Arrival, the first live special for WWE’s developmental brand turned super popular critical darling NXT, aired on February 27, 2014. Three months later, they’d follow it up with NXT TakeOver. On Saturday night, NXT TakeOver XXV airs live on WWE Network, and what a long, strange trip it’s been.
In celebration of the event (and to avoid just copy-pasting in a bunch of stuff from the Best and Worst of NXT weekly TV column), we’ve decided to dig back into the archives and present the best GIF from all 25 NXT live specials. That’s 24 TakeOvers and Arrival, if you’re keeping score.
What do we consider the best GIF? Of course it’s completely subjective, but for this feature I tried to capture the single most memorable, talked-about, and historically important moment from each event. Bigger and better things may have happened, but I looked to build a cohesive narrative from Arrival to TakeOver: New York, touching on the feuds and division that were most popular at the time, and the *moments* that pop into your head when you hear that show’s name. If I missed anything or got anything horribly wrong — keeping in mind the entire thing can’t just be Gargano and Ciampa GIFs — drop down into our comments and let me know.
As for now, here are my personal picks for the most important and best GIF from every NXT TakeOver.
NXT Arrival
Date: February 27, 2014
Complete Show Card:
1. Cesaro vs. Sami Zayn
2. Mojo Rawley vs. CJ Parker
3. NXT Tag Team Championship Match: The Ascension vs. Too Cool
4. NXT Women’s Championship Match: Paige (c) vs. Emma
5. Tyler Breeze vs. Xavier Woods
6. Ladder Match for the NXT Championship: Bo Dallas (c) vs. Adrian Neville
Why This Moment? The first live special couldn’t have started out with a better or more important match for its time. The success of the Cesaro vs. Sami Zayn matches on NXT TV, particularly their 2-out-of-3 falls match, were the first NXT matches that got people “talking.” Their brilliance brought more eyes to the product, so opening the first “pay-per-view” with your two best wrestlers and hottest stars paying off a long respect angle with a great match and a hug was perfect. Zayn lost, but won Cesaro’s respect, and the different set of priorities for the NXT quadrant of the WWE Universe became apparent.
Honorable Mention: Both Paige and Emma actually starting the Women’s Revolution by having the first really good marquee women’s match in WWE in years and Neville (who’d go on to be one of my favorite NXT Champions ever) being crowned champion in the main event ladder match. The card doesn’t look as good as modern NXT shows on paper, but it was everything it needed to be in 2014.
NXT TakeOver
Date: May 29, 2014
Complete Show Card:
1. Adam Rose vs. Camacho
2. NXT Tag Team Championship Match: The Ascension vs. Kalisto and El Local
3. Tyler Breeze vs. Sami Zayn
4. NXT Women’s Championship Match: Charlotte vs. Natalya
5. NXT Championship Match: Adrian Neville vs. Tyson Kidd
Why This Moment? The first crowning of Charlotte Flair, by the main roster veteran Natalya, while legendary champions Bret Hart and Ric Flair clap for her in the ring. It’s the single moment that informs the rest of Charlotte Flair (before she even had the “Flair”) character: she wants to be seen as better than everyone else, and the only way she can do that at her job is to defeat everybody else and get the most prizes.
Honorable Mention: The first TakeOver with the TakeOver name might be the weakest of the bunch, based on two things: Tyler Breeze and Sami Zayn botching the big El Generico Orange Crush (still sad about that), and Tyson Kidd never getting to be NXT Champion. He’s the most important uncrowned name in NXT history. Fact.
NXT TakeOver: Fatal 4-way
Date: September 11, 2014
Complete Show Card:
1. NXT Tag Team Championship Match: The Ascension (c) vs. The Lucha Dragons
2. Baron Corbin vs. CJ Parker
3. Hair vs. Hair Match: Enzo Amore vs. Sylvester LeFort
4. Bull Dempsey vs. Mojo Rawley
5. NXT Women’s Championship Match: Charlotte (c) vs. Bayely
6. Fatal 4-Way for the NXT Championship: Adrian Neville (c) vs. Tyson Kidd vs. Tyler Breeze vs. Sami Zayn
Why This Moment? This might’ve been the easiest pick on the list for me. Tyler Breeze’s flourish during the Fatal 4-Way match is one of the most exciting shines ever shone at Full Sail.
