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Aleister Black heading to the ring.
Aleister Black heading to the ring.Credit: WWE.com

10 WWE and NXT Superstars Set to Make Biggest Impact in 2018

The Doctor Chris MuellerDec 30, 2017

The end of the year is usually a time of reflection for the WWE Universe. People like to think about what the best matches were and which Superstars left marks on the company.

It's also a time to start thinking about the future. The WWE roster is loaded to the brim with talented wrestlers, and 2018 could be a breakout year for many of them.

Some Superstars are already on the main roster waiting for their chance to shine, while others are still working their way through the developmental system.

No matter where somebody is in the pecking order, anyone can earn themselves a push and end up with the WWE title. Just look at Jinder Mahal.

This article will look at the 10 WWE and NXT Superstars who will make the biggest impact in 2018. To keep things simple, teams will be counted as one entry.

Chad Gable

1 of 10

Chad Gable found himself all alone after WWE moved Jason Jordan to Raw in July so he could portray Kurt Angle's illegitimate son, but the former Olympian found a new partner in Shelton Benjamin.

Since forming this new duo, Gable has been putting on some of the best performances of his career in both tag team and singles matches.

He is the kind of Superstar who never stops adding things to his repertoire and constantly makes an effort to improve himself. Training for the Olympics tends to give an athlete that kind of work ethic.

Whether he finds success with Benjamin or on his own, 2018 is going to be the year of Gable. If he can continue to impress, it wouldn't be shocking to see him thrown into the main event scene before long.

Rusev and Aiden English

2 of 10

Rusev Day has taken on a life of its own in recent weeks. What started as a way for Rusev to gain heel heat has turned into the thing that might make him a babyface.

His partnership with Aiden English was a head-scratcher at first, but they quickly found their voice as a team and started entertaining the WWE Universe.

English's singing gimmick would have been a dud had he remained a singles star, but having him use it to boost Rusev's ego was a brilliant bit of booking.

Both men are good in the ring and on the mic. If WWE continues to let them win over the fans naturally, every single day in 2018 could be Rusev Day.

Aleister Black

3 of 10

Aleister Black is one of the most mysterious and intriguing characters in NXT, and if WWE keeps pushing him like it has in the developmental system, he will be a huge hit on the main roster.

He's covered in tattoos, only speaks when it is necessary and somehow uses meditation to taunt his opponents. 

Black's in-ring style combines hard-hitting offense with innovative ground and aerial maneuvers, making him one of the more unpredictable Superstars in the company.

His match against Velveteen Dream at NXT TakeOver: WarGames stole the show in the eyes of many fans, so just imagine what he could do against someone like AJ Styles or Seth Rollins.

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Jason Jordan

4 of 10

The Jason Jordan experiment failed to make him a beloved babyface, but it may have inadvertently given us our next big heel.

Nobody is going to deny his technical ability. Everything he does in the ring is polished, and he has enough power to suplex just about anyone.

The thing people have been criticizing is his mic work, but many would argue that it's much easier to be a heel than a babyface because the bad guy always gets to have more fun.

If WWE decides to pull the trigger on a full-blown heel turn for Jordan, it could end up being the thing he needs to propel himself to the next level.

The Undisputed Era

5 of 10

Bobby Fish and Kyle O'Reilly's signings had a lot of fans excited to see what reDRagon could accomplish in WWE, and adding Adam Cole to the group gave NXT a brand-new stable to compete with Sanity.

The former Ring of Honor Superstars have already established themselves as a dangerous alliance, and their recent NXT Tag Team Championships victory has given the group some momentum.

We haven't seen a stable from NXT make a big impact on the main roster since The Shield in 2012, and some fans might say it doesn't count since Roman Reigns, Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose weren't a group in the developmental system.

WWE needs another supergroup to come in and shake things up. Fish, O'Reilly and Cole are the trio to help make it happen.

Johnny Gargano

6 of 10

Johnny Gargano is one of those Superstars who comes along and makes you think superheroes might be real because he can do anything and make it look easy.

His partnership and breakup with Tommaso Ciampa was one of the better storylines of 2017, but it was put on the back burner when Ciampa was injured.

When he returns, their rivalry is going to outshine anything on the main roster, and that will likely lead to both men being called up within the next 12 months.

Johnny Wrestling is going to be a huge hit with the WWE Universe because he appeals to every kind of wrestling fan.

Matt Hardy

7 of 10

Matt Hardy returned to WWE at WrestleMania 33 after spending a long time building up his greatest character in TNA.

Many wondered whether we would see Broken Hardy in WWE, and thankfully, we got out wish with his new Woken storyline with Bray Wyatt.

Hardy is a veteran performer with a large following, but he is about to experience the best run of his career if WWE continues to let him have creative control over his gimmick.

Once he moves past Wyatt, Hardy can focus on bringing in Senior Benjamin, Brother Nero and Reby Hardy to complete his family of oddballs.

As long as WWE doesn't water him down or force him to go back to his Team Xtreme character, Hardy could end up winning his first WWE Championship in 2018.

The Revival

8 of 10

The Revival was set to take the Raw tag team division by storm following the team's debut after WrestleMania, but injuries kept them from getting going.

With Scott Dawson and Dash Wilder back on the road, it's time for The Revival to run roughshod over every other team on Raw.

The Bar has been holding things down as the roughhousing heels this year, but both Cesaro and Sheamus are destined for future success as singles stars once WWE decides to break them up.

The Revival tore the house down in NXT every time they stepped in the ring with The Authors of Pain and DIY, so we already know they have the skills to be the best tag team in the company.

Cedric Alexander

9 of 10

If there is only one person in the cruiserweight division who deserves to be taken seriously as a contender for every title, it's Cedric Alexander.

Not only is he one of the greatest athletes in pro wrestling, but he is also one of the most innovative Superstars to come along in quite some time.

The WWE style has hindered him somewhat, but anyone who saw his work in Ring of Honor or during the Cruiserweight Classic knows he is a once-in-a-lifetime pro wrestler.

He would have some amazing matches with the likes of Finn Balor and The Prince of Phenomenal, and he could even get great performances out of guys twice his size like Reigns and Braun Strowman.

Even if he remains on 205 Live for the entire year, there is little doubt Alexander will be one of the top performers in 2018.

Braun Strowman

10 of 10

2017 may have been Braun Strowman's breakout year, but he is just scratching the surface of what he is capable of.

When he finally gets his hands on the Universal or WWE Championship, it's hard to imagine anyone being able to take it away from him without employing weapons of mass destruction.

Strowman's natural athleticism puts him in a different category from most of the super heavyweights in the business, and that's a good thing.

He has been able to separate himself from other giants like Kane and Big Show by using moves they would never consider and constantly surprising us with new ways to hurt people.

His rise to the top in 2017 was a lot of fun, and it doesn't look like WWE plans on slowing his push anytime soon.


We saw a lot of great Superstars rise through the ranks in 2017, but pro wrestling is always evolving and finding new stars. Who do you think will make the biggest impact in 2018?

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