In 2021, WWE’s developmental brand NXT underwent a massive overhaul, ditching the heavy metal, black and yellow branding, and the darker aesthetic for a more hip-hop vibe, colorful branding, and a brightly lit set. Redubbed NXT 2.0, the new era for NXT also ushered in a slew of new talent, with the old guard largely being phased out.

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Another change with the rebrand is that there’s been a lot more regular crossover with the WWE main roster, with stars like AJ Styles, Dolph Ziggler, Apollo Crews, and Natalya clashing with the stars of 2.0. There’s always potential for more NXT 2.0 vs. WWE matches, so let’s take a look at some of the most exciting ones, including a few featuring pre-NXT 2.0 stars who are still on the show.

10 Bron Breakker vs. Finn Balor

Bron Breakker vs. Finn Balor

At the top of the NXT food chain is NXT Champion Bron Breakker, who’s been pushed hard ever since he showed up on the first episode of the 2.0 era. Basically the face of the brand, it only makes sense to run him against whatever former NXT Champions are left to further prove himself, and the most exciting choice might be Finn Balor, as their encounter would be physical and intense. And, given his feud with Joe Gacy, Bron’s already got experience battling spooky guys.

9 Pretty Deadly vs. The Usos

Pretty Deadly vs. The Usos

In terms of kayfabe, there’s no reason for Pretty Deadly and The Usos to actually fight, since both tag teams are heels. That said, NXT 2.0 is so laissez faire when it comes to heel/face dynamics that either team could conceivably be played as good guys in the WWE Performance Center. The Usos are practically legends of tag team wrestling at this point, and Pretty Deadly are already a decorated duo in both NXT UK and NXT 2.0 with proven abilities in bouts with Moustache Mountain and The Creed Brothers, so this totally qualifies as a dream match.

8 Carmelo Hayes vs. Cody Rhodes

Carmelo Hayes vs. Cody Rhodes

Arguably the most successful wrestler to be pushed with the 2.0 rebrand, Carmelo Hayes is a talented high flyer with a tremendous ego and two NXT North American Title reigns to his name already. Given a choice of main roster stars to take on, there’s a likely chance he’d choose Cody Rhodes.

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It’d make perfect sense: Cody Rhodes isn’t just a veteran WWE star and (now) a main eventer — he’s also an ex-AEW talent, so taking on (and potentially beat) The American Nightmare would be quite the achievement for a wrestler who calls himself “The A-Champion.”

7 Cameron Grimes vs. Happy Corbin

Cameron Grimes vs. Happy Corbin

When former North American Champion Cameron Grimes gets moved to the main roster — if he’s not made into a manager — there’s a 100% chance he feuds with Happy Corbin based on the height disparity alone. But that’s not necessarily a bad idea, as the scrappy, undersized Grimes would make an amazing underdog against Corbin, who’s not only tall but impossible to root for. They’re also both absurdly rich in kayfabe, which means that their match would involve putting a lot of money on the line.

6 Wes Lee vs. Ricochet

Wes Lee vs. Ricochet

Now that a practical, typically WWE big guy vs. little guy match has been covered, let’s talk about something way more exciting: two little flippy dudes doing crazy moves. Former tag team champion Wes Lee is a bit adrift in 2.0 following the release of his tag team partner, a pre-2.0 indie guy in a world of large men of varying degrees of wrestling ability. Rather than another David vs. Goliath affair, what would actually be fun is watching Wes Lee take on WWE’s top high flyer, Ricochet. Purists will use “spotfest” as a pejorative, but it would be a blast.

5 Io Shirai vs. Asuka

Io Shirai vs. Asuka

Both former NXT Women’s Champions, Io Shirai and Asuka had legitimate claims to being the overall best wrestlers in the world before they even stepped foot in WWE. They’re so good that they seem overpowered compared to pretty much everyone else in the company, so watching them finally clash would be a legitimate dream match, as they’ve never had a singles bout against one another. Moreover, they were teammates for a spell in Japan, so they actually have history together.

4 Solo Sikoa vs. Roman Reigns

Solo Sikoa vs. Roman Reigns

Despite every WWE fan expecting The Usos’ brother Solo Sikoa to eventually join them in the Bloodline faction, it would be more fun to watch him oppose them. In particular, it would be the most fun to watch him take on Roman Reigns himself.

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After all, Sikoa’s “Street champion of the island” gimmick explicitly seeks to set him apart from the rest of the Samoan Dynasty, so it’d be way more exciting to play into that and have him fight the self-described “Head of the Table.”

3 Santos Escobar vs. Rey Mysterio

Santos Escobar vs. Rey Mysterio

Any time WWE needs to establish a latino heel with lucha libre bona fides, they’re going to have Rey Mysterio fight him. When Legado Del Fantasma leader Santos Escobar moves on to the main roster — which is sooner rather than later — he will fight Rey Mysterio. But that doesn’t mean it won’t rule, as the former Hijo Del Fantasma (and King Cuerno) is a gifted performer who, in working with the lucha legend Mysterio, would create a magical match in the process.

2 The Creed Brothers vs. Street Profits

The Creed Brothers vs. Street Profits

Newly crowned NXT Tag Team Champions Brutus and Julius Creed are relatively new to wrestling, having signed to WWE from the collegiate wrestling world in 2020. But they’re already proven physical marvels with amateur backgrounds in the vein of the Steiner Brothers, so taking on main roster amateur guys Alpha Academy would surely be fun. But even more fun would be the Creed Brothers taking on Street Profits — Angelo Dawkins also has an amateur background, but the real attraction here is watching the athletic Montez Ford sell the Creeds’ offense.

1 Roxanne Perez vs. Charlotte Flair

Roxanne Perez vs. Charlotte Flair

One of NXT 2.0’s more recent additions is former Ring of Honor Women’s Champion Rok-C, now named Roxanne Perez. A plucky babyface whose whole gimmick to date is that she grew up obsessed with WWE and works hard to be a good wrestler, Perez’s ultimate foil would be Charlotte Flair, a top star and heel who’s so privileged that it almost feels like her 15 (and counting) singles championships were handed to her in kayfabe. If handled in the classic black and yellow style, their encounter would be a hybrid of the 2015 NXT women’s division classics and a heart-wrenching My Hero Academia battle.