Ranking All 11 WWE NXT Champions
7. Seth Rollins
When plans fell through for NXT (when it still carried a competition-style format) to have a sixth season in 2012, it was unknown what would become of Seth Rollins in FCW. Thankfully, NXT eventually replaced FCW as WWE's developmental system, and from the get-go, he was positioned as a star on the brand.
When the tournament to crown the inaugural NXT champion got underway, Rollins was a strong candidate to come out on top with the title in tow, and on the 29 August edition of NXT TV, he fulfilled that dream by beating Jinder Mahal for the belt.
Rollins was perfectly portrayed as a scrappy, rebellious babyface champion who set the tone for every champion that proceeded him. While it was evident he wasn't long for NXT, he was determined to make the most of his time with the title.
In the remainder of 2012, Rollins knocked off everyone who stepped up to challenge him for the championship including Mahal, Viktor, and Michael McGillicutty and he dominated the rest of the roster. At the taping that took place following the debut of The Shield on the main roster, he passed the torch to Big E, so who knows how much longer he would have held the gold if he hadn't been called up?