WWE NXT Superstar of the Year 2018

So we have finally reached the final month of two thousand and eighteen and honestly, I cannot quite believe just how quickly the past twelve months have gone by. We have seen so many amazing moments throughout the past year and December will be dedicated to re-living those moments. Kickstarting of the year season this week we will not be focusing the next four weeks to looking back at some of the standout stars, matches, and moments of twenty eighteen and today our attention will focus on NXT as I count down the top stars of the black and yellow brand.

Nikki Cross

Kickstarting today’s blog post we have Nikki Cross. NXT has once again provided amazing content for the women’s division from standout matches and storyline’s and while there have been many other superstars who have been apart of stronger bouts and feuds it’s Cross that for me has truly grabbed my attention. Chasing after NXT gold earlier on in the year the former SAnitY member found herself in a singles bout against Shayna Baszler and despite the actual contest not standing out as a wrestling favourite if the year, Nikki’s solo performance was enough for her to grab the attention of the WWE universe. Her character work was simply fantastic and it was here she really proved herself to be one of the most charismatic and intense characters in all of the WWE getting people talking and shining for the ability to tell a great story. Throughout the year she has had memorable collisions with the likes of Bianca Belair and Mercedes Martinez and has become one of the most over and popular stars in the WWE Women’s division. She’s toured with the main roster talent and her involvement in the “Who Attacked Aleister Black” storyline put her right back under the spotlight and gave her a rare position we still don’t see enough female talent in.

Shayna Baszler

Up next is the first ever two-time NXT Women’s Champion, Shayna Baszler. From her standout matches against Kairi Sane to her dominant first run as champion Baszler has been the main woman in charge over on the black and yellow brand. A brutal and intense storyline involving Dakota Kai cemented her as the truly badass of the NXT women’s division allowing fans to see the type of champion she was going to be and the second run as champ has really shown just how high the company are on her and with so much more to come now she has tough allies by her side the future looks extremely interesting for Baszler and watching her grow even more is a true must see!

Ricochet

Did you really expect anything less from the debut year of Ricochet? Since arriving in the WWE the former Indie star has been making a major impact working some of the best matches of the entire year taking on the likes of Pete Dunne, Adam Cole, and the Velveteen Dream to name just a few. He was apart of the epic North America Championship ladder match during Wrestlemania weekend and despite not getting the win that night he did go on to get his hands on the very title later on in the year and has been an unstoppable force. With more set to come in the next year, Ricochet may just find himself higher up on the list in the December of twenty nineteen.

Aleister Black

Aleister Black is a name that has wrestling fans excited worldwide. Twenty eighteen saw the now former NXT champion rise to the top getting his hands on the most prestigious prize on the black and yellow brand and taking part in some of the best matches and storylines of the year. Bouts against the likes of Adam Cole, Johnny Gargano, Tommaso Ciampa, and Lars Sullivan have gone down as some of the greatest matches of twenty eighteen and despite an injury that saw him on the sidelines for a couple of months Black bounced back easily in a hot rivalry also going down as one of the strongest of the year. A Main Event appearance, work with the main roster talent, and a growing fanbase there really is no slowing down the momentum of Aleister Black and the next year looks equally exciting.

Velveteen Dream

I have to admit that the Velveteen Dream truly has been one of my favourite WWE superstars to watch over the past year. Unique, totally entertaining, and a striking character the Dream is standing out for being totally different to anything else we see in the WWE whether it be in NXT or up on the main roster. Despite his young age Velveteen has worked bouts against massively experienced superstars including the likes of Ricochet and Johnny Gargano and has managed to still come out the standout out of these matches. His rise to the top is something fans really have been watching from the very start and when you include his singles bouts, championship matches, and performance in the North American championship ladder match there truly is no denying he has been one of the standout superstars in pro wrestling this year and has one of the most exciting WWE career ahead of him!

Adam Cole

The Undisputed era has dominated the world of NXT throughout two thousand and eighteen and faction leader, Adam Cole has remained a focal point on the black and yellow brand. As one of the most consistent talents on the roster Cole continues to go from strength to strength with no loss taking away from his momentum. promos, storyline, segments, and matches have all been of such a high standard when it comes to Adam Cole competing against some of the biggest and best names NXT has to offer in bouts that have gone down as match of the year candidates. Pete Dunne, Ricochet, Aleister Black and EC3 have all stood in the ring with the former North America champion and all of these matches have been noted as total must see! Whether it be ladder matches, War Games, or triple threat competition Cole has stolen the spotlight and with a historic win as the first ever North American Champion its safe to say that twenty eighteen has been a good year for Adam Cole Bay Bay.

Tommaso Ciampa

If I had to pick a favourite wrestler of the year I personally would have to go with Tommaso Ciampa. A flawless year, Ciampa has been on top from start to finish raising the bar and taking the top spot effortlessly. His return in January saw the start of one of the best rivalries in recent WWE memory seeing him square off against longtime friend Johnny Gargano. For months the pair engaged in intense, brutal, barbaric, and damn right excellent wrestling bouts grabbing the attention of fans worldwide and while the WWE universe was split it was Ciampa who left on top and soon after setting his sights on the NXT championship. Taking only one shot at the title to take home the victory Ciampa sent out a huge message! His character work has been above any other with his brand-new heel persona going down a treat! Everything from how his return was done, the new image, the new entrance theme and what we have seen from him both in and outside of the ring has left him as one of the most talked about and standout stars of the entire year and fans now can see a potential new future face of the WWE.

Johnny Gargano

And the final name I’m going to be talking about today is the one and only Johnny Gargano. There’s really isn’t many who have done it better than Johnny Gargano this year. An array of five-star worthy matches, a standout storyline of the decade, and forever one of the most over stars in all of NXT, Gargano has taken fans on an emotional ride throughout twenty eighteen. From January all the way through to December, Gargano has remained the all-around standout of NXT delivering in every aspect of his role. Surprises, twists, and entertainment, the man who at one point would have so easily been overshadowed has climbed to the very top of the food chain changing the perspective of what a top WWE superstar looks like. Gargano’s story throughout the year has been the best of two thousand and eighteen and the next twelve months look equally exciting.

And those are my standout NXT stars of the year! There were of course so many other names I wanted to mention today but in the end, I truly believe the names above are worthy of being listed as the best of the best but who has been your NXT star of the year? Feel free to leave a comment below or drop me a tweet over at @TezangiVictoria. 

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