10 Wrestlers Who Can Succeed Finn Balor As NXT's Icon

An obvious choice at number one, but Shinsuke Nakamura is already well on his way to becoming NXT’s next icon, and should reach that status with a knockdown performance in his forthcoming NXT Title showdown against Samoa Joe.

Nakamura is more than ready for the main roster. He proved in his very first match against Sami Zayn that his wrestling style, character, and charisma work just as well in America as they did in Japan, and while his English isn’t perfect, Nakamura isn’t the type of wrestler who needs long promos to get over. His strong style approach, unique quirks, and Freddie Mercury-like magnetism are more than enough, and he’s already one of the most popular wrestlers on the planet.

All that being said, it’s unlikely we’ll see Nakamura on the main roster any time soon. His work in NXT is far from finished, and he hasn’t even lost a match yet, let alone enjoyed a championship run. Should he win the title in Brooklyn, fans can expect Nakamura to stick around for many months to come, and it’ll be to the brand’s benefit.

Nakamura had the honour of defeating Balor in the Irishman’s final NXT match a couple of weeks ago. It wasn’t just an outstanding spectacle, but a passing of the torch. In that moment, The King of Strong Style succeeded Balor as the new face of NXT, and whatever happens against Samoa Joe, he’s well on his way to carving an incredible WWE legacy.