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NXT is the best thing that the WWE has to offer right now. It's not Raw or SmackDown, but NXT. The 'third-brand' of WWE has become pivotal for WWE, as the stars from that brand anchor the main roster today. Every year we see more and more wrestlers being called up to the main roster and these are some of the best wrestlers. A few examples of NXT graduates on the main roster are The Four Horsewomen (Becky Lynch, Charlotte Flair, Sasha Banks and Bayley), Asuka, Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, Seth Rollins, Samoa Joe, among a whole host of talent.
The past of NXT may boast big names, but the present is not far behind in that regard. The current crop of NXT talent may be the best group of talent present at the same time. In this piece, we will be looking at the five brightest sparks in the Performance Center right now.
#5 Ricochet
The man formerly known as Prince Puma is killing it on NXT ever since he joined. He has one of the best physiques in all of WWE and athleticism which cannot be matched. Even after that, Ricochet is a true sports entertainer, with a great promo in him. There is no reason for the real-life Trevor Mann to not succeed.
Ricochet joined NXT earlier in 2018, with his first marquee match being the ladder match for the new NXT North American Championship, which was won by Adam Cole (more on him later). He came after having been regarded as one of the best talents on the independents. He had a tremendous (yet divisive) match against Will Osperay, which truly announced him to the masses. Even though his NXT career has just began, he promises to be one of the next big things to emerge out of there.
#4 Velveteen Dream
The Velveteen Dream is just 22. 22 years of age. That is absolutely insane, considering what a performer he already is at that age. He is one of the most enigmatic characters on NXT, and he has the in-ring chops to back it up. A terrific promo, his skills of working feuds and playing mind-games on his opponent make him one of the most entertaining wrestlers on the current NXT brand.
Patrick Clark Jr., in his guise as the Velveteen Dream already has a stellar resume. After a wonderful feud with Aleister Black, he won the award for the best feud of 2017. He worked that feud so well, that it became one of the most talked about feuds in wrestling at the time. He was also part of the NXT North American Championship ladder match, and in the process has become one of the youngest wrestlers to be awarded a 5* Match by Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. The only way to go from here is up for The Dream. Say his name, and remember it.
#3 EC3
Derrick Bateman is a lowly jobber, but EC3 is one of the next big stars in professional wrestling. EC3 has a physique that puts some bodybuilders to shame, and his cold and calculated persona make him a tremendous in-ring performer also. Even if he isn't the most technical wrestler, he is one of the few that know how to work a match WWE style. That being said, he is surely going to be one of WWE's next big stars.
EC3 got his start in WWE, as the aforementioned Derrick Bateman, but he truly became a great performer in TNA. TNA is where he took on the guise of Ethan Carter the Third, as a relative to TNA owner Dixie Carter. He still has that gimmick in WWE, but EC3 did become one of the biggest stars that Impact! Wrestling had. He became the cornerstone for the brand, even when it was nearing liquidation and poaching of talent. Today, he is a featured star on NXT and is bound to hunt Aleister Black for the title sooner or later. His skills know no bounds, and his star is on the precipice of exploding.
#2 Aleister Black
The current NXT Champion, Aleister Black is one of the best performers to exist. I can run out of superlatives describing how good he is. A tremendous in-ring worker with a character that is so cool, there is nothing in Black's way of being a superstar. His work so far has justified him being the NXT Champion and being the one to carry this brand forward.
Tommy End, as he used to be known as on the indies, is a 16-year veteran of the industry, but is still just 33. After becoming a big name through his work with PROGRESS, End was signed up by the WWE and sent to NXT. Since his debut, he has achieved more than most people would predict he would. He had a fantastic feud with Velveteen Dream, as has been mentioned earlier. Not only did he win the NXT Feud of the Year, but he also won Breakout Star of the Year and Male Competitor of the Year. He usurped Andrade "Cien' Almas to become NXT Champion and promises to live up to his very very high billing. Black promises to be one of the best wrestlers in a generation if he continues on this path.
#1 Adam Cole
Adam Cole is going to be one of the biggest WWE superstars in a long time. That may be a bold prediction, but there is absolutely no reason the 28-year-old sensation does not succeed and become one of the best performers of all time. He has a tremendous look, tremendous promo, and tremendous in-ring work. Isn't this just tremendous? The current NXT North American Champion has limitless potential.
Adam Cole is a Ring of Honor legend. He has won everything there is to win at ROH and he is the only three-time ROH World Champion. He was also a member of the Pro Wrestling Guerrilla roster and a member of the infamous Bullet Club. On the back of all these accomplishments, he has been absolutely amazing at NXT. Being the star man at War Games, he won the Dusty Rhodes Classic Tag Team Tournament and the NXT North American Championship on the same night. He is fast-tracking on the way towards unbridled success and we have already written an article talking all about how Adam Cole is the next big thing. We have faith in him and by the looks of it, so does WWE. Will he live up to the billing of being one of the brightest stars in NXT?
