It has been three years since Jonah and I did an NXT Fantasy Draft to make our picks of who are going to be the next great superstars in the WWE. Then, about six months ago, we reviewed all of the picks to figure out what went right and what went wrong. We realized three things through this process. First off, very few wrestlers are in NXT from that original draft, and even the ones that are have changed dramatically over the last few years. Second, and more importantly for the strategy of this draft, is that we realized we cannot rely on WWE success to determine the strength of our selections as many of their creative decisions do not optimize their talent. So this draft is not predicting future success as much as it is drafting the wrestlers that we would want to build our organization around. Finally, we decided to be inclusive in this draft so not only will we have NXT and all of the wrestlers at the Performance Center, but we will include everyone over in NXT UK and even 205 Live since all of them are still working to progress in their career.
Today, we focus on the illustrious top 10 picks of the WWE developmental system.
1. Joe selects Matt Riddle
Joe: Jonah was very gracious as he allowed me to have the first selection in this draft. It was very obvious where I was going with this one since I thought he was the best independent wrestler out there since the first time I saw him three years ago at an Evolve show during a work trip. I have never seen any wrestler have “The IT Factor” on the level of Riddle. It’s tough to explain his charisma, but it’s born out of an incredible amount of confidence which helps give him an easy going attitude that somehow makes him feel like a star but incredibly approachable all at the same time.
And this doesn’t even get into his wrestling ability which is off the damn charts. Nobody has transitioned MMA into professional wrestling anywhere near the level of Matt Riddle. He has the striking and submissions down, but he also has a freakish level of strength which I am a total sucker for. I have been lucky enough to be with several different people when they saw Riddle wrestle for the first time, and everybody is blown away by this guy. He’s already the best guy in NXT, might be the best guy in the WWE, and hell, are we sure he’s not the best wrestler in the world? Either way, this is the franchise pick.
Jonah: A great pick, very deserving of the number one spot though I do think you could have gone a couple of different ways. There’s a few guys who are can’t miss prospects, I can’t wait to see how the WWE misses on them once they make it to the main roster. I also was lucky enough to see Matt Riddle at an independent show with Joe, he took on a pick that we will get to later on. It’s the best match I’ve ever seen live and I saw the Revival take on American Alpha. Riddle’s great, I can’t talk trash about this pick, the only thing I can say is I did think about trying to go first so I could take him and break your heart.
2. Jonah selects Velveteen Dream
Jonah: Move over Lex Luger because the Velveteen Dream is the real total package. His charisma is obvious, the guy is incredibly entertaining. His promos are fantastic in that he makes seemingly random feuds seem important. He’s also incredibly talented in the ring, capable of putting on fantastic matches. I know Joe loves Matt Riddle the most, but I think Velveteen Dream is the most complete wrestler in NXT, maybe in the whole damn WWE. Oh and he’s also 23 years old so he’s got a long, long time to continue improving. I already said that the main roster will find a way to screw everyone up, but they’re really going to have to try because Dream is so good on the mic and so good in the ring that he can’t help but get over.
Joe: For me, it gets very blurry after Matt Riddle for the second best guy in this draft. Velveteen Dream, along with a few others were in my mind about who I would want most, but it is clear that Dream is an absolute star. The charisma dwarfs just about anyone in the wrestling business, and as long as he stays away from singing, he’s great in every other aspect. It is amazing to see how fast he has progressed since starting in the WWE Performance Center. His in-ring talent is probably even more fascinating than his mic work since he is not a great professional wrestler in the way that we have become accustomed. He’s not a huge spot guy, but he tells an incredible story out there, and the contrast of what everyone else is doing makes his matches all the more fascinating. I think Jonah’s and my goal is to shit on each other’s picks, but Velveteen Dream is great, not even I can deny that.
3. Jonah selects Johnny Gargano
Jonah: It’s funny you mention Riddle as the best wrestler in NXT and possibly the best wrestler in the world, because Gargano is massively overlooked in the conversation for best in the world. His run of matches over the past three years is almost unbelievable. From DIY tag matches to his singles matches, you can argue that every Takeover match he’s had from Takeover II on is five stars. When you think back of the truly amazing matches in NXT he’s always one half of them. He’s one half of my favorite match of all time, his fight against Andrade at Takeover Philadelphia. He has also shown in this snarky current world of professional wrestling fandom that you can still get over as a pure whitemeat babyface. I’m very sad that he’ll probably be stuck on 205 Live instead of in the main event of RAW or Smackdown where he belongs once he’s eventually called up.
