{"id":46996,"date":"2019-05-27T19:51:47","date_gmt":"2019-05-27T23:51:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lwosonprowrestling.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/?p=46996"},"modified":"2019-05-28T13:05:56","modified_gmt":"2019-05-28T17:05:56","slug":"nxtweek-25-greatest-success-stories-nxt","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/2019\/05\/27\/nxtweek-25-greatest-success-stories-nxt\/","title":{"rendered":"#NXTWeek: 25 Greatest Success Stories of NXT"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>NXT<\/strong> has well and truly taken over <strong>WWE<\/strong>.\u00a0 If you were to look at the WWE main roster at the start of the decade, there were only a select few members who had any association with the three letters &#8220;NXT&#8221;.\u00a0 Fast forward to 2019, it is far more difficult to find active members of the roster who <em>aren&#8217;t<\/em> NXT alumni.<\/p>\n<p>In honor of<em><strong> NXT TakeOver: XXV<\/strong><\/em>, we have decided to create a list of the top 25 success stories of NXT; featuring 25 superstars who have gone onto achieve varying degrees of success post-NXT.\u00a0 To make things simpler, we have decided to leave the original NXT (more of a talent show than developmental) off the list, so don&#8217;t expect to see the likes of <strong>Daniel Bryan<\/strong> pop up.\u00a0\u00a0So without further ado, let&#8217;s jump right in and take a look at which former NXT superstars have shined the brightest these past few years.<\/p>\n<h2>25 Greatest Success Stories of NXT<\/h2>\n<h3><strong>Alexa Bliss<\/strong><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_36106\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-36106\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-36106 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/lwosonprowrestling.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2019\/01\/alexabliss-960x540-c-default-e1548127067749.jpg\" alt=\"NXT Graduate\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-36106\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo: WWE<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>Alexa Bliss<\/strong> was not one of the bigger NXT names.\u00a0 Originally, she was an unnamed ring announcer.\u00a0 Then she was a glitter fairy.\u00a0 Whereas many on this list could boast prior in-ring experience, Alexa is a true home-grown talent who has had to learn on the job &#8211; and learn she has.\u00a0 Alexa is one of the best heels in all of WWE; has won numerous Women&#8217;s Championships (three on RAW, two on Smackdown) and won the Women&#8217;s Money in the Bank Ladder Match at the <em><strong>Money in the Bank 2018<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0pay-per-view.\u00a0 She has been plagued by injuries recently, but it is only a matter of time before Lil&#8217; Miss Bliss is winning championships again.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Alexa Bliss&#039; WWE Women&#039;s Championship victories\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Jtje1LCZXwE?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Asuka<\/strong><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_37620\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-37620\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-37620 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/lwosonprowrestling.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2019\/02\/14a11-15450354587762-800-e1549416774352.jpg\" alt=\"NXT Graduate\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-37620\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo: WWE<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>Asuka<\/strong> <em>dominated<\/em> during her time in NXT.\u00a0 In fact, she remained undefeated throughout her entire tenure; holding the NXT Women&#8217;s Championship for 522 days (510 days, if you don&#8217;t count TV tapings).\u00a0 She continued her unbeaten run for the first few months of her main roster run, where she won the inaugural Women&#8217;s Royal Rumble match at Royal Rumble 2018.\u00a0 She would eventually lose to <strong>Charlotte<\/strong> (more on her later) at <em><strong>WrestleMania 34<\/strong><\/em>.\u00a0 Asuka&#8217;s run wasn&#8217;t quite the same following her first defeat, but her victory against <strong>Becky Lynch<\/strong> at <em><strong>Royal Rumble 2019<\/strong><\/em> cannot be ignored and she is just one of four on this list to hold both the NXT and Smackdown Women&#8217;s Championships.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Asuka relinquishes the NXT Women&#039;s Title to seek new challengers: WWE NXT, Sept. 6, 2017\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/BKM1CRTqzVk?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Bayley<\/strong><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_46519\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-46519\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-46519 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/lwosonprowrestling.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2019\/05\/205_MITB_05192019jg_5398-a4bbe79912494e5f5be2703703970633-e1558464527865.jpg\" alt=\"Bayley NXT Graduate\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-46519\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo: WWE<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Much like Asuka, <strong>Bayley<\/strong> had an iconic run as NXT Women&#8217;s Champion.\u00a0 She held the title for a respectable 223 days, after claiming it from long-time rival and fellow NXT legend, <strong>Sasha Banks<\/strong>, at <strong><em>NXT Take Over: Brooklyn<\/em><\/strong>.