Every NXT Cruiserweight Title Tournament Competitor, Ranked
With the current NXT Cruiserweight Champion, Jordan Devlin, stuck in Ireland, unable to travel due to COVID-19, WWE has opted to create an interim champion. To do so, WWE is having a tournament take place featuring eight fantastic cruiserweight wrestlers. The company has put together a great list of names with wrestlers who have been a big part of the Cruiserweight division so far and some fresh faces.
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Everyone involved is highly skilled and it should create for a fantastic tournament. Within this list, we will take a look at the eight men involved in the tournament, ranking them from worst to best based on their in-ring abilities, their WWE exposure and what their future holds.
8 Jake Atlas
Jake Atlas is tough to rank in this list, simply because he has only just started in WWE, having had one NXT match. It's unclear to see what the future will be like for him, but the fact WWE is willing to place him into a tournament like this is a good sign.
This will be a brilliant launching platform for him in the world of WWE as it will just kickstart things in a brilliant way. Allowing him to have regular competitive matches, proving his talent will quickly win over the fans at home.
While he might not be someone who ends up winning the tournament, just due to the fact he is so unknown to the WWE Universe, he is certainly a name to watch.
7 Drake Maverick
Unfortunately, the NXT Cruiserweight Championship tournament is going to be the final few performances for Drake Maverick in WWE. The company released him recently, but are allowing him to keep wrestling which is a huge shame because he's incredibly talented.
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In the ring, he's not been able to showcase that too much in WWE, but in TNA and around the UK, his abilities have been highlighted frequently. However, while he's a solid in-ring talent, that's not what sets him apart.
For Maverick, it is his ability to entertain through promos and character work. No matter how serious or ridiculous the situation is, Maverick always manages to get fans invested, and that's what has made his career so successful.
6 El Hijo del Fantasma
This upcoming NXT Cruiserweight Championship tournament is actually going to work as the in-ring debut for El Hijo del Fantasma. There is no WWE to judge him on, but there is plenty of wrestling that can be looked at.
Fantasma is an excellent signing for WWE and is someone who should really have a bright future in the company. He is a dark horse in this tournament and will likely wow everyone with his performances.
In Lucha Underground he thrived as a headline star, working as King Cuerno. If that is anything to go by, then his WWE career should be special.
5 Gentleman Jack Gallagher
Gentleman Jack Gallagher has been around in the Cruiserweight division from the very start. He has always been seen as a top star but his recent change in look and attitude really have boosted him.
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He is an amazing grappler and a hard-hitting wrestler who can mix it up with the very best. Gallagher has a counter for seemingly everything, which makes him quite an unpredictable wrestler as well.
It's quite surprising he hasn't actually held the Cruiserweight Championship already in his career. However, now could certainly be a time for WWE to give him a run with the strap.
4 Isaiah 'Swerve' Scott
From the moment that Isaiah 'Swerve' Scott arrived in WWE, it has been very clear he is going to be a big deal. While WWE has been slow to fully commit to a push for him, Scott has impressed with every opportunity given.
Inside the ring, he really is an excellent wrestler and his matches are always thrilling to watch. When that's combined with his natural charisma, it really makes him stand out and his WWE future appears to be a bright one.
3 Tony Nese
Tony Nese is one of the most talented performers within this fresh tournament and will be a heavy favorite. He has the ability to work as a popular babyface, but he also thrives within a heel role.
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Nese has clearly impressed WWE during his time at the company as he has always been one of the biggest names on 205 Live. Nese is a former Cruiserweight Champion and is someone who has already proven himself worthy of holding the title.
He is able to mix a brilliant highflying style with some fantastic strikes, which makes him incredibly exciting to watch.
2 Akira Tozawa
Akira Tozawa is also a former Cruiserweight Championship and is someone who had one of the titles better runs. His hard-hitting in-ring style mixed with his highflying ability and uncontrollable charisma make him one of the best names in this tournament.
Tozawa can put up a great match against anyone, and the longer he is given in the ring the more he impresses with the time. What sets him apart from most people in the tournament, is the fact he is also a regular main roster feature.
Getting the exposure in front of a wider audience certainly helps raise Tozawa'sstar power, and his popularity is certainly high.
1 KUSHIDA
When it comes to the biggest name within this new tournament, KUSHIDA no doubt stands head and shoulders above everyone. He is an amazing wrestler and someone who has all the abilities to be a major name in WWE.
KUSHIDA thrived in New Japan Pro Wrestling and everyone expected him to be treated as a big deal in WWE. While he has been given good spots, a big push has yet to happen for him, which makes him a heavy favorite for this tournament.
KUSHIDA is the perfect babyface and while he can work against much bigger talent with easy, being a featured part of the cruiserweight division could be a perfect launching platform for him.
NEXT: 5 Cruiserweights That Thrived In WWE (& 5 That Flopped)
