The 5 defining moments of NXT in 2021

WWE NXT saw a great deal of changes over the course of 2021. The brand moved from Wednesday to Tuesday nights in April, ending the Wednesday Night Wars with AEW Dynamite. There was then a complete overhaul of the entire presentation of the brand with the NXT 2.0 rebrand in September.

It was one of the most complex years in the history of the formerly black and gold brand. Various stars moved on from the brand, either being called up to the main roster or moving on to AEW. Due to so many changes and the inclusion of new superstars, the roster is vastly different to even just a year ago. The moments created in the ring were awesome, with title changes and the ending of long term stories.

When looking back on 2021, it would be great if fans remembered the best moments over the last 12 months. There were even periods where it felt like the NXT of old. In this article, let's take a look at the five defining moment of NXT in 2021.

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5) Carmelo Hayes cashes in his Breakout Tournament contract to win the NXT North American Championship

Carmelo Hayes arrived in NXT at the start of 2020. He had good showings against established stars like Adam Cole and KUSHIDA before winning the 2021 Breakout Tournament. The victory rewarded Carmelo with a contract opportunity at any title, whenever he wanted.

The young superstar added Trick Williams to his act when WWE rebranded the show to NXT 2.0. Carmelo Hayes looked to step up and claim the moniker of "The Leader of the New School". On the October 12th episode of NXT 2.0, Isaiah Swerve Scott defeated Santos Escobar to retain the North American Title with the help of Hayes and Williams.

This was all just a ploy, as Carmelo Hayes attacked Scott immediately after the match. He then cashed in on his Breakout Tournament contract for an immediate North American Championship Match. Hayes hit his top rope leg drop to the back of Swerve's head to win the title.

Carmelo Hayes has proven himself as a champion and been a mainstay of the NXT 2.0 brand ever since. He has everything it takes to be a future NXT Champion. Hayes certainly has a bright future after several memorable moments this year.

4) Raquel Gonzalez defeats Io Shirai to win the NXT Women's Championship at TakeOver: Stand & Deliver

Raquel Gonzalez re-debuted in NXT at TakeOver: Portland, aligning with Dakota Kai. She truly emerged at TakeOver: War Games 2020 after pinning NXT Women's Champion Io Shirai. This huge victory and another against Rhea Ripley led to Gonzalez finally getting an opportunity at the top prize of the women's division.

At TakeOver: Stand and Deliver Night 1, Io Shirai faced Raquel Gonzalez for the NXT Women's Championship. This was a sublime David vs. Goliath battle that told an incredible story. Shirai hit all her big moves, but the larger and more powerful Raquel overcame everything the champion had to throw at her. Gonzalez hit the Chingona Bomb to defeat Io Shirai and win the title.

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3) Adam Cole superkicks Kyle O'Reilly and end the Undisputed Era

Adam Cole was a top star in NXT ever since his arrival at TakeOver: Brooklyn III. With Kyle O'Reilly, Bobby Fish and Roderick Strong by his side, the Undisputed Era became the most dominant force on the black and gold brand. Coming into 2021, the group turned babyface and looked to start anew.

Everything changed at TakeOver: Vengeance Day after Finn Balor defeated Pete Dunne to retain the NXT Championship. Danny Burch and Oney Lorcan attacked Balor until Undisputed Era made the save. Balor stood with the group after, but then Adam Cole hit the champion with a superkick. O'Reilly was upset and confronted Cole, resulting in Cole landing another superkick on Kyle and ending the widely popular faction.

2) Team 2.0 defeats Team Black & Gold to win War Games

NXT 2.0 had their first major event in December when they held War Games 2021. The main event saw a group of new superstars led by Bron Breakker face a group of stalwarts led by NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa. The match was filled with a lot of emotion as Johnny Gargano had his first War Games Match and possibly final NXT match.

The main event was action packed with all the competitors being highlighted. Grayson Waller stood out in particular for his huge diving elbow off the steel cage on LA Knight through a table. Tony D'Angelo and Pete Dunne kickstarted their rivalry, while Ciampa and Gargano had a DIY reunion. However, it was Bron Breakker who earned the victory by pinning his rival Ciampa to win for Team 2.0.

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1) Ilja Dragunov defeats WALTER to win the NXT UK Championship at TakeOver 36

WALTER became the longest reigning champion of the modern era with his 870 day reign as NXT UK Champion. Along the way, the Ring General had classics against Tyler Bate, Tommaso Ciampa and Ilja Dragunov. The latter went on a journey to find himself after the brutal beating he took at the hands of WALTER.

Ilja Dragunov became the number one contender for the NXT UK Championship and it was announced that the rematch would take place at TakeOver 36. This clash had a big match feel after their empty arena showdown in 2020. The energy of the audience added so much more to this rematch.

This match was a physically intense, brutal war between the men. WALTER beat landed several brutal chops on Dragunov which bruised his opponent's chest. Ilja fought from underneath valiantly and made a spirited comeback. Dragunov applied a sleeper, shocking the CWC crowd by making WALTER tap out to win the NXT UK Championship.

This was an absolute masterpiece that told a brilliant story of a hero overcoming a monsterous villain. The hatred, drama and storytelling were all top-notch and offered fans the best WWE match of 2021. Ilja Dragunov defeating WALTER to end his 870 day reign as NXT UK Champion was the defining moment of NXT in 2021