Ranking All 11 WWE NXT Champions
1. Neville
Before Finn Bálor, Samoa Joe, and Shinsuke Nakamura, there was Neville, one of WWE's very first high-profile signings from the independent scene. He quietly put together a string of solid matches in 2013 before moving into NXT Championship contention at the onset of 2014, dethroning Bo Dallas as champion at Arrival in a thrilling ladder match.
That merely marked the beginning of what would be a tremendous title reign for 'The Man That Gravity Forgot'.
NXT wasn't nearly as big then as it is today, but Neville was the perfect person to carry the brand on his shoulders at that time. He was the definition of a fighting champion and defended the strap almost every other week. The lengthy list of challengers he knocked off included Dallas, Brodus Clay, Titus O'Neil, Tyson Kidd, Tyler Breeze, and Sami Zayn.
Every one of those outings was outstanding, especially those that took place at TakeOver (that Fatal 4-Way with Breeze, Kidd, and Zayn was unreal). The longer he reigned as champion, the cockier he got, which made his match with Zayn at TakeOver: R Evolution all the more amazing. He grew into an all-around phenomenal performer while champion, and should without a doubt be recognized as the greatest NXT title holder to date.