10 Best NXT Matches Of 2019 (So Far)

8. Velveteen Dream Vs Matt Riddle (TakeOver: New York)

NXT TakeOver NY 095
WWE

A thrilling clash of styles underpinned by underrated character work from two men that are advanced beyond any reasoned expectations, the North American Championship match between Matt Riddle and Velveteen Dream very fittingly cast two of the best relative newcomers as the chief candidates to battle for NXT's secondary strap.

Equal parts fun and functionally hard as all f*ck, Riddle's initial confidence was suddenly cast asunder by Dream's charismatic cockiness. More go than "Bro", he dug deep into his MMA arsenal to overawe the young Champion, forcing him to either find the escape or fight for it. Dream, legitimising his histrionics, managed both.

Triggering scowls and scorn from the typically-tepid Challenger, he refused to stay down when others with his arrogance would have bottled the big moments. Relighting the babyface fire he'd summoned for a tantalising near-miss against Tommaso Ciampa months earlier, Dream's age could no longer be betrayed by his overwhelming pizzazz, instead driving his desire to remain atop the mountain. Wide-eyed and wild, his fight was imbued by a Brooklyn crowd split before Riddle's wicked character work shunted them over to his opponent's side.

The finish - a wrapped roll-up cribbed from two genius Bret Hart finishes two decades prior - completed the in-match reframing of the real-life wrestler lurking beneath the Dream.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation nearly 8 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 35 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz" Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast and its accompanying YouTube channel, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 62,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, GRAPPL, GCP, Poisonrana and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett