WWE: Ranking The Top 10 NXT Superstars of 2018

5. Velveteen Dream

It was a big year for the Dream. Coming into 2018 on a tidal wave of hype, it was sink or swim for the obscenely talented star, and frankly it would’ve been hard to begrudge him for floundering – at just 23 years old, there’s no shame in not being ready to handle the pressure.

Fortunately, the Dream was more than ready.

I cannot overstate how brilliant Velveteen Dream is. This is a man who was born to be a superstar. You will be hard-pressed to find anyone more naturally charismatic, with a more carefully-crafted persona down to the most minute of gestures. His in-ring work is impressive, but even moreso in that everything he does is perfectly in character. He’s not just a gimmick. He is living the Dream.

It’s hard to believe, then, that the man formerly known as Patrick Clark is a Tough Enough reject. Four years on from placing 9th in the now-defunct series the Dream is one of the must-see elements of any NXT show, proving his detractors wrong. Any lingering greenness has well and truly been shed – his matches with Tommaso Ciampa, Ricochet and ‘Johnny Failure‘ perfectly showcased the Dream’s considerable talent – as well as some of the most brilliant promos ever cut on NXT television (…television) :

There’s a compelling argument that Velveteen Dream is main-roster ready, and while I can’t argue with that assessment, it’s my hope that he’ll continue to grace the black-and-yellow brand for years to come yet – the main roster may not quite understand what the Dream is all about, but NXT is the perfect space for him to thrive.

Championship gold has eluded the Dream on every attempt, and while it doesn’t really matter – the Dream has no need of such baubles – it makes for a compelling story leading into 2019. Is Velveteen Dream permanently cursed to fail at the last hurdle? Will he finally have the opportunity to prove himself on the big stage? Will the coming year be the Dream’s time to shine?