Wrapping up 2021 as far as WWE PPVs are concerned, we present our selection of the ten best matches of the year that is about to end, counting only those that took place in special events. If last year Adam Cole was the fighter with the most appearances in this Top 10, this time the former leader of The Undisputed Era is tied with Walter, Kyle O’Reilly and the tag teams of Nash Carter and Wes Lee and James Drake and Zack. Gibson.
#10: NXT Tag Team Championship:
MSK (Wes Lee and Nash Carter) vs. Grizzled Young Veterans (James Drake and Zack Gibson) vs. Legacy of the Ghost (Raul Mendoza and Joaquin Wilde)
NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver – Night 1 (April 7)
Very entertaining match, as expected, because in a triple threat tag team match it is rare to have dead periods – and in NXT much less! And it wasn’t just that there were no dead periods, there were also several spectacular moments, most of them starring Legado Del Fantasma. Although they were very close to giving up to the elements of the Grizzled Young Veterans, MSK won the title after a double team.
Winners : MSK (Wes Lee and Nash Carter) (new champions)
David Pereira Score : 8.5/10
Dave Meltzer Rating : 4.5/5
#9: Unsanctioned match:
Adam Cole vs. Kyle O’Reilly
NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver – Night 2 (April 8th)
Authentic grudge match between two ex-best friends, in which there was no lack of chairs and a chain. Whenever Kyle O’Reilly seemed to have the upper hand, Adam Cole would devise a sudden strategy to change the course of events. At one point, O’Reilly trapped Cole in a Triangle Choke with a chain through the middle, but Cole used an iron to break the hold. Minutes later, Cole landed a Panama Sunrise , but the referee was down and so there was no one to lay down.
However, the match continued outside the ring and once again Adam Cole’s sudden engineering came into play. At a time when he was trapped in an O’Reilly submission, Cole threw himself with his opponent on top of the metal stage, breaking it.
Returning to the ring, Cole missed the Last Shot and O’Reilly took the opportunity to apply a submission to Cole’s legs, but Cole used a chain to attack the opponent. In response, O’Reilly delivered a Last Shot , but the ensuing settlement was no more than near fall .
However, Adam Cole found no antidote to counter O’Reilly’s Diving Knee Drop in which he had the chain wrapped around his leg. When he suffered the blow, Cole still hit a chair, not being able to kick out the settlement that followed.
Winner: Kyle O’Reilly
David Pereira Score : 8.5/10
Dave Meltzer Rating : 4.5/5
#8: Two out of Three Falls Match:
(Fall 1: Traditional wrestling; Fall 2: Street Fight; Fall 3: Steel Cage)
Kyle O’Reilly vs. Adam Cole
NXT TakeOver 36 (August 22nd)
In the first minutes of the first fall , when Adam Cole was looking for the Panama Sunrise, he was surprised by the quick settlement that gave Kyle O’Reilly the 1-0.
Under pressure, Adam Cole made use of weapons like kendo sticks , a garbage bucket, and a chain to dominate much of the second fall , eventually winning it after throwing O’Reilly into a chair and executing a Last Shot . Before the start of the third fall , Adam Cole attacked his opponent, weakening him before the final decision. At one point, Cole hit Panama Sunrise , but O’Reilly kicked out . Not satisfied, Cole cuffed O’Reilly, but the latter managed to have the art and ingenuity to make Cole give up via an Ankle Lock .
Winner: Kyle O’Reilly
David Pereira Score : 8.5/10
Dave Meltzer Rating : 4.5/5
#7: Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Men’s Tournament Finals:
MSK (Nash Carter and Wes Lee) vs.
Grizzled Young Veterans (James Drake and Zack Gibson)
NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day (February 14th)
MSK sought to wreak havoc through agility, speed and gravity, while Grizzled Young Veterans tried to keep opponents on the mat. In the culmination of an intense battle, with attacks, counterattacks and double teams , always at a high pace, MSK achieved victory in combat and in the tournament.
Winners : MSK (Nash Carter and Wes Lee)
David Pereira Score : 8.5/10
Dave Meltzer Rating : 4.5/5
#6: NXT United Kingdom Championship:
Walter (c) vs. Tommaso Ciampa
NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver – Night 1 (April 7)
Intense combat and full of strikes, from the traditional chest slaps to Big Boots .
Tommaso Ciampa was on top for a long time, even coming close to winning after landing some of his main punches, but Walter always managed to kick out .
