The Mexican fighter Andrade Cien Almas closed the year in the best way, as he is currently the reigning champion of WWE's NXT brand. In addition to winning the championship, the gladiator has shown the abilities to succeed in the McMahon company, and like other former champions of the brand, he will not take long to make the jump to the main roster and become a star.
These are some of the wrestlers who were champions of NXT and later appeared on the main roster to become idols and stars of the great American company.
He is one of the most successful cases in the transition of talent generation in WWE, as in July 2012 he won the NXT title and in December of the same year he joined the main roster, where he formed the group called The Shield together with Dean Ambrose and Roman Reigns, being one of the most impactful teams in the history of the company. The wrestler has won the tag team championship twice, the United States title, Money in the Bank, and has been a two-time heavyweight champion in WWE. He is currently still one of the main characters of the McMahons.
After winning the highest award of the developmental brand in December 2012, he made the leap to the major leagues in May of the following year to conquer the tag team championship on Smack Down and Raw, on multiple occasions, as well as the Intercontinental title individually. He has also become a beloved character by the public as part of the team called The New Day.
The Canadian athlete won the NXT championship in February 2015, which he held until June; however, Owens made the jump in May of the same year to have a rivalry with John Cena. He was a three-time United States champion, and in his repertoire are also two-time Intercontinental champion and the WWE Universal title, which is his greatest success. Owens is still part of the main roster of live programs.
This Irish wrestler has held the title of WWE's developmental brand for the longest time, with a record of 292 days, winning it in July 2015 and losing it in April of the following year. Finally, he made the jump to the main roster in July 2016, and since then he has been a universal champion in WWE and is one of the most popular wrestlers. His dual personality has attracted a lot of attention. He currently remains part of the main roster and it is common to see him on live programs.