We have compiled a list of the best NXT matches of 2020 according to Dave Meltzer’s ratings. Meltzer rates matches on a 5-star scale in his Wrestling Observer Newsletter (subscribe here). These matches have received a 4-star or above rating in 2020. Note: This only includes matches from NXT & NXT UK. You can read the same list but for the WWE main roster here.
Best NXT Matches Of 2020
DIY (Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano) vs Moustache Mountain (Tyler Bate and Trent Seven)
Event: WWE Worlds Collide (2020) | Rating: 4.00 Stars
DIY reunited to face off against Moustache Mountain at the WWE Worlds Collide event.
Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa won the match after about 22 minutes.
Bronson Reed vs Johnny Gargano vs Roderick Strong
Event: NXT (July 22nd, 2020) | Rating: 4.00 Stars
The July 22nd edition of NXT featured a triple threat match between Bronson Reed, Johnny Gargano, and Roderick Strong. This was a qualifier for the ladder match to crown a new NXT North American Champion.
Bronson Reed ended up winning in a fun match.
Finn Balor vs Timothy Thatcher
Event: NXT Takeover: 30 (2020)| Rating: 4.00 Stars
Finn Balor and Timothy Thatcher faced off in a singles match at NXT Takeover: 30.
Balor ended up winning after a good match.
Io Shirai vs Shotzi Blackheart
Event: WWE NXT (September 16th, 2020)| Rating: 4.00 Stars
Io Shirai and Shotzi Blackheart faced off on the September 16th episode of NXT. This was a non-title match.
They ended up putting on a really good match, with Shirai coming out victorious.
Breezango vs Imperium
Event: WWE NXT (September 16th, 2020)| Rating: 4.00 Stars
Breezango and Imperium faced off on the September 16th episode of NXT. This was for the NXT Tag Team Championships.
This was a good match, with Breezango coming out victorious.
Io Shirai vs Rhea Ripley
Event: WWE NXT (November 18th, 2020)| Rating: 4.00 Stars
Io Shirai and Rhea Ripley faced off in the main event of the November 18th episode of NXT. This was for the NXT Women’s Championship.
Shirai ended up winning after a really good match.
The Undisputed Era (Adam Cole, Roderick Strong, Bobby Fish, and Kyle O’Reilly) vs Imperium (WALTER, Marcel Barthel, Fabian Aichner, and Alexander Wolfe)
Event: WWE Worlds Collide (2020) | Rating: 4.25 Stars
The Undisputed Era and Imperium faced off in an 8-man tag team match at the WWE Worlds Collide event. Alexander Wolfe ended up getting knocked out cold during this match, leaving Imperium down a man.
Imperium ended up winning after about 30 minutes. WALTER picked up the pinfall victory for his team.
The BroserWeights (Matt Riddle and Pete Dunne) vs The Grizzled Young Veterans (James Drake and Zack Gibson)
Event: WWE NXT (January 29th, 2020) | Rating: 4.25 Stars
The Grizzled Young Veterans and The BroserWeights faced off in the finals of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic.
This turned out to be a good match, with Riddle and Dunne winning.
Keith Lee vs Dominik Dijakovic
Event: NXT Takeover: Portland (2020) | Rating: 4.25 Stars
Keith Lee and Dominik Dijakovic faced off in the opening match at Takeover: Portland. This was for Lee’s NXT North American Championship.
Lee and Dijakovic have put on some great matches in the past and this was no different. Lee ended up winning after about 20 minutes and the two embraced after the match.
Matt Riddle vs Timothy Thatcher
Event: WWE NXT (May 27th, 2020) | Rating: 4.25 Stars
Matt Riddle and Timothy Thatcher faced off in a ‘cage fight’ on the May 27th episode of NXT. Kurt Angle was the special guest referee for the match.
Thatcher ended up winning the match via technical submission.
Charlotte Flair vs Rhea Ripley vs Io Shirai
Event: NXT Takeover: In Your House (2020) | Rating: 4.25 Stars
NXT Takeover: In Your House featured a triple threat match for the NXT Women’s Championship. It was Charlotte Flair vs Rhea Ripley vs Io Shirai.
This turned out to be a really good match. Shirai won the match to become the new Women’s Champion.
Adam Cole vs Keith Lee
Event: NXT The Great American Bash: Day 2 (2020) | Rating: 4.25 Stars
Adam Cole and Keith Lee faced off in a ‘Winner Takes All’ match at The Great American Bash. This was for both the NXT Championship and the NXT North American Championship.
Lee ended up winning both belts after about 20 minutes.
