5 Superstars who debuted on the main roster while being Champion in NXT

#3 Tomasso Ciampa (NXT Champion)

Ciampa had to relinquish the NXT Championship due to injury

When Tomasso Ciampa debuted in NXT as part of DIY alongside Johnny Gargano, no one could have expected The Blackheart to emerge as one of the top stars in the Black and Gold brand.

But, not only did Ciampa become one of the best heels in the business, he carried NXT over his shoulders as the brand's Champion for the better part of 2018. Ciampa defeated Aleister Black on the July 25, 2018 episode of NXT TV to capture the NXT Championship.

Gargano successfully defended 'Goldie' (Ciampa's nickname for the NXT Championship) against his then arch-nemesis, Johnny Gargano, The Velveteen Dream, and Aleister Black. Ciampa made his main roster debut on the February 18, 2019 episode of RAW, teaming up with Johnny Gargano to defeat The Revival.

Gargano and Ciampa would team up once again the next night on SmackDown in a match against The Bar (Sheamus and Cesaro), which they ended up winning. Ciampa had to relinquish the NXT Championship due to a series of neck injuries in March 2019. This meant that his scheduled match against Johnny Gargano for the NXT Championship at NXT Takeover: New York had to cancelled, thus putting an abrupt end to one of the best feuds in wrestling in last decade.

Ciampa is currently out with action due to the said injury. He is excepted to return to in-ring anytime now with some reports suggested that he could be cleared as soon as mid-August. Ciampa is going to be a major player for the Black and Gold brand once it makes the move to the USA Network.