Three NXT Stars Tipped to Win Titles in 2027

NXT has gone through its usual roster churn in 2026, with names like Oba Femi, Trick Williams and Jacy Jayne all graduating to Raw and SmackDown after capturing the NXT Championship on the black-and-gold brand. That pattern has made the title feel like a genuine launching pad rather than just a developmental accolade, and it raises an obvious question heading into 2027: who’s next in line?

Three names stand out as strong candidates to become first-time champions on NXT over the coming year.

Zilla Fatu, son of the late Umaga, has been one of the most talked-about arrivals of 2026. While plenty of that attention stems from his Bloodline bloodline, he’s backed it up with genuine charisma on the mic and natural instincts in the ring despite having only a few years of in-ring experience. Before he inevitably gets the call to the main roster and whatever Bloodline storylines await him there, there’s a strong case for NXT giving him a run as champion first — a way of having him stake his own claim rather than riding purely on his family name.

Cruz Montana, who debuted around the same time as Fatu, originally arrived with ambitions of dethroning Tony D’Angelo for the NXT Championship before shifting focus. His current program with Dion Lennox has let him show a more vulnerable, grounded side by opening up about his real-life journey to professional wrestling, and that kind of character work often sets up a title run down the line. Of the three names here, Montana may be the safest bet to end up NXT Champion in 2027, even with a crowded field of contenders around him.

On the women’s side, current NXT Women’s North American Champion Zaria fits a similar profile. Two years into her NXT run, she’s worked as both a babyface and a heel, competed in singles and in a tag team with Sol Ruca, and built the kind of résumé that usually precedes a run with the promotion’s top women’s title. Notably, Ruca herself never captured the NXT Women’s Championship before her call-up, and WWE could easily follow that same path with Zaria. Given how many names have already been promoted to the main roster in 2026, there’s an argument for NXT letting her finish out her North American Title reign and build toward the bigger prize before graduating.

None of this is set in stone — NXT booking has a way of zigging when fans expect a zag — but all three represent the kind of character work and momentum that has historically preceded a run with the brand’s top championships. If history is any guide, at least one of these names should be holding NXT gold at some point in the new year.