Ranking WWE's First Ever NXT Class - From Worst To Best

25. Sofia Cortez

NXT Roster 2012
WWE

Sofia Cortez may not be a name that rings too many bells at this point, but a year-long run during the FCW-to-NXT transition in 2012 is a footnote in a career with a lot more landmarks. 

A 20-year pro with less than a year spent in FCW/NXT, the artist better known as Ivelisse has been a headline-grabber for Lucha Underground and - for a period - AEW. She left that company under a cloud of controversy, and though that wasn't for the first time, her record is better than to just saddle her with a tag of being too difficult to work with. 

She didn't leave WWE quietly either. She has since noted that she had reported Bill DeMott for alleged misconduct, and was the first to do so, indirectly or otherwise resulting in his eventual exit from the company. When he resigned, he did so amidst a slew of multiple misconduct allegations, which only bolstered her brave initial claim.

Outside of an stint in the industry that's had its fair share of controversy, this is a legacy worth celebrating.

 
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Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation nearly 8 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 35 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz" Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast and its accompanying YouTube channel, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 62,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, GRAPPL, GCP, Poisonrana and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett