In 2010, NXT began as a reality game show to introduce WWE’s developmental talent to main roster audiences before becoming strictly a developmental wrestling promotion in 2012. In the years since, NXT evolved into the company’s “third brand,” so it’s devoted to showcasing buzzworthy WWE talent as much as it is to helping burgeoning talent hone their television skills in preparation for future superstardom.
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As a result, the brand has kept some performers around for longer than they have in the past, as well as bringing back some main roster talent whose abilities would be better served on NXT. Here are ten NXT stars who have been on the show the longest.
10 Velveteen Dream (October 2015)
First introduced to audiences in 2015 via the WWE reality show Tough Enough, Patrick Clark debuted for NXT in February of 2016 under his real name. It would be more than a year before Clark would reinvent himself as Velveteen Dream, becoming a huge hit with NXT fans through his absurd Prince-seque persona and a strong feud with Aleister Black.
Since then, he’s managed to capture the NXT North American Championship and took part in NXT Championship feuds with Tommaso Ciampa and Adam Cole.
9 Oney Lorcan (September 2015)
Oney Lorcan had become a known commodity to wrestling fans thanks to his work as Biff Busick for Combat Zone Wrestling, EVOLVE, and Pro Wrestling Guerrilla before signing with WWE in 2015.
Lorcan would take part in a violent little rivalry with Danny Burch, resulting in the two forming a babyface tag team affectionately referred to by fans as “Oney and Twoey.” Since then, Oney has wrestled as both a singles competitor and tag team specialist on NXT, 205 Live, and NXT UK.
8 Tommaso Ciampa (August 2015)
Before he developed a reputation with indie fans thanks to stints in Ring of Honor and Pro Wrestling Guerrilla, Tommaso Ciampa had been in WWE developmental back in 2007, where he spent about six months in Ohio Valley Wrestling before being released.
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However, in 2015, Ciampa was introduced in NXT, teaming with Johnny Gargano in the very first Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic. Ciampa would officially sign with NXT in 2016, and his relationship with Gargano would result in some of the show’s biggest storylines.
7 Johnny Gargano (August 2015)
Nicknamed “Johnny Wrestling,” Chikara, EVOLVE, and Dragon Gate USA star Johnny Gargano debuted for NXT alongside Ciampa and was also not officially signed with the company.
However, Gargano and Ciampa would soon become fan favorites of the promotion, with Ciampa’s betrayal of Gargano becoming one of the most shocking heel turns in NXT history. Reportedly, Gargano has turned down offers to move to the main roster, which may result in him becoming the longest-tenured NXT star soon enough.
6 Alexander Wolfe (April 2015)
Known in the European wrestling scene as Axel Tischer, Alexander Wolfe signed with WWE in 2015, where he could be seen as a jobber on NXT. By Fall 2016, Wolfe would re-debut as a “real” character as part of SAnitY, a stable of chaotic crust punks.
SAnitY would move on to SmackDown only to be quietly broken up. Wolfe would find himself back on NXT, now a part of the NXT UK stable Imperium.
5 Finn Balor (July 2014)
Prince Devitt was a star of NJPW’s Junior Heavyweight division and the founder of Bullet Club when he signed to WWE in July of 2014, and debuted as Finn Balor, Hideo Itami’s backup in a feud with The Ascension.
He’d capture the NXT Championship before moving on to the main roster, where he’d become the first WWE Universal Champion, but had a lackluster several years before returning to NXT with a new attitude in 2019.
4 Kona Reeves (May 2014)
Trained by Afa of the Wild Samoans, Kona Reeves signed with NXT in 2014 and even took part in the first Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic in 2015. He’s often been used as a jobber since with a vaguely Hawaiian surfer gimmick, but in 2018 he debuted a Ric Flair-esque persona, dubbing himself “The Finest.”
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Since that 2018 renaissance, Reeves’ profile has lowered in NXT, with a series of losses and him largely being unseen on NXT television except for a lone match in 2020 and often appearing in the crowd in the Performance Center shows.
3 Tyler Breeze (May 2012)
Tyler Breeze’s time with WWE predates NXT, as he signed with the company in 2010, back when Florida Championship Wrestling was WWE’s developmental promotion. When FCW was relaunched as NXT, Breeze showed up under his FCW persona of Mike Dalton in early episodes but was mostly treated like a jobber.
In 2013, he reinvented himself as Tyler Breeze, immediately winning over crowds like Velveteen Dream would years later. After a disastrous main roster run, he’d return to NXT in 2019.
2 Danny Burch (Late 2011)
Martin Stone began making a splash on the European and indie scene when he signed to WWE in 2011, debuting on NXT television in mid-2012. As Danny Burch, he’d mostly appear as a jobber and was ultimately released in 2014.
After about a year, however, he’d return to NXT and resign with the company, taking part in the tournament to crown the first WWE United Kingdom champion and forming a tag team with Oney Lorcan.
1 Fandango (December 2010)
Going beyond even Tyler Breeze, Fandango’s time with WWE dates back to 2006, when Deep South Wrestling was WWE’s developmental promotion. Eventually, WWE would end its relationship with Deep South, and ‘Dango would end up in FCW.
He’d first show up on NXT back when in its reality game show days, wrestling and running obstacle courses as Johnny Curtis. After winning Season Four of NXT, he’d eventually get repackaged as the ballroom dancing Fandango and align with Tyler Breeze, returning to NXT with his partner in 2019.
