25 Most Important Wrestlers In NXT History
21. Andrade "Cien" Almas
You don't get to be part of WWE's first five star match in seven years by accident.
When Andrade "Cien" Almas first appeared in NXT in 2016, it was as a babyface whose only notable feature was a fedora hat. Almas did not get over at all and it was only when he turned heel and was partnered with Zelina Vega that the Mexican star began to shine.
Almas built himself up with a solid feud against Johnny Gargano, before challenging Drew McIntyre for the NXT Championship at TakeOver: War Games. To everyone's surprise, the former La Sombra pinned McIntyre to capture the title.
Almas' rise to the top may have been a shocking one, but once he got there it was easy to see why NXT had put their faith in him. He carried himself like a true champion, elevating the belt hugely in the process.
The partnership with Vega was fantastic and the matches he had with the likes of Aleister Black and the aforementioned five star bout with Johnny Gargano proved that Andrade was amongst the best wrestlers in the world.
It took him a long time to find his groove, but the NXT creative team weren't afraid to take chances with Almas' character and they were rewarded big time.