\u00a0 Since departing from NXT, Bayley has hugged her way to the RAW (1x) and Smackdown (1x) Women&#8217;s Championships; has suplexed her way to being one-half of the inaugural Women&#8217;s Tag Team Champions (1x) and won the Women&#8217;s Money in the Bank in 2019.\u00a0 Bayley is arguably the most beloved NXT superstar of all time and she seems to (finally) be getting the main roster run she deserves.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Bayley cashes in to become SmackDown Women&#039;s Champion: WWE Now\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/iMwf-TnfNuU?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Becky Lynch<\/strong><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_43706\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-43706\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-43706 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/lwosonprowrestling.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2019\/04\/20190405_WM35_show_Becky-c9897390a47093cac1e3932f80439b29-e1554743640442.jpg\" alt=\"NXT Graduate\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-43706\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo: WWE<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>What more can be said about Becky Lynch? The Man is, at this point, arguably the most successful on this list&#8230; yet it wasn&#8217;t always this way.\u00a0 Just 12 months ago, the booking for the Irish Lass Kicker was all over the place &#8211; she was more than 12 months without a pay-per-view win.\u00a0 Until her heel turn at <em><strong>Summerslam 2018<\/strong><\/em>.\u00a0 She wasn&#8217;t a heel for long, though, and soon became the tweener(ish) Man we all love.\u00a0 She is now a three-time Smackdown Women&#8217;s Champion, the current RAW Women&#8217;s Champion (1x) and the first and only superstar to hold both titles at the same time.\u00a0 She won the 2019 Women&#8217;s Royal Rumble and is one of three women (alongside <strong>Ronda Rousey<\/strong> and Charlotte Flair) to have headlined a WrestleMania.\u00a0 Becky will only gain more accomplishments and accolades in time.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Becky Lynch loses her temper with Lacey Evans: WWE Money in the Bank 2019\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/C2VVPgkQvt4?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Big E<\/strong><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_26688\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-26688\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-26688 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/lwosonprowrestling.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2018\/09\/big_e_sd_tag_team_champion_by_alan12309-dbwd974-e1537838146192.png\" alt=\"NXT Graduate\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-26688\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo: WWE<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The brawn of the New Day\u00a0actually had a second name when he won the NXT Championship way back in 2012.\u00a0 &#8220;Langston&#8221; was actually just the second man to hold the title.\u00a0 With how successful E has been with <strong>The New Day<\/strong> (3x Smackdown and 2x RAW Tag Team Champions), it is easy to forget that he was ever a single&#8217;s champion; he is a former holder of the WWE Intercontinental Championship.\u00a0 His run as <strong>Dolph Ziggler<\/strong> and <strong>AJ Lee<\/strong>&#8216;s bodyguard is forgettable, just because E never got the chance to show his wonderful personality.\u00a0 He is not only a naturally talented performer, but a gifted comedian who can make any audience laugh.\u00a0 If there is one star on this list who deserves a WWE Championship run, it&#8217;s Big E.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"The New Day welcome back Big E: SmackDown LIVE, May 21, 2019\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/FgMJpzLjA2s?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Bray Wyatt<\/strong><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_46005\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-46005\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-46005\" src=\"https:\/\/lwosonprowrestling.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2019\/05\/Screen-Shot-2019-05-13-at-8.08.24-PM-e1557793316431.png\" alt=\"Bray Wyatt\" width=\"600\" height=\"335\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-46005\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo: WWE<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>Bray Wyatt<\/strong> never got to hold a title in NXT.\u00a0 The Wyatt Family, however, were still one of the more important NXT acts.\u00a0 They debuted to much fanfare on the main roster and had an incredibly joyful feud with <strong>The Shield<\/strong>.\u00a0 Bray has had a relatively successful solo run and can now boast to being a former WWE Champion.\u00a0 Unfortunately he has failed to regain his championship since losing it to former tag team partner, <strong>Randy Orton<\/strong>, but with the surging popularity of the new Firefly Funhouse gimmick, maybe it&#8217;s only a matter of time until Bray is champion once more.\u00a0 He is also a former Smackdown Tag Team Champion (with Randy Orton) and a former RAW Tag Team Champion (with<strong> Matt Hardy<\/strong>).<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Bray Wyatt reveals a dark secret on \u201cFirefly Fun House\u201d: Raw, May 13, 2019\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/5Kza7j4aae4?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Cass &amp; Enzo<\/strong><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_44132\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-44132\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-44132\" src=\"https:\/\/lwosonprowrestling.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2019\/04\/960-2-e1555105481491.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"388\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-44132\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo: WWE<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The first names to feature on this list who no longer feature for the WWE.\u00a0 <strong>Big Cass<\/strong> &amp; <strong>Enzo Amore<\/strong> never held a tag title on the main roster or in NXT.\u00a0 They still remained extremely popular.\u00a0 Their split-up was premature and one can&#8217;t help but think what could have been if the duo were kept together.\u00a0 It was pretty sawft.\u00a0 However, they both had relatively successful solo runs too.\u00a0 Enzo Amore was regularly in the main event of RAW in mid-2017 as the Cruiserweight Champion.\u00a0 Big Cass had an enjoyable feud with Daniel Bryan in 2018, too.\u00a0 The two recently appeared at Ring of Honor&#8217;s G1 Supercard, so maybe there&#8217;s life after WWE for Enzo and Cass?<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Enzo and Cass run in at the G1\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/kWZsngzKLFA?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Charlotte<\/strong><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_37293\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-37293\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-37293\" src=\"https:\/\/lwosonprowrestling.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2019\/02\/Charlotte_bio-e2e2bce3460ed8bb0be2a74bd0eddac5-e1549131978418.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-37293\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo: WWE<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Another contender for most successful NXT call-up is is Charlotte Flair.\u00a0 Charlotte has done it all since coming up with fellow horsewomen, Sasha Banks and Bayley, in 2015.\u00a0 In NXT, Charlotte was the second ever NXT Women&#8217;s Champion.\u00a0 On the main roster, she was the last ever Diva&#8217;s Champion; the first ever RAW Women&#8217;s Champion (back when there was no brand split and the Women&#8217;s Championship covered both brands) and is a former Smackdown Women&#8217;s Champion.\u00a0 Overall, she is a record-setting\u00a0<em>eight<\/em> time Women&#8217;s Champion.\u00a0 Like Becky Lynch, she is also one of just three women to headline a Wrestlemania (with Ronda Rousey).<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Asuka vs. Charlotte Flair - SmackDown Women&#039;s Championship Match: SmackDown LIVE, March 26, 2019\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/uLF26joYfgs?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Dean Ambrose<\/strong><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_43876\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-43876\" style=\"width: 940px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-43876\" src=\"https:\/\/lwosonprowrestling.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2019\/04\/Dean-Ambrose-WWE.jpg\" alt=\"Dean Ambrose WWE\" width=\"940\" height=\"545\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2019\/04\/Dean-Ambrose-WWE.jpg 940w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2019\/04\/Dean-Ambrose-WWE-300x174.jpg 300w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2019\/04\/Dean-Ambrose-WWE-768x445.jpg 768w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2019\/04\/Dean-Ambrose-WWE-696x404.jpg 696w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2019\/04\/Dean-Ambrose-WWE-724x420.jpg 724w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 940px) 100vw, 940px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-43876\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Credit: WWE<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Whereas <strong>Dean Ambrose<\/strong> is no more (at least for now), there is no doubt that the man now known as <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonprowrestling.com\/2019\/05\/26\/icymi-aew-doubles-down-with-jon-moxley-and-new-signings-in-all-three-divisions\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><strong>All Elite Wrestling<\/strong>&#8216;s <strong>Jon Moxley<\/strong><\/a> had a glittering WWE career.\u00a0 Whereas Ambrose is perhaps more well known for his successful <strong>Florida Championship Wrestling<\/strong> developmental career than his NXT run; he is still NXT alumni and easily one of the most successful.\u00a0 Let&#8217;s run through his accolades: 1x WWE Champion; 3x Intercontinental Champion; 2x WWE Raw Tag Team Champion with Shield brother, <strong>Seth Rollins<\/strong>; 1x WWE United States Champion (and longest reigning); Mr. Money in the Bank 2016 and he was the twenty-seventh Triple Crown Champion and just the eighth Grand Slam Champion.\u00a0 Undoubtedly an illustrious career.\u00a0 Who knows, maybe Mox can add the\u00a0<strong>AEW<\/strong> Championship to his ever-growing list of accomplishments.<\/p>\n<p>He has also just <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonprowrestling.com\/2019\/05\/27\/times-up-jon-moxley-is-heading-to-new-japan\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">signed with New Japan Pro Wrestling<\/a>, so new horizons are surely in the future of the former Dean Ambrose.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"The Shield say goodbye to Dean Ambrose after Raw goes off the air: Raw Exclusive, April 8, 2019\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/r34Isj_erU4?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Elias<\/strong><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_10034\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-10034\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-10034\" src=\"https:\/\/lwosonprowrestling.