WWE NXT was still trying to figure out its new identity in 2022 following a critically acclaimed period of the black and gold era. With that said, the brand still managed to put on a decent number of quality matches for fans and critics alike.
Under Shawn Michaels’ watchful eye, the new WWE NXT completely turned into WWE’s farm system for future main eventers and world champions. Women’s wrestling became a prominent focus of the rebranded developmental territory at the Performance Center.
Stars such as Bron Breakker, Nikkita Lyons, Roxanne Perez, and Carmelo Hayes started to carve their own path – putting on some great matches in the process. So without further ado, let’s take a look at five of the best WWE NXT matches of 2022.
Roxanne Perez vs. Meiko Satomura (WWE NXT – September 6, 2022)
Few expected the upstart Roxanne Perez to survive against Meiko Satomura when they collided for the first time on WWE NXT in 2022. Not only did Perez hold her on against Satomura, she managed to deliver a couple of surprise moves on the “Final Boss.”
The match lived up to the student-versus-teacher hype that was built around it. Perez did an incredible job going toe-to-toe with Satomura, who barely broke a sweat.
Mandy Rose vs. Zoey Stark (WWE NXT Heatwave 2022)
Zoey Stark spent months on the sidelines due to a knee injury. The master of the Z-360 made her shocking return to NXT in July 2022. She would go on to win the number one contender’s battle royal for a shot at NXT Women’s Champion Mandy Rose.
The pair collided for the title at NXT Heatwave. The bout turned out to be the best in Mandy Rose’s WWE NXT career up until that point. Stark did a great job carrying Rose through the match.
The champion also looked incredibly good in her heel antics as she used a knee brace to secure the win and retain the championship.
Axiom vs. Nathan Frazer (WWE NXT – October 11, 2022)
Axiom and Nathan Frazer spent the closing stretch of 2022 in an incredible best-of-three series. All three matches were showcased on free TV and given ample time. The third match in the series took place on October 11, 2022.
This bout excelled over their previous encounters. It featured fast-paced, high-octane action. Frazer relied on his incredible momentum to keep the former A-Kid at bay. Axiom, on the other hand, looked as comfortable as ever.
Dolph Ziggler vs. Tommaso Ciampa (WWE NXT – February 22, 2022)
Dolph Ziggler’s arrival in NXT was one of the most shocking happenings in 2022. The Show-Off soon found himself in a number one contender’s match for the NXT Championship against Tommaso Ciampa.
The match in question saw the two veterans pull off some amazing sequences. Ziggler’s commendable showmanship meshed well with Ciampa’s slow-burn technical brilliance. The result was a great match that featured an ever greater ending in the form of a win for the Show Off.
Bron Breakker vs. Ilja Dragunov vs. JD McDonagh (NXT Halloween Havoc 2022)
After unifying the NXT and NXT UK Championships at Worlds Collide, Bron Breakker found himself in an unfavorable situation against JD McDonagh and Ilja Dragunov at Halloween Havoc on October 25, 2022.
This triple threat match was crafty as it was violent as all three competitors belted out some big moves. Breakker relied on his insane strength to fight off the odds stacked against him. Dragunov and McDonagh kept the champion at arm’s length while also dishing out extreme punishment on each other.
Also read: Bron Breakker Isn’t Worried About When He’s Going To The WWE Main Roster
