PW Boards Ultimate NXT Champion Tournament

Omackeral · 05-10-2019 1:48pm #1

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 · 05-10-2019 1:51pm

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

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VS

Seth Rollins
Davenport, Iowa 217lbs

Omackeral · 05-10-2019 2:02pm

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 · 05-10-2019 2:20pm

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

brianregan09 · 05-10-2019 4:25pm

Owens was awesome

Lithium93_ · 05-10-2019 4:31pm

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

Angron · 05-10-2019 5:03pm

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

gerrybbadd · 05-10-2019 10:50pm

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 · 06-10-2019 12:18pm

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 · 06-10-2019 12:25pm

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 · 06-10-2019 1:20pm

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

johnnyryan89 · 06-10-2019 1:31pm

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 · 06-10-2019 3:04pm

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 · 06-10-2019 3:40pm

Shinsuke

drew run wasn’t memorable

Omackeral · 06-10-2019 3:47pm

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 · 06-10-2019 4:16pm

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 · 06-10-2019 4:28pm

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

raven136 · 06-10-2019 4:34pm

Sami

JP Liz V1 · 06-10-2019 5:14pm

Zayn for me too

Omackeral · 06-10-2019 6:16pm

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 · 06-10-2019 6:22pm

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

Tomasso Ciampa
Milwaukee, Wisconsin 201lbs

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VS

Finn Balor
Bray, Co wicklow, Ireland 190lbs

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CastorTroy · 06-10-2019 7:11pm

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

Omackeral · 06-10-2019 7:51pm

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 · 06-10-2019 8:29pm

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 · 06-10-2019 8:39pm

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 · 06-10-2019 9:39pm

Finn

Omackeral · 06-10-2019 9:56pm

3-2 to Ciampa. A good bout this.

johnnysmack · 06-10-2019 11:24pm

Balor. His arrival is what got me watching NXT.

sky88 · 07-10-2019 12:04am

Finn it was him as champ when it hit its strides

Omackeral · 07-10-2019 9:00am

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 · 07-10-2019 9:30am

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 · 07-10-2019 9:53am

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 · 07-10-2019 11:19am

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 · 07-10-2019 3:39pm

That's 3-0 to Joe

JP Liz V1 · 07-10-2019 3:56pm

Joe

johnnyryan89 · 07-10-2019 3:58pm

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

gerrybbadd · 07-10-2019 4:35pm

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

Omackeral · 07-10-2019 5:29pm

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

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sky88 · 07-10-2019 6:25pm

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 · 07-10-2019 6:42pm

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 · 07-10-2019 6:45pm

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 · 07-10-2019 7:12pm

Gargano

Always had special matches

gerrybbadd · 07-10-2019 8:50pm

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

Agent Coulson · 07-10-2019 9:06pm

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

Omackeral · 07-10-2019 9:08pm

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 · 07-10-2019 9:10pm

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

Agent Coulson · 07-10-2019 9:11pm

Adam Cole Baby he just gets it for me.

I love Pac I didn't like Neville.

Necro · 07-10-2019 9:16pm

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 · 07-10-2019 9:19pm

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 · 07-10-2019 9:25pm

Has to be Adam Cole BAYBAY.

His match quality has been a different tier.

Omackeral · 07-10-2019 10:05pm

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

PW Boards Ultimate NXT Champion Tournament

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