Honorable Mention: Lots of history in this one. The debut of the Carmella character, the TakeOver debut of Baron Corbin … what, no need for more Baron Corbin content in 2019?
NXT TakeOver: R Evolution
Date: December 11, 2014
Complete Show Card:
1. Kevin Owens vs. CJ Parker
2. NXT Tag Team Championship Match: The Lucha Dragons (c) vs. The Vaudevillains
3. Baron Corbin vs. Tye Dillinger
4. Finn Bálor and Hideo Itami vs. The Ascension
5. NXT Women’s Championship Match: Charlotte (c) vs. Sasha Banks
6. NXT Championship Match: Adrian Neville (c) vs. Sami Zayn
Why This Moment? It’s crazy to see NXT go from Arrival’s meek offerings to the debut of Kevin Owens, a banger card, and a hugely important and controversial ending in just 2014. Kevin Owens debuting early on the card as a happy-go-lucky babyface, showing up to congratulate his best friend Sami Zayn on “doing the right thing” and winning the NXT Championship fair and square instead of taking shortcuts, then taking the ULTIMATE shortcut and turning on him to get an instant title shot is one of NXT’s defining moments.
Honorable Mention: Zayn’s championship decision is still one of my favorite NXT moments, as it proved that you ultimately don’t have to sell your soul to succeed. It’s a message the character forgot on the main roster, where everything hurts. Also: the TakeOver debut of Finn Bálor, who we’ll get to in a sec.
NXT TakeOver: Rival
Date: February 11, 2015
Complete Show Card:
1. Tyler Breeze vs. Hideo Itami
2. Baron Corbin vs. Bull Dempsey
3. NXT Tag Team Championship Match: Blake and Murphy (c) vs. The Lucha Dragons
4. Number One Contender Match: Finn Bálor vs. Adrian Neville
5. Fatal 4-Way for the NXT Women’s Championship: Sasha Banks defeated Charlotte Flair (c), Bayley, and Becky Lynch
6. NXT Championship Match: Sami Zayn (c) vs. Kevin Owens
Why This Moment? While the beginning of the Sasha Banks NXT Women’s Championship reign could’ve taken this spot, I wanted to give a moment to The Demon Finn Bálor. It used to just be what Finn did for every big match. He didn’t have to save it or store up his energies or anything. He’d been the Demon in a tag match on the previous TakeOver, but this is the big singles Demon moment, complete with long-forgotten corner smoke plume.
Honorable Mention: Sasha can’t tape out Charlotte because Charlotte’s got a gymnast torso, so she just rolls her up and pins her. Other than that, the show is mostly about Sami Zayn’s title reign getting euthanized in the most decisive way imaginable.
NXT TakeOver: Unstoppable
Date: May 20, 2015
Complete Show Card:
1. Number One Contender Match: Finn Bálor vs. Tyler Breeze
2. Bayley and Charlotte vs. Dana Brooke and Emma
3. Baron Corbin vs. Rhyno
4. NXT Tag Team Championship Match: Blake and Murphy (c) vs. Colin Cassady and Enzo Amore
5. NXT Women’s Championship Match: Sasha Banks (c) vs. Becky Lynch
6. NXT Championship Match: Kevin Owens (c) vs. Sami Zayn
Why This Moment? I might be remembering it wrong, but while Paige vs. Emma from Arrival and the Charlotte matches between now and then got good feedback, it feels like Becky Lynch vs. Sasha Banks for the NXT Women’s Championship at Unstoppable was the first time NXT fans said, “the women’s match was easily the best match of the night.” It’s a total under-the-radar classic, with Becky Lynch becoming a serious wrestler instead of a Riverdancer or a heel cronie, and Sasha showing off how awesome she’s gotten at her job. The “standing on Becky’s head” moment that built to it is still the best contract signing ever, by the way.
