WWE NXT Year-End Awards Results, Highlights, Winners & Reactions for December 30, 2020

Welcome to Ringside News’ coverage of WWE NXT’. Please keep refreshing throughout the show for constant updates once it kicks off at 8:00 PM EST.

Only one week away from NXT New Year’s Evil, we have the year-end awards for NXT 2020. Tonight, we will see who won awards such as Tag Team of the Year, the Breakout Award, Male Competitor of the Year, and more.

Additionally, two matches have been announced for tonight’s show. First up, Leon Ruff will challenge NXT North American Champion Johnny Gargano for the championship that Ruff recently loss. Will Ruff be able to replicate his surprising victory from weeks ago, or will The Way hold on to the belt?

Also on tonight’s card, Undisputed Era’s Roderick Strong will take on Pete Dunne one-on-one. In a feud that goes back to Strong turning his back on Dunne during their run in the Dusty Classic two years ago, they rekindle their rivalry tonight.

Remember to continue to refresh the page throughout the night and leave your comments down below as we cover the final NXT of the year when NXT goes live at 8:00 PM EST!

Opening Segment

Isaiah “Swerve” Scott vs. Bronson Reed

Reed and Scott lock up. Reed gets Scott in a headlock. Reed takes Scott down in a headlock and wrenches away at him. Scott fights to his feet and reverses into an attempted armbar.

Reed picks up Scott and goes for a powerbomb. Scott escapes, and Reed hits him with a senton to the back, followed by a clothesline to the outside. Reed hits a shoulder tackle from the apron onto Scott on the outside.

Reed tosses Scott back into the ring. Scott hits a chop block and a House Call on Reed. Reed rolls out of the ring and Scott hits a running knee to Reed on the apron.

Scott taunts Reed with crotch chops. Scott pins Reed for two. Scott hits a diving elbow to Reed’s back, pinning him again for two. Both men get to their feet, and Scott tries to pick Reed’s leg. Reed blocks and picks up Scott for a powebomb.

Scott escapes and runs at Reed. Reed lifts a leg up but Scott blocked and hit a rolling thunder flatliner, pinning Reed again for two. Scott focuses on Reed’ left leg and knee, but Reed fights Scott off. Scott slaps Reed a few times, then hits him in the knee.

Scott runs the ropes, but Reed catches him. Scott tries to roll Reed up, but Reed sits on Scott, pinning him for two. Reed takes Scott back down with forearms and a running elbow strike. Reed hits a splash on Scott in the corner, then hits a chokeslam on Scott, pinning him for two.

Reed picks up Scott and goes for a German suplex, but Scott gets to the ropes and hits Reed with a headbutt. Reed looks angry and he takes Scott down with a tackle, followed by a senton. Reed hits the Tsunami on Scott, pinning him for the win.

Winner: Bronson Reed

We go backstage to William Regal presenting the award for Breakout Star of the Year. The winner is Shotzi Blackheart. Shotzi cuts a promo about the year that she has had, performing in the Royal Rumble and leading a WarGames team. Then, we go to commercial.

Back from commercial and The Way and Leon Ruff with Jake Atlas are shown arriving backstage.

Breezango vs. Grizzled Young Veterans

James Drake and Tyler Breeze start the match. Drake takes Breeze down and gets him in a headlock. Breeze fights to his feet and takes Drake down with a wristlock. Drake tries to escape, but Breeze grounds him.

Breeze tags in Fandago, who takes Drake down with a shoulder tackle. Fandango hits an armdrag on Drake, but Drake gets to his feet and tags in Zack Gibson. Gibson goes for a powerslam on Fandango, but Fandango reverses into a headlock takedown.

During this match, we are told that the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic is returning in two weeks. Back in the ring, Drake and Breeze are in the ring. Drake hits a scoop slam on Breeze, pinning him for two. Drake follows it up with a snapmare and a knee to the back.

Drake locks in a headlock, but Breeze fights to his feet. Drake pins Breeze into his corner and tags in Gibson. Breeze escapes to his corner and tags in Fandango. Fandango hits an inverted atomic drop and a clothesline on Drake and rolls up Gibson for two.

Breeze tags in and Fandango and Breeze hit a double kick to Gibson’s head. Breezeango go for the Fashion Faux Pas, but Gibson blocks. Gibson attacks Fandango and Drake is also sent outside. Breeze hits a dive onto all four men to the outside and we go to commercial.

