matt Riddle

Of all the options on this list, this one is easily the most unlikely. Matt Riddle has just picked up his second straight Takeover victory against Kassius Ohno and the former Progress star will be looking for a fresh opponent in the coming weeks.

While this shouldn't be totally ruled out, Riddle needs more time to connect with the WWE Universe and get himself over as a legitimate NXT Championship contender.

Riddle is already one of the hottest babyfaces on the brand, however, and if the WWE does decide to send up some of the other faces on this list after the Royal Rumble, then they could just decide to strap a rocket to Riddle's back as an easy solution.

#3 Velveteen Dream

Could Velveteen Dream get another shot at Ciampa?

Velveteen Dream came within inches of beating Tommaso Ciampa at NXT Takeover: WarGames II in November and fans are itching to see the two men go at it once again.

Velveteen Dream is one of the hottest talents in all of wrestling, and there is a very strong chance that he will find himself in possession of the NXT Championship somewhere down the line.

Ciampa has been an excellent champion and has helped reestablish NXT as the hottest brand in the WWE, but his time on the brand is no doubt coming to a close, and Velveteen Dream could be exactly what the brand is looking for to continue that momentum without him.

#2 Ricochet

Ricochet's defeat at the hands of Johnny Gargano now means that the former ROH and NJPW star is free to move away from the North American Championship and switch his focus to the NXT Championship.

With a post Takeover brawl taking place involving both of these men, there is every chance that the WWE chooses Ricochet as the man to dethrone Tomasso Ciampa.

Logic would suggest that one of, if not both of, Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano will be moving up to the main roster after WrestleMania, and crowning Ricochet as the new face of the brand would be a nice way to freshen up the main event scene once both men have gone.

#1 Johnny Gargano

The ongoing storyline between Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa took yet another twist at NXT Takeover: Phoenix when Gargano joined the NXT Champion on the stage and the show going off air with both men holding their titles aloft.

While it does look as though the duo are now back on the same stage, a lot can happen in the next 3 months, and there is a very real possibility that Gargano will turn on Ciampa, revealing that he was toying with him all along.

Having Gargano reveal himself as the puppet master this whole time would be a nice twist, and having him win the NXT Championship over WrestleMania weekend would be a nice way to draw a line under the two's storyline once and for all.