Top 5 NXT champions of all-time
The NXT Championship has grown to be one of the most coveted titles in all of professional wrestling. The seed was planted back in 2012 when FCW was rebranded into NXT. It was known almost immediately that NXT would be a huge success.
It's a new era for what was once referred to as "the yellow brand." NXT fans have gotten their first taste of a newly revamped NXT. With new colors, camera angles, and fresh new superstars, we also witnessed the crowning of a new NXT Champion in Tommaso Ciampa.
But it is important to remember the former champions who paved the way for this new crop of hungry stars who are eager for their shot at superstardom. This article will look back at the best-of-the-best as we countdown the top 5 NXT Champions of all time.
#5. Former WWE NXT Champion Adrian Neville
Adrian Neville is one of those former WWE Superstars who was extremely talented. While his main roster run was nothing to write home about, his time in NXT was stellar, to say the least.
After defeating Bo Dallas to become the new NXT Champion, Adrian would defeat Dallas once again in a rematch on a televised episode of NXT. He would then go on to successfully defend his championship against the likes of Tyson Kidd, Brodus Clay, and Tyler Breeze, just to name a few.
Adrian only enjoyed one reign as NXT Champion, but it was a great run. He was able to hold the championship for 287 days, losing to Sami Zayn in a "title vs. career" match at NXT Takeover: R Evolution.