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2017\/11\/171_RAW_11272017jg_0722-874b9d926d345a15c96e8fb6f4f477a0-e1511882637237.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-10034\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo: WWE<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Whereas <strong>Elias<\/strong> is perhaps the least successful on this list in terms of accomplishments, the man formerly known as &#8220;The Drifter&#8221; has had a decent run on the main roster; he has been massively over as a heel in the past.\u00a0 Whereas he has recently cooled off somewhat, his gimmick is still entertaining enough (and he plays it masterfully enough) to regain some of the 2017 and 2018 heat.\u00a0 He makes this list simply because, despite not winning any championships, he has been among the most over.\u00a0 He can be again.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"The Seattle crowd boos Kevin Owens and Elias into oblivion: Raw, Oct. 1, 2018\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/XigdA6kiLcE?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Finn Balor<\/strong><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_45211\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-45211\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-45211\" src=\"https:\/\/lwosonprowrestling.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2019\/04\/finn-balor-696x392-e1556673085577.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-45211\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo: WWE<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>Finn Balor<\/strong> &#8211; like Bayley &#8211; is considered among the most important NXT stars of all time.\u00a0 He was NXT Champion for 292 days, after capturing the prestigious title from<strong> Kevin Owens<\/strong> at the <em><strong>Beast in the East: Network special<\/strong><\/em>.\u00a0 For the entirety of his championship run, he was Mr. NXT.\u00a0 He also won the inaugural <em><strong>Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic<\/strong><\/em> with <strong>Samoa Joe<\/strong>.\u00a0 He debuted on RAW in 2016 to much fanfare; quickly becoming the first ever WWE Universal Champion.\u00a0 Though injury cut short his run &#8211; and he has so far failed to recapture the championship &#8211; he is a 2x Intercontinental Champion (the current, as of this writing) and still has time to add another world championship or two to his list of accolades.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"&quot;The Demon&quot; Finn B\u00e1lor brutally powerbombs Bobby Lashley: WrestleMania 35 (WWE Network Exclusive)\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/Li4RrGVyMjo?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Harper &amp; Rowan\u00a0<\/strong><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_40485\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-40485\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-40485\" src=\"https:\/\/lwosonprowrestling.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2019\/03\/Rowan-1-758x426-e1552254114791.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"337\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-40485\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo: WWE<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>Luke Harper<\/strong> &amp; <strong>Erik Rowan<\/strong> &#8211; briefly known as <strong>The Bludgeon Brothers<\/strong> &#8211; have only two tag team titles to their name (1x NXT Tag Team Champions and 1x Smackdown Tag Team Champions) but have really established themselves as one of the more recognisable and reliable tag teams.\u00a0 Though originally lackeys to Bray Wyatt in the Wyatt Family, they have gone on to have numerous solid bouts with the likes of <strong>The Usos<\/strong> and The New Day and, hopefully, can add some more gold to their trophy cabinets in the near future.\u00a0 Whether or not this happens is down to whether or not Luke Harper departs from the WWE, as he recently requested (and was denied) his release from the company.\u00a0 Though the main roster has a bad track record with NXT tag teams, Harper &amp; Rowan have done well to survive this long and deserve their place on this list.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Big E &amp; Jimmy Uso vs. The Bludgeon Brothers: SmackDown LIVE, March 13, 2018\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/AT-lh0oq4p0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Jinder Mahal<\/strong><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_14571\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-14571\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-14571\" src=\"https:\/\/lwosonprowrestling.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2018\/02\/jinder_mahal-7-e1519237595786.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"332\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-14571\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo: WWE<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The Modern Day Maharaja just about makes this list and only because he was in NXT during the early phase of his main roster run in 2012.\u00a0 <strong>Jinder Mahal<\/strong> was a competitor in the tournament to crown the first NXT Champion and nearly went all the way &#8211; he lost to Seth Rollins the final.\u00a0 His run as a solo star on the main roster was brief, as he was soon paired with <strong>Drew McIntyre<\/strong> and <strong>Heath Slater<\/strong> as part of <strong>3MB<\/strong>.