It’s time to rank your favorite WWE NXT wrestlers as of February 7, 2018! Who’s on top of the list? Who isn’t? Let’s find out!
Welcome, gentle reader, to this initial installment of the NXT weekly power rankings, where I will compile wrestlers from WWE’s development brand into ranked lists in accordance with very obscure criteria! Are you excited? I know I sure am.
I will maintain two lists: one for the tag team division and another for singles wrestlers, but as of right now, we’re going to stick with the solo acts. And to start things off on the right foot, I’ll be reflecting on events as of TakeOver Philadelphia.
Oh, and to be clear, I am not taking tapings spoilers into consideration. We’re doing this week per week, folks! So let’s jump in!
NXT SINGLES DIVISION POWER RANKINGS (positions 10 and 9)
NXT Champion: Andrade Cien Almas
NXT Women’s Champion: Ember Moon
Credit: WWE.com
#10 Kassius Ohno
Oh, Kassius Ohno. I have a big old soft for the knock-out artist. He’s been working so hard for 20 years, forging a reputation as a reliable and exciting talent as well as a mentor. He’s more than deserved his spot in WWE. But now he seems to be floundering in NXT, which bugs me.
There’s no shame in losing to Velveteen Dream, especially when you consider how hot Dream is right now, but it does beg to question just what is left for Ohno to do in NXT. If a call-up to main doesn’t happen soon, what else can the big guy sink his teeth into?
Credit: WWE.com
#9 Kairi Sane
It was good to see Kairi Sane back in the ring at the Royal Rumble, and as a surprise entrant at that! She had been off TV since Shayna Baszler attacked her on NXT, and with all the rumors of injuries, I was worried something terrible had happened. The last thing you want is for one of your rising stars to fall by the wayside. So it begs the question: if Kairi isn’t injured, why isn’t she on TV more?
I guess it’s important to not be too stern with the Pirate Princess. Schooner or later, she will seas the day and reach the top of the women’s division. Yacht better believe it!
NXT SINGLES DIVISION POWER RANKINGS (positions 8 and 7)
Credit: WWE.com
#8 Adam Cole
Adam Cole (bay-bay) hasn’t had the best couple of weeks. Yes, he was a surprise entrant in the Royal Rumble, that was a definite highlight. But aside from that, he took a devastating loss to Aleister Black at TakeOver Philadelphia and his team was on the losing side of their 6-man match against SAnitY. It kind of sucks.
Cole is blockbuster, he’s money. He’s ridiculously over. I’m thinking the booking team figures he can take a loss or two without damaging his standing in the eyes of the fans. And I agree. But they have to be careful. You can only dip a dog in corn syrup so often before the neighborhood kids stop coming over to lick it.
That analogy really seemed to work in my head before I typed it out.
Credit: WWE.com
#7 Bianca Belair
Next in our singles rankings is Bianca Belair, who handily defeated Jessix Hill in a squash match so fast it made Asuka vs. Dana Brooke feel competitive.
While this is a clear signal that WWE is putting a lot of faith into Belair (and that’s a good thing, mind you), I have to wonder if one-sided, lightning-quick squashes are good for the EST of NXT. Anyone who saw her compete in the Mae Young Classic knows that Belair is brimming with talent and has a tremendous upside that needs to shine. She needs to be put in matches where she gets to make good use of her skill set and silence her doubters.
NXT SINGLES DIVISION POWER RANKINGS (positions 6 and 5)
Credit: WWE.com
#6 Nikki Cross
So today I had a sandwich. Actually, it was a wrap. A smoked meat wrap. I was in a rush and picked it up kind of quick-like at the supermarket at lunchtime. I sit down to take a bite out of it and to my shock and surprise there was a pickle in there. A briny, delicious, crisp pickle that enhanced the flavor of the juicy cured meat. Its vinegary goodness didn’t outshine the meat, but rather added a succulent sour tinge that one expects from a pickle while making the entire sandwich-eating experience so much better for it.
It’s Nikki Cross. I’m talking about Nikki Cross. The pickle is Nikki Cross, if you didn’t get it by now.
Credit: WWE.com
#5 Velveteen Dream
If I were a betting man, which I’m not, I would bet on Velveteen Dream having a terrible year.
What? I told you I’m not a betting man.
Anyone who’s paying attention understands that Dream is one one of the more refreshing and compelling characters in all of WWE right now. But on top of that, he is also one of the most exciting in-ring performers. Despite his match at TakeOver Philadelphia against Kassius Ohno being thrown together at the last minute, he still managed to motivate it and give it a backstory with his 30-second knock-out claim. It was a little detail that went a long way, serving as a launchpad to what is undoubtedly going to be a stellar year.
NXT SINGLES DIVISION POWER RANKINGS (positions 4 and 3)
Credit: WWE.com
#4 Roderick Strong
As I type these words, I fear the very fabric of space and time may be coming apart at the seams, and Roderick Strong may be the catalyst. See, one day you have ol’Roddy defeating Tyler Bate to become the number one contender for Pete Dunne’s UK Championship. Then a couple of days later, on an entirely different show, Strong beats Hideo Itami to advance in the 205 Live Cruiserweight Championship tournament. What kind of God Particle-smashing bizarro science is this?
Don’t get me wrong, I’m thrilled Strong is getting such great opportunities to shine, but I shudder to think that a breach in time has happened and one of the two Roddys will end up having a goatee and an eyepatch.
#3 Shayna Baszler
2018 is Shayna Baszler’s to take. I don’t believe there is any heel in NXT right now, male or female, that has a better grip on how to generate heat. Her promo work has been smooth, fluid and effortless, exuding a perfect combination of confidence and arrogance delivered with supernatural self-control. Her actions have been abusive and methodically violent. She’s a heel’s heel.
Sure, she may have lost her match against Ember Moon at TakeOver, but it was very much as a show of strength on her part, with Moon’s victory being a pyrrhic one.
Until Tomasso Ciampa makes his full return, there will be nobody in NXT more detestable and despicable as her.
NXT SINGLES DIVISION POWER RANKINGS (positions 2 and 1)
Credit: WWE.com
#2 Johnny Gargano
It’s the mark of a great wrestler to look strong even in defeat. But it’s the mark of a someone special to remain over even in defeat.
Boy-oh-boy is that Johnny Gargano in a nutshell over the past couple of weeks.
After pulling off one of the greatest matches in WWE (not just NXT) history against NXT Champion Andrade Cian Almas, the purest babyface in all of wrestling came out for an in-ring segment this week to a rousing ovation from the NXT Universe. Gargano has that thing, that unteachable spark that allows him to connect with people on a visceral level. So even if he’s back to challenging Almas for the title and even if he’s stupidly putting his career on the line, and we are all behind him and we’re ready to cry when Ciampa crushes his dreams.
Credit: WWE.com
#1 Aleister Black
I was going to start this one off by saying “Everything is coming up Black” but that sounded too bleak for something I wanted to be positive. Then I thought of just saying “Everything is coming up Aleister” and… well that sounds just lame. So I’ll just drop the flowery clichés and flat out say that Aleister Black’s time as NXT champion is nigh.
“Aleister Black’s time as NXT champion is nigh.” One part prophetic, one part dark, one part un-ironic… dang I’m good!
Next: The Top 10 Greatest Moments In Elimination Chamber History
After his extremely strong showing with Adam Cole at TakeOver Philadelphia, there is truly nothing else for him to do in NXT other than win the NXT title. He’s most definitely the unofficial number one contender for the championship at this stage.