The best part about watching NXT is seeing new talent show up and build a career. Naturally, some work out better than others but that happens on any wrestling brand. The issue of names can get a little confusing though. Many wrestlers show up at NXT with their own ring names only to have a new one given to them.
That's not always the case, though. Some wrestlers get to maintain their name from the indies or other promotions, especially if it's highly recognizable. But it all just adds an extra layer of confusion when their real names start getting factored in.
10 Dartanyon Ruffin, AKA Leon Ruff
While he's only been on NXT for a short period of time, Leon Ruff has already made quite the name for himself. With the assistance of Damian Priest, Ruff defeated Johnny Gargano for the North American Championship. He may have lost the belt at WarGames but he also proved he's a talented wrestler.
Leon's real name is Dartanyon Ruffin which is unbelievably cool. Dartanyon might be a mouthful for some wrestling fans but it's a unique and memorable first name. It would have been interesting to hear the crowd chanting it.
9 Christopher Lindsey, AKA Roderick Strong
After his debut in 2000, Roderick Strong went on to build a career for himself around the world. Before he popped in NXT, he spent 16 years with other companies though his biggest successes were in Ring of Honor where he was referred to as the MVP of ROH.
While his real name is Christopher Lindsey, NXT fans certainly know him best by his ring name and as a member of Undisputed Era. He joined after an injury to Bobby Fish but being part of that faction has done well for him. Fans might think his ring name was his actual name.
8 Nhooph Al-Areebi, AKA Aliyah
Aliyah is one of those NXT wrestlers who always seems on the cusp of something great. Born Nooph Al-Areebi, the Toronto native joined NXT in 2015. She has been through a lot of changes during that time. Fans might know her real name from her appearance on WWE Network's Breaking Ground series.
Her tag team with Vanessa Borne came apart when Borne got called up to the main roster. Then, she joined the Robert Stone Brand but that story has seemingly ground to a halt. Aliyah doesn't get the credit she deserves for her in-ring skill and just needs the right storyline to shine.
7 Peter England, AKA Pete Dunne
As the second man to hold the NXT UK Championship, Pete Dunne has earned a reputation as a hard-hitting warrior in the ring. Ironically, Dunne's real name is Peter England, which might have been a little on the nose for a British wrestler holding a UK-based championship.
Dunne is one of those wrestlers who has all the potential in the world and could easily be Universal or WWE Champion one day. There are numerous main roster opponents fans dream about watching him face.
6 Jorge Alcantar Bolly, AKA Santos Escobar
At the moment, NXT has two Cruiserweight Champions. Prior to the pandemic, Jordan Devlin held the belt but was unable to defend it. As such, Santos Escobar won it and became the "interim" champion. There is a confrontation coming between these two, one that fans should be betting on Escobar to win.
Escobar's real name is Jorge Alcantar Bolly, which is actually pretty cool in its own way. That being said, fans might know him better as El Hijo del Fantasma or King Cuerno, a 20-year veteran. He dropped the name and the mask after becoming the NXT Cruiserweight Champion.
5 Samuel Shaw, AKA Dexter Lumis
Creepy gimmicks are a long-standing tradition in WWE. One of the greatest gimmicks of all time was The Undertaker. The recently retired character stalked the WWE for decades, having casket matches and using his mystical powers.
Dexter Lumis is an entirely different kind of creepy. He rarely talks and his unblinking gaze stares straight into a person's soul. Plus, he's actually a very talented artist, which has been worked into the gimmick. Dexter's real name is Samuel Shaw, which is still a creepy name on its own that he used in TNA.
4 Adrienne Reese, AKA Ember Moon
The former NXT Women's Champion moved to the main roster but wasn't able to find success. Inconsistent booking combined with an epically bad injury that sidelined her for a year certainly didn't help. A move back to NXT was the best thing for her as she has returned to being dominant in the ring.
Adrienne Reese started training in 2007, first under Skandor Akbar and then under the WWE Hall of Famer Booker T. Her recent injury was believed to be career-ending at one point, so everyone is happy to see her in action again.
3 Yanbo Wang, AKA Boa
Yanbo Wang was recruited to NXT after a tryout in Shanghai in 2016. He has actually been with the black and gold brand for four years, competing under the name Boa. But he has rarely gotten any screen time and has only recently started building any sort of character. A shoulder injury in November 2019 certainly didn't help that situation.
Boa recently returned to TV screens in October 2020. He and Xia Li started a program involving some mysterious person manipulating them from behind the scenes. Only time will tell if this angle is any good.
2 Masami Odate, AKA Io Shirai
Io Shirai has been a worldwide phenomenon in wrestling for 13 years. She's worked in Japan, Mexico, the US, and more, building a reputation as one of the best wrestlers around. Her days in the Japanese scene saw her work with numerous huge talents, including Kairi Sane, Asuka, and Hikaru Shida.
While she's worked under several ring names during her career, Shirai was born Masami Odate. The current NXT Women's Champion has found success on NXT, though a move to the main roster seems inevitable.
1 Austin Jenkins, AKA Adam Cole
Prior to his auspicious arrival in NXT, Adam Cole was a multi-time ROH World Champion as well as a Pro Wrestling Guerrilla World Champion. When he suddenly appeared at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn III in 2017 to attack Drew McIntyre, all the fans in attendance popped. They knew they were in for something special and they got it.
Under the name Adam Cole, he's the leader of Undisputed Era and a former NXT Champion. But as Austin Jenkins, he is the significant other of another popular wrestler, AEW's Dr. Britt Baker D.M.D.