NXT 2018 Year-End Awards Roundtable

Photo: WWE.com

NXT had another banner year in 2018, but which wrestlers and matches stood out the most? Daily DDT contributors Chris Jeter, Laura Mauro, Jesse Velasquez, and Joe Anthony Myrick discuss in this roundtable.

I think I’m running out of ways to say that the NXT product is nothing short of consistently great. The creative team does a good job of highlighting specific wrestlers without overexposing them, creating relatively grounded characters with relatable motivations and scripting compelling storylines that get the fans excited for the TakeOver specials. Oh, and the wrestling is really good too.

Consequently, it should surprise no one that the developmental brand turned in another brilliant year in 2018. Armed with an eclectic mix of independent wrestling standouts and Performance Center trainees alongside a solid production brain trust and the best announcing tandem WWE has, Triple H and his crew have effectively created a universe that doesn’t fray away from pro wrestling’s core tenet: determining who best fighters are within their respective divisions.

Of course, some wrestlers find a way to stand out more than others and some matches leave more of an imprint on the fans’ memory, even in a product as exceptional as NXT. So, which matches represented the best that NXT had to offer in 2018? Which wrestlers wowed fans the most on the mic and in the ring?

There were plenty of great bouts and outstanding workers to choose from, so picking a handful out of that group was no easy feat. But that’s what my colleagues Laura Mauro, Joe Anthony Myrick, and Jesse Velasquez and I have come together to do.