10 Best WWE NXT Wrestlers Of 2017

7. The Authors Of Pain

Johnny Gargano Brooklyn III
WWE.com

Once correctly perceived as dangerous and wholly undeserving of their telegraphed monster push, Akam and Rezar have improved massively in 2017, thanks in no small part to the atlas stylings of Johnny Gargano and Tomasso Ciampa - but at some point, we should probably drop that faint-praise, cold-take narrative altogether. Gradually, and with little fanfare, the Authors Of Pain have evolved from sentient baggage into an excellent tag team.

You simply do not enter convoluted performances like the brutal TakeOver: Chicago ladder war and the modernised masterclass that was WarGames, with all of their intricate moving parts, if you are entirely reliant upon your opponents to carry you through it all. Stripped of herculean opponents and flattering shortcut gimmicks, the Authors penned a fabulous no-frills chapter of their ascension at TakeOver: Brooklyn III in what was an unexpected triumph of a whirlwind war with SAnitY.

Akam and Rezar have deftly fused the classic power team philosophy of old, with its pop-generating brutality, and the content-stuffed mode perfected in 2017. A true Performance Center success story, the Authors have done so much to alter the NXT-as-glorified-Indy narrative.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!