NXT Championship

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NXT Championship
NXT Championship 2017.png
The current NXT Championship belt with default side plates
(2017–present)
Details
PromotionWWE
BrandNXT
Date establishedJuly 1, 2012
Current champion(s)Dolph Ziggler
Date wonMarch 8, 2022

The NXT Championship is a professional wrestling championship created and promoted by the American professional wrestling promotion WWE, defended as the top championship of their NXT brand division. Introduced on July 1, 2012, the inaugural champion was Seth Rollins. The current champion is Dolph Ziggler, who is in his first reign.

This title was the first championship established for NXT, which at the time was a developmental territory for WWE. In September 2019, WWE began promoting NXT as its "third brand" when the NXT television program was moved to the USA Network. NXT was rebranded two years later, which returned it to its original function as WWE's developmental brand.

History[]

The inaugural NXT Champion Seth Rollins

In June 2012, WWE established NXT as their developmental territory, replacing Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW). On July 26, the NXT Championship was introduced as the brand's top championship, as well as its first title, in turn replacing the FCW Florida Heavyweight Championship that had been retired along with the FCW territory. NXT Commissioner Dusty Rhodes announced an eight-man single-elimination tournament, dubbed the "Gold Rush" tournament, involving four wrestlers from NXT and four wrestlers from WWE's main roster competing to be crowned the first NXT Champion. On the July 26 taping of NXT (aired August 29), Seth Rollins defeated Jinder Mahal in the tournament final to become the inaugural champion.[1][2] On November 19, 2016, at TakeOver: Toronto, Samoa Joe became the first performer to hold the championship on more than one occasion.[3]

In September 2019, the NXT brand became WWE's third major brand when it was moved to the USA Network.[4][5] In 2017, after Drew McIntyre won the NXT Championship, the match description in the official title history referred to it as a world championship.[6] Although the NXT Women's Championship became an option for the Royal Rumble match winner in 2020, it was not clear whether the NXT Championship could be chosen by men's winners. In 2021, it was revealed that the NXT Championship was an option for the men's Royal Rumble match winner to challenge for at WrestleMania 37, along with the WWE Championship and Universal Championship.[7][8][9][10][11]

Inaugural tournament[]

Quarter-finals Semi-finals Final
         
Richie Steamboat Pin
Leo Kruger
Richie Steamboat
Jinder Mahal Sub
Bo Dallas
Jinder Mahal Sub
Jinder Mahal
Seth Rollins Pin
Seth Rollins Pin
Drew McIntyre
Seth Rollins Pin
Michael McGillicutty
Justin Gabriel
Michael McGillicutty Pin

Belt design[]

Two-time champion Finn Bálor, who has the longest combined reign at 504 days; shown here with the original NXT Championship belt (2012–2017)

The original NXT Championship belt's design was simple: a large gold center plate shaped as the letter "X", with smaller letters "N" and "T" to the left and right of the center. The belt contained six total side plates, three sitting on either side of the center plate; each side plate only featured the WWE logo. When first introduced, the side plates had the WWE scratch logo but in August 2014, all of WWE's pre-existing championships at the time received a minor update, changing the scratch logo to WWE's current logo that was originally used for the WWE Network. The plates were on a large black leather strap.

On WrestleMania weekend 2017, all existing NXT title belts at the time were redesigned. The new title belts were unveiled at TakeOver: Orlando that same night and given to the winners of their respective matches. Like the previous design, the plates are gold and on a black leather strap. The letter "X" again dominates the center plate with smaller letters "N" and "T" sitting on the left and right sides, respectively. On this new design, however, the letters are on an octagonal shaped plate. Above the "X" is the WWE logo, while below the "X" is a banner that reads "Champion". Simple ornamentation with some silver fills in the rest of the plate. Coming in line with the majority of WWE's other championships, the new design includes side plates with a removable center section that can be customized with the champion's logo; the default plates feature the WWE logo.[12]

Reigns[]

Main article: List of NXT Champions

As of March 11, 2022, there have been 26 reigns among 20 different champions and three vacancies. The inaugural champion was Seth Rollins. Samoa Joe has the most reigns at three. Adam Cole's reign is the longest singular reign at 396 days (recognized as 403 days by WWE due to tape delay), while Karrion Kross' first reign is the shortest at 4 days (recognized as 3 days by WWE) as he had to relinquish the title due to a legitimate injury he suffered in winning it. Finn Bálor has the longest combined reign at 504 days. Bo Dallas holds the record as the youngest champion, winning the title two days before his 23rd birthday (although WWE recognizes it was 18 days after his 23rd birthday due to tape delay), while Samoa Joe is the oldest champion, winning the title at 42.

