WrestleMania headliner, unstoppable main roster titleholder - 4 current WWE stars who never won an NXT Championship in their careers
WWE NXT is one of the most popular wrestling shows in the world. While it is the least viewed of the three brands World Wrestling Entertainment offers, it is the fourth most-watched wrestling show in North America.
Most of the stars on RAW and SmackDown first came up through NXT. This is because the White & Gold brand has existed, in some form at least, since 2010. With 13 years of history, it is easy to see why so many top stars have gone through the brand at one point.
In addition to most main roster stars competing in NXT, many have held gold on the brand. It has the NXT Championship, North American Championship, Tag Team Titles, Women's Championship, and the Heritage Cup. At one point, it also had Women's Tag Team Titles.
With so many stars going through NXT and so many winning gold there, fans may be surprised at a handful of big names who never held a title on the black & gold or white & gold brand. This article will dive into some of the best examples.
#4. Becky Lynch never winning a title on NXT has become a storyline
Becky Lynch is one of WWE's most popular stars. She first joined the promotion via NXT but eventually moved on to RAW & SmackDown, where she has been a Premium Live Event headliner.
Throughout her tenure in the company, The Man has held seven separate titles. This includes the WWE Women's Tag Team Titles once, the RAW Women's Championship twice, and the SmackDown Women's Championship on four occasions.
The odds of Becky winning an NXT title seem high, however. She will be battling Tiffany Stratton on next week's episode. The build towards the bout has emphasized Big Time Becks never winning the NXT Women's Championship, which could hint that she'll finally achieve the major goal.
#3. AJ Styles skipped developmental upon joining WWE
AJ Styles is among the most tenured veterans still performing at a high level in all of pro wrestling. The 46-year-old first broke into the industry back in 1998. Before joining WWE, he made a name for himself in TNA/IMPACT Wrestling, ROH Wrestling, and New Japan Pro-Wrestling.
Since arriving in the titanic wrestling promotion in 2016, Styles has held seven belts. This includes the RAW Tag Team Titles, which he held once. He also captured the WWE Championship twice, the Intercontinental Championship once, and the United States Title three times.
Notably, AJ never won a title on NXT. While for some, that seems odd, it makes sense for The Phenomenal One. Upon joining the promotion in 2016, he went straight to the main roster. Any NXT appearances for AJ have been strictly of a guest. Still, you never know what the future may hold.
#2. Gunther surprisingly failed to win gold in NXT's United States division
Gunther is one of WWE's most dominant and imposing superstars. He first joined the promotion through the NXT UK brand and remained there for a few years before jumping ship to NXT. He was later called to the main roster and now resides on Monday Night RAW.
The Ring General has only held two titles since joining WWE, but both are record-long runs. He won the United Kingdom Championship while on NXT UK. With the brand defunct, he will forever hold the record for the longest reign. He will also break the record for the longest Intercontinental Championship reign this week.
Despite having incredible title reigns on the main roster and NXT UK, his brief time on NXT was much more disappointing. He joined the brand full-time on January 22 and was moved to SmackDown by April, which likely explains why he never won a title while on NXT.
#1. Bianca Belair only won gold on the main roster
Bianca Belair is one of the biggest success stories in NXT history. She started her time in pro wrestling on the brand and trained from the ground up. She moved to the main roster in 2020 and has become one of the biggest stars.
Since joining WWE's main roster, Belair has captured the SmackDown Women's Championship once, the RAW Women's Championship once, and then won it again when it got re-branded as the WWE Women's Title.
Interestingly, Belair never won a title while on NXT. She spent four years on the brand, so there was certainly enough time to capture gold, but it never happened. Perhaps The EST needed those years to develop, or the competition was too much. Regardless, that could be a wrong she hopes to right in the future.