'%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)
Karrion Kross had the unfortunate distinction of relinquishing the NXT Championship last Wednesday, a title he won just a few days prior. His separated shoulder will keep him out for an undetermined amount of time and it was serious enough for him to have to let go of the title he fought hard to win.
NXT General Manager William Regal announced that four former NXT Champions would battle it out on Tuesday in a four-man 60-minute Iron Man match. The competitors include Finn Balor, Johnny Gargano, Adam Cole, and Tommaso Ciampa.
Each performer is a former NXT Champion that had varying amounts of success as the face of NXT. Cole is the longest-reigning NXT titleholder while Balor was one of the names most synonymous with the brand during his tenure. Ciampa won his NXT Championship from Aleister Black through nefarious means but was forced to relinquish it due to a neck injury. He never lost it. Gargano has been attached at the hip with both Ciampa and Cole but he had a shorter reign.
So now that four men who have previously held the belt will fight it out in a first-time match on NXT, which one should prevail? There are reasons for and against each man becoming NXT Champion once more. Here are the rankings of the challengers ranked from who should win the least to which star should win the most.
#4 Adam Cole
While Adam Cole and the Undisputed Era have been the face of NXT for the last three years, Cole lost the title about two months ago. Keith Lee won the belt in a 'Winner Takes All' match. It briefly left Cole without a title direction as he faced non-wrestler, Pat McAfee, at TakeOver: XXX.
Giving the title back to Cole wouldn't be a mistake but of the four men on this list, he is the last one to have been NXT Champion. He had an extremely long reign and shouldn't be propelled back to the title so soon.
The leader of the Undisputed Era doesn't have much left to do in NXT other than turn face. Is that something that Triple H or Cole would want or is the next logical option to move up to RAW or SmackDown? The faction is still a heel group as they attacked Drake Maverick last week. Cole winning the belt and getting turned on could also work but of the four men in the match, the others are better options to win.
#3 Johnny Gargano
Johnny Gargano has already been NXT Champion but that was as the beloved face of the brand. His matches were among the best on any NXT TakeOver event and would be highlighted by his numerous kick-outs. For the better part of the last three years, Gargano has been NXT.
Even though he's now a heel alongside his wife, Candice LeRae, he hasn't missed a beat in promos. His condescending tone is great and he has cheated to win almost every match he's been a part of since turning. Just go back to the ladder match to crown a new NXT North American Champion. LeRae rode on Bronson Reed's back off a ladder and through a big splash.
As mentioned earlier in the slide show, Gargano had the shortest reign of any of the four wrestlers. He's always better as the man chasing the title rather than the man holding the title for a lengthy period. Now that he's a heel, however, if he won it seemed like he'd be the cowardly heel type of Champion. He and LeRae have constantly made reference to building NXT the Gargano Way, so that could be the impetus for having Johnny Wrestling win. While he would do a fine job, the other two remaining competitors have better stories to tell in this situation.
#2 Tommaso Ciampa
The Blackheart returned to NXT after a two-month hiatus earlier this summer. He was targeted and destroyed by Karrion Kross and disappeared from TV. He returned last week and immediately decimated Jake Atlas. It was mainly after the match, however, where it was confirmed that the true Blackheart had returned. He continued the assault on Atlas and reiterated that no one is safe when this version of Ciampa rears its head in NXT.
Tommaso Ciampa winning the title is easy to write. He never lost the title and had to relinquish it due to a severe neck injury. In his absence, Gargano and Cole fought over the title with each man holding it. It was a bittersweet moment because he worked his way up to top-dog status in NXT but wasn't able to drop the belt on his terms.
In regards to his tenure as NXT Champion, Ciampa's reign was a bit incomplete. For that reason alone, it makes sense to have him come out of Tuesday's match with the win. There's also the fact that without Kross as the top heel, the void is left to be filled. Will it be Cole, Gargano, or the newly returned Ciampa taking that spot? If he's sticking around in NXT then having him become the new NXT Champion wouldn't be a bad move.
#1 Finn Balor
Finn Balor's return to NXT last October reset the deck in WWE. He was an upper mid-carder and occasional main-event challenger on RAW and SmackDown. He was the first-ever Universal Champion, but like Kross and Ciampa, he also had to relinquish a belt due to injury.
Fast forward a couple of years and we have SummerSlam 2019. 'The Fiend' Bray Wyatt shocked the world with his presence. He immediately targeted Balor and the two had a match at the Biggest Party of the Summer. It was a squash match at Balor's expense and it damaged his WWE tenure.
Balor moved back to NXT mainly due to that reason. He targeted Gargano first as he felt this version of NXT was too complacent. The first Universal Champion also vowed he would win gold in NXT once again. That was almost a year ago. He's failed in his bids to capture both the NXT and North American titles. For those reasons, Balor should come out of Tuesday's contest as the next NXT Champion.
He's one of the biggest stars in NXT history and his return has been somewhat of a letdown in terms of titles. We thought it was only a matter of time until Balor was once again a Champion in NXT but it hasn't happened. In order to rehabilitate him for his inevitable return to the main roster, Balor has to win this Tuesday. He's still one of the biggest stars in NXT but this newer, more serious version of the man is the man that will return to RAW or SmackDown. Since some of his aura was damaged due to his feud with the Fiend, a huge way towards repairing it is having him capture the NXT title once more.
The Next NXT Champion - Conclusion
Arguments can be made for any of the four competitors to pick up another reign as NXT Champion. All four men represent some of the biggest stars in NXT history and have helped carry the brand at different times. While the first three wrestlers have essentially been around during the same time period, there have been many different layers added to their feuds and characters.
Gargano and Ciampa started as beloved babyfaces until Ciampa turned on Gargano. It led to probably the best rivalry/feud in NXT history and some incredible matches. Cole was around during those feuds and took advantage of their battles. Once the Blackheart returned from injury, however, it was as a babyface. He led a group against the Undisputed Era last year but turned heel last week.
Johnny Wrestling has gone through the roller-coaster of emotions during his time in NXT. He's been a top face that couldn't get over the hump. Gargano then reached his ultimate goal before falling back into challengers' status. With such a long tenure in NXT, the best logical option was to have Gargano turn heel. He's proven to be just as good in that role and has been a constant presence on NXT TV.
Balor has walked the line between face, heel, and anti-hero while also adopting a more serious and focused persona. It's perhaps the best version of the man in all of WWE. The bookers really cannot go wrong with who they chose to win but the man with the most to lose is Balor. For that reason, he has to come out victorious as the new NXT Champion. It would be a perfect showdown for Kross if Balor was still the NXT Champion when he returned from injury.
