Nestled away in the bowels of the WWE giant, there lies an anomaly. A little side project that answers the question, “What if WWE had its own indie fed?” We all know and love NXT. The brand’s had another year of must-see matches and moments. The roster is bursting with talent, and new names seem to be constantly coming into the rotation. There are ten wrestlers who stand out from the rest of the pack though. Ten people who have put the show firmly on their shoulders and made 2018 a year to remember. Today, we’re looking at those ten elite performers who make our Wednesday nights something to look forward to.
10. Ricochet
It’s been quite the debut year for Trevor Mann, better known as Ricochet. We first saw him in action at TakeOver: New Orleans, where he took part in the epic six-man ladder match to determine the inaugural North American Champion. Despite not winning, Ricochet made a hell of a first impression. Zipping about the ring and bouncing off bodies like a pinball, the man who has been called “NXT’s Cheat Code” wowed us all from the get-go.
Throughout the year, he would feud with (and defeat) Velveteen Dream, pry the North American Title from the hands of someone who will be showing up later on this list, and shared the winning pin in WarGames. His 2018 is a highlight reel to behold and 2019 could see him rise to the very top of card. The Rock himself endorsed Ricochet on Twitter, saying he believed him to be a future WWE Champion. High praise indeed and more than worthy of a spot on this list.
9. Kairi Sane
Looking back, Kairi Sane might not have had a massively memorable year, but her achievements speak for themselves. She kicked off 2018 by appearing in the first ever women’s Royal Rumble, took part in the WrestleMania women’s battle royal, won the NXT Women’s Championship, and wrestled on the excellent all-women’s pay-per-view, Evolution.
Kairi has been that constant top babyface in the NXT women’s division. There are few superstars as purely likeable as her. Her title win was a genuine, feelgood moment and her crushing loss of the same title just two months later brought sympathy to her cause. Heading into next year, Kairi’s alliance with Io Shirai and Dakota Kai against Shayna Baszler and her MMA running buddies looks to dominate the women’s division. “The Pirate Princess” is one of the brand’s most beloved figures and deserves recognition for it.
8. Pete Dunne
Peter bloody Dunne! That’s right, Pete’s held the WWE UK Title for the entirety of 2018 and has an entire secondary NXT brand built around him. Even when you disregard NXT UK in unpacking his year, there’s more than enough there to give him a spot on this list. Pete made the final of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic, had some incredible matches on NXT TV against the likes of Kyle O’Reilly and Zack Gibson, and was the other man to score that winning pin at WarGames.
With the impending TakeOver UK event in Blackpool, Pete’s title reign might be in jeopardy. There’s a strong chance such a major show will have a big moment like that to make its mark. If we do see Pete’s legendary reign end in January, we’ll have plenty of memories to reminisce over. I highly recommend checking out his defence against Kyle O’Reilly, that match alone could get him on the list.
7. Shayna Baszler
Shayna Baszler’s choked out pretty much everyone this year. She won the NXT Women’s Title from Ember Moon in New Orleans (Ember’s last NXT match), defended against all comers, lost the belt and then won it back again at Evolution. To be the first person to win that belt twice – in the same year, no less – that is a real statement. Shayna’s ruled the roost of the women’s division since April and I’m not sure when that’s going to change.
Between her win-loss record and title success, Shayna would be even higher on the list if not for how high a standard everyone’s performing at. For someone who’s only been wrestling for a little over three years, it feels like “The Queen of Spades” has been doing this her whole life. When she comes up to the main roster next year, I hope she pops as many heads as she has in 2018.
6. Kyle O’Reilly
Kyle O’Reilly has firmly established himself as the kingpin of the NXT tag team division. Here’s a crazy statistic for you: bar a two-day period, Kyle O’Reilly has held the NXT Tag Team Championship for every day of the calendar year so far. He’s now the longest-reigning tag champ across combined reigns and managed to score the winning pin in the final of the Dusty Tag Classic (with a major assist from Roderick Strong). What’s more impressive is that he didn’t even take part in the damn tournament. That’s some pretty heavy clout.
Trophies, titles, incredible bouts both tag team and singles, how can anyone deny this man? I’ve already praised his match with Pete Dunne, but there is so much more. Watch any match involving Undisputed Era and the members of British Strong Style, watch TUE vs. Burch & Lorcan from TakeOver: Chicago. Kyle’s the heart of his division and has made a real case for being the best tag team specialist of his generation. His place on this list is well and truly undisputed.
5. Aleister Black
Aleister Black should probably be higher and I fully understand that putting him at just number five is a somewhat controversial choice. He started the year strong enough, with a wonderful Extreme Rules match against Adam Cole in Philadelphia. Yes, he also won the NXT Championship in April, but that actually worked against him. Black’s title reign just wasn’t particularly captivating. He never main evented a single TakeOver (the only NXT Champ of the TakeOver era to have that dubious honour) and his only major defence was in an OK match against Lars Sullivan.
On top of all this, Aleister suffered an injury that saw him disappear from NXT TV for three months. Missing a quarter of the year and losing your momentum after coming off a title reign isn’t the best look. Thankfully, things have picked up. Black’s bout with Johnny Gargano at WarGames was match of the night for my money, and it seems like he’s finally going to get that coveted main event spot when he gets his title rematch at TakeOver: Phoenix. I wouldn’t expect Aleister Black to stick around in NXT for long, we may even be seeing him as early as the Rumble. He could have been higher on this list if not for a lacklustre title reign, but top five ain’t bad.
4. Velveteen Dream
No titles, but does it matter? 2018 was a crucial year for Patrick Clark. There was doubt surrounding whether he’d be able to follow up on the momentum he garnered after his match with Aleister Black last year. Boy, did he deliver in spades. Dream’s not been racking up a staggering amount of wins, but it’s irrelevant at this point. He gets massive reactions from the crowds, who wait with baited breath to see what he does in his entrance. He had the crowd in the palm of his hand when he challenged for the NXT Title at WarGames, and it’s a matter of when, not if he sits at the top of the NXT mountain.
Dream’s year has been carried by charisma and sheer athleticism. This is a man who has full confidence in his character and seems to get better with every performance. He’s become an irreplaceable fixture in NXT, bringing up the prestige of every angle or match he finds himself in. Pure potential is what gets Velveteen Dream the number four spot. That and ambience.
3. Adam Cole
Don’t say it. Don’t say it. Oh, sod it. Adam Cole, BayBay! Cole just feels like a star, doesn’t he? Undisputed Era are in many ways the top act of NXT. The group haven’t been without a title of some sort all year and he leads the pack. He had the aforementioned Extreme Rules clash with Aleister Black, became the first ever North American Champion in New Orleans, had an awesome match with Richochet in Brooklyn, and capped it all off by main eventing WarGames.
Of all the members of the NXT roster, Cole seems like the name with the clearest path. Word on the street is that Vince McMahon himself is impressed by the Panama City playboy’s work, and we know Triple H is a fan. Cole is the prototypical top WWE heel: good-looking, charismatic, frustratingly talented and infuriatingly cowardly. Cole is the man you want to be but just aren’t cool enough to touch. He could show up on the main roster tomorrow and wouldn’t feel out of place, he’s that damn good.
2. Tommaso Ciampa
You could easily make a case for Ciampa being number one and I wouldn’t argue with it. What a year and what a comeback. The only reason he isn’t topping the list is because he didn’t wrestle his first match in 2018 until April, but he’s made the most of his time since returning from injury. He headlined three consecutive TakeOvers and won NXT’s top prize in shocking fashion. While Aleister Black never felt like as big of a deal as he should have as champion, Ciampa is that top bad guy that you just want to see get their head kicked in.
Ciampa’s character work has been compelling. His promos ooze with mood and pathos. He’s reinvented his body and looks like an utter beast. His matches have been outstanding and he feels like a top guy. There isn’t really a hole in the man’s game and I don’t even think we’ve seen him hit his ceiling yet. Where he goes in 2019 is anyone’s guess, but I’d like him to stick around on the yellow brand a little longer.
1. Johnny Gargano
NXT’s MVP, bar none. I see no reality where anyone other than Johnny Gargano is the brand’s most integral player. He hasn’t held gold this year but he’s done something much more impressive: been at the top of the card all year and not grown stale. He started 2018 by taking part in the first WWE match since 2011 to earn five stars from Dave Meltzer against Andrade “Cien” Almas. How did he follow this up? He only went and nabbed another five star rating against Ciampa in New Orleans. Only two other men have earned multiple five star ratings in WWE from Meltzer, those men are Shawn Michaels and Bret Hart. Esteemed company, to say the least.
Johhny headlined all but one TakeOver in 2018, and the one he didn’t main event he stole anyway with a masterful match against Aleister Black. Gargano started the year as the most beloved hero in NXT, with every crowd member behind him. He’s ending the year as a heel who still truly believes he’s the good guy, torn between the fans who have turned on him and the ones who still believe he has good inside of him. He was revealed as Aleister Black’s attacker in the hottest story of the year, and he may very well be teaming up with Ciampa to reform #DIY at this rate. There is so much going on for him right now that next year may even top this year with Johnny Wrestling. Whatever happens though, it won’t change the fact that he is the very best that NXT has to offer.
Who was your NXT Wrestler of the Year? Don’t forget to let us know in the comments below and tweet us @CultVultures and @TBroomey with your answers.
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