\u00a02017 saw the polarising WWE Championship run &#8211; where Jinder would go from enhancement to WWE Champion in the space of two weeks, starting a title reign where he would beat the likes of Randy Orton.\u00a0 Jinder is also a former United States Champion.\u00a0 Whereas Jinder&#8217;s heat has declined and he has been pushed back into the undercard, he still makes this list.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"WWE Champion Jinder Mahal&#039;s jaw-dropping entrance: SmackDown LIVE, June 6, 2017\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/mIjtQz-9nuI?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Kevin Owens<\/strong><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_15929\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-15929\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-15929\" src=\"https:\/\/lwosonprowrestling.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2018\/03\/Kevin-Owens-as-new-2nd-ever-WWE-Universal-Champion-on-WWE-Raw-banner-e1521740235113.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"391\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-15929\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo: WWE<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Kevin Owens, too, is among the more successful and would be somewhere near the top of the list if we were ranking the call-ups in order of success, rather than by alphabetical order.\u00a0 He had a 143-day reign with the NXT Championship, winning it from eternal rival <strong>Sami Zayn<\/strong> at <em><strong>NXT TakeOver: Rival<\/strong><\/em> in February of 2015 before dropping it to Finn Balor at the Beast in the East Network Special.\u00a0 Since then, Owens has been Universal, Intercontinental (2x) and United States Champion (3x), all whilst remaining one of the most consistently entertaining heels on either brand.\u00a0 He will certainly add more championships over the next few years.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Kevin Owens attacks Chris Jericho during the &quot;Festival of Friendship&quot;: Raw, Feb. 13, 2017\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/s83qeS54K0s?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Neville<\/strong><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_13503\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-13503\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-13503\" src=\"https:\/\/lwosonprowrestling.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2018\/01\/wwe-neville_1eoc03rgmujjz16qcfkublp3vg-e1517441065918.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-13503\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo: WWE<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>One who got away was\u00a0<strong>PAC<\/strong>.\u00a0 One of the staples of the early days of NXT, the man known as <strong>Neville<\/strong> was their fourth champion.\u00a0 He won it at the very first TakeOver event, <em><strong>NXT Arrival<\/strong><\/em>, in February 2014 &#8211; after beating <strong>Bo Dallas<\/strong> in a ladder match.\u00a0 He would go on to have a 287 day run with the championship, before dropping it to Sami Zayn at the tail-end of 2014 at <em><strong>NXT TakeOver: R Evolution<\/strong><\/em>.\u00a0 Neville (now PAC) was also a 2x NXT Tag Team Champion, with <strong>Corey Graves<\/strong> and <strong>Oliver Grey<\/strong>, respectively &#8211; he also won the NXT Tag Team Championship Tournament with Grey in 2013.\u00a0 On the main roster, Neville was the &#8220;King of the Cruiserweights&#8221; and the figurehead of the entire cruiserweight division (and a 2x Cruiserweight Champion), before leaving over creative differences.\u00a0 PAC is now the Open the Dream Gate Champion in <strong>Dragon Gate<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Like Jon Moxley, PAC also <a href=\"https:\/\/lastwordonprowrestling.com\/2019\/05\/21\/aew-debuts-first-match-hangman-page-vs-pac-video\/\" target=\"_blank\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">features for AEW<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Neville vs. TJP - WWE Cruiserweight Championship Match: WWE 205 Live, June 6, 2017\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/aUWJ1AXiknU?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Nia Jax<\/strong><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_35502\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-35502\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-35502 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/lwosonprowrestling.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2019\/01\/Nia-Jax-Tamina-WWE-Raw-e1547582528192.jpg\" alt=\"NXT Graduate\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-35502\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo: WWE<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>Nia Jax<\/strong> has just one championship to her name (RAW Women&#8217;s Championship).\u00a0 That hasn&#8217;t stopped her from becoming one of the more established and dominant women on the main roster.\u00a0 Though her NXT run came at the wrong time (Asuka dominance), she has been successful as a monster heel on RAW.\u00a0 Jax is also a member of <strong>Total Divas<\/strong>; successfully garnering a following of young female fans.\u00a0\u00a0Her career is still young and if she chooses to truly commit to WWE as an active performer, there will be plenty more victories to come.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Nia Jax attacks Dean Ambrose: Raw, Jan. 28, 2019\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/tELhi977HHo?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Paige<\/strong><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_9757\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-9757\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-9757 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/lwosonprowrestling.