Ranking the 10 Best NXT Matches of 2019

As you'd expect, 2019 was a fantastic year for NXT, with shocking moments, new faces, and some incredible matches. Despite all the changes that occurred around their move to the USA Network, the brand still continues to be a shining light for WWE. We've all come to know and love NXT for its standout matches, and 2019 was packed with plenty of them.

From thrilling singles matches to high-flying six-man contests, and everything in-between, there has been plenty to choose from in 2019, and every person's individual top 5 could be completely different - a testament to just how great NXT really is.

So without further ado, sit back and read along as we look back on the year that was in NXT, and give you the top 5 matches from WWE's Black and Gold brand.

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#10 Moustache Mountain vs. Grizzled Young Veterans (NXT Takeover: Blackpool)

NXT UK had its first Takeover back in January, and while you may have largely forgotten the event, the opening contest on this night was an absolute classic. If you've seen these two teams wrestle in Progress, you'd recognize this as a familiar contest, but a step up from the usual fare. With all the drama of becoming the first NXT UK Tag Team Champions on the line, this one took it to another level entirely.

Ultimately, it was the heel duo of James Drake and Zack Gibson that came out on top, and if it wasn't for the classic with Tyler Bate in Cardiff (we'll get to that), this would arguably be NXT UK's best match so far. If you have the time, Blackpool and Cardiff are both worth going back and watching, as NXT UK has stepped right up and matched the quality of NXT Takeover's immediately, but it's this tag team match that stands above anything else on this great show.

#9 The Street Profits vs. Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch vs. The Undisputed Era vs. Forgotten Sons (NXT Takeover: XXV)

Ladder matches in NXT are certainly rare, but when they are brought out of the cobwebs, they deliver. While this one was a lot more chaotic and less story-driven than others, it was still fantastic from start to finish. It seemed that none of the other 3 teams were ready to dethrone The Undisputed Era duo of O'Reilly and Fish, but they all certainly put up a huge fight, with big moments at each and every turn.

Despite interruption and pure decimation from Jaxon Ryker, the third member of Forgotten Sons and not an official participant in the match, he was vanquished along with his stable mates, leaving just The Undisputed Era and Street Profits in the ring. In a shocking turn of events, it was the upstart duo of Ford and Dawkins who prevailed. This one will likely get lost in the shuffle because of how many incredible matches NXT had in 2019, but when looking back on the quality of their year, this is one that simply can't be passed up.

#8 Pete Dunne vs. WALTER (NXT Takeover: New York)

Coming into this match, Pete Dunne was on a historic stretch as reigning UK Champion. He had been holding onto the belt for over 600 days, but given the behemoth in front of him, it was always going to be tough to come out of this with his gold intact. As you'd expect, this was a hard-hitting contest from bell-to-bell, but despite his best efforts, "The Bruiserweight" fell, ending what was an incredible reign that put NXT UK on the map.

This was the introduction to WALTER for many in the wider WWE Universe, but for those acquainted with the Austrian brute already, this was a fantastic exhibition, and it's hard to see anyone stopping him anytime soon. While this was somewhat overshadowed by the incredible contest in the main event, it's well worth a rewatch, as both men are at their absolute best in this one, both proving that they are main event level talent for WWE.

#7 Women's War Games (NXT Takeover: War Games)

Yet again, NXT made history by presenting the first-ever Women's War Games match, and given all that happened and how great it was, it's safe to say that it will be back next year alongside the men's 4th installment. In this bout, all 8 women changed up the formula that we see time and time again in War Games, and with a very well-done heel turn by Dakota Kai to go along with that, these 8 women made their mark on NXT in 2019.

Rhea Ripley continues her rise through NXT as possibly the most impressive woman in WWE, but all 8 women played their part in making this an incredible contest. Despite the 2-on-4 disadvantage, Candice LeRae and Rhea Ripley managed to survive, with the latter getting the pin on Shayna Baszler, so not only was the action in this one great, but several stories were told, making it one of NXT's best in 2019.

#6 Adam Cole vs. Johnny Gargano (NXT Takeover: XXV)

Johnny Gargano and Adam Cole had an epic rivalry in 2019. All 3 of their big matches were absolutely stellar, and even better, they were all great for different reasons. While we all knew it was coming eventually, this was to be the night that Johnny Wrestling's short reign would come to an end, and while that broke the hearts of the NXT fans that have followed him since 2015, Adam Cole is the perfect champion.

