These matches all received 5 stars:
Johnny Gargano vs Andrade ‘Cien’ Almas – NXT Takeover: Philadelphia
Rating: 5 Stars
Johnny Gargano and Andrade Almas wrestled for the NXT Championship in Philadelphia. They put on one heck of a match against one another. The storytelling was fantastic and the wrestling was top-notch.
This was the first WWE match to receive 5-stars from Meltzer since CM Punk vs John Cena in 2011.
Adam Cole vs EC3 vs Killian Dain vs Lars Sullivan vs Ricochet vs Velveteen Dream – NXT Takeover New Orleans
Rating: 5 Stars
A 6-way ladder match happened in New Orleans to determine the inaugural NXT North American Champion. The match was wild from start to finish. It featured plenty of fun and high-risk moments. A very good ladder match.
It received a 5-star rating from Meltzer and I think most fans would agree that it was one of the best matches of the year.
Johnny Gargano vs Tommaso Ciampa – NXT Takeover New Orleans (Unsanctioned Match)
Rating: 5 Stars
Johnny Gargano followed up his 5-star match at Takeover: Philadelphia with another classic against Tommaso Ciampa. This was a grudge match that had been building for over a year and boy did it ever deliver. The wrestling was great and the storytelling was even better.
This was an emotional rollercoaster from start to finish. Great match.
You can also check out the list of the best NXT matches of all time here.
What was your favorite NXT Takeover match of 2018? Let us know in the comment section.