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The 2020 SLAMMY Awards are in the books, and now it’s NXT’s turn. The 2020 NXT Year-End Awards will take place on Wednesday, December 30.
NXT has become one of the best shows on WWE programming. Though its success has been inconsistent during the Wednesday Night Wars, the black-and-gold brand is still one of the best-booked shows in the entire business.
2020 has been another solid year for NXT. It has been a year of many firsts, both in and out of the ring. NXT Championships were established as options for Royal Rumble Winners. 2020 Royal Rumble winner Charlotte Flair opted to challenge NXT Women's Champion Rhea Ripley at WWE WrestleMania 36.
Several stars made history this year. NXT North American Champion Keith Lee was crowned as the brand's first-ever double singles champion after he defeated NXT Champion Adam Cole. The year featured the coronation of a beloved superstar, as Finn Balor won the NXT Championship again. Plus, Karrion Kross made his much-anticipated debut, and he has been a dominant force on NXT.
As expected, each and every category is incredibly stacked. For the straight year, NXT UK wrestlers are also eligible for the awards.
Here's a full list of the awards, and a breakdown of the contenders for each one.
2020 NXT Year-End Awards
Future Star of NXT
Austin Theory
Jake Atlas
Leon Ruff
Kacy Catanzaro
Kayden Carter
Indi Hartwell
Xia Li
A-Kid
Aoife Valkyrie
Pretty Deadly
NXT was initially established as a developmental brand, so it continues to serve as the platform for young Superstars who hope to perfect their craft. The most successful stars often get called up to the main roster. On that note, this award often recognizes young prospects with a bright future. For this reason, Austin Theory is the right pick here.
Theory is quite a smooth worker, and some fans might call him a natural in the ring. It's no surprise that he had a brief run on WWE RAW this year because Theory looks like a typical WWE star. He has the charisma, the look, and the size Vince McMahon usually likes to see. With age on his side, Theory will only continue to flourish.
Our Pick: Austin Theory
NXT Breakout Star of the Year
Damian Priest
Pat McAfee
Shotzi Blackheart
Cameron Grimes
Dexter Lumis
Timothy Thatcher
Raquel Gonzalez
Santos Escobar
Ilja Dragunov
For this NXT Year-End Award, It's a close call between Pat McAfee and Damian Priest. But "The Archer of Infamy" has a slight edge over the he Indianapolis Colts' former star punter. NXT needed a new breakout star at the beginning of the year, and Priest's cool babyface act was just what the doctor ordered.
Priest, an imposing figure on a roster full of stars, has excelled with his natural charisma. Plus, the combination of his promo work and his athleticism inside the ring has been a revelation. WWE rewarded him with a run with the NXT North American Championship. The towering superstar reinvigorated NXT's mid-card title, and he's bound to become a main event player in 2021.
Our Pick: Damian Priest
NXT Event of the Year
TakeOver: Blackpool 2
TakeOver: Portland
TakeOver: In Your House
Great American Bash
TakeOver: XXX
TakeOver: 31
Halloween Havoc
TakeOver: WarGames
Most NXT pay-per-views are exponentially better than their RAW and SmackDown counterparts. Every NXT TakeOver special in 2020 delivered an incredible show. But in a year filled with excellent events, NXT TakeOver: Portland outshined them all.
This show featured an unforgettable match between Adam Cole and Tommaso Ciampa. The whole card was stacked with star-studded matches. Finn Balor faced Johnny Gargano, and Rhea Ripley fought Bianca Belair. The live crowd added even more electricity to this show. The remarkable card, the phenomenal in-ring action, and the energetic crowd made this show 2020's most enjoyable offering.
Our Pick: NXT TakeOver: Portland
NXT Match of the Year
Fatal 4-Way Iron Man Match – Finn Balor vs. Tommaso Ciampa vs. Adam Cole vs. Johnny Gargano (NXT Super Tuesday)
Adam Cole vs. Finn Balor (NXT Super Tuesday II)
Johnny Gargano vs. Tommaso Ciampa (One Final Beat)
Finn Balor vs. Kyle O’Reilly (NXT TakeOver 31)
Keith Lee vs. Adam Cole (NXT Great American Bash)
Ladder Match for North American Championship (NXT Takeover XXX)
Io Shirai vs. Candice LeRae (NXT Halloween Havoc)
NXT UK Championship: Ilja Dragunov vs. WALTER (NXT UK TV)
Men’s WarGames Match (NXT TakeOver:WarGames)
Women’s WarGames Match ((NXT TakeOver:WarGames))
Rhea Ripley vs. Io Shirai vs. Charlotte (NXT TakeOver: In Your House)
Gallus vs. Imperium vs. GYV vs. Andrews/Webster (NXT TakeOver: Blackpool 2)
Tyler Bate vs. Jordan Devlin (NXT TakeOver: Blackpool 2)
Bronson Reed vs. Roderick Strong vs. Johnny Gargano (NXT TV)
Fight Pit: Matt Riddle vs. Timothy Thatcher (NXT TV)
Dragunov vs. WALTER was terrific, but Balor's title showdown against O'Reilly remains one of the most incredible matches of the year. The hard-hitting contest was expected to be a Match of the Year contender from the day it was announced, and it stayed true to its billing.