At one point Ciampa applied a Samoan Drop from the top of one of the corners, but even that wasn’t enough to achieve victory. Although he spent much of the match on the low end, Walter retained the title after landing a Burning Lariat .
Winner: Walter
David Pereira Score : 8.5/10
Dave Meltzer Rating : 4.5/5
#5: NXT Championship:
Finn Balor (c) vs. Pete Dunne
NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day (February 14)
An extremely technical Anglo-Irish summit, with Pete Dunne punishing Finn Bálor’s left arm heavily. And when the champion seemed to finally let go of the ropes, achieving a comeback , Dunne interrupted that moment by applying a Triangle Choke that almost fixed Bálor.
Shortly afterward, Dunne applied Bitter End , but the ensuing settlement was no more than near fall . Several blows from side to side followed, including powerful kicks.
However, Bálor turned the tables in his favor after a Double Dropkick on a Pete Dunne already without a mouthpiece, a Coup de Grâce and, finally, a 1916 .
Winner: Finn Balor
David Pereira Score : 8.5/10
Dave Meltzer Rating : 4.5/5
#4: NXT North American Championship:
Johnny Gargano (c) vs. Kushida
NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day (February 14th)
Very technical fight, at least in the beginning, making it look like they were both in an Olympic wrestling duel. Only later did the projections and strikes begin to come in .
A technically rich fight, it also had an exciting final stretch, with several quick settling attempts and consequent near falls . Submissions were also part of the final minutes of the feud, with Kushida coming close to victory through an Armbar . Johnny Gargano ended up achieving the triumph and retaining the title after two One Final Beats in a row: one on the ramp, the other inside the ring.
Winner: Johnny Gargano
Score David Pereira: 8.5/10
Dave Meltzer Rating : 4.75/5
#3: Hell in a Cell match:
Edge vs. Seth Rollins / Crown Jewel 2021 (October 21st)
Fun and exciting combat, with both trying everything not only to win, but also to decimate the opponent. Edge sought to achieve triumph by flying a chair and a Spear , while Rollins delivered a Pedigree , Sunset Flip Powerbomb from the top of a ladder onto a table, and a kick to the head using a chain wrapped around the foot. As The Architect was preparing to perform the Curb Stomp with the chain wrapped around his foot and Edge ‘s head over a chair, the Rated-R Superstar hit Rollins with a chair in the groin area and delivered a series of punches in the form of revenge, in an offensive concluded with the victorious Curb Stomp .
Winner : Edge
Score David Pereira: 9/10
Dave Meltzer Rating : 4.75/5
#2: Money in the Bank: Ricochet vs. John Morrison vs. Riddle vs. Drew McIntyre vs. Big E vs. Kevin Owens vs. King Nakamura vs. Seth Rollins
Money in the Bank 2021 (July 18th)
Combat full of fighters with very diverse characteristics, with some standing out for their agility and flying spots , others heavier to ensure that these spots went well and using the strength they have to overcome.
Even during the first few minutes of combat, Seth Rollins and John Morrison were the protagonists of an unlikely alliance and were in control of operations for some time.
At one point, it was Drew McIntyre’s turn to look launched to claim the win. However, he was attacked by Jinder Mahal and his cronies and was eventually left out of action.
What followed was a flurry of fighters delivering their main punches and climbing to the top of a ladder. However, at H time, someone always appeared to prevent the end of the fight. Let Kevin Owens say it, who even touched his suitcase with one hand and ended up being thrown by Seth Rollins onto a ladder mounted between the edge of the ring and a commentator’s table. Rollins , in turn, suffered a Big Landing from the top of a ladder, with Big E taking advantage of it soon after to collect the suitcase.
Winner : Big E
Score David Pereira: 9/10
Dave Meltzer Rating : 4.75/5
#1: NXT United Kingdom Championship:
Walter (c) vs. Ilja Dragunov
NXT TakeOver 36 (August 22nd)
A fight in which Ilja Dragunov surprised Walter by managing to surpass herself in the physical dimension. The Russian, in fact, tried everything to end Walter’s long reign, but the Brit resisted, kicking out after kick out .
However, the champion also had his frustrations, such as when he couldn’t fix the matter after a Dropkick and a Powerbomb or when a Big Splash was insufficient to finish the duel. In desperation, Ilja Dragunov applied a Sleeper Hold with all her might and achieved the unthinkable: making Walter fold.
Winners: Ilja Dragunov (new champion)
David Pereira Rating : 9/10
Dave Meltzer Rating : 5.25/5