Gibson and Fandango are in the ring when we come back from commercial. Fandango is on the top rope and Gibson hits a dragon screw, taking him to hte mat. Gibson pins him for two multiple times.

Gibson gets back on hits feet and hits a scoop slam on Fandango, then tags in James Drake. Drake goes to the outside and tries to pull Fandango out. Fandango kicks Drake away, and Drake tags Gibson back in as Breeze comes in.

Breeze takes out Gibson and Drake. Drake tags in, and Breeze goes for a dive onto both men, but they move and Breeze crashes. Fandango takes out Gibson and Drake tosses Breeze into the ring.

Gibson sends Fandango into the steel steps, leaving no one for him to tag. Zack Gibson tags in and they hit the Ticket to Mayhem on Breeze, pinning him for three.

Winners: Grizzled Young Veterans

Ever-Rise come down the ramp and shout and Grizzled Young Veterans. A referee holds them back, but the ref eventually leaves. The Grizzled Young Veterans stare down Ever-Rise, and Ever-Rise run off to the back.

William Regal announces that Undisputed Era win the Tag Team of the Year. All four members of the Era are backstage, accepting their award. Adam Cole announces that Cole himself and Roderick Strong will be representing Undisputed Era in the Dusty Class in 2021, and we go to commercial.

Back from commercial and we see more of the training from Boa and Xia Li. Their old man trainer marks the foreheads of Li and Boa with black paint of some sort. Then a mask reminiscent of the Great Kabuki appears and a hooded figure walks into the light, followed by Boa and Li. Then, we see the words “Next Week.”

Mercedes Martinez vs. Valentina Feroz

Feroz goes to take down Martinez, but she kicks her off. Feroz rolls away from Martinez, but she picks up Feroz and tosses her hard to the mat. Martinez picks up Feroz and hits her with a forearm smash and chokes her agains the middle rope.

Martinez goes for a suplex, but Feroz reverses into a chokehold. Martinez runs her into the corner, then hits a spinebuster on Feroz. Martinez taunts Feroz, then smacks her in the face. Feroz tries to roll up Martinez, but she blocks and hits an overhead belly to belly suplex. Martinez picks up Feroz and hits an Air Raid Crash, pinning her for the win.

Winner: Mercedes Martinez

Martinez stares down the camera and says that every woman on the roster is on her radar.

William Regal gets ready to presenting the award for Female Competitor of the Year. Io Shirai wins the award. Io cuts a selfie promo, thanking everyone who voted for her.

William Regal presents the Male Competitor of the Year award. Adam Cole wins the award. Cole accepts the award, and he says how he said that he was going to win this award again this year and he did. He says that winning this award two years in a row means a lot, but Kyle O’Reilly becoming NXT Champion next week will mean even more.

We are told that voting for the Overall Competitor of the Year between Adam Cole and Io Shirai is now open. Also, Roderick Strong and Pete Dunne are shown backstage getting ready for their match, which is right after a commercial break.

Back from commercial and Pete Dunne is already on his way to the ring.

Pete Dunne vs. Roderick Strong

Strong takes Dunne down and punches away at him in the head and kneeing him in the midsection. Strong chops away at Dunne, then takes him down with a headlock. Strong runs the ropes and takes Dunne down with a sliding clothesline.

Strong lays into Dunne, but Dunne picks Strong’s leg, then gets on him and locks him in a headlock. Dunne runs the ropes and Strong takes him down with a dropkick. Strong chops away at Dunne, but Dunne takes him down into a headscissors submission attempt.

Dunne transitions to a focus on Strong’s left arm. Strong picks up Dunne and drops him against the ropes and Dunne releases the hold. Dunne dumps Strong to the outside and Dunne kicks Strong in the head. Dunne tosses Strong back in the ring.

Strong fights Dunne off and hits a backbreaker on Dunne. Dunne rolls to the outside and Strong his a wrecking ball dropkick on Dunne, sending Dunne over the barricade and we go to commercial.

Back from commercial and Dunne whips Strong hard into the turnbuckle. Dunne goes for an abdominal stretch. Strong gets to his feet in the corner, but Dunne pushes him into a seated position. Strong gets back up and kicks at Dunne, then runs at Dunne and hits him with a dropkick.

Both men get back to heir feet and Strong takes Dunne down with clothesline and a running knee. Strong hits Dunne with a his running forearm smashes into an Olympic Slam, covering Dunne for two.

Dunne rolls out of the ring and Strong follows. Dunne tosses Strong into the steel steps, then goes for a Bitter End. Strong reverses and hits a full nelson slam onto Dunne on the apron. Dunne pins Strong for two.

