Buzz 8 in 8: Busting 2020 Topps WWE NXT (Hour 2)

Do you like Buzz Breaks? Today's your day then as we launch 8 in 8 -- a series of a eight breaks of wax boxes and wax packs in as many hours today. We'll post one every hour ... this is Hour 2.

The box: 2020 Topps WWE NXT wrestling cards
First Buzz preview & checklist: Click here
The cost: Click here

What's inside this one? Keep reading ...

Packs per box: 2
Cards per pack: 25
Cards in this box: 47 (due to Relic)
Base set completion: 
17 of 100 (17 percent)
Duplicates: 1

Notables on base cards – See gallery for all cards in this box.

Inserts: 27
Roster (12) – Shotzi Blackheart, Rhea Ripley, Bronson Reed, Kona Reeves, Roderick Strong, Shayna Baszler, Fabian Aichner, Jaxson Ryker, Mia Yim, Mark Andrews, Adam Cole, Candice LeRae
Called Up (4) – Lacey Evans, Angelo Dawkins, Lars Sullivan (2)
Johnny Gargano Tribute (4) – Johnny Gargano
Bronze parallels (6) – Keith Lee, Travis Banks, Damian Priest, Adam Cole (3)
Blue parallels (1) – Keith Lee (/50)

Autographs/Memorabilia: 2
Roster Autographs (1) – Keith Lee
Silver Takeover: XXV Mat Relic Autographs (1) – Adam Cole (/25)

What's Buzz-worthy: This one took a dramatic packing change due to COVID delays with Topps' printer/packager, but I think this is a twist that makes this a lot quicker and more satisfying rip than in past years. It was supposed to be a 24-pack box but instead is a two-pack, hit-per box. (That's more fun.) This move downplays the highlights-driven base set and lets one focus on the better cards here -- the Roster set -- as well as the inserts and hits. You get an autograph in every pack this way and there are some young stars here with big demand vs. others -- particularly Shotzi Blackheart on her first WWE auto and Rhea Ripley but there are others. While I didn't land those for ink (they'll pay for a box or come close), I did land both of their Roster RCs (sorta Rookie Cards ... but they are inserts) in the same pack. It's good to know they are running together -- that helped get this box to A+ status in my mind atop the stronger-name autos. (Guys with a big presence in WWE that aren't necessarily all that pricey.) That Silver Cole is one in 47 packs, while the Blue base parallel is one in four. (The cards are serial-numbered by printed numbers on the backs, not foil-stamping ... so watch for those when ripping.) The base set here is the same as recent years -- not that strong of an approach from a collector value front (highlight cards just aren't as popular) -- but they do a good job of documenting the moments of the timeframe covered by this one. All in all, this is a better rip in that it's instant gratification with a few better names to chase among the autos -- and that late switch due to COVID makes this one more entertaining while following the same formula of past years. I'd actually like to see this format tried across the board in other sports and other releases.

Product Grade: A
Box Grade: A+ (hits and two key newcomers make this a good box)
Fun Grade: A (small boxes help this one a lot)

What's next? Be back in an hour ...

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