5 WWE NXT Superstars who wrestle using their real names

#3 Former WWE NXT Tag Team Champion Marcel Barthel

Marcel Barthel was a regular member of the NXT UK brand as a member of Imperium before moving to the black and gold brand in the United States

Former WWE NXT Tag Team Champion Marcel Barthel is a member of one of the most dominant factions in NXT history, Imperium.

Alongside NXT United Kingdom Champion WALTER and tag team partner Fabian Aichner, Barthel has seen considerable success on the black and gold brand on both sides of the Atlantic.

A second generation wrestler, Marcel Barthel signed with WWE in 2017, making his NXT debut at a live event in June of that year. He would go on to make his televised debut in August 2018 in a loss against future NXT Champion Keith Lee. Several months later, Barthel formed a tag team known as the "European Union" with Fabian Aichner.

Barthel and Aichner began regularly appearing on the WWE NXT UK brand in 2019, forming the Imperium faction with WALTER. They would later be joined by former NXT Superstar Alexander Wolfe.

Marcel Barthel's first taste of WWE NXT gold came during the May 13, 2020 episode of NXT when Barthel and Fabian Aichner defeated Matt Riddle and Timothy Thatcher to become the NXT Tag Team Champions. However, their reign was relatively shortlived. Imperium dropped the NXT Tag Team Championships to Breezango in August of that year.