Honorable Mention: Looking back, Kevin Owens really did break the heart of NXT. He turned Zayn from a beloved hero into a broken afterthought with the quickness. That probably should’ve gotten a big formal NXT blowoff, but life (and the main roster) happens.
NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn
Date: August 22, 2015
Complete Show Card:
1. Jushin Thunder Liger vs. Tyler Breeze
2. NXT Tag Team Championship Match: Blake and Murphy (c) vs. The Vaudevillains
3. Apollo Crews vs. Tye Dillinger
4. Samoa Joe vs. Baron Corbin
5. NXT Women’s Championship Match: Sasha Banks (c) vs. Bayley
6. Ladder Match for the NXT Championship: Finn Bálor (c) vs. Kevin Owens
Why This Moment? The show that the women should’ve main-evented, and put on a match so good they didn’t sweat letting them main event the next one. Bayley vs. Sasha Banks in Brooklyn remains and will probably always been one of the defining triumphs of NXT and the NXT women’s division, and for my money is still the best women’s wrestling match in WWE history. Unless you consider the iron man rematch at Respect to be better. Which … I might. Maybe. The Horsewomen moment is iconic, but know with confidence that I originally had Sasha stomping on Bayley’s hand in this spot.
Honorable Mention: Samoa Joe is here, JUSHIN THUNDER LIGER is here (!!), Tyler Breeze had one of the best NXT entrances ever. Plus, Finn just won the NXT Championship in Tokyo at BEAST IN THE EAST, and he and KO have to fall off a ladder about it.
NXT TakeOver: Respect
Date: October 7, 2015
Complete Show Card:
1. Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic: Finn Bálor and Samoa Joe vs. Scott Dawson and Dash Wilder
2. Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic: Baron Corbin and Rhyno vs. Chad Gable and Jason Jordan
3. Asuka vs. Dana Brooke
4. Apollo Crews vs. Tyler Breeze
5. Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic: Finn Bálor and Samoa Joe vs. Baron Corbin and Rhyno
6. 30-Minute Iron Man Match for the NXT Women’s Championship: Bayley (c) vs. Sasha Banks
Why This Moment? Easy the greatest count-out in wrestling history. Bayley goes for her sliding dropkick through the corner on the outside, but Sasha Banks catches her and tosses her into shit in front of little Izzy, Bayley’s biggest fan. To make it worse, Sasha drags Bayley up the ramp, throws her into the LED board, and steals a cheap count-out fall in their Iron Man match. To make it even worse, Sasha literally steals a child’s headband, puts it on, taunts her about being a crybaby, and then THROWS IT AT HER. AN ACTUAL CHILD. Legend.
Honorable Mention: Asuka has arrived, which is awesome. Plus, the Revival and American Alpha play the loser in their Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic matches, but would be rising up to be the most talked about thing in the promotion very soon.
NXT TakeOver: London
Date: December 16, 2015
Complete Show Card:
1. Asuka vs. Emma
2. NXT Tag Team Championship Match: Scott Dawson and Dash Wilder (c) vs. Enzo Amore and Colin Cassady
3. Baron Corbin vs. Apollo Crews
4. NXT Women’s Championship Match: Bayley (c) vs. Nia Jax
5. NXT Championship Match: Finn Bálor (c) vs. Samoa Joe
Why This Moment? One of the weaker TakeOvers, London is still packed with entertaining matches and features one of Finn’s best NXT entrances: Jack the Ripper. Honestly, turning Finn’s character into a handsome, likeable guy who lures you into an alleyway to brutally murder you wouldn’t be that far of a jump.
Honorable Mention: Emma really should’ve been a big deal after this show. Plus, I think I’d forgotten how long it took Scott Dawson and Dash Wilder to have a tag team name besides, “Dash & Dawson.”
