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NXT has been WWE's hottest brand for a number of years now, and 2018 did nothing to slow that down, and while we all expect that again in 2019, a spanner has been thrown in the works with the recent main roster debuts of Tommaso Ciampa, Johnny Gargano, Aleister Black and Ricochet.
All 4 men are very deserving of being on the biggest WWE stage possible, as they have put in the work in NXT and proven to be superstars, but it leaves us with more questions than answers regarding 'goldie'.
We haven't heard anything official about whether this is a permanent promotion or just a way to bring some hype to RAW and Smackdown, but it's clear that Ciampa's time with 'goldie' may be coming to an end.
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With that in mind, here are the 5 most logical candidates that could indeed dethrone the fantastic reign of the Psycho Killer, Tommaso Ciampa.
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#5 Jonah Rock
The WWE have been signing plenty of Australian talent over the past few years, but none are more polished and known worldwide (outside of the WWE) than The King of Monsters, Jonah Rock. He worked for every promotion in Australia, and branched out to wrestle in the UK and for PWG in the States, and despite his size, he's one of the most versatile and athletic performers in the world today.
He has only just started at the Performance Centre, but he's got the talent to move to TV straight away, and if The Champ is moving to the main roster soon, then Jonah is a candidate to get a big push straight away.
It's unlikely to happen, as they will build him up for quite some time before getting that push, but if they truly want a monster heel at the top, The King of Monsters is definitely an option.
#4 The Velveteen Dream
The Velveteen Dream is the most charismatic and flamboyant superstar in the entire WWE (perhaps even the entire wrestling world), and given how good he continues to get, he's always a good candidate.
He's just taken the NXT North American Championship from Johnny Gargano, and we don't know the future of the 4 men called to RAW and Smackdown, so if the WWE do look to move on from Ciampa soon, it may be unlikely, but that in itself could be a great story.
Most people assumed that Johnny Gargano would be the one to finally dethrone Ciampa, but with the DIY reunion on the main roster, that may throw a spanner in the works of NXT's grand plans. It's unlikely given the fact that he's already got gold around his waist, but with the Dream, anything is possible, so we've got him on here despite the fact that he is an outside chance at doing this.
#3 Keith Lee
Keith Lee was yet another prize acquisition for the WWE in 2018, and despite the fact that he's been heavily overshadowed by Matt Riddle, he's still a main event player waiting to happen. The WWE have slowly been bringing him along and introducing Limitless Keith Lee to the NXT Universe, and he's getting great reactions, so he's definitely a great option to get a big push in the near future.
They've yet to truly let him show off the personality and the charisma that made him a star all across the globe, but once they let that character truly evolve, we'll all be ready to 'bask in his glory'.
Most people have been predicting a heel turn on his friend Matt Riddle in the near future, and that could elevate him to new heights, but whether he's face or heel, it's clear that the WWE have very big plans in the future for The Limitless, Keith Lee.
#2 Adam Cole
Even before making it to the WWE, many people pegged Adam Cole to be a future World Champion because of his look, his work-rate, his professionalism and his presence, and his work in NXT has done nothing but back up that sentiment.
With The Undisputed Era by his side, there's nothing that Adam Cole can't accomplish, and given that they want to hold all the gold in NXT in 2019, Ciampa makes for a logical target.
The Panama City Playboy has been doing great work since his arrival in NXT, including winning the first ever NXT North American Championship, so this next step makes sense right now.
Heel vs. heel is often something that doesn't work out, but the crowds are heavily invested in both men, and would get a great reaction, so this match is a very big possibility for NXT Takeover: New York in April.
#1 Matt Riddle
From the moment he signed with the WWE, Matt Riddle has been getting pushed to the moon, whether it be on social media or on NXT, and it's clear that he's NXT's next big thing. The former UFC star took to pro wrestling like a fish to water, and he's proven to have megastar qualities in his early time with the WWE, so it's about time they took his push to the next level.
As we've said, all this is up in the air at the moment, because no one truly knows what the future holds for the 4 men to debut on the main roster this past week, but if they need to change the title holder soon, Riddle is easily the #1 choice.
The Original Bro has looked impressive against Kassius Ohno in their rivalry, and is now set to take the next step, so NXT Takeover: New York could be the potential place that this change occurs.
