15. Ricochet
We’ve reached the No. 15 spot on the countdown, and it’s reserved for one of the greatest high-fliers to grace a WWE ring in a long time. He is a former NXT North American Champion and a Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic winner: The One and Only Ricochet!
Wrestling fans who knew of Ricochet prior to his NXT debut knew it was only a matter of time before this talented athlete graced the black and gold brand. He probably would have made his debut with the company sooner had it not been for issues with his contract in Lucha Underground, where he wrestled as Prince Puma.
Ricochet finally made his long-awaited debut on the NXT roster at NXT TakeOver: Philadelphia sitting front row. This is always a telling sign from Triple H and company when they place a newly-signed talent in this spot. It shows they already have faith in them and have big plans for him in the future.
We didn’t have to wait long for that future to arrive, as at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn IV, Ricochet defeated Adam Cole to become only the second North American champion in the history of the company. Ricochet made his surprising debut on the main roster in February on the road to WrestleMania, something the company hardly ever does.
Luckily for Ricochet, he was able to stay afloat during that time with his makeshift tag team partner, Aleister Black. The duo went on to challenge for all three sets (Raw, SmackDown, NXT) of men’s tag team titles in a seven-day span, something that has never happened before. Although they didn’t capture any of those titles, it’s with great certainty that we say Ricochet will be a huge singles star for the WWE for years to come.