2 WWE NXT Superstars that Buddy Murphy should face at WrestleMania 35

Ever since winning the Cruiserweight Championship at Super Show-Down in his home town of Melbourne, Australia, Buddy Murphy has been unstoppable on WWE 205 Live. At the Royal Rumble, he defeated Hideo Itami, Kalisto and Akira Tozawa which leave him with no genuine challengers. Murphy is genuinely one of the best performers that WWE has to offer in 2019, and although he's helped revitalize 205 Live into what a great show it's become, he deserves more, and if the company can't get behind a big bout at 'Mania, he may look for greener pastures.

After being put on the pre-show at the Royal Rumble, it's clear that something big needs to happen between now and WrestleMania for the cruiserweight to get back on the main show (where they belong), and for that to happen, we believe there are only 2 options for Murphy's next big challenger. Sure, the WWE are going to stack the WrestleMania card, so this one will ultimately end up on the pre-show no doubt, but Murphy and the rest of the 205 Live guys have been doing great work over the past year, and they deserve these, even if Alexander vs. Ali couldn't get on the 'Mania 34 card.

During his reign, Buddy has defended against the likes of Mustafa Ali, Cedric Alexander, and other great cruiserweights, and even though they aren't the biggest names, the stories are simple and the matches are great, but for some reason, WWE isn't getting behind it. WWE needs to invest in its cruiserweight division, or all of these talented performers will walk away. If the company want to put the best product possible on show at WrestleMania, it has to be one of these two men (or a suitable replacement, just not a multi-man match).

Ricochet

NXT is full of the most exciting athletes in the world, and while they aren't at the top level of WWE yet, many of them are main roster ready, and in terms of the 205 Live style, no one embodies that more than the One and Only, Ricochet. In his short time with the WWE, Ricochet has left fans speechless on more than one occasion, and his bouts with Velveteen Dream, Adam Cole and most recently, Johnny Gargano have all been incredible, and mixing that with the powerful style of Buddy Murphy would make for a great bout.

Sure, most people would hate to see Ricochet relegated to NXT, because he's that good, and will one day be a World Champion, but this would allow him to put his name out there in front of a massive audience. His time will eventually come, but if the WWE plays this right, Ricochet vs. Murphy could end up being the best bout on what is shaping up to be a stacked WrestleMania card.

Pete Dunne

The Bruiserweight is of the fastest rising stars in the WWE, and after his appearance at the Royal Rumble, it's clear that he's a top star in the making, so this would be a great way to give the wider WWE Universe a true look at his in-ring skillset. Sure, most people expect the cruiserweights to put on fast-paced bouts, but Pete Dunne doesn't work that style, and alongside The Best Kept Secret, that could work.

He still has priorities in NXT UK, but if the company keep pushing the longest reigning champion in the modern era, he will be a star in no time, and this is a great way to give him more exposure without pushing him too high, too fast. The style of the bout with Buddy would be completely different to what Ricochet would present, but both of them would be great, and if WWE really believes in 205 Live, this is the way to go about it at WrestleMania.

At the end of the day, the WWE is likely going to do what we expect and give us a multi-man match or a basic singles match on the pre-show, but 205 Live and Buddy have earned more than that, and the fans would love to see a big bout, even if it is just an exhibition and not for the cruiserweight title.