As is the case every year, the WWE NXT roster has underwent plenty of change in 2026 with several arrivals and departures on the brand throughout the year.
Many of the NXT alum that have made the biggest impact on Raw and SmackDown this year, such as Oba Femi, Trick Williams and Jacy Jayne, left NXT after becoming NXT Champion at least once.
While not everyone has to reach that level of success in NXT to become a top star on main roster, it is often a good indicator of things to come in the career of a WWE superstar.
Looking at the current NXT roster, there are many candidates to potentially break out and reach the very top of the show in 2027.
Here are three stars that could capture the NXT Championship in 2027:
Zilla Fatu
Zilla Fatu has arguably been WWE NXTs most exciting new arrival of 2026. While a lot of Zilla’s buzz comes due to his last name, it is not just his future Bloodline potential that has people excited.
With just three years under his belt in pro wrestling, Zilla has undeniable charisma and confidence on the microphone and in the ring.
While he is already standing out as a future top player on the main roster, firstly, he should be getting to the top of NXT and establishing himself as the first within his family to win the brand’s top prize.
Cruz Montana
Arriving weeks before Zilla Fatu, Cruz Montana was another exciting addition to the men’s NXT roster that helped filled the void left by the likes of Ethan Page, Joe Hendry and Ricky Saints.
While he initially debuted with his sights set on dethroning Tony D’Angelo for the NXT Championship, Montana, like Zilla Fatu, has pivoted away from the title scene over the past few months.
Putting him in a feud with Dion Lennox has proven to be a smart move on WWE’s part, as it has allowed Montana to open himself up and show some vulnerability by discussing his real-life struggles and what he’s been through to get to this point in his career.
While he will have stiff competition for the top spot, Montana feels like one of the safest bets to capture the NXT Championship in 2027.
Zaria
From new arrivals on NXT to a more familiar presence on Tuesday nights, NXT Women’s North American Champion Zaria is someone who could also be described as a safe bet to win her first NXT Women’s Title in 2027.
She now has two years under her belt in WWE NXT, has portrayed both a babyface and a heel and has competed in singles competition and in a tag team alongside Sol Ruca.
Despite being one of WWE’s brightest young stars, Sol Ruca never won the NXT Women’s Title, and WWE could very well go the same path with Zaria by calling her up before she reaches the top of the brand.
While she certainly is ready to make the move to Raw or SmackDown in many ways, there has also been a lot of call-ups this year, so WWE would be better allowing Zaria to finish off her NXT Women’s North American Title run, before progressing towards the brand’s top prize in 2027.
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