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2017\/11\/DPH8a3RU8AARR0r-e1511239402261.jpg\" alt=\"NXT Graduate\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-9757\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo: WWE<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Is there anybody more qualified to be classed as an NXT original than <strong>Paige<\/strong>? The inaugural NXT Women&#8217;s Champion, the Glampire is a well-established, household name at this point.\u00a0 She is also the only member of this list capable of boasting a<strong> Dwayne &#8220;The Rock&#8221; Johnson<\/strong> produced biopic centred around her life in professional wrestling.\u00a0 Paige is also a 2x Divas Champion and a key component of the Total Divas brand.\u00a0 Sadly, Paige is currently retired.\u00a0 Though only 26, she is a veteran of more than a decade whose body has taken so much in-ring abuse that, at least for now, she won&#8217;t be able to add to her three championships.\u00a0 However, she is a bonified future Hall of Famer and an NXT legend.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Paige gives an emotional retirement speech: Raw, April 9, 2018\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/QfNG-YJ3YmU?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Roman Reigns<\/strong><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_43264\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-43264\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-43264\" src=\"https:\/\/lwosonprowrestling.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2019\/03\/roman-reigns-wwe-champion-wrestlemania-32-e1554390927652.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-43264\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo: WWE<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The Big Dog has done literally everything.\u00a0 With how successful <strong>Roman Reigns<\/strong> has been on the main roster since coming up with his Shield brothers, Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins, in the fall of 2012, the biggest surprise is that he never won an NXT Championship.\u00a0 He clearly did not need it, however, as Roman is a four-time world champion (3x WWE, 1x Universal); one-time WWE Tag Team Champion (with Seth Rollins); 1x Intercontinental Champion; a former 1x United States Champion; a Royal Rumble winner (2015) and a Grand-Slam &amp; Triple-Crown champion.\u00a0 He has been in the main event of multiple WrestleManias and, most recently, beat cancer.\u00a0 Roman has done it all.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Roman Reigns beats Triple H for the WWE Championship: WrestleMania 32\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/TzEzCunmnWo?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Rusev<\/strong><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_20817\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-20817\" style=\"width: 960px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-20817 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/lwosonprowrestling.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2018\/06\/rusev-day.jpg\" alt=\"Rusev Day NXT Graduate\" width=\"960\" height=\"620\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-20817\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Credit: WWE<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong>Rusev<\/strong> is someone whose career deserves more.\u00a0 He has consistently been one of the more over stars &#8211; whether as &#8220;Evil Russian Rusev&#8221; or as &#8220;Rusev Day Rusev&#8221; &#8211; and, despite his large frame, is one of the better performers.\u00a0 On the microphone, too, Rusev is extremely entertaining.\u00a0 It&#8217;s a shame to think that his career (so far) peaked with the loss of his United States Championship (2x) in his WrestleMania 31 defeat to John Cena&#8230; but he still got to come out on a tank.\u00a0 Most wrestling fans probably agree that Rusev deserves more, so here&#8217;s hoping.\u00a0 Regardless, with how long Rusev has lasted on the main roster, he absolutely deserves a spot on this list.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Rusev - United States Championship Match: SmackDown LIVE, Dec. 25, 2018\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/lyywR2Xz7u8?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Samoa Joe<\/strong><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_40023\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-40023\" style=\"width: 768px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-40023\" src=\"https:\/\/lwosonprowrestling.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2019\/03\/Samoa-Joe.jpg\" alt=\"Samoa Joe\" width=\"768\" height=\"432\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2019\/03\/Samoa-Joe.jpg 768w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2019\/03\/Samoa-Joe-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2019\/03\/Samoa-Joe-696x392.jpg 696w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2019\/03\/Samoa-Joe-747x420.jpg 747w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-40023\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Credit: WWE<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Samoa Joe had a great NXT run and was the first two-time NXT Champion.\u00a0 Since debuting on RAW in January 2017, Joe hasn&#8217;t been quite as successful.\u00a0 Whereas he has consistently been one of the best talkers around, has had good matches and entertaining feuds, he has been on the losing-end more than his talent merits.\u00a0 His 2018 feud with<strong> AJ Styles<\/strong> is the best example of this (he didn&#8217;t win <em>one<\/em> of their multiple PPV matches).