10 Wrestlers With Incredible First Years
9. Finn Balor - NXT
On the record as admitting that he wasn't sure NXT was even really for him, Finn Balor's speedy rise through the hottest brand in the world came as much less of a shock to his adoring audience.
Arriving on the scene in late-2014 to help out fellow NXT newcomer Hideo Itami, Balor immediately caught on with the Full Sail crowd.
Debuting the 'Demon' character on an NXT Takeover Special, Finn unwittingly stole all of his partner's thunder.
Rather than just another indie darling getting his turn in WWE, the character (and everything that came with it) screamed 'Main Event', and merely 9 months after debuting, Finn defeated Kevin Owens for the NXT Title in front of some of his loyalest followers at Sumo Hall in Japan.
Barely a year into his career with the brand, he'd headline NXT's first ever international Takeover in London, formally kicking off his incredible series with Samoa Joe.
Though his promos did and still do lack a bit of edge, under the paint and posture of the 'Demon', Balor became an unstoppable force, and gave NXT gaffers no option but to shape the next era of talent around him as topliner.