Strong hits an enziguri and goes for a powerbomb, then picks him up and hits a powerbomb into his own knee. Strong pins Dunne for two. Strong picks up Dunne, but Dunne rolls Strong down and goes for a triangle choke. Strong punches away at Dunne until Dunne releases the hold.

Strong goes for the Stronghold, but Dunne fights him off. Dunne grabs Strong’s fingers and snaps them, then hits the Bitter End on Strong, pinning him for the win.

Winner: Pete Dunne

William Regal announces the Match of the Year. Finn Balor defending his NXT Championship against Kyle O’Reilly at NXT TakeOver 31. wins the award. Balor grabs Kyle’s award and says that he’ll give it to him next week.

On his way, Pete Dunne stops him on his way and says that he wants to face Finn for the title. Finn says “A lot of people want to face” him. Then he tells Dunne to “Get in line.” Finn gets in the ring and we go to commercial.

Back from commercial and we get a video package hyping up the Fight Pit match between Timothy Thatcher and Tommaso Ciampa next week.

Finn Balor is in the ring with his belt on the mat and the golden bell award next to it. Finn picks his belt back up but stares at the bell. He talks about his match with Kyle was a surprising match for a lot of people, but it didn’t shock him. He starts to invite O’Reilly down to the ring and O’Reilly makes his way down to the ring.

Kyle goes to grab his bell, and Finn says that he doesn’t need a trophy. He has the championship and the plates in his jaw to remind him. O’Reilly says that the trophy means a lot to him, but he doesn’t need it.

O’Reilly says that the award is a reminder that he fell short in the biggest match of his career. O’Reilly says that he leaves his respect for Finn at home next week and he will bring the title home. Finn says that he will do everything to make Kyle suffer because he broke Finn’s jaw and he will make Kyle suffer.

Finn and Kyle stare each other down and suddenly Scarlett starts speaking. She and Karrion Kross come out at the top of the ramp. She says that the titel belongs to them, and it doesn’t matter who wins next week.

Suddenly, Damian Priest is behind Karrion Kross. Kross sees him and stare at each other. Priest and Kross start trading blows. Priest picks up Kross and goes for The Reckoning, but Kross escapes.

Priest kicks at Kross, but Kross picks him up and runs him into a steel pillar at ringside. Kross picks up Priest and runs him through a barricade at ring side and they continue to brawl to the back.

Kross and Priest continue to brawl at ringside. Kross picks up Priest for a Doomsday Saito, but Priest looks like he reverses it into a crossbody onto Kross, sending them crashing through a table at ringside. Scarlett sits by and laughs as Priest and Kross both try to gather themselves and we go to commercial.

Back from commercial and Rhea Ripley talks about her history with Raquel Gonzalez. She says how they used to be like sisters, and they even got matching “RnR” tattoos, but Raquel has changed. She says that Raquel’s ego got in the way of their friendship. It ultimately ends with a promo for their match next week.

Legado del Fantasma are in the ring and Santos Escobar talks about the year they had. Escobar says that he is in NXT ‘to dominate” and that is what he has done. Escobar says that no one can touch him and no one belongs in the ring with him or Legado del Fantasma.

Escobar says that their reign will continue into 2021. He starts to talk about their “first order of business.” Suddenly, Lucha House Party’s music hits. Lince Dorado and Gran Metalik come out. Lince and Metalik take out Raul Mendoza and Joaquin Wilde.

A referee says that he got word from Regal making this a tag team match. Dorado and Metalik and hit dives onto Legado to the outside, and Vic Joseph tells us that their match will be up right after a commercial break.

Lucha Hous Party vs. Legado del Fantasma

Back from commercial and Dorado is in the ring with Mendoza. Mendoza charges at Dorado in the corner and tags in Wilde. Wildo also runs at Dorado in the corner and pins him for two.

Wilde pushes Dorado into their corner, but Dorado hits a hiss crossbody onto Wildo. Metalik and Mendoza tag in. Metalik hits Mendoza with a reverse slingblade and a dropkick, pining Mendoza for two.

Dorado tags in, and he places Mendoza on the top turnbuckle. Metalik takes him down with a hurricanrana and then Dorado hits a splash, pinning him for two. Melik takes Wilde out on the outside. Dorado takes Mendoza down with a reverse hurricanrana. Metalik tags in and hits an elbow drop on Mendoza, pinning him for three.