NXT TakeOver: Dallas
Date: April 1, 2016
Complete Show Card:
1. NXT Tag Team Championship Match: The Revival (c) vs. American Alpha
2. Austin Aries vs. Baron Corbin
3. Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Sami Zayn
4. NXT Women’s Championship Match: Bayley (c) vs. Asuka
5. NXT Championship Match: Finn Bálor (c) vs. Samoa Joe
Why This Moment? Long before the main roster and even regular NXT appearances dulled his shine, Shinsuke Nakamura was the King of Strong Style and the coolest motherfucker walking the planet. His first match on WWE soil against Sami Zayn remains his best, and remains one of NXT’s best matches, period. The crowd is borderline Hogan/Rock for parts of this. Miss you, Cool Shinsuke.
Honorable Mention: Lots of history in this one. The first TakeOver where both Dash and Dawson and Gable and Jordan have their official team names, the overshadowed debut of Austin Aries (which becomes part of his character and story), and the beginning of the glorious championship reign of Asuka. Nobody’s ready for her, FYI.
NXT TakeOver: The End
Date: June 8, 2016
Complete Show Card:
1. Andrade ‘Cien’ Almas vs. Tye Dillinger
2. NXT Tag Team Championship Match: American Alpha (c) vs. The Revival
3. Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Austin Aries
4. NXT Women’s Championship Match: Asuka (c) vs. Nia Jax
5. NXT Championship Match: Finn Bálor vs. Samoa Joe (c)
Why This Moment? Around ‘The End’ is where the primary hype for NXT goes from its women’s division to its tag teams. The work Alpha and the Revival did to put NXT tag team wrestling on the map was a miracle, considering that the first several years of NXT Tag Team Champions were randomly thrown-together singles stars, the future Bludgeon Brothers, and the Ascension. These matches laid down the blueprint for the great NXT work of future teams like DIY, Undisputed Era, Street Profits, War Raiders, and everybody else.
Honorable Mention: ¡EL IDOLO!
NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn II
Date: August 20, 2016
Complete Show Card:
1. Austin Aries vs. No Way Jose
2. Ember Moon vs. Billie Kay
3. Bobby Roode vs. Andrade ‘Cien’ Almas
4. NXT Tag Team Championship Match: The Revival (c) vs. DIY
5. NXT Women’s Championship Match: Asuka (c) vs. Bayley
6. NXT Championship Match: Samoa Joe (c) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
Why This Moment? Several future important NXT names pop up in the promotion’s return to Brooklyn — Johnny Gargano, Tommaso Ciampa, Ember Moon, and one half of the IIconics … and No Way Jose, I guess? — but Bayley pulling out a pissed-off no-sell and slapping Asuka in the face remains one of my favorite NXT “oh SHIT” moments. It’s the same edge that she broke out to defeat Sasha Banks the last time she was in Brooklyn, only Asuka is a little more made out of buzzsaws than Sasha Banks.
Honorable Mention: It’s hard to even remember Billie Kay before Peyton Royce, isn’t it? Plus, if you go back through these TakeOvers, WWE was in love with Samoa Joe in lazy Susan championship main events before he even got to the main roster.
NXT TakeOver: Toronto
Date: November 19, 2016
Complete Show Card:
1. Bobby Roode vs. Tye Dillinger
2. Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Finals Shark Cage Match: Authors of Pain vs. TM-61
3. 2-out-of-3 Falls Match for the NXT Tag Team Championship: The Revival (c) vs. DIY
4. NXT Women’s Championship Match: Asuka (c) vs. Mickie James
5. NXT Championship Match: Shinsuke Nakamura (c) vs. Samoa Joe
Why This Moment? Toronto is also known as, “the one with DIY vs. The Revival 2-out-of-3 falls.” My favorite NXT match, with one of the best match-ending visuals they’ve ever done. It’s also Gargano and Ciampa’s first major TakeOver victory, which sets a precedent for nearly every TakeOver after it.
Honorable Mention: The return of Mickie James, in a match good enough to get her another WWE run.
