5 best NXT Matches of 2017

When the Superstar Draft occurred in summer of 2016, a lot of people called it the end of WWE NXT. It was hard to argue against that idea. NXT lost its main event star in Finn Balor. They lost one of their best tag teams in American Alpha. They lost a bulk of their Women’s Division with Alexa Bliss, Nia Jax, and Carmella.

They lost even more main event starts like The Revival, Bobby Roode, Asuka, Samoa Joe and Shinsuke Nakamura during 2017 itself. It seemed the loss of so much star power would destroy the developmental brand this year. I am happy to announce we couldn’t have been more wrong.

NXT was fantastic in 2017. All three major title divisions produced high-quality matches through the entire year. There were many fans who rightfully said the five Takeovers overshadowed the five main roster pay-per-views the day after those shows. It is clear proof that NXT is always able to reload and produce new stars for us to enjoy all the time.

As we look a strong 2017 in the yellow brand, I present the five best matches of NXT. It was some really hard choices to limit to just five best matches. :

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#5 Asuka vs. Ember Moon (NXT Takeover: Brooklyn III)

Asuka enjoying her best match of 2017

Has anyone been booked better in NXT then Asuka? For the moment she arrived in 2015 she has been shown as the star. Her music, look and skill made her stand out from the rest of the NXT women’s division. She won the title in April 2016 and it never got boring as she held the title over a year and a half heading into Brooklyn in August of 2017.

The Brooklyn match was a star-making match for the talented Ember Moon. Asuka cheated for the first time in her career at Takeover: Orlando to beat Ember Moon. She injured Moon’s arm and cost her a title shot at Takeover: Chicago. It sold the idea that Asuka was afraid of Ember during the entire 2017 feud.

The match delivered on the storyline hype. Naturally, Asuka spent the early part of the match working on Ember’s arm. As the match progressed, Ember started to hit some good offence with some near falls after strong suplexes.

The fact Ember hit her finisher and only got a two count was shocking. After a few more believable falls, Asuka got her submission for the win. It was a surprising end to Asuka’s NXT career and likely her best Takeover match in her great Takeover career.

#4 The Authors of Pain vs. DIY (NXT Takeover: Chicago)

One of the impressive spots in a great main event.

You know the WWE thought highly of these two teams to be allowing a Tag Team Championship match to main event a Takeover show. After a series of fantastic matches earlier in the year, it seemed natural to give them the spotlight. They delivered in a brutal, ladder match.

It was a ladder match with some crazy, unique spots. Watching Ciampa and Gargano each jump off a ladder onto the Authors of Pain was impressive. Seeing Ciampa suplex Rezar through a ladder that was against a turnbuckle? Painful.

It was a fitting end to DIY as Authors of Pain established themselves as stars of the NXT tag division.

#3 Aleister Black vs. Velveteen Dream (NXT Takeover: WarGames)

One of the best storylines of 2017 ends in a great match.

It certainly helps that this match had one of the best storylines of 2017. It was so simple as well. The very flamboyant Velveteen Dream and the quiet Aleister Black were polar opposites. All Velveteen wanted was the respect of Black and for Black to simply say his name.

This lead to a great showcase match at WarGames between the two stars. It started with a lot of attention-getting from Dream. That got the crowd behind him. It really clicked into high gear with Black’s unique offence of great strikes.

Dream had a star-making moment with a fantastic DDT that led to a very believable near fall. As Dream attempted a high-risk top rope move, it leads to the great finish with Black’s finisher for the win. It was a star-making appearance for both superstars.

After the match, it had its great storytelling moment with Black saying Dream’s name. The crowd erupted. It was a great match to end a simple and perfect feud.

#2 The Authors of Pain vs. DIY vs. The Revival (NXT Takeover: Orlando)

Teamwork by two rival teams in Orlando.

Who would have thought Authors of Pain would be on this list twice? It certainly helped they were working with DIY and The Revival, two of the best tag teams in wrestling today. This match unsurprisingly stole the show at NXT: Orlando.

I think what worked best for the match was the team-up of The Revival and DIY against the Authors of Pain. It leads to many fun team-ups and believable near falls. Naturally, it didn’t last because the Revival are heels. This lead to DIY being eliminated with about five minutes left in the match. The fans were angry but it made logical sense.

The Revival in their last Takeover match was great. It is nice to see tag wrestling at such a high level in 2017.

#1 Tyler Bate vs. Pete Dunne (NXT Takeover: Chicago)

How is Tyler Bate this good at 20 years old?

I watched this match again just to see if it was as good as my initial impression. I am happy to report that every single second of this 15-minute UK Championship match is just as great as you remember. The fact Dunne was 23 and Bate was 20 years old? Amazing.

The match is full of the great storytelling you would expect from the classic matches. Tyler Bate was willing to do anything to beat his rival Pete Dunne. We had some great technical wrestling leading to a series of believable near falls.

We had a standing Shooting Star Press, some of the best suplexes you will see, a corkscrew 450 splash and the fastest aeroplane spins you will ever see. There isn’t a wasted moment in this match.

The ending is perfect as well. Bate takes a high risk and dives over the top rope. He misses Dunne and gets rolled back into the ring for Dunne to hit the finisher. An unbelievable match in a great year for NXT. Can we please see more of the UK Division in 2018?