\u00a0 He now has a solo United States Championship to his name, so, like with Rusev, let&#8217;s hope 2019 has more in store for the Samoan Submission Machine.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"R-Truth vs. Rey Mysterio vs. Samoa Joe vs. Andrade - U.S. Title Match: SmackDown LIVE, Mar. 5, 2019\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/LSnwv2MD464?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Sasha Banks<\/strong><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_44082\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-44082\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-44082\" src=\"https:\/\/lwosonprowrestling.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2019\/04\/sasha-banks-28723172-620x400-620x400-e1555028185694.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"387\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-44082\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo: WWE<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The Boss is arguably the most popular NXT star of all time; her 2015 match with Bayley at <em><strong>NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn<\/strong><\/em> is still considered among the greatest women&#8217;s match-ups of all time.\u00a0 Sasha Banks made the NXT Women&#8217;s Championship more important than the men&#8217;s during her run in NXT.\u00a0 Therefore The Boss will always be fondly remembered as of the true NXT greats.\u00a0 Her main roster run hasn&#8217;t been too shabby either.\u00a0 Sasha is a 4x RAW Women&#8217;s Champion.\u00a0 She was one-half of the inaugural WWE Women&#8217;s Tag Team Champions, with long-time friend, Bayley.\u00a0 Whereas much speculation persists over her current whereabouts, it is only a matter of time before Sasha adds more gold to her collection.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Sasha Banks vs. Charlotte - WWE Women&#039;s Championship Match: Raw, July 25, 2016\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/8EOhZQzB4Ko?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Seth Rollins<\/strong><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_40716\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-40716\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-40716\" src=\"https:\/\/lwosonprowrestling.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2019\/02\/seth-rollins-as-wwe-world-heavyweight-champion-1428400121-2355027-e1552433053463.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"401\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-40716\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo: WWE<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The man formerly known as &#8220;The Man&#8221; was the first ever NXT Champion.\u00a0 Since coming up to the main roster, Seth Rollins has had unprecedented amounts of success.\u00a0 One-third of The Shield; a former 2x Intercontinental Champion;\u00a0 4x RAW Tag Team Champion (Roman Reigns (1), Jason Jordan (1) and Dean Ambrose (2)); a former one-time WWE United States Champion; a 2x WWE World Heavyweight Champion; Money in the Bank winner (2014); Men&#8217;s Royal Rumble winner (2019) and a Grand Slam &amp; Triple-Crown champion to boot.\u00a0 Oh, and he is also the current WWE Universal Champion.\u00a0 Like Roman Reigns and Dean Ambrose, Seth has truly done it all.\u00a0 Is he the most successful of all NXT alumni? Quite possibly.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Seth Rollins goes low against Brock Lesnar in brutal war: WrestleMania 35 (WWE Network Exclusive)\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/QHts6J7xa1o?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Shinsuke Nakamura<\/strong><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_13337\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-13337\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-13337 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/lwosonprowrestling.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2018\/01\/Shinsuke_Nakamura_bio-052c8c487f9fda469802509d4ca7e44e-e1517168760836.jpg\" alt=\"NXT\" width=\"600\" height=\"337\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-13337\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo: WWE<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The Japanese superstar arrived in NXT as one of the most recognisable international stars ever.\u00a0 The former IWGP Champion quickly became a two-time NXT Champion.\u00a0 He then moved to Smackdown and won the 2018 men&#8217;s Royal Rumble.\u00a0 Though failing to capture the WWE Championship from AJ Styles at <em>WrestleMania 34<\/em>, Shinsuke is a former 2x US Champion.\u00a0 Though still tremendously popular, Nakamura is currently stuck as a heel in the mid-card.\u00a0 One hopes that the Japanese rock star recaptures some of his magic soon.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Jeff Hardy vs. Shinsuke Nakamura - United States Championship Match: SmackDown LIVE, July 17, 2018\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/X3BI3MsNJ1I?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Tyler Breeze<\/strong><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_46824\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-46824\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-46824 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/lwosonprowrestling.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2019\/05\/Breeze-vs-Dream.jpg\" alt=\"NXT Recap\" width=\"600\" height=\"400\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2019\/05\/Breeze-vs-Dream.jpg 600w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2019\/05\/Breeze-vs-Dream-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-46824\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo: WWE<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Though quite possibly the least successful call-up to make this list, how can we leave out <strong>Tyler Breeze<\/strong>? One of the most important components of the early NXT success, fans shouldn&#8217;t forget just how good Tyler is.\u00a0 Though he has never held a title in the WWE, Tyler has continued to be extremely entertaining.\u00a0 This being the case both in the ring and with a partner, <strong>Fandango<\/strong>.\u00a0 Together, the Fashion Police created something largely entertaining with Fashion Files.\u00a0 Hopefully, their efforts are rewarded when Fandango returns from injury.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Breezango hunt for Kevin Owens&#039; pie face perpetrator: Fashion Files: Cold Case Unit\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/iLDRzNco5so?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h3><strong>Xavier Woods<\/strong><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_36675\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-36675\" style=\"width: 536px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-36675 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/lwosonprowrestling.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2019\/01\/Screen-Shot-2019-01-26-at-11.40.38-PM.png\" alt=\"NXT\" width=\"536\" height=\"354\" srcset=\"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2019\/01\/Screen-Shot-2019-01-26-at-11.40.38-PM.png 536w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2019\/01\/Screen-Shot-2019-01-26-at-11.40.38-PM-300x198.png 300w, https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2019\/01\/Screen-Shot-2019-01-26-at-11.40.38-PM-534x354.png 534w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 536px) 100vw, 536px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-36675\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Photo: WWE<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Last but not least is <strong>Xavier Woods<\/strong>.\u00a0 Alongside Big E, Woods&#8217; wrestling dream was to see Kofi Kingston hold the WWE Championship.\u00a0 They succeeded.\u00a0 Now that Woods has succeeded, maybe it is time to start adding singles gold to his five tag titles.\u00a0 The New Day, by the way, is &#8211; at this point &#8211; one of the longest-running, most successful trios ever.\u00a0 It is safe to say Woods is a success story.\u00a0 Additionally, his YouTube gaming channel &#8211; <strong>UpUpDownDown<\/strong> &#8211; has only proven the genius of Woods.\u00a0 His ability to keep fresh and remain entertaining is among the best.\u00a0 Woods probably doesn&#8217;t even need singles gold at this point, but he certainly deserves some.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Here Comes the Pain #21: A ROADBLOCK on the Road to the Rumble! - UpUpDownDown Plays\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/bmVc5lo97Tc?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>And that concludes the list.\u00a0 Twenty-five NXT call-ups who have had varying degrees of success, but all have one thing in common: NXT.\u00a0 Whereas not all of them were products of NXT, they have all been helped by NXT.\u00a0 <em>NXT TakeOver: XXV<\/em> arrives this Saturday, June 1st.\u00a0 With it, we are being gifted a golden glimpse into the future.\u00a0 We can perhaps witness the early stages of stars who will one day make lists such as these.\u00a0 As always, it will be a great show.<\/p>\n<p>Stay tuned to the\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/lwosonprowrestling.ms.lastwordonsports.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Last Word on Pro Wrestling<\/a>\u00a0for more on this and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. You can always count on LWOPW to be on top of the major news in the wrestling world, as well as to provide you with analysis, previews, videos, interviews, and editorials on the wrestling world.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>NXT has well and truly taken over WWE.\u00a0 If you were to look at the WWE main roster at the start of the decade, there were only a select few members who had any association with the three letters &#8220;NXT&#8221;.\u00a0 Fast forward to 2019, it is far more difficult to find active members of the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2482,"featured_media":47019,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2,5,3],"tags":[168,229,160,163,78,552,224,162,147,330,111,730,4395,73,116,5243,1586,77,214,76,118,860],"class_list":["post-46996","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","category-nxt","category-wwe-universe","tag-alexa-bliss","tag-asuka","tag-bayley","tag-becky-lynch","tag-big-cass","tag-big-e","tag-bray-wyatt","tag-charlotte","tag-dean-ambrose","tag-enzo-amore","tag-finn-balor","tag-jinder-mahal","tag-jon-moxley","tag-kevin-owens","tag-nxt","tag-nxt-takeover-xxv","tag-pac","tag-roman-reigns","tag-samoa-joe","tag-seth-rollins","tag-shinsuke-nakamura","tag-tyler-breeze"],"modified_by":"Ben Kerr","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46996","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2482"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=46996"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46996\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/47019"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=46996"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=46996"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/prowrestling\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=46996"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}