Marshall's nxTop nxTen

Spoiler alert: the #1 thing I'm looking forward to about Saturday is getting together with my SCW bros!  It's always the funnest.  I'm looking forward to seeing you guys so much, it makes this list seem silly.  But it's not, it's totally serious.  These are the top ten NXT roster members I'm looking forward to seeing the most!!!!!

10. Johnny Gargano Almost everyone on this list are wrestlers who I've seen for years on video, but never in-person.  Johnny Gargano is a guy whose career I've followed for maybe 5 or 6 years, being featured on shows that I would've loved to have been at.  He has a distinct energy in the ring that I think will be even better in-person.

9. Heavy Machinery Why would I rank them above Gargano?  Because I really want to see what they look like with my own eyes.  I am fascinated with the aesthetic of Heavy Machinery.

8. Bobby Roode While I've been critical of the champ, calling attention to a perceived juxtaposition between the flash of his character and the meatandpotatoes of his in-ring style, he's still a great wrestler.  I wouldn't be surprised if I felt kinda mark-y if he came out and doused us with a heapin helpin of star power.

7. Hideo Itami The second half of the best Bobby Roode match I've ever seen, and possibly one of the most influential wrestlers of his (our) generation.  At least in the sense of our favorite WWE wrestlers using moves he innovated as their finishers.  Since he's generally been positioned in NXT as a big match guy, I'm very curious what he might do on a house show.  He could have a barnburner with anybody.

6. Aleister Black Has a physical style I'm looking forward to seeing in-person, and I want to see if his gimmick stuff looks as cool as it does on TV.  It looks amazing on TV.

5. Asuka The only wrestler on the list who we saw last year.  Even beyond this short list, if you look down the entire roster of NXT, she's one of (I think) only three who were there a year ago, the others being No Way Jose and Tino "Too Much Taint" Sabbatelli.  Asuka is one the best overall performers in the entire WWE.  Right up there with AJ, Joe, Owens, Charlotte, or whoever.

4. reDRagon It was officially announced on Wednesday that Bobby Fish signed with NXT.  Kyle O'Reilly did a show for NXT but hasn't been officially signed yet.  I don't know if they'll be on the show.  It seems doubtful, but who knows.  If they do show up, individually or as a team, I'm gonna be grinning a big toothy grin like a total moron.

3. Roderick Strong With his stupendous catalogue of work, Roddy will always be a legend to me.  In NXT, the video packages of his life were the best non-wrestling things that have ever been on the show, and even though I was disappointed that he didn't win his title-shot match, I still appreciate that his character is a long-term underdog that's going to get a huge pop someday.  As fans, that can keep us hanging on forever when it's done well.  And Roddy's great.

2.  Nikki Cross Really fun to watch wrestle.  I have never used this idiom before, but I've got "nothing but time" for Nikki Cross.  I'm really not the type to celebrity crush on people, and when I do, they're usually guy comedians that I just really want to hang out with.  That being said, I want to hang out with Nikki Cross.

1. Kassius Ohno At the time he was signed, he was one of my top 3 favorite wrestlers in the world, with AJ and Okada.  I don't watch the NXT show every week, so I've missed some of what he's done there, and I don't even have a firm grasp on where he stands on the card.  I wonder if he (along with Bobby Fish, and maybe even Roddy) is seen by the office as kind of a journeyman dude who's there to help train younger talents how to work, or if they have intentions to push him.  Either way, he can do nothing but improve anything he has a hand in, because he's one of wrestling's greatest assets.


Hey, do you guys remember when Nakamura came out, and we all held hands, and then he did a cool, light comedy match against the Drifter?  Or when Finn Balor did his sexy entrance and the entire arena collectively opened their mouths to receive, and then he had a brawly match with Samoa Joe?  Or when American Alpha and the Revival had a great match with highspots that mattered?  Or when Poncho Man embarrassed the shit out of me by screaming "ANGRY MOM" at Nia Jax?  I can't wait to build more memories this weekend!  I also hope we can spend some quality time catching up and watching some WCW or whatever.  Love u dudes!