Ranking all former NXT Champions' main roster careers

#2 Kevin Owens

Defying expectations.

Whatever becomes of Kevin Owens in the future, fans will always be able to look back on his career as one that surpassed expectations. While not seen as a 'smaller' guy, Owens doesn't exactly fit the bill in terms of the traditional WWE 'look'. He also has the problem that a lot of indie fans face once they arrive in WWE - the fact that Vince dislikes stars that have made a name for themselves without his help.

Despite all of this, Owen's natural talent for wrestling and talking have led him to become a genuine asset for the WWE. He was first entrusted with being the second holder of the Universal Championship, carrying the belt during his highly popular onscreen partnership with Chris Jericho.

After losing the belt to Goldberg, he almost immediately became Smackdown's United States Champion and did more for the product than most others, including its WWE Champion Jinder Mahal.

Even his time on NXT, he rewrote the rule book when it came to booking developmental talent. Owens did not need a lengthy period honing his craft and instead used the Wednesday night product more as a springboard than a stepping stone. He immediately went after John Cena, defeating the 16-time champ on his very first night on the main roster.

Owens is the kind of performer who is capable of keeping himself relevant, even when the writers haven't got anything specific for him to do. This means he will always be an integral part of the company's plans going forward. This is a genuinely impressive skill to have in 2017, and for that reason, KO deserves our highest praise.