Io Shirai vs Candice LeRae
Event: NXT Halloween Havoc (October 28th) | Rating: 4.25 Stars
Io Shirai and Candice LeRae faced off on the Halloween Havoc episode of NXT. This was a ‘Tables, Ladders & Scares Match’ for the NXT Women’s Championship.
This ended up being a really fun match with Shirai winning to retain her belt.
Pete Dunne vs Kyle O’Reilly
Event: WWE NXT (November 25th) | Rating: 4.25 Stars
Pete Dunne and Kyle O’Reilly faced off on the November 25th edition of NXT in a ladder match. This was in order to gain an advantage for their team at WarGames.
Dunne won after a hooded figure showed up and attacked O’Reilly.
Pete Dunne vs Kyle O’Reilly
Event: WWE NXT (December 16th) | Rating: 4.25 Stars
Pete Dunne and Kyle O’Reilly faced off on the December 16th edition of NXT. This was a match to determine the #1 contender for the NXT Championship.
O’Reilly ended up winning after a really good match.
Tyler Bate vs Jordan Devlin
Event: NXT UK Takeover: Blackpool II (2020) | Rating: 4.5 Stars
Tyler Bate and Jordan Devlin faced off at NXT UK Takeover: Blackpool II. They ended up stealing the show and having the best match of the night.
Bate ended up winning after a really fun match.
The BroserWeights (Matt Riddle and Pete Dunne) vs Mark Andrews and Flash Morgan Webster
Event: WWE NXT (January 15th, 2020) | Rating: 4.5 Stars
The 2020 Dusty Rhodes Classic featured Matt Riddle and Pete Dunne vs Mark Andrews and Flash Morgan Webster. This turned out to be a really fun match that was full of action.
Dunne and Riddle ended up winning to advance in the tournament.
Finn Balor vs Johnny Gargano
Event: NXT Takeover: Portland (2020) | Rating: 4.5 Stars
Finn Balor and Johnny Gargano faced off in a singles match at Takeover: Portland. They ended up wrestling a very technical match that went for about 27 minutes.
Balor ended up winning after hitting the ‘1916’ on Gargano.
Damien Priest vs Cameron Grimes vs Bronson Reed vs Johnny Gargano vs Velveteen Dream
Event: NXT Takeover: 30 (2020)| Rating: 4.5 Stars
Takeover: 30 featured a fatal 5-way ladder match for the vacant NXT North American Championship. The match was Damien Priest vs Cameron Grimes vs Bronson Reed vs Johnny Gargano vs Velveteen Dream.
This match ended up being really good. Damian Priest eventually won the match to become the new North American Champion.
Finn Balor vs Kyle O’Reilly
Event: NXT Takeover: 31 (2020)| Rating: 4.5 Stars
NXT Takeover: 31 featured a match between Finn Balor and Kyle O’Reilly. This was for the NXT Championship.
This turned out to be a hard-hitting match. Balor ended up winning to retain the title.
The BroserWeights (Matt Riddle and Pete Dunne) vs The Undisputed Era (Bobby Fish and Kyle O’Reilly)
Event: NXT Takeover: Portland (2020) | Rating: 4.75 Stars
Pete Dunne and Matt Riddle won the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic, which earned them an NXT Tag Team Title match at Takeover: Portland. They ended up facing Bobby Fish and Kyle O’Reilly of The Undisputed Era for the belts.
The BroserWeights won the titles in what was a really good match.
Adam Cole vs Tommaso Ciampa
Event: NXT Takeover: Portland (2020) | Rating: 4.75 Stars
The main event of Takeover: Portland was Adam Cole vs Tommaso Ciampa for the NXT Championship.
Cole ended up winning the match after Johnny Gargano turned on Ciampa. This was another really good match that took place in Portland.
The Undisputed Era (Adam Cole, Roderick Strong, Bobby Fish & Kyle O’Reilly) vs The Kings Of NXT (Pat McAfee, Pete Dunne, Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch)
Event: NXT Takeover: WarGames (2020) | Rating: 4.75 Stars
The 2020 edition of WarGames featured a WarGames match between The Undisputed Era and The Kings Of NXT.
This turned out to be a wild match, with The Undisputed Era eventually winning. It was another great performance from Pat McAfee in his second-ever match.
WALTER vs Ilja Dragunov
Event: NXT UK (October 29th, 2020) | Rating: 5.00 Stars
WALTER and Ilja Dragunov faced off on the October 29th episode of NXT UK. This was for the NXT UK Championship.
WALTER ended up winning to retain his belt after a great match.
What do you think of this list? Let me know in the comment section or on Twitter. On a related note, here is a list of all the WWE matches that have ever received 5 stars from Meltzer.