Joe: Johnny Gargano is great. He’s fantastic in the ring, and he’s built a phenomenal fan following. I think he might be the best NXT wrestler in the world, but best wrestler in the world? Eh, I don’t really see it. He’s built for NXT, and when you take him outside of NXT, he’s still great, but size does still matter. He had great runs in Evolve and PWG, but he wasn’t THE guy, so I do question how well his success translates outside of NXT. I’m one of his biggest haters, and I think he’d be really good in any organization, but there are other talents I would rather have when building a roster.
Jonah: Your deep burning hate for Johnny Gargano makes no real sense. The guy is a stud, he’s a star and an unbelievable wrestler. I’ll happily take him.
4. Joe selects Adam Cole
Joe: Speaking of guys better than Johnny Gargano, how about the one who just proved it at Takeover XXV, BAY BAY. I think this was a no-brainer pick as Cole is just as good in the ring as Gargano, but light years ahead of him (and most everybody) on the mic. Everybody loves yelling BOOM and BAY BAY, but you still want to see this guy get his ass kicked when he’s out there as he not only knows how to talk like a heel, but he also knows how to wrestle like one. I will say that his size is obviously just as big as a detriment, but it’s perfect for a chickenshit heel who breaks the rules every chance he gets in order to succeed. Adam Cole is a great pick, and that is undisputed.
Jonah: Adam Cole is a very good wrestler, but he’s not better than Johnny Gargano. Gargano is better in the ring, and while Cole is probably better on the mic, it’s much easier to play dickbag cowardly heel than it is pure babyface. Still, he’s talented and an obvious pick here. Can’t wait to see him and Gargano tear it up on 205 Live in front of hundreds of people.
Joe: I can’t imagine the WWE would try to screw up Adam Cole and make him a cruiserweight, but it does bring up an interesting thought. As far as I know, those NXT deals are three years, and he’s almost two years into his contract. Would it be totally shocking if he turned down a main roster spot to get out of his contract in 2020? Could Being The Elite resurrect him from the dead? Definitely something to consider.
Jonah: The WWE doesn’t try to screw up anyone, it comes completely naturally for them. Adam Cole as an Undertaker character in AEW does sound pretty awesome though.
5. Joe selects WALTER
Joe: And now for a guy whose size is most certainly not an issue, WALTER, a man so large you have to spell his name in all caps. WALTER isn’t going to do any high flying stuff because he doesn’t need to. He’s super clean technically, strong as an ox, and slaps a chest like he is trying to send his opponent’s sternum through their spine. WALTER is awesome. WALTER has stated that he has no interest in going to the WWE main roster as he wants to stay in Europe, wrestle, and have a comfortable life. It will greatly limit his success on a global scale, but for this draft, I don’t have to worry about his European demands and it’s impossible to build the best roster without making this guy a priority.
Jonah: I was definitely planning on ending up with WALTER, but Joe swooped in and took him at number 5 overall. He’s a great wrestler, fun to watch in the ring and his presence is something special. When you see him you think damn, that guy looks like a badass and carries himself like a badass. I will say the one complaint I have about him is that wrestling is supposed to look brutal, not actually be brutal, chopping the hell out of guys chests is impressive but it would be more impressive if it just looked and sounded like he did.
Joe: I disagree. Give me the BRUTALITY.
Jonah: Don’t work yourself into a shoot bro.
6. Jonah selects Montez Ford
Jonah: Montez Ford has been called a future star by both myself and Joe. He’s as good as Cedric Alexander in the ring and about 100 times more charismatic. He’s like a smaller, more athletic Velveteen Dream where you can’t wait to hear what he has to say. His physical chemistry is off the charts too, the dancing, the facial expressions all top notch. He deserves a legitimate main event run, hopefully the recent tag team title win is the start of a real push for him. He also seems like a really down to Earth guy as I watched a WWE exclusive where he pulled a cameraman who had been filming the Street Profits their whole career in NXT to the front of the camera and celebrated their tag team title win with him. Montez, I’m sorry that the best I can hope for is a great 205 Live run for you on the main roster because the WWE will probably want to turn the Street Profits into Crime Time 2.0 and you’re so much better than that.
Joe: Does this hurt? Yeah, it hurts. I love Montez Ford quite a bit, and I wish that I had him for my pretend organization (I should probably remind everyone that despite the way it seems, I am not 12-years-old and actually in my 30s). Ford is the total package, and the sky's the limit for him. As much as I love Ford, I couldn’t justify taking him with my first three picks since he doesn’t have a run as a singles competitor yet, so even though I have no reason to doubt him, I went for sure things where Montez is a whole lot of projection, but I can’t make a definitive claim that anyone has a higher ceiling than him.
