Ranking the NXT contenders in the Gauntlet Eliminator Match

#1 Timothy Thatcher puts on a clinic for the NXT Champion

"Pick them apart piece by piece" - Timothy Thatcher, probably

Timothy Thatcher. The Thatchmanimal. Timothy and the Thatchtastics. The Man Callled Thatch. Okay that's enough. The man behind Thatch-as-Thatch-Can is one of the most aggressive and violent Superstars in all of NXT.

In a short time, he's picked up wins over The Undisputed Era, Oney Lorcan, Bronson Reed, and Matt Riddle. Speaking of Riddle, he put the Original Bro down in one of the best special stipulation matches that NXT has ever produced in the Fight Pit back in May.

Welcome to the FIGHT PIT, no fun and games here!It was a memorable showdown on #WWENXT for @SuperKingofBros, Timothy Thatcher & special guest referee @RealKurtAngle! pic.twitter.com/14OJbHDWGY

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) May 29, 2020

It was a great example of what Timothy Thatcher was capable of, and a great serious intro to his ability for those who may not be aware of his work outside of WWE. Now, he failed to qualify for the NXT North American Ladder Match at NXT TakeOver XXX, and he was unable to take the belt away from Damian Priest.

Not only that, but he lost to Finn Balor at TakeOver. In none of Thatcher's losses was he ever dominated by an opponent. It's always come down to the wire. Thatcher is meticulous at times, taking time to slowly pick apart opponents. However, when pushed, he's wild, erratic, and a complete mauler.

Timothy Thatcher's pleasure is @ArcherOfInfamy's pain. #NXTNATitle #WWENXT pic.twitter.com/zpwkeGU9qE

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) September 17, 2020

In an environment like the Gauntlet Eliminator, which will be less like a wrestling match and more like an all out brawl, the smart money has to go to the guy who sent arguably NXT's greatest brawler to SmackDown.

This match can be narrowed down to three men: Thatcher, Reed, and Grimes. It can be assumed that of those three, the two that don't win will enter into a feud with one another.

Grimes is still a loss that Reed has yet to avenge, and while the same could be said for he and Thatcher, it's hard to go against the one man on this list to take the NXT Champion to his absolute limit since his return to NXT.