Winners: Lucha House Party

Metalik stares down Santos Escobar, motioning that he wants Escobar’s title.

William Regal presents the Future Star of the Year Award to Austin Theory. He accepts the award with the rest of The Way. Candice says that he has to share his award with Indi. Theory says that Gargano will break his curse, but he breaks a mirror and walks under a ladder after previously seeing a black cat earlier. Gargano says that his match is up next, after the commercial.

Back from commercial and William Regal presents the Overall Competitor of the Year Award to Io Shirai. She cuts another selfie promo saying how grateful she is for the award.

NXT North American Champion Johnny Gargano (w/The Way) vs. Leon Ruff

Gargano and Ruff tie up. Gargano takes Ruff down with a headlock. Ruff tries to escapes with a headscissors, but he can’t quite reach. Gargano picks up Ruff with a wristlock, but Ruff escapes and tries to pin Gargano three separate times, getting a two count each time.

Gargano rolls out of the ring to regroup. Austin Theory gets on the apron to distract Ruff. Ruff fights him off and Gargano goes for a slingshot spear, but Ruff dodgeds. He tries to roll up Gargano, but Gargano rolls through and gets a kick to the head from Ruff.

Ruff pins Gargano into a corner and Ruff charges in with a kick to the head. Ruff jumps to the middle rope, but Gargano gets to his feet and pushes Ruff off the ropes to the outside. Gargano lays Ruff against the apron and chops at his chest, then slams his face into the apron.

Gargano tosses Ruff hard into a barricade on the outside. Gargano picks up Ruff and tries to toss him into the barricade again, but Ruff jumps to the steel steps, thn to the side of the ring, catching Gargano.

Ruff rolls Gargano back into the ring and he is gets distracted by Austin Theory at ringside. Gargano kicks Ruff as Ruff tries to get back in the ring. Gargano sends Ruff back out of the ring and hits a dive onto him to the outside as we go to commercial.

Back from commercial and Gargano has Ruff in a headlock in the ring. Ruff hits Gargano in the midsection, but Gargano hits a backbreaker on Ruff, breaking the hold. Gargano stands over Ruff, then picks him up and goes for a neckbreaker.

Ruff counters and goes for a backslide. Gargano blocks, but Ruff hits him witha superkick. Ruff lays into Gargano with uppercuts and diving shoulder tackles. Ruff hits Gargano with a neckbreaker. Ruff picks up Gargano and hits him with a German suplex.

Ruff hits a corkscrew cannonball onto Gargano in the corner, then pins him for two. Gargano lays into Ruff with forearms, but Ruff comes back with a clothesline, laying out Gargano. Gargano catches Ruff with a superkick, then a lawn dart into the corner. Gargano hits Ruff with his DIY superkick, then pins Ruff for two.

Gargano drags Ruff to the side of the ring to set up One Final Beat. Ruff catches Gargano with an enziguri and goes for a crucifix bomb. Gargano blocks, hitting a powerbomb on Ruff, pinning him for two. Gargano quickly catches Ruff with a Gargano Escape. Ruff gets to the bottom rope to force a break.

Gargano pushes Ruff out of the ring. Gargano picks up Ruff and tries to lawn dart him into a steel beam. Ruff dodges and hits a cutter on Gargano to the outside. Ruff tosses Gargano back into the ring and climbs to the top rope. Ruff hits a frogsplash on Gargano, pinning him for two.

Ruff picks up Gargano and sits him on the top turnbuckle. Ruff joins Gargano, but Gargano picks Ruff up and drops him face first into the top turnbuckle. Gargano hits One Final Beat on Leon Ruff, pinning him for three.

Winner: Johnny Gargano

Austin Theory, Indi Hartwell, and Candice LeRae join him in the ring and celebrate with him. As we begin to sign off for the night, Dexter Lumis is suddenly standing above the announce table as we see illustrations for New Year’s Evil.

We see a rundown of the card: Santos Escobar defending the NXT Cruiserweight Championship against Gran Metalik, Raquel Gonzalez vs. Rhea Ripley, Karrion Kross vs. Damian Priest, Timothy Thatcher vs. Tommaso Ciampa, and Finn Balor defending his title against Kyle O’Reilly. NXT goes off the air with a close-up of Dexter Lumis’ face.

And that’s the final episode of NXT of 2020! Let us know in the comments what you thought of tonight’s show, and make sure to come back to Ringside News on Friday for our coverage of the New Year’s Day edition of Smackdown!