10 Great WWE NXT Storylines You Don't Remember

Then known as Andrade "Cien" Almas, the former La Sombra had an all-time 48-hour period in January 2018. Riding high while on an outstanding run as NXT's top heel, Andrade successfully defended his NXT Championship against Johnny Gargano at NXT TakeOver: Philadelphia. It earned a five-star rating from Dave Meltzer and was the first NXT singles match in history to receive that distinction.

Andrade wasn't done yet, though. Just 24 hours later, he appeared at the Royal Rumble as a surprise entrant, and the crowd popped as manager Zelina Vega cheered him on while walking to the ring. Almas lasted nearly 30 minutes in that match before being eliminated by Randy Orton, and he looked the part of a legitimate prospect.

Unsurprisingly, Andrade was called up to the main roster just a few months after that weekend in the City of Brotherly Love. After a few turbulent years where he didn't reach his lofty potential, though, he was released in March 2021. After a 2 1/2-year run with All Elite Wrestling, Andrade returned to WWE at the 2024 Royal Rumble, and he recently won the WWE Speed Championship.