Top 5 best WALTER matches in NXT
WALTER debuted in January 2019 back at NXT UK TakeOver: Blackpool. He had made a major name for himself outside of WWE until his arrival. The Ring General immediately became a force on the NXT UK brand and earned himself a spot at the top of the card.
At NXT TakeOver: New York, WALTER won the NXT UK Championship. It is safe to say that no one could have expected how dominant his reign would be. For the next 870 days, the Imperium leader ran roughshod over his brand and the North American side of NXT. During his reign, he put together an exceptional catalog of epic encounters.
With his loss of the NXT UK Championship at NXT TakeOver 36, it seems like a great time to remember all of the classics that he has compiled over the past two years. In this article, let's look back at the top five best WALTER matches in NXT.
#5 WALTER vs. Tommaso Ciampa for the NXT UK Championship (NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver)
WALTER's TakeOver clashes are always a match of the night contender. He usually steals the show with his bruising clashes. His matches in the premier event have been with fellow NXT UK roster members. However, he faced an NXT stalwart in Tommaso Ciampa at NXT TakeOver: Stand and Deliver. The Ring General started going after Ciampa, and his tag team partner Timothy Thatcher mixed it up with Imperium.
In the months leading up to the showdown, Ciampa had seen his stock fall. Despite being one of the greatest NXT Champion of all time, he felt stale and couldn't capture the magic of his character at its peak back in 2018. This night was different, however.
WALTER and Ciampa tore the house down in a hard-hitting clash. For one night, the old Tommaso Ciampa felt rejuvenated against WALTER. He showed off babyface fire and made a wildly spirited comeback. The story was built around Ciampa attacking WALTER's hand until his vintage chops finally got the NXT UK Champion the win.
It was a masterful tale that had compelling storytelling. WALTER probably has never sold as well as he did in this bout. It was an excellent encounter that was physically intense and built nicely. WALTER is a world-beater, but he can sell exceptionally well and showed how versatile he could be at TakeOver: Stand and Deliver.