Top Five Potential NXT Championship Feuds for Tommaso Ciampa

WWE has crowned two new champions this week. First was Big E, who cashed in his Money in the Bank contract on Bobby Lashley to win the WWE Championship on Monday Night Raw. The very next night on the debut episode of NXT 2.0, Tommaso Ciampa prevailed in a fatal 4-way that also included Pete Dunne, LA Knight, and Von Wagner to win his second NXT Championship.

We’ve already put together a list of dream opponents for Big E to defend his WWE Title against. So now we’ll take a look at Ciampa and discuss some potential challengers for his precious Goldie.

Pete Dunne

With news surfacing that Pete Dunne has signed a new contract with WWE, an NXT Championship win could definitely be in his future. The former NXT UK Champion might even be the guy who dethrones Tommaso Ciampa — it would certainly be great if Dunne won the NXT Title at least once before being called up to the main roster. If that happens, we can probably expect the match to be a brutal showcase of violence between the two men.

The Bruiserweight is just 27 years old, so he has a world of potential and incredible matches ahead of him. That’s very exciting considering he’s already shown a wealth of talent and has some classic matches under his belt. Here’s hoping Dunne and Ciampa tear it up for the NXT Championship at some point in the near future.

Isaiah “Swerve” Scott

The leader of Hit Row is currently holding the NXT North American Championship, but given his athletic in-ring ability, it’s obvious that Isaiah “Swerve” Scott is capable of going for the big prize. Like Pete Dunne, Swerve has a veteran-like skillset, and he’s easily one of the best talkers on NXT.

A program between Tommaso Ciampa and Swerve would be nothing short of entertaining. Whether it’s for Ciampa’s Goldie, or just a champion-versus-champion grudge match, it would be awesome to see the two wrestlers’ difference in styles collide.

Cameron Grimes

Cameron Grimes has the distinction of being the last Million Dollar Champion — at least until WWE decides to bring that title back again. That said, Grimes has consistently been one of the highlights of NXT since debuting for the brand as part of the first NXT Breakout Tournament back in 2019. Whether he plays a face or heel, the Richest Man in NXT is consistently entertaining, possessing a fun arsenal of moves and great mic skills.

Outside of WWE, Cameron Grimes has held gold in Impact Wrestling and PWG, among other promotions. Here’s hoping he gets a shot at the NXT Title soon, as a match-up against Tommaso Ciampa would be really cool.

Kyle O’Reilly

It was a huge disappointment to see Kyle O’Reilly removed from the NXT Championship fatal 4-way on the NXT 2.0 launch episode. As such, it’s obvious he has some scores to settle. He’s been chasing the NXT Title for some time now, and though he’s been a fairly laidback wrestler, O’Reilly has shown that he does indeed possess a mean streak.

O’Reilly uses a mix of hard-hitting strikes and painful submissions, so a feud with Tommaso Ciampa for the NXT Championship would very likely be an intense affair. Hopefully he does get his opportunity at the gold, and if he does so against the current champ, fans who love a good fight are in store for a real treat.

Timothy Thatcher

Tommaso Ciampa and Timothy Thatcher have been on opposite sides of the ring as opponents and on the same side as a super-violent tag team. The duo earned each other’s respect after a brutal fight pit match that led to Ciampa and Thatcher taking on some of NXT’s top tag teams together. It’s always felt like the two have unfinished business, though.

While Thatcher was removed from action after being jumped by Pete Dunne and Ridge Holland, he could come back any day and challenge Tommaso Ciampa once more, this time for the NXT Championship. Thatcher previously had Ciampa’s number, so he would pose a legitimate threat to his tag partner’s title reign. Not to mention, if their previous feud is any indication, we’d be treated to a truly brutal and action-packed bout.

Honorable Mention: Kushida

The current NXT Cruiserweight Champion is set to defend his title against Roderick Strong of Diamond Mine. Whether he retains or not, Kushida is one of those special talents who could easily cross over between the Cruiserweight and NXT Title divisions. He’s an incredible talent that will hopefully someday hold the top prize on NXT. In the meantime, though, a program with Ciampa would very much be a fresh and exciting feud for the new NXT.