PW Boards Ultimate NXT Champion Tournament

Omackeral

Hello and welcome. It's tournie time once again! This time we turn our attention the black and gold brand to determine the best ever NXT Champion. Luckily, from a tournament POV, there's been 16 champions so far and that works extremely well for brackets.

So get on board if you're only half thinking about it. It's good craic. The rules are simple, you vote for who you think was a better NXT Champion or vote against someone you thought wasn't great. Reasons have to be given or votes don't count. First to five progresses. The draws are all made via random number generator and our first bout is up within the next few minutes.

Omackeral

First match sees two very successful call-ups go at it. Both have gone on to become world champions. Who was the better NXT Chmapion though? Vote now!

Kevin Owens
Maryville, Quebec 266lbs





VS

Seth Rollins
Davenport, Iowa 217lbs

Omackeral

I vote for Kevin Owens. He came in white hot, feuded with about 5 people at once including John Cena on RAW and Sami Zayn on NXT while also having run ins with Itami, Balor and Joe. He was booked like a prizefighter. Was great.

sky88

KO mainly just cause I pretty much never seen Seth in NXT and KO was great

brianregan09

Owens was awesome

Lithium93_

I'm going to throw a vote in for Rollins.

Angron

For the NXT title run, gotta give it to Owens.

gerrybbadd

Gonna go with Owens. I didn't see Rollins as champ, and it was still pretty much FCW at that time too. I started on NXT round about the time Big E was champ (5 count!), So seen all of Owens reign. Awesome debut, great champ

Omackeral

Owens with a comprehensive KO to the inaugural champ there. Will this next bout be tighter?

Shinsuke Nakamura
Osaka, Japan 229lbs




VS

Drew McIntyre
Ayr, Scotland 265lbs

raven136

Nakamura and this shouldnt even be close
Electrifying in his personality and performances

Wasted on main roster but his NXT run was incredible

Seeing him live in Dublin was special

CastorTroy

Nakamura since I remember his time as champ. I think Drew was called up close to his win.

johnnyryan89

CastorTroy wrote: »

Nakamura since I remember his time as champ. I think Drew was called up close to his win.

Won it at Takeover Brooklyn but dropped it at War Games a few months later to Almas because of injury. Got called up to the main roster after coming back from injury after Wrestlemania.

Nakamura for me as Drew never really got a good run with the belt because of the injury and then call up.

Omackeral

Have to go with Shinsuke Nakamura myself. Seemed like a massive deal when he arrived and then was always presented as a mega star in the title scene. Drew felt a bit rushed or forced or something.

sky88

Shinsuke

drew run wasn’t memorable

Omackeral

That's a 5-0 whitewash to the Artist. Not sure how to call this next one...

Sami Zayn
Montreal, Quebec 212lbs




VS


Bo Dallas
Brookesville, Florida 234lbs

Omackeral

I think I'd go with Sami on account of his actual title win on the night he bested Neville. It was a great storyline with a teased heel turn and glimpses of what we'd see from Neville but this night was all about Zayn.

brianregan09

Zayn easy it was when NXT was at some of it's best

raven136

Sami

JP Liz V1

Zayn for me too

Omackeral

That makes it 4-0 to Sami. I think that's probably comprehensive enough. I actually reckon 4 for a win in round 1 is a decent enough marker so we'll go with that from here. Stay tuned for next match.

Omackeral

Weeding out the pretenders is handy. That's not the case here. Tough one to predict.

Tomasso Ciampa
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 201lbs




VS


Finn Balor
Bray, Co wicklow, Ireland 190lbs

CastorTroy

Ciampa, for me. He and Goldie are great together.

Omackeral

Yeah Ciampa for me too, he was one of the last wrestlers to really draw real strong heat and did so perfectly with his obsession for the title.

Loughc

Finn for me. It was one of those things I never thought Fergal Devitt would make it to WWE in any form. So when he came it felt like a big deal and made nxt feel like a bigger deal.

gerrybbadd

I'm gonna go with Ciampa. Finn was the longest reigning champ but to me, he's missing something.

Tomasso has it all

JP Liz V1

Finn

Omackeral

3-2 to Ciampa. A good bout this.

johnnysmack

Balor. His arrival is what got me watching NXT.

sky88

Finn it was him as champ when it hit its strides

Omackeral

That's a great comeback from the Irishman. 4-3 to Finn Balor. Two big boys do battle next.

Big E Langston
Tampa, Florida 285lbs




VS


Samoa Joe
Huntington Beach, California 282lbs

thebostoncrab

For the record, I would have gone with Dallas and Ciampa for those last two votes. Disappointed to see Bo not get a look in as his reign was more memorable for myself than Sami. While Finn and Ciampa is close, Ciampa just has that special “something” that made it probably the best title reign of all NXT reigns to be honest.

For this round it’s gotta be Joe. Big E was there, but Joe felt like a champion and gave us much much more.

Omackeral

Joe for me too. He always had this air of menace about him and an extra swagger when he was champion. Felt like a very legit guy to have on top.

sky88

another one were i just didnt see enough of big e as champ to go with him but joe was great as the champ

Omackeral

That's 3-0 to Joe

JP Liz V1

Joe

johnnyryan89

I'll give it to Joe, he gave the NXT that legit feel. That it was more than a developmental title.

gerrybbadd

Joey Samoey for me too. Just felt he had a better run in a more established product

Omackeral

Pretty comprehensive win for Samoa Joe there. Our next match has occurred and is possibly one of the greatest in NXT history.

Johnny Gargano
Cleveland,Ohio 199lbs



VS

Andrade Cien Almas
Gomez Palacio, Mexico 210lbs

sky88

oh this is a tough one i think they put on my 2nd favourite match of all time and i think andrade had the longer reign but i think the moment johnny finally wins is great it gives him the edge

johnnysmack

Almas. Completely unexpected at the time and elevated him from just another wrestler to hang on this guy is actually really good. Been a fan ever since.

CastorTroy

Gargano. One of the few guys who really worked his way up to the title then when he finally won it, everyone was happy for him. Just felt more deserved

raven136

Gargano

Always had special matches

gerrybbadd

Johnny. Love both guys but Johnny's road to the title was special and far more deserved.

Agent Coulson

Johnny for me his road to the title was great storytelling.

Omackeral

Johnny Wrestling takes it 4-1. The current NXT Champion takes on a man from rival promotion AEW next.

Adam Cole
Panama City, Florida 210lbs



VS

Neville
Newcastle, England 205lbs

sky88

Adam Cole I just don’t think Neville ever carried himself like a star until his heel turn years later

Agent Coulson

Adam Cole Baby he just gets it for me.


I love Pac I didn't like Neville.

Necro

Sorry for the delay Omack, I was exhausted after the TV show one lol Thanks for the PM though.


Anyways my vote here goes to



Neville was meh in WWE full stop. Kind of ok as Cruiserweight champ but that comes much later than his NXT reign which is what we're debating here

gerrybbadd

Looks like the lone vote for Neville here. I don't "get" Adam Cole. Neville was always awesome in ring, and made a great champ

Loughc

Has to be Adam Cole BAYBAY.

His match quality has been a different tier.

Omackeral

4-1 to the Undisputed winner of the match, Adam Cole Bay Bay. Our last match of the first round is an international bout.

Bobby Roode
Toronto, Ontario 235lbs



VS

Aleister Black
Amsterdam, Holland 215lbs