NXT TakeOver: San Antonio
Date: January 28, 2017
Complete Show Card:
1. Eric Young vs. Tye Dillinger
2. Roderick Strong vs. Andrade ‘Cien’ Almas
3. NXT Tag Team Championship Match: DIY (c) vs. Authors of Pain
4. Fatal 4-Way Match for the NXT Women’s Championship: Asuka (c) vs. Nikki Cross vs. Peyton Royce vs. Billie Kay
5. NXT Championship Match: Shinsuke Nakamura (c) vs. Bobby Roode
Why This Moment? While there’s some good in-ring stuff on the show, the most memorable moment was the appearance of Seth Rollins to promote his WrestleMania feud with Triple H. Not only is it the first-ever NXT Champion making his first appearance on a TakeOver event, but the connection of TakeOver to WrestleMania is the first concrete evidence that WWE wants to/plans to make NXT it’s “third brand,” and not just “developmental.”
Honorable Mention: The IIconics have become the Iconic Duo, SAni+Y has arrived, and the Glorious title reign of Bobby Roode’s catchy theme music has begun.
NXT TakeOver: Orlando
Date: April 1, 2017
Complete Show Card:
1. Sanity vs. Kassius Ohno, Ruby Riot, Tye Dillinger, and Roderick Strong
2. Aleister Black vs. Andrade ‘Cien’ Almas
3. Triple Threat Elimination Match for the NXT Tag Team Championship: Authors of Pain (c) vs. The Revival vs. DIY
4. NXT Women’s Championship Match: Asuka (c) vs. Ember Moon
5. NXT Championship Match: Bobby Roode (c) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura
Why This Moment? The climax of the NXT Tag Team division, and the last great NXT Revival match before they showed up on the main roster, attacked the New Day, and then lost an entire year-plus to injuries. The image of lawful good DIY and lawful evil Revival having to team up and hit mixed-team tandem finishers on the chaotic neutral Authors of Pain was such a rush.
Honorable Mention: No man is ever truly good. No man is ever truly evil. He does the things you never could, and you will never be equal. AH AH AH AH AH AH AH AH AH AH AH AH AH AH AH AH!
NXT TakeOver: Chicago
Date: May 20, 2017
Complete Show Card:
1. Roderick Strong vs. Eric Young
2. United Kingdom Championship Match: Tyler Bate (c) vs. Pete Dunne
3. Triple Threat Match for the NXT Women’s Championship: Asuka (c) vs. Ruby Riot vs. Nikki Cross
4. NXT Championship Match: Bobby Roode (c) vs. Hideo Itami
5. Ladder Match for the NXT Tag Team Championship: Authors of Pain (c) vs. DIY
Why This Moment? Didn’t think a sudden but inevitable heel turn could hurt as bad as Kevin Owens throwing down Sami Zayn moments after Zayn won the NXT Championship? Think again. The LED toss heard round the world, and the motivating factor for the NXT main event scene from May 2017 until Ciampa’s neck surgery in March of 2019.
Honorable Mention: Ciampa attacking Gargano HAS to be the moment, but the next five or six choices are from the United Kingdom Championship Match. Dunne vs. Bate was NXT’s match of the year for 2017, and they created some wonderful magic together, like they always do.
NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn III
Date: August 19, 2017
Complete Show Card:
1. Andrade ‘Cien’ Almas vs. Johnny Gargano
2. NXT Tag Team Championship Match: Authors of Pain (c) vs. Sanity
3. Aleister Black vs. Hideo Itami
4. NXT Women’s Championship Match: Asuka (c) vs. Ember Moon
5. NXT Championsihp Match: Bobby Roode (c) vs. Drew McIntyre
Why This Moment? The reign of the worst-ever NXT Champion begins, but that’s not important; what’s important is that after the match, Kyle O’Reilly and Bobby Fish show up to distract Drew for some reason, leading to the grand debut of Adam Cole. Bay bay. The first appearance of Cole in the WWE plus the formation of the Undisputed Era puts this way over the top.
Honorable Mention: This isn’t the Gargano vs. Andrade match you’re thinking of, but it’s still really good. Plus, Asuka vs. Ember Moon is probably the second best one-on-one female rivalry NXT ever gave us, even if it was tremendously one-sided and ended with Ember getting the title because Asuka had better things to do.
NXT TakeOver: War Games
Date: November 18, 2017
Complete Show Card:
1. Lars Sullivan vs. Kassius Ohno
2. Aleister