Dolph Ziggler is the current champion in his first reign. He defeated previous champion Bron Breakker and Tommaso Ciampa in a triple threat match at the Roadblock on March 8, 2022 in Orlando, Florida.

Notes[]

  1. ^ 403 days as recognized by WWE due to the episode airing on tape delay.
  2. ^ 3 days as recognized by WWE.
  3. ^ WWE recognizes that Dallas won the title when he was 23 years, 18 days old due to the date of his championship win airing on tape delay.

References[]

  1. ^ Parry, Josh (July 26, 2012). "NXT spoiler – first champion crowned". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved July 26, 2012.
  2. ^ James, Justin (September 5, 2012). "JAMES'S WWE NXT REPORT 8/29 – Week 11: First NXT champion crowned in big-match setting". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved September 8, 2012.
  3. ^ James, Justin (November 19, 2016). "JAMES' NXT TAKEOVER: TORONTO REVIEW 11/19: Nakamura vs. Joe, Asuka vs. James, #DIY vs. The Revival, and more". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
  4. ^ Csonka, Larry (May 10, 2016). "Triple H Discusses NXT as a Third Brand, Putting Talent in a Position to Succeed, More". 411mania.
  5. ^ Rollins, Khadrice (August 19, 2019). "NXT moving to cable TV on Sept. 18". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved September 8, 2019.
  6. ^ "NXT Championship". WWE. Fulfilling a prophecy first laid out by WWE Chairman Mr. McMahon years earlier, Drew McIntyre captured a world championship in a WWE ring when he defeated Bobby Roode to claim the NXT Title at TakeOver: Brooklyn III.
  7. ^ Burdick, Michael (February 5, 2021). "SmackDown results, Feb. 5, 2021: Owens attacks Reigns as Edge's WrestleMania opponent remains a mystery". WWE. Retrieved February 16, 2021. In the wake of his Herculean effort, The Rated-R Superstar traveled first to Raw to inform WWE Champion Drew McIntyre that whomever he decided to face, he would be walking out of The Show of Shows with the World Title. He then ventured to NXT and put both NXT Champion Finn Bálor and Pete Dunne on notice as well.
  8. ^ Thomas, Jeremy (February 3, 2021). "NXT Title Match Set For NXT Takeover: Vengeance Day, Edge Hints at Possibly Challenging Winner". 411mania. Retrieved February 16, 2021. Edge noted he will be watching the Takeover [NXT Championship] match and may challenge the winner of that match if he hasn't decided who he will challenge by then.
  9. ^ Stewart, Rob. "Stew's Thoughts on NXT Takeover: Vengeance Day". 411mania. Retrieved February 16, 2021. ...if Karrion Kross hadn't gotten injured, we wouldn't have Finn Bálor and his Opponent Of The Month actively trying to bludgeon each other in a ring for a world title.
  10. ^ Matthews, Graham (February 12, 2021). "Finn Balor Shoots on NXT, Bullet Club, Potential WWE WrestleMania 37 Match, More". Bleacher Report. Retrieved February 16, 2021. For the first time ever, the NXT Championship is officially among the top titles the men's Royal Rumble winner can choose to contend for at WrestleMania.
  11. ^ Burdick, Michael (February 21, 2021). "Universal Champion Roman Reigns vs. Edge". WWE. Retrieved February 22, 2021. In the wake of his Herculean effort, The Rated-R Superstar traveled to Raw, NXT and SmackDown to scope out the World Champions before declaring that he would not announce which World Champion he would challenge until after WWE Elimination Chamber.
  12. ^ WWE (April 1, 2017). "EXCLUSIVE: WWE NXT General William Regal arrives at WrestleMania Axxess with a HUGE announcement regarding NXT TakeOver: Orlando!". Facebook. Retrieved April 1, 2017.

External links[]

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