Six matches in this ten-match selection share the highest reported Dave Meltzer rating: 4.5 stars. Four more are selected from a larger 4.25-star tier. Because the ratings compilation does not break ties within either tier, the order below is editorial—not a claim that Meltzer ranked these bouts first through tenth. The choices favor career milestones, a mix of match types and settings, and stories a viewer can follow without extensive background. Before WWE, Bálor wrestled in Japan as Prince Devitt, so that name appears for his Japan-era match.
How to read this ranking
The ratings come from IWNerd’s compilation, which attributes them to Dave Meltzer. It is a secondary source rather than the original Wrestling Observer Newsletter issues, and it does not establish exact ordering among matches with the same rating or provide original issue dates. The list is therefore best read as a rating-led selection, not a definitive objective ranking. The first six entries are tied at 4.5 stars; the final four are editorial picks from a larger group reported at 4.25 stars. [IWNerd]
For current WWE styling, the wrestler is Finn Bálor; in Japan-era bouts he was Prince Devitt. WWE’s profile traces his career from Ireland to Japan and then NXT and WWE, and identifies the Coup de Grâce and 1916 as signature moves. [WWE]
The six matches rated 4.5 stars
1. Prince Devitt vs. Low Ki vs. Kota Ibushi — Wrestle Kingdom 7 (2013)
Rating: 4.5 stars. Stakes: IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship. Devitt retained the title in this three-way, representing his Japan-era work before WWE. It is the clearest starting point for anyone looking for Prince Devitt’s standout matches rather than only his WWE catalogue. [IWNerd compilation]
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2. Finn Bálor vs. Samoa Joe vs. Bray Wyatt vs. Seth Rollins vs. Roman Reigns — Extreme Rules (2017)
Rating: 4.5 stars. Stakes: The winner would become the number-one contender for the Universal Championship. Joe won by submitting Bálor. The five-man format makes this a different kind of showcase from the one-on-one title matches elsewhere on the list. [IWNerd compilation]
3. Finn Bálor vs. Ali vs. Andrade vs. Baron Corbin vs. Brock Lesnar vs. Drew McIntyre vs. Randy Orton vs. Ricochet — Money in the Bank (2019)
Rating: 4.5 stars. Match type: Men’s Money in the Bank ladder match. Lesnar appeared late and won the briefcase. With eight competitors and a ladder-match outcome, this is the list’s broadest multi-person spectacle rather than a conventional Bálor-versus-one-opponent bout. [IWNerd compilation]
Rank #2
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4. Finn Bálor vs. Johnny Gargano — NXT TakeOver: Portland (2020)
Rating: 4.5 stars. Match type: Singles match, about 27 minutes. Bálor won. The bout is also one of the matches USA Insider highlights in its retrospective of his WWE career, making it an accessible choice for viewers exploring his NXT work. [IWNerd compilation; USA Insider]
5. Finn Bálor vs. Kyle O’Reilly — NXT TakeOver 31 (2020)
Rating: 4.5 stars. Stakes: NXT Championship. Bálor retained the title in this singles match, one of the top-rated championship defenses in the compilation. [IWNerd compilation]
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Rank #3
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6. Finn Bálor vs. Pete Dunne — NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day (2021)
Rating: 4.5 stars. Stakes: Bálor’s NXT Championship. He retained against Dunne. Like the O’Reilly bout, it pairs the top reported rating with a direct singles title defense. [IWNerd compilation]
Four selected matches rated 4.25 stars
The compilation includes more 4.25-star candidates than the four places available here. These picks add variety and useful career context: a Japan-connected WWE meeting, two major NXT title milestones, and a contender match. Their position below the 4.5-star group reflects the reported rating tier, not a claim that the source supplied an order among the 4.25-star bouts.
Rank #4
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7. Finn Bálor vs. AJ Styles — WWE TLC (2017)
Rating: 4.25 stars. Context: Styles replaced Bray Wyatt, who was unable to wrestle, creating a WWE-ring meeting between performers with prior history in Japan. USA Insider describes it as a dream-match encounter. That background gives the bout extra appeal to viewers who know Devitt’s Japan years, while the surprise change explains why Styles was the opponent. [IWNerd compilation; USA Insider]
8. Finn Bálor vs. Kevin Owens — Beast in the East (2015)
Rating: 4.25 stars. Stakes: NXT Championship. In Tokyo, Bálor defeated Owens to win the title. The event connects his earlier Japan experience to a major NXT milestone, and USA Insider also singles it out among his standout WWE matches. [IWNerd compilation; USA Insider]
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9. Finn Bálor vs. Adrian Neville — NXT TakeOver: Rival (2015)
Rating: 4.25 stars. Stakes: Number-one-contender match for the NXT Championship. Bálor won. This is the list’s clearest route into his early NXT rise without requiring a title-change storyline to follow. [IWNerd compilation]
10. Finn Bálor vs. Kevin Owens — NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn (2015)
Rating: 4.25 stars. Stakes: NXT Championship. This ladder match ended with Bálor retaining, making it a distinct follow-up to the Tokyo title win against Owens earlier that year. The two bouts offer contrasting match formats around the same championship rivalry. [IWNerd compilation]
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Which match should a new viewer start with?
- For a career milestone: Start with Beast in the East, where Bálor won the NXT Championship in Tokyo.
- For a compact singles showcase: Try TakeOver: Portland against Gargano, a roughly 27-minute match Bálor won.
- For a Japan-era match: Search for Prince Devitt vs. Low Ki vs. Kota Ibushi at Wrestle Kingdom 7.
- For a large-scale spectacle: Choose the 2019 Money in the Bank ladder match or the 2017 Extreme Rules fatal five-way.
- For Bálor and Styles together: TLC 2017 is the WWE meeting, set up when Styles replaced Wyatt.
For broader context, Bálor won the inaugural Universal Championship at SummerSlam 2016 against Seth Rollins, then relinquished it the next night after suffering a shoulder injury. That match is a notable omission from this ten-match rating-led selection, not evidence that it belongs in either reported tier. [USA Insider]
Where to look for the events
WWE’s official profile links to WWE Network, Netflix, Sony LIV and Flow, but services and event catalogues vary by country and can change. Check the current catalogue in your region for the specific event before subscribing or searching. [WWE]
The Tool Desk
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