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WWE: 2019’s top 5 wrestlers of the year in NXT

By Joe Anthony Myrick

Tommaso Ciampa returns to NXT and confronts Adam Cole on the October 2, 2019 edition of WWE NXT. Photo: WWE.com
Tommaso Ciampa returns to NXT and confronts Adam Cole on the October 2, 2019 edition of WWE NXT. Photo: WWE.com /
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4. Rhea Ripley

Rhea Ripley had something of a breakout year of her own back in 2018, what with standing out in the Mae Young Classic and then becoming the inaugural NXT UK Women’s Champion. If 2018 was her breakout year, then 2019 was the year that Rhea Ripley became a bonafide superstar among the WWE Universe.

Impressively, Ripley ended 2019 the same way she ended it: as a champion. January saw her hold the NXT UK Women’s Championship for a few more weeks before being beaten for the belt by Toni Storm at TakeOver: Blackpool. Then, in December, she bounced back by unseating Shayna Baszler of her record setting NXT Women’s Championship reign.

In between that time, she continued to perfect her eye catching presence mixed an in-ring craft with feuds on NXT UK, like those with Toni Storm, Piper Niven and (briefly) with Jazzy Gabert. All before moving on to the States for a feud with The Queen of Spades.

Standing next to the resident general of the NXT women’s division would be a challenge for anyone, but with ease, this newcomer rose to the occasion and commanded the room. Just like how she rose to the occasion on Survivor Series weekend.

It was that weekend that she pinned Charlotte Flair on SmackDown during a triple threat with Sasha Banks, won WarGames by pinning Shayna Baszler, and captaining Team NXT into a win during the 15-woman Elimination Tag Match.

Picking up a mountain of momentum that weekend allowed her enough momentum and fanfare to unseat Baszler of her 14-month NXT Women’s Championship reign weeks later to the elation of the WWE Universe.

The Nightmare enters 2020 with a heap of expectations with fans wondering if she can follow up Baszler’s reign which helped set a standard for the belt itself in many ways, but as she’s done in the past, we should expect Ripley to meet and exceed expectations.

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