5 Challengers for new NXT Champion Keith Lee

In the last episode of NXT, Keith Lee was victorious in the Winner Takes All match against Adam Cole. The triumph ended Cole's historic reign as NXT Champion and it also shifted the landscape within NXT.

Instead of two different stars holding separate titles, one man now holds both the NXT and North American titles. That man, Keith Lee, is a face and he takes over after a year-plus reign from the heel Adam Cole and Undisputed Era.

In the time that Cole reigned as NXT Champion, Johnny Gargano went from face to heel, Karrion Kross debuted, and Finn Balor also returned to the brand where he made his name. Several other top stars such as Matt Riddle and Dominik anchored the men's division besides Keith Lee himself.

With a new NXT Champion atop the brand, it begs the obvious question - who's next and will be battling Lee for his newly won title? This slideshow is mainly considering challengers for the NXT Championship since as we expect him to likely be dropping the NXT North American Championship soon.

Gargano would have been a choice but he and Lee have already feuded this year. That feud could be revisited if they see fit. Cameron Grimes may one day be a main-event star and perhaps he may even challenge Lee for the North American Championship.

Everyone will obviously be gunning for The Limitless One since he holds both titles so here are five potential challengers for Keith Lee and the NXT Championship.

#5 Killian Dain

After his feud with Riddle, Killian Dain has been left to wander. He'll fight other people here and there but he hasn't really had a feud or storyline to sink his teeth into. He did recently battle Damian Priest who has turned face within the last few months.

But just like Dijakovic, Dain is an extremely agile and talented big man. He may not pull off the same athletic feats that both Lee and his friend are able to pull off, but he's still athletic in the veins of Kevin Owens. Dain can use both power and speed to attack his opponents.

Dain hasn't been booked as a main-event guy but he's had good matches with everyone he's faced. It would make sense for him to eventually target Lee. We would get another match of big-man magic and Dain could show off his skills against someone his size.

#4 Timothy Thatcher

Timothy Thatcher beat Matt Riddle in Riddle's last match on NXT

Since making his NXT debut earlier this year, Timothy Thatcher has already undergone a change in persona. By spurning tag team partner Matt Riddle, he essentially turned heel. That heel turn was solidified even further after his attacks on Riddle that led up to the Cage Fight between the two men.

After The Original Bro moved to SmackDown, Thatcher was given a layer to his character. In various weeks, we've seen vignettes of him teaching "students" his version of Catch Wrestling. Instead, he calls it "Thatch as thatch can."

He roughly shows pupils various submission moves while also reminding us that he's a mat extraordinaire. What's something that Lee hasn't really faced much in NXT? He's seldom battled performers that are mainly mat/submission technicians.

With Thatcher a vicious heel now, it makes sense that he'd try to attack the top dog in NXT. Since Lee is now precisely that, the new character trait could eventually lead to a showdown with Lee.

It might be for the North American Championship but Thatcher has shown in most of his matches that he's more than capable of having main-event level matches. We just need to revisit his battles with Riddle, Oney Lorcan, and the rest of his tag team matches for proof.

Lee will need all sorts of challenges now that he's the top star of the brand. They will come from every direction and one that's a technical savant would present the Limitless One with a new challenge. He's faced some men of similar size and those which have star power. Thatcher will provide all sorts of new challenges.

#3 Tommaso Ciampa

Once he came out on the losing end to Karrion Kross at NXT TakeOver: In Your House, Tommaso Ciampa has been a boat without a rudder. They've hinted that he is at a crossroads in his career. He even recently mentioned that he is at a fork in his journey and that Creative might not have a direction for him at the moment.

With Riddle moving on to SmackDown and Gargano turning heel, there aren't a lot of top faces in NXT at the moment. Balor might be one but he may also be a tweener. Damian Priest recently joined the face side of the coin but he's being built up slowly against Cameron Grimes. The jury is out on Velveteen Dream's future and that of Dexter Lumis. When and if he returns to NXT, Ciampa should still be a face competitor.

The Blackheart did attempt to reclaim his precious Goldie once he returned from injury but he was unsuccessful in winning it back. One obvious direction his story could take is to pursue the NXT Championship once more. If he fails to capture it, he could move on to either RAW or SmackDown. Or he could agree to never challenge for the belt again.

If there are stakes attached to the title match, it will make the outcome all the more meaningful. It would also be a good feud between faces that were once allies. Ciampa could bring up the alliance they had at last year's Survivor Series and WarGames. Ciampa is still a big star in NXT and should be challenging for the big prize at least once more.

#2 Finn Balor

A few months ago, after a big win over Cameron Grimes, Finn Balor looked into the camera and challenged Keith Lee for the NXT North American Championship. The two never faced off one on one but instead were placed into a Triple Threat for the NXT North American Championship alongside Johnny Gargano. Lee won and we know what happened in the following weeks.

Since Balor never had his traditional match for one of the titles, it would make complete sense if he went after one of the NXT belts in Lee's possession. His star power alone makes him a viable challenger for the NXT Championship. Perhaps Balor is even the one to take the NXT North American title away from Lee's shoulders.

Someone is going to have to beat Lee within his next few defenses of the North American title so that other stars can get the chance that Lee received. His star power grew even more and more as North American Champion. The next performer to win that title could also see his prospects grow exponentially.

Balor is also a former NXT Champion in his own right. That could easily be an excuse to give him a shot at the new NXT Champion. Lee is obviously a man made in NXT after winning both titles so The Prince challenging him for the title could be a money match at an upcoming TakeOver. Simply put, Balor has unfinished business with the current double-champ.

#1 Karrion Kross

Kross has been circling the NXT title for the last month or so

This selection is the most obvious one since it's been hinted at ever since Karrion Kross squashed Tommaso Ciampa. Kross had Scarlett deliver an hourglass to Adam Cole to signify that his time atop NXT was running out. Keith Lee eventually destroyed that same hourglass backstage.

With Cole out of power and Lee now the top dog in NXT, Kross will clearly still target The Limitless One (or whoever holds the gold). Even after Lee was victorious last week, one of the last shots we saw was of Kross and Scarlett peering down at the ring at the new double-champion. The Tollman of NXT is aiming for Lee and the match could come to fruition sooner rather than later.

While I think Kross should be the man to eventually dethrone Lee, it seems like that would be too soon. Lee just won the major title in NXT and needs a lengthy run to prove it was the right call. Kross winning the title would make me happy but it may be too soon for the two to square off for the NXT Championship.

Think about how Bray Wyatt and Braun Strowman immediately squared off for the Universal Championship following WrestleMania 36. It was too soon so Bray Wyatt, and not The Fiend, was the one to face Strowman at Money in the Bank.

Kross was a huge free agent signing and needs to be treated like the big deal that he is. His act with Scarlett is truly unique and his aura is special. Whenever it happens, Kross and Lee are facing off for the NXT Championship and it will be awesome.

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