O’Reilly and Balor waged war, and they put on an instant classic at NXT TakeOver 31. The action was fast-paced, physical and violent. Balor walked away with a broken jaw in two places and O’Reilly lost some teeth in the process.
Our Pick: Finn Balor vs. Kyle O'Reilly
NXT Rivalry of the Year
Adam Cole vs. Pat McAfee
Candice LeRae vs. Io Shirai
Damian Priest vs. Johnny Gargano
Dexter Lumis vs. Cameron Grimes
Shotzi Blackheart vs. Robert Stone
Rhea Ripley vs. Raquel Gonzalez
WALTER vs. Ilja Dragunov
Kay Lee Ray vs. Piper Niven
The excellent rivalry between Adam Cole and Pat McAfee should win this award. The long-simmering issues between the duo initially culminated at NXT TakeOver XXX, where the former NFL star lost to Cole. But this match was just the beginning of a heated feud.
McAfee joined forces with some of the best technicians on the NXT roster. With his new stable, McAfee targeted the Undisputed ERA, but Cole's faction ultimately won the war. The feud both provided fans with several great matches, and it proved that Adam Cole, a legendary heel, could excel as a babyface, too.
Our Pick: Adam Cole vs. Pat McAfee
NXT Tag Team of the Year
Undisputed ERA
Oney and Danny
Breezango
Imperium
Gallus
Legado Del Fantasma
NXT's stacked tag team division makes it challenging to pick a winner here. But the most iconic faction in this talented group of contenders should win the award. The Undisputed ERA is the most decorated stable in NXT history.
This established quartet is back on top after it reigned supreme over Pat McAfee's crew at NXT TakeOver: WarGames. It's just a matter of time until some combination from this faction recaptures the NXT Tag Team Championship.
Our Pick: The Undisputed ERA.
NXT Female Compettitor of the Year
Io Shirai
Candice LeRae
Dakota Kai
Kay Lee Ray
Tegan Nox
NXT's women's division is the best in all of pro wrestling, and Io Shirai has been holding its top prize since June. Her stock has surged ever since her gravity-defying maneuvers impressed fans at the 2018 Mae Young Classic.
Shirai is finally getting her time in the spotlight. Since NXT TakeOver: In Your House, "The Genius of the Sky" has been leading this unrivalled division. It'd be an upset if anyone else won this award.
Our Pick: Io Shirai
NXT Male Competitor of the Year
Adam Cole
Johnny Gargano
Keith Lee
WALTER
Finn Balor
Tommaso Ciampa
Keith Lee capped off his impressive rise to the top by ending Adam Cole's historic 403-day reign as the NXT Champion. "The Limitless One" became the black-and-gold brand's first-ever double singles champion.
During his run in NXT, Lee exuded confidence, and he always carried himself like a Superstar. He was even treated as Brock Lesnar's equal at WWE Royal Rumble, as he went toe to toe with "The Beast Incarnate." Though his transition to WWE's flagship show has been disappointing, Lee still remains a major attraction. He's the clear pick for this award.
Our Pick: Keith Lee
NXT Overall Competitor of the Year
Adam Cole
Candice LeRae
Dakota Kai
Finn Bálor
Io Shirai
Johnny Gargano
Kay Lee Ray
Keith Lee
Rhea Ripley
Tegan Nox
Tommaso Ciampa
WALTER
Adam Cole has been NXT's MVP for the better part of 2020. Alongside the Undisputed ERA, he has succeeded in his mission of shocking the system ever since he arrived on WWE NXT. Looking back over the past 12 months, 2020 was arguably Cole's best year on the black-and-gold brand.
He has been the greatest champion in NXT history. His track record of remarkable title defenses is unmatched. Plus, he regularly elevates the talents he shares the ring with. These are just a few of the many reasons that Cole has been NXT's top star this year.
Our Pick: Adam Cole
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