WWE Match of the Decade Tournament: NXT First Round

With the first decade of the millennium coming to a close, we at Full Press Coverage Wrestling wanted to see what the best WWE or NXT match of the decade was. True to wrestling form, we put them in a tournament to see which would come out on top. The full bracket is below.

We asked five of our writers for their first round picks. This time, we have their picks for the NXT first round. Our five panelists are:

• Evan Gomes – Managing Editor, FPC Wrestling
• Javier Melo – Contributor, FPC Wrestling
• Jhalon Heath – Contributor, FPC Wrestling
• Kaden Hanafi – Contributor, FPC Wrestling
• Ryan Adverderada – Managing Editor, Cardinals/49ers & Contributor, FPC Wrestling

First Round Match:

Johnny Gargano vs Tomasso Ciampa, Unsanctioned Match, NXT TakeOver: New Orleans (2018)
vs
Shinsuke Nakamura vs Sami Zayn, NXT TakeOver: Dallas (2016)

• Evan: Gargano-Ciampa
• Kaden: Gargano-Ciampa
• Jhalon: Gargano-Ciampa
• Javier: Zayn-Nakamura
• Ryan: Gargano-Ciampa

Javier: This is very controversial, but I’m going with Zayn and Nakamura. I really like the Takeover: New Orleans match but I feel like it is isn’t the best match those two had together and that Zayn and Nakamura match was the best of that whole Wrestlemania weekend. The “Fight Forever!” chant came from that match and it deserves to move on.

Kaden: This is my favorite match of all time. It was absolutely spectacular and it shows how to do an unsanctioned match correctly. A great step in an amazing storyline.

Ryan: Gargano/Ciampa for me. It just meant more with all the history between the two. It was easy to get emotionally invested in a grudge match with this type of emotion. 

Final: Gargano-Ciampa advances 4-1

First Round Match:

WALTER vs Tyler Bate, NXT UK TakeOver: Cardiff (2019)
vs
Johnny Gargano vs Adam Cole, 2/3 Falls, NXT TakeOver New York (2019)

• Evan: WALTER-Bate
• Kaden: Gargano-Cole
• Jhalon: Gargano-Cole
• Javier: Gargano-Cole
• Ryan: Gargano-Cole

Evan: WALTER and Tyler Bate put on an absolute clinic in their match. There were multiple points where I felt Bate was going to pull off the impossible upset. Gargano & Cole had a great match, but with it having a sequel it felt less special. Bate versus WALTER is the ultimate David versus Goliath match.

Kaden: My third Gargano match moving on. Maybe I’m just a mark, but this was a banger of a match. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time and was ecstatic when Gargano finally won the title.

Ryan: Gargano/Cole gets the nod here. While I absolutely love watching a WALTER match, it’s the buildup and emotion for Gargano and Cole that puts it over the top. It’s also very difficult to beat a 2/3 falls match.

Final: Gargano-Cole advances 4-1

First Round Match:

DIY vs The Revival, 2/3 Falls, NXT TakeOver: Toronto (2016)
vs
Tyler Bate vs Pete Dunne, NXT TakeOver: Chicago (2017)

• Evan: DIY-Revival
• Kaden: DIY-Revival
• Jhalon: Bate-Dunne
• Javier: DIY-Revival
• Ryan: DIY-Revival

Evan: I saw DIY-Revival live (Canada gets some nice matches, eh?) and I bought a DIY shirt before I left. The stakes were incredibly high all match, and the 2/3 Falls stipulation made it a full three-course meal of action. It is simply one of the best tag matches I’ve ever seen, live or not.

Jhalon: This match showcased the UK to its full potential to anyone who didn’t already know about it, and was one of the best matches of 2017. 

Javier: This is in my top five favorite matches of all time. I am a complete and utter mark for tag team wrestling. It’s what originally got me into wrestling and it was lost for a few years before these two teams fought each other. Say what you want about those Young Bucks, G.O.D., War Machine, REDragon matches in NJPW, it was the Revival and DIY that brought the tag craze back for me. The storytelling and match quality lined up perfectly. Bate and Dunne put on the best match of 2017 (I’m not sorry to those who think it’s Omega vs. Okada), but it’s going to take a lot to beat that tag match.

Final: DIY-Revival advance 4-1

First Round Match:

Six Man NXT North American Ladder Match, NXT TakeOver New Orleans (2018)
vs
Bayley vs Sasha Banks, NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn (2015)

• Evan: Bayley-Banks
• Kaden: Six Man Ladder Match
• Jhalon: Six Man Ladder Match
• Javier: Bayley-Banks
• Ryan: Bayley-Banks

Jhalon: This match opened up the main card of Takeover New Orleans with a bang. This 30 minute classic showcased many different styles and got all 6 men involved over. 

Ryan: Bayley/Sasha and this was a quick answer. 2015 was a magical time in NXT and it had a lot to do with the women of the company. By this point I had already become a huge Sasha fan. This match also turned me into a Bayley fan. 

Javier: I absolutely love that Six-Man Ladder Match. It was one of, if not my favorite match from last year and I am happy to see it get some shine. That said, it’s going up against the greatest women’s match of all time. Bayley and Sasha put on a clinic of a match and it is without a doubt going through.

Final: Bayley-Banks advance 3-2

That’s it for the NXT side of the bracket. Did your favorite match move on? Keep your eyes peeled for the WWE side of the bracket soon, and let us know who you think should win the whole bracket.