Thanks in large part to the efforts of Triple H, WWE has built the next great generation of superstars. The days of legends like Triple H, John Cena, Randy Orton and The Undertaker headlining the shows are long gone. Now, it's about the likes of Seth Rollins, Roman Reigns, Daniel Bryan, New Day, Becky Lynch and Kevin Owens, among others.
WWE has hit so many home runs when it comes to signing new talents throughout the years. Simply put, it's impossible to know where the product would be without the current and future main event talents. Here are the top 10 signings made by WWE over the past five years.
10 Drew McIntyre
McIntyre left the WWE in 2014, and he later joined the Insane Championship Wrestling, Evolve, TNA and Pro Wrestling Guerrilla promotions. In April 2017, McIntyre rejoined WWE and he was assigned to the NXT brand.
McIntyre joined WWE's main roster once again after moving to Raw via the 2018 Superstar Shake-Up. He and Dolph Ziggler teamed up to win the Raw Women's Championships - before dropping them to Dean Ambrose and Seth Rollins after a 49-day reign. The former NXT and Intercontinental Champion remains a favorite of Vince McMahon's, and it feels like only a matter of time until he gets a deserved main event push.
9 Aleister Black
Black spent over a decade on the independent circuit, and his perseverance finally paid off when WWE signed him in 2016. Like other superstars who will appear on this list, Black became instrumental in helping build up the NXT brand. Black even won the NXT Championship, and he endured a nice 108-day reign with the company.
Black debuted for the WWE's main roster this past February, and he's poised to receive a big push in the near future. Overall, the returns on this signing have been tremendous for WWE.
8 Asuka
Asuka joined WWE in the summer of 2015, and it was clear from the very beginning that she was going to be a special talent for the company. The Empress of Tomorrow won the NXT Women's Championship at the NXT TakeOver: Dallas pay-per-view, and she was named the Female Competitor of the Year in 2016 and 2017.
Asuka embarked on an incredible undefeated streak that lasted 914 days. She won the first women's Royal Rumble in 2018, and on top of that, Asuka is the one-time SmackDown Women's Champion. Her and Kairi Sane currently hold the Women's Tag Team titles.
7 Finn Balor
After an illustrious run in New Japan Pro-Wrestling, Finn Balor signed with the WWE in the summer of 2014. Like Asuka, it didn't take Balor to establish himself as an up-and-coming main event talent. Balor joined the main roster in 2016, and he became the very first Universal Champion at SummerSlam 2016. Unfortunately, Balor had to relinquish the title after suffering a shoulder injury.
He hasn't been in the main event run since, but Balor remains a popular and accomplished mid-card superstar on the WWE roster. He's among the best in-ring performers in the company right now.
6 Samoa Joe
After spending several years as one of the top superstars in TNA, Samoa Joe joined WWE in 2015. He first showed up for the company at NXT TakeOver: Unstoppable, and Joe would never look back.
Samoa Joe became one of the top faces of NXT, during his run there, winning the NXT Championship twice. He debuted for the main roster in early 2017, and Joe has been a main stay here ever since. It's disappointing that the WWE hasn't given Samoa Joe a true main event push yet, but you have to think his time is coming soon.
5 Adam Cole
Cole became a household name in the wrestling world during his runs in Ring of Honor (where he won three World Championships) and Pro Wrestling Guerrilla. It was an absolute game changer when WWE signed Cole in Aug. 2017. His first match with the company took place at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn III.
Since then, Cole has developed as a can't-miss talent on the NXT brand, as he continues to bring more and more relevance to the show. He's currently holder of the NXT Championship, having captured the title at NXT TakeOver: XXV. And when he eventually joins the main roster? WWE's product will be in even better hands.
4 Ronda Rousey
After Rousey left UFC, there were ongoing rumors that she would join the WWE. It really only felt like a matter of time, and WWE did a great job in keeping it a secret up until she appeared at the 2018 Royal Rumble. Rousey arrived as advertised in WWE, providing a major boost to an already surging women's division. She dazzled in her WrestleMania 34 debut match, and Rousey emerged as a top-tier babyface talent.
Along with Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch, Rousey made history by taking part in the first women's WrestleMania main event this past April. It's safe to say that her transition from the octagon to the squared circle has been nothing short of a massive success.
3 Shinsuke Nakamura
Nakamura was one of the top wrestlers in New Japan Pro-Wrestling for over a decade and a half, and he developed quite the profile as one of the world's elite talents not signed to WWE. But that all changed in early 2016, when it was announced that WWE had signed the three-time IWGP World Heavyweight Champion.
His first match for the company took place at NXT TakeOver: Dallas, where Nakamura was able to beat Sami Zayn. Nakamura won the NXT Championship twice during his time there. A year later, Nakamura would join the SmackDown Live roster following WrestleMania 33. He quickly became one of the most beloved and admired superstars, thanks to a flashy entrance and incredible in-ring talents. Nakamura won the men's 2018 Royal Rumble, and he's a two-time United States Champion.
2 Kevin Owens
WWE signed Kevin Owens in the summer of 2014, and he debuted at NXT TakeOver: R Evolution on Dec. 11, 2014 - where he made fairly easy work of CJ Parker in a pinfall victory. Owens also won the NXT Championship at NXT TakeOver: Rival, where he defeated Sami Zany.
Owens developed quickly in NXT, and WWE promoted him to the main roster in May 2018, where he began to feud with the company's top star, John Cena. Over five years after signing with WWE, K.O. remains one of their most beloved superstars. He became the second Universal Champion in 2016, and Owens has three United States Championships and a pair of Intercontinental titles on his resume as well.
1 A.J. Styles
The Phenomenal One had excellent tenures in TNA, New Japan Pro-Wrestling and Ring of Honor, but he had yet to begin a chapter in the WWE ring. Finally, everything came together in 2016.
Styles debuted for the WWE as an unexpected entry at the 2016 Royal Rumble, having all but confirmed that he had joined the company. He then emerged as a top main event babyface on the roster - entering feuds with other elite talents like John Cena and Roman Reigns.
Styles helped build the SmackDown Live brand during his three years there, winning two WWE Championships along the way. In fact, Styles has made it clear that he plans to retire right here in WWE. He will easily go down as one of the greatest signings in the company's history, having emerged as a prime main eventer in the PG Era.