10 Lost Classic WWE Matches

The NXT Championship reign of Drew McIntyre has largely been remembered as a stepping stone on his path back to main roster glory. McIntyre didn't hold the belt for very long, dropping the title after only three months and he didn't get to successfully defend his championship on a Takeover event, losing to Andrade Cien Almas in one of the best NXT matches ever.

However, he did manage to defend his NXT Championship on the October 4th episode of NXT, against one of the most underrated workers in wrestling history Roderick Strong. This was a few months before his heel turn and subsequent decision to join The Undisputed Era and he was mostly aimless, losing to McIntyre several months before when the opportunity to face Bobby Roode was on the line.

However, while Strong thrived as a heel, he put on a courageous babyface performance here, fighting with all the urgency and desperation that he could possibly exhibit. McIntyre never leaned into heel territory while opposing him, seeming reluctant in his attempts to break the smaller man and that increased the strength of their dynamic. It made both men look considerably stronger in its aftermath and should be much better remembered.