10 Future WWE Champions Currently On NXT
Hey, if The Rock says it...
The Rock made headlines on Thursday when he responded to a Tweet about WWE up-and-comer Ricochet, heralding the NXT rookie as a potential "leader in ushering in a a new era of our wrestling business", as well as tipping him to one day wear the company's biggest prize.
These comments have added to the already huge expectation weighing on the shoulders of Ricochet, who was hailed by many as one of WWE's most exciting acquisitions in years when he finally signed on the dotted line in January.
But, at the same time, it's hard to argue that this level of hype isn't warranted.
In truth, the former NJPW man is one of several potential main roster stars currently plying his trade down in NXT, which arguably boasts its best collection of talent (at least in terms of male performers) since its formation six years ago.
There are at least a dozen or more wrestlers who could end up wearing world title gold once they step up to Raw or SmackDown - but we've managed to whittle it down to 10 standout candidates...
10. Aleister Black
Not everyone who holds the biggest prize on NXT goes on to do the same on Raw or SmackDown. In fact, it's been several years since Neville and Bo Dallas made the step up and they have barely come within a sniff of the main event.
But Aleister Black just seems destined to be a top-tier star on the main roster. He's great in the ring, appeals to a wide-section of the WWE audience, and he's capable of the kind of intense, dramatic acting that company heads seem to favour so much.
Importantly, he's also still relatively young at just 32. While there's a finite window of opportunity to crown the likes of Samoa Joe, Shinsuke Nakamura and Bobby Roode, Black has plenty of time to establish himself on one of the major brands before going for the big belt.
How he fares in the role of NXT's leading man may ultimately determine whether and how soon he gets this opportunity. If he does half as well as Andrade Almas, his predecessor, then it may well come before 2018 is out.