5. Roderick Strong
Strong lands on the list because he paired up with the Authors of Pain and got to represent in that inaugural WarGames match. Due to that alliance, he also had a decent TV main event against Adam Cole, until all hell broke loose and the Undisputed Era interfered. Strong had a few noticeable moments in that brilliant mess of a match at Takeover, but where will it lead him next?
The AOP alliance is likely finished and Strong needs to get back on track to becoming the nXt champion. The problem is that there are a number of guys who can stake a stronger claim to that #1 contendership than him. He’ll get a chance to qualify, but I’ll be very surprised if he wins. The story just isn’t there.

4. Drew McIntyre
It’s been a tough go for McIntyre, enduring that arm injury and a championship loss simultaneously. Being nXt champion gave him main event status throughout November. His encounters with Almas attempted to gain sympathy from fans as he was unfairly attacked multiple times. Fans were looking forward to seeing him overcome Almas at Takeover, but it wasn’t meant to be.
Should he return to nXt TV, McIntyre has to avenge that title loss and get even with Almas. Perhaps the arm injury provides him with a clean way to transition to the main roster though?

3. Johnny Gargano
You guys, you guys, you guys, the Gargano championship run has begun. If you are a fan of “Johnny Wrestling”, then your life must be a little sweeter these days. Sure, Gargano didn’t get a spot on the Takeover: Houston card, but look at the last few weeks of nXt TV. He’s main-evented twice, becoming the first non-UK wrestler to challenge for the UK Championship on TV and he qualified for the #1 Contender’s Fatal Four-Way by defeating Kassius Ohno in a highly praised, hard-striking match last week.

Fans are getting behind him and it’s now gone beyond the sympathy they feel for Ciampa splitting up their tag team in the spring. The way he’s delivering in ring, Gargano should be considered a strong possibility to face Almas at Takeover: Philadelphia. If not, then expect a high profile grudge match instead.

2. Lars Sullivan
From November 15th to December 6th, there is only one man who was featured consistently on nXt TV. Lars Sullivan had either a match, a promo or a backstage interview for 5 consecutive shows and that includes Takeover: Houston where he defeated Kassius Ohno in the opening bout.
Do you need any more proof that the push is on for big Lars? Now that we are hearing more about what he thinks and not just what he’s physically capable of in the ring, we are starting to see a full character forming (#sorryembermoon). It will be a surprise if he does not qualify for the Fatal Four-Way and it will be a second surprise if he doesn’t come out of that match with a feud for Takeover. He’s poised for big things. Maybe a big match with Killian Dain would be appropriate.

1. Aleister Black
Is it too bold of me to say that Aleister Black is a match of the night candidate before he even steps into the ring? Black didn’t get hardly any TV time leading up to Takeover: Houston but, in his case, less is better. The way he is presented, as this other-worldly, mysterious figure, it wouldn’t be to his benefit to appear each week.
His win over Velveteen Dream should be a sign to all nXt fans that he is ready for a title shot. Still undefeated, still has fans and critics singing his praises in the ring, still knocking guys out with Black Mass and still not saying their name until HE wants too, this dude is the real deal. Whether he wins the Fatal Four-Way or has to wait until Takeover: New Orleans, he should fight for the nXt Championship and he should win.

4. Ruby Riott
With Riott’s promotion to Smackdown Live, this will be her last time in the nXt Women’s rankings. She just completed a compelling feud with Sonya Deville and where she might have gone beyond that will never be known. Clearly, WWE officials have been impressed with her work- as have I. She’s a great choice to lead the Riott Squad stable, providing a much needed gritty, aggressive presence to the SD Live division.

3. Sonya Deville
Deville’s hard work over the past few months has landed her a promotion to RAW, where she is now teaming with Mandy Rose and Paige in Absolution. She won her final match in nXt, submitting Ruby Riott in their No Holds Barred match, a match that I would have gladly placed in the main event, had it not been for an even better match that followed them. Her MMA, shoot-fight style helps her stand out on a busy RAW women’s roster. Being associated with Paige should help her get established and benefit from increased TV time.

2. Peyton Royce & Billie Kay
The Iconic Duo continues to be the top foil of the nXt Women’s Division. They can be consistently relied upon to stir up trouble and controversy, and antagonize ladies into fighting them in the ring. Although Kay has had some struggles lately, losing a match to Sane before Takeover, Royce has done well for herself. She had a great showing in the Fatal Four-Way and although she lost to Sane post-Takeover, she’s already challenged Moon for a singles match. Anyone watching nXt right now has to be enjoying the antics of these two; they do Diva better than Total Divas.

1. Kairi Sane (Mae Young Women’s Tourney Winner)
Anything less than a Championship win would be a comedown for Sane after winning the inaugural Mae Young Women’s Invitational. She is brand new to Full Sail and to the WWE though, so fans haven’t quite connected with her yet. Despite that, nXt officials clearly hold her in high regard because she has benefitted from victories over Kay and Royce. It doesn’t look like she’ll be fighting Moon in a face vs. face match anytime soon though. Someone else will need to come along and engage her in a feud. Perhaps Nikki Cross would be perfect in that role.

4. Tino Sabbatelli & Riddick Moss
Although this team may never contend for a Tag Team Championship, they have been successful in helping to establish the Street Profits in the Tag Division. In November, Sabbatelli & Moss lost two TV matches and even crashed a Street Profits tailgate party outside Full Sail. All this TV time is good for them, but they won’t last unless they can steal a victory or interfere in a match to gain some heat.

3. Street Profits (Dawkins/Ford)
It was a big month for these party people, defeating Sabbatelli & Moss twice. Every week they show up, fans are getting more and more behind them. They’ve got a good team dynamic and some pretty fresh double team moves that will be interesting to watch against bigger teams like SAnitY and the Authors Of Pain…if they get a chance to challenge them. Maybe it’s best they stay away from them until they’re more established.

2. Authors Of Pain
It’s been a tough month for the formerly undefeated Authors of Pain. This isn’t a case where they should consider a new direction or fire their manager for someone new, both of which seem to be commonplace in sports talk across the world. It’s as though temporary losses are seen as all-encompassing and representative of a team’s future success. I don’t buy that. The Authors of Pain remain an intimidating force in nXt, despite their loss in the inaugural WarGames match at Takeover.
What’s hurting them is a lack of presence on weekly TV, and I should think a few matches or promos would be in order over the coming weeks. Will it get them a Takeover match?

1. Undisputed Era (Cole/Fish/O’Reilly)
These three stars from the indies have been a welcome presence in nXt, as far as the fans are concerned. For the existing roster, they’ve taken great offense to these barnstormers rolling in and thinking they’re kingpins.
But a big win at WarGames has to be noticed and has to be taken seriously. These guys are on a collision course with SAnitY for the tag titles and I don’t think it will end with next week’s challenge. This could extend into January and beyond.

Champions: SAnitY (Young/Wolfe/Dain)
Sure, the champs didn’t come out on top at WarGames, but look at how Young, Wolfe and Dain have been embraced by the fans. They’re not the clear cut bad guys they used to be; in fact, all three factions in WarGames have really straddled that line of face/heel. Young may have stolen the show with the effort he gave at Takeover and looked the part by taking that nasty bump to the head. Dain’s high-flying coast to coast move was a phenomenal sight to behold. This will be a difficult team to dethrone and their mystique continues to grow.
Some fans say they should move up to the main roster, and that time may yet come, but there’s plenty left to do for them in nXt. The WarGames didn’t settle their feud with the Undisputed Era and we can only hope it will lead to a Takeover: Philadelphia championship challenge.