WWE NXT: All 26 Champions in Brand’s History, Ranked

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12. The Ascension

After mostly disappointing reigns from the Wyatt Family, Grey and Neville, and Graves and Neville, the Ascension rose in its latest incarnation. It had featured Kenneth “Bram” Cameron and Conor O’Brien, who later became Konnor and Rick Viktor became Viktor for the new Ascension.

Konnor and Viktor took out Graves and Neville to become the NXT Tag Team Champions, a reign that lasted 344 days. It had been the longest title run for any singles star or tag team in NXT history, until Asuka came along with the NXT Women’s Championship.

With this lengthy reign, the Ascension should warrant a higher spot, but this mostly saw them defeat an underdeveloped Jason Jordan and Tye Dillinger, Hunico and Camacho, Too Cool, and a handful of enhancement talents. Not exactly an A-plus list, although if this was in 2017 and Jordan and Dillinger stayed as a tag team, they would be a solid add to the résumé.

A disappointing end to the title reign came when the Lucha Dragons defeated Konnor and Viktor within minutes. It seemed abrupt, and maybe a sign for what was to come on the main roster.

Negatives to their reign aside, the Ascension still ran over the NXT Tag Team Division for a year. They managed to get over with the fans, even as heels, and had the faith of the booking team to stand strong during the early age of NXT.