10 Most Important Wrestlers In NXT History
9. Shinsuke Nakamura
He might have only been with WWE since January, but Shinsuke Nakamura is already playing a huge role in NXT. The current NXT Champion debuted in April at TakeOver: Dallas, and became one of the brand’s franchise stars from the moment he walked out to face Sami Zayn. He remains NXT’s most popular wrestler today, and while it's unclear how much longer he’ll stay in developmental, his presence is vital at the moment.
The King of Strong Style is an A1 performer. Few of his peers are in the same class, and while he does have a tendency to take it easy in weekly TV matches, his ability to pull off a world-class match on the big stage can’t be denied. Furthermore, he’s a uniquely charismatic performer whose oddly captivating mannerisms and idiosyncrasies command attention, making him the ultimate pro-wrestling showman.
He’s the most important wrestler in NXT today, and that’s why he’s on the list. With Finn Balor and Sami Zayn gone, Nakamura has assumed the role of NXT’s hero. He’s the multi-talented babyface that the show is built around, and the fans pin their hopes on, and without him, there’d be a huge void in the main event scene. NXT need a wrestler like him to anchor the card, and with no obvious successor at the moment, they’d be lost without him.