Since this match, Cole has led the Undisputed Era as the face of NXT, and it was on this fateful night that his amazing reign would finally begin (with the help of Strong, O'Reilly, and Fish of course). We'll get to their first match a little later, but it's worth watching every contest in this series, as they are all top quality, and if you had to choose one, it likely wouldn't be this, but it was still an amazing contest between two elite performers nonetheless.

#5 The Undisputed Era vs. Team Ciampa (NXT Takeover: War Games)

WWE revived the classic WCW War Games match for NXT back in 2017, and so far, all 4 matches have delivered. While this may not have been the best of the 4, it was certainly an incredible contest and one of the overall best NXT matches this year. Fans were shocked when Kevin Owens turned up to be the mystery 4th man for Team Ciampa, but their energy and excitement stayed high throughout, as it was a thrilling matchup.

All 8 men got the chance to look like stars, and with all the weapons that were around, this one was just as brutal and hard-hitting as you'd expect War Games to be, and we can't wait until next year. Ultimately, it was an Avalanche Air Raid Crash from Tommaso Ciampa to Adam Cole through two tables that got the victory, and given the personal animosity between the two teams, it had to end that way, and it's now got us wondering how NXT are going to top this in 2020.

#4 Aleister Black, Ricochet & Velveteen Dream vs. Johnny Gargano, Adam Cole & Tomasso Ciampa (Halftime Heat)

If you're a wrestling fan and didn't want to watch the Super Bowl halftime show, NXT had you covered with one of the most exciting wrestling matches we saw in all of 2019, as WWE revived Halftime Heat. While there were virtually no stakes in this contest and the crowd was comprised almost completely of the Performance Center recruits and NXT roster, the atmosphere was fantastic for 16-minutes of incredibly fast paced action.

We saw every move that all 6 men are capable of pulling out, and ultimately, it was the babyface team of Black/Dream/Ricochet that came out on top, drawing rave reviews online. It wasn't the most technical or story driven contest, but it aimed to get eyes on wrestling during the Super Bowl, and with that goal in mind, NXT knocked it out of the park. Let's hope that we get to see this return in 2020.

#3 Johnny Gargano vs. Ricochet (NXT Takeover: Phoenix)

Gargano and Ricochet went to wat for the North American Championship

A Johnny Gargano heel run isn't what anyone expected in 2019, but as we all know, Johnny Wrestling is an incredible performer, and gave his all to show the fans why he is so great. This match was the pinnacle of that run, as he and The One and Only tore it up over the NXT North American Championship. Gargano and Ricochet delivered a match that was technical, fast-paced, high-flying and simply had everything you want in a pro wrestling match.

Johnny came out with the shock victory in this one, further leading him down the path of evil, and while it wasn't his best match or biggest title victory in 2019, it showed just how great Johnny is. Both men were fantastic in this contest, and unfortunately it's been very overlooked due to all of the incredible and high-stakes matches NXT put on this year. Give it a watch; retrospectively, this match could be considered an all-time great.

#2 Tyler Bate vs. Walter (NXT Takeover: Cardiff)

NXT UK has been greatly overlooked in 2019, but they delivered arguably the best pure wrestling match of the year when Tyler Bate and WALTER locked horns for 42 minutes over the WWE United Kingdom Championship. It played out like your typical David vs. Goliath contest, and both men are so incredible that you couldn't help but buy into what they were selling, with the crowd hanging on each and every move throughout the match.

Ultimately, it was the behemoth WALTER that came out on top, but as he's done so often, Tyler Bate made the most of his big opportunity, once again proving why he may be the most underrated wrestler in all of WWE today. We can't wait to see what 2020 has in store for the NXT UK brand, as this was an incredible showcase of their talent, who will one day be lighting it up on much bigger stages in WWE.

#1 Adam Cole vs. Johnny Gargano (NXT Takeover: New York)

After Tommaso Ciampa was forced to relinquish his NXT Championship, two men were given the opportunity to battle it out for the vacant title. When it's all said and done, these two incredible performers may have put on the best match in NXT history. Both Gargano and Cole had great stories coming into the match, and the 2-out-of-3 Falls stipulation made it even more intriguing. When this match finally reached the third fall, we saw an incredible finish.

Johnny Wrestling went into superhero mode and fought off the entirety Undisputed Era, and in one fell swoop, he managed to do the seemingly impossible; finally winning the NXT Championship he's been chasing for 4 years. This led to a touching moment following the match with Ciampa, Johnny and Candice LeRae, and for this reason along with the incredible 30-minute contest that proceeded it, this is definitely the best match NXT had to offer in 2019.