The First 10 NXT Champions: Where are they now?

#9 Shinsuke Nakamura (August 20, 2016)

Shinsuke Nakamura had become a big name in pro-wrestling, way before he arrived in WWE, courtesy of his time in Japan. Nakamura won the NXT title after defeating Samoa Joe at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn II. He would soon lose the belt to Joe, and win it back the next year in Japan.

Currently, Nakamura is a SmackDown-exclusive Superstar and is usually seen teaming up with Cesaro on the blue brand. Nakamura had a months-long feud with AJ Styles for the WWE title back in 2018, but failed to win the belt. He is yet to win a World title in WWE.

#10 Robert Roode (January 28, 2017)

Robert Roode won the hearts of the NXT audience with his 'Glorious' gimmick. They collectively cheered for him when he defeated Shinsuke Nakamura to win the NXT title at NXT TakeOver: San Antonio, becoming the oldest NXT Champion to date with his victory.

This was his only NXT title win, and his glorious run didn't continue when he made his way out of NXT. He currently wrestles on the SmackDown brand, alongside Dolph Ziggler. Roode is a former US Champion, as well as a 2-time Tag Team Champion.

About the author

Abhilash Mendhe is a pro wrestling journalist at Sportskeeda with nearly five years of experience. He completed his MBA from the Symbiosis Institute of Telecom Management in 2016 and worked with multiple banking institutions, including Tech Mahindra. While he started writing WWE articles for Sportskeeda in 2019 as a hobby, it eventually became a significant part of his professional journey.

Abhilash checks his articles thrice before sending them to the editing team, ensuring his work is highly accurate and reliable.

He has interviewed prominent pro wrestling personalities like Noam Dar, Angry Miz Girl, Brendan Cobbina, and Jesse Lambert. Abhilash is a big fan of AEW star Orange Cassidy, as he believes the former International Champion’s on-screen gimmick of an extremely lazy guy resonates with him.

Given the opportunity to script WWE’s next big storyline, Abhilash would treat fans to the second installment of The Bloodline Civil War. He would book Roman Reigns to re-form The Bloodline with The Usos and Sami Zayn upon his comeback. The angle would see The Tribal Chief-led group go head-to-head with The Rock, Solo Sikoa, Tama Tonga, and Jacob Fatu in a blockbuster family feud.

When not reporting on pro wrestling, Abhilash likes to work out, go on walks, read, and explore new eateries.

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Edited by Atharva Papnoi