Three Women in NXT to Keep An Eye On

NXT has been on a remarkable run since ditching the 2.0 moniker. The storylines have been captivating which meshes with exceptional in-ring work. A quick scan through the entire roster tells you exactly who’s got next in regards to carrying the brand.

These are the three women that have next in NXT

Talents such as Tiffany Stratton, Roxanne Perez, and former Toxic Attraction members Jacy Jayne, and Gigi Dolin have been focal points over the past year. However, in the deepest division in the
WWE, there’s always a hidden treasure just waiting to burst onto the scene. These three women will carry the NXT brand in the near future.

Lola Vice

Lola Vice, otherwise known as former MMA fighter and Bellator star, Valerie Loureda. The Flyweight, Vice, decided to take her talents to the WWE Performance Center in 2022 leaving behind a 4-1 pro MMA record. She holds the title of the first Cuban-American woman to sign with WWE, and based on her athletic background and radiant personality, expectations are lofty.

Many will look at Vice, or in general the MMA to Pro Wrestling pipeline, and determine success by the likes of Ronda Rousey or Brock Lesnar. Where Vice will be different from Rousey is the time spent inside the PC before ever jumping to live television. Also by competing on NXT Live and ingratiating herself with the audience, the character is a familiar face. Pairing Vice with Elektra Lopez this early on will aid both characters to avoid being thrown into the fire so abruptly, and also protect her from the negative backlash Nikkita Lyons received in her strong push. But make no mistake about it, Vice is a winner. In a year’s time, she could very well be at the top of the women’s division in NXT.

Yulisa Leon

Look at Leon as a sleeper name to keep an eye on, as she has primarily done her work in tag-team action alongside Valentina Feroz. The duo is again featured on Tuesday nights after an untimely ACL injury sidelined Leon in September 2022. Leon is a second-generation superstar, as her father was a competitor in Mexico. It’s also noteworthy that she is the first Mexican female wrestler to be signed by WWE.

She boasts a dominant in-ring style that fits her background as a former powerlifter, where she was a three-time gold medalist. Expect Leon to follow the blueprint of powerhouse athletes like Rhea Ripley and Raquel Gonzalez. With the NXT Women’s tag division buzzing as of late, it would be a brilliant idea for the current champions, Chelsea Green and Piper Niven to take a trip to Florida. Leon can impact the tag division now, though within a year an athlete of her caliber should be competing for world titles. The recent success of the LWO should also lend a spoiler, that it won’t be long before Yulisa Leon is a major player in NXT.

Kelani Jordan

Jordan has burst on the scene these past couple of months with a jaw-dropping athletic style in the ring. The former Michigan State All-American claimed 23 event titles in gymnastics before taking her talents to the WWE. There are big plans for the career of Jordan, as evidenced by the winning of her debut NXT match against Tatum Paxley.

Jordan’s unique style seemingly picked up where Sol Ruca left off. She is already a focal point of a strong women’s division. The mentorship with a fellow gymnast in Dana Brook can lead to many creative storylines in the interim. With Brooke attempting to get Jordan to find her edge and killer instinct, it’s a good time to call back to when Brook was the mentee to Charlotte Flair. Jordan will be an exciting name to watch over the next year as her character develops, as she has an incredibly high ceiling.