10 Wrestlers Who Should Have Been NXT Champion
9. Curtis Axel
An argument could be made for a great many members of The Nexus to return to NXT after John Cena obliterated the stable's credibility, but Curtis Axel, then named Michael McGillicutty, was among the lucky ones who was afforded a fresh start away from the main roster.
Axel's NXT run was brief, as WWE planned to repackage him as Paul Heyman's newest client. While that seems on paper like a dream scenario for an up-and-comer, Axel crumbled under the weight of expectation that went with having the same manager as CM Punk and Brock Lesnar. He wasn't around in NXT long enough to be a part of the TakeOver boom, but had he been he would have likely been a top contender for face of the brand.
Boasting the Mr Perfect lineage, Axel could have easily played the dastardly NXT Champion that babyfaces like Neville and Sami Zayn needed to overcome. Instead, Axel has torn through a whole host of gimmicks in an attempt to salvage his main roster career.