Top 5 male NXT Superstars of 2019
This past year may have been the greatest year that NXT has ever produced. Not only have we seen some of the greatest matches being put on display, but the Black and Gold brand also made a huge jump from the WWE Network straight to the USA Network.
Operating in the prime time slot every Wednesday night since September 18th, NXT has yet to let up, bringing us unmissable TV week after week. And since that day, we've seen several Superstars rise through the ranks.
Today, we'll look at five of the best male NXT Superstars in 2019 and the trials and tribulations they went through to climb the mountain this year.
#5 Keith Lee
We're definitely basking in the glory of Keith Lee now. 2019 was a breakout year for the powerhouse, even though it started out a little rough for him.
While Lee certainly had some great matches in the first half of the year, he struggled to pick up many impressive victories. In fact, Kassius Ohno, Dominik Dijakovic, and Punishment Martinez all managed to drop the big man. Though he was putting on tremendous performances, he wasn't bringing in the results.
Now at the end of the year, many seem to have forgotten just how little Lee was used before the rocket was strapped to his back a few months back. He was struggling to find TV time back then.
That being said, when he finally got his opportunity, he took the ball and ran with it. And my God did he explode into superstardom!
Racking up huge wins against his old rival Dijakovic, Roderick Strong, and getting some great exposure on RAW and SmackDown throughout November, the Limitless One shot to the moon in popularity.
NXT's invasion of the 'main roster' helped elevate him to a top contender, as he managed to end nearly every RAW and SmackDown by driving Superstars through the mat with the Spirit Bomb. At NXT TakeOver: WarGames, Lee was on the winning team when Team Ciampa defeated the Undisputed Era in a WarGames match.
Then, representing the Black and Gold brand at Survivor Series, he pinned Seth Rollins in the middle of the ring, eliminating RAW from the match altogether. His final showdown with Roman Reigns may not have worked out in his favor, but it was an impressive showing that saw Lee prove himself to the entire WWE Universe. Even Roman Reigns had to give him props following the match.
Since then, Lee's been sitting on the edge of the title picture just waiting to tear the gold away from the Undisputed Era. Aside from that, he's become the most GIFable Superstar in all of NXT. From shooting Adam Cole into the stratosphere with a pounce to rising to the ring out of nowhere to scare his opponents, Lee's ending 2019 as one of the most popular performers on the Black and Gold brand (and maybe the entire WWE).
2020 is going to be a fantastic year for him. Expect to see him draped in gold in the near future.