7 Former NXT Wrestlers Who Will Win WWE Gold In 2017

The future is bright for these seven up-and-comers.

Alexa Bliss
WWE.com

Although we are still a month out from 2017 and everything it will offer, it's never too early to start looking ahead to what we can expect out of the new year. But it's safe to say any predictions made now will be far from accurate considering the crazy year that has been 2016 for WWE.

I mean, who could have ever envisioned AJ Styles winning the WWE World Championship? Or the Brand Split being brought back? Or WWE finally doing away with the awfully outdated “Divas” label? All things considered, it has been a banner year for WWE, and 2017 should be equally unpredictable.

One of the brights spots of this past year was how WWE truly seemed to stick to their word in ushering in a “New Era” of sorts. We currently have two world champions that hadn't held world title gold in WWE prior to 2016, as well as two rosters filled with new blood. Some of those fresh faces from NXT, however, have yet to hold gold, and it might be high time that changes once 2017 rolls around.

Who will rise to the occasion in the new year and earn the honor of calling themselves a champion for the first time since joining WWE's main roster?

7. Cedric Alexander

Alexa Bliss
WWE.com

As soon as Cedric Alexander debuted in the Cruiserweight Classic, it was apparent he had all the tools to be a big deal in WWE. Granted, he was knocked out of the tournament in the second round, but his strong showing against Kota Ibushi virtually established him as a star if the "Please Sign Cedric!" chants that he was showered with by the crowd afterward were any indication.

He immediately joined the ranks of the Cruiserweight division when it was relaunched on Raw in mid-September, and although he has stood out in every match he has had thus far, he is still awaiting his first full-fledged program. A romance storyline with Alicia Fox should keep him busy in the meantime, but it shouldn't be long before he is chasing championship gold.

Alexander as WWE Cruiserweight champion in 2017 is almost a given, but I will go one step further and say he could be contending for either the Intercontinental or United States Championship in the very near future. While his small stature may relegate him to the Cruiserweight division for the time being, he is undoubtedly on a much higher level than that.

Either way, Alexander is too talented to not be holding gold at some point next year.

Contributor
Contributor

Since 2008, Graham has been a diehard pro wrestling fan and, in 2010, he combined his passions for WWE and writing when he joined Bleacher Report. Equipped with a master's in journalism, Graham has contributed to WhatCulture, FanSided's Daily DDT, Sports Betting Dime, and GateHouse Media. Along the way, he has conducted interviews with wrestling superstars like Chris Jericho, Edge, Goldberg, Christian, Diamond Dallas Page, Jim Ross, Adam Cole, Tessa Blanchard, Ryback, and Nick Aldis among others.