7. Jonah selects Kushida
Jonah: So Kushida is one of the best wrestlers in the world, his only downside is that he’s 36 but when in doubt always go with talent. He killed it in New Japan for the past nine years and now he’s in NXT. He’s only had two televised matches so there’s not a lot to go on here, but his reputation precedes him. Besides his professional wrestling success in Japan, he’s also undefeated in MMA. Kushida will make a big splash soon, and in a few months we could be looking back and wondering if he should have gone even earlier.
Joe: I would not say that his only downside is that he’s already 36. He’s also undersized and does not speak fluent English which puts a ceiling on his charisma. Kushida is really good in the ring, but he’s not a guy I could ever fully get into. There are probably a half dozen guys in the New Japan Junior division who I would take over Kushida right now. He is very good, even if he’s not totally my cup of tea, but with WWE’s questionable utilization of Japanese talent, I highly doubt that we will think he should have gone above any of the people drafted ahead of him.
8. Joe selects Kyle O'Reilly
Joe: Here’s a hot take: Kyle O’Reilly is the most entertaining person in NXT. He’s great in the ring, and his promos make me laugh constantly. He doesn’t even have to be talking, and I will bust up laughing at whatever facial reaction O’Reilly is giving in the background. I have to watch Undisputed Era segments twice, because I lose track of all the great stuff being said as I am totally focused on what O’Reilly is doing. I will admit that since he has only been a secondary part of a team, does he have the star quality, or is he just the guy that you love to see who rarely gets to the main event level? I don’t care, because it is impossible to not be entertained by this man, and isn’t that what professional wrestling is all about? If you don’t love Kyle O’Reilly, you don’t love wrestling, and that is undisputed.
Jonah: Kyle O’Reilly has the douchebag persona down so pat I have to wonder how he actually is in real life. Him playing the belt like a guitar is amazing every single time. He’s good in the ring and I think he would be good as a singles star. His striking and submission game looks great, and he should do well. Good pick here, but the risk is he never gets to actually break out.
9. Joe selects Bianca Belair
Joe: This is where things got really tough for me as I think you could make a pretty compelling argument for about eight different people at this slot. I wasn’t totally sure if this was the right pick when I made it, but the more I think about it, the more I like it. Bianca Belair isn’t seen as the top woman in NXT, hell, she just dropped below Mia Yim in the championship pecking order, but nobody has anywhere near the ceiling of Belair. The most simplistic way of looking at Belair is seeing her as black Charlotte Flair. Her physical gifts put her head and shoulders above the competition, and even though she’s a little raw with promos, there are tons of things to love of what she has done so far. She’s still working through a lot of things, but if she gets anywhere near her ceiling, she’s going to be in the conversation for best women’s wrestler in the world. And to me, she’ll always be UN-DUH-FEA-TED.
Jonah: I’m a big fan of Bianca Belair, but I’m not sure if I would have taken her over Baszler. Everything Joe said about her is true, her athleticism and strength are off the charts. She also gives off charisma in her presence. She does need to work on her mic work, but hey she’s in a developmental league. So she’ll be called up next week and given 20 minute promo segments on RAW. Keep on playing to wrestler’s strengths, WWE.
Joe: WWE, I think you’re doing a great job. Now please hire me. Pay me well, do not expect me to move, and I’ve got a four-month old, so I’m only going to travel when I want to travel. But I am willing to get comped WrestleMania tickets this year since it’s 20 minutes from my house. Hit me up, uncensoredwriting@gmail.com.
Jonah: WWE, you’re not doing a great job, your ratings are plummeting and it’s not even football season. Please hire me if you don’t want to have to perform in North Korea to stay profitable.
10. Jonah selects Keith Lee
Jonah: Big dude, great wrestler, tons of charisma that’s Keith Lee. He’s arguably the best “big man” wrestler in the world today, but he also shows off a ton of athleticism inside the ring. He’s a good promo, but he also has that natural charisma where he just seems cool. He’s a face who tells people to bask in his glory and it makes sense coming from him. With his size, wrestling ability and charisma Lee could actually find the most success of anyone on the main roster.
Joe: Yeah, Keith Lee is great. Jonah summed it up pretty damn well, so I have nothing to add on this one. I apologize for not ending with a bang with my comments, but the good news is that it gives everyone extra time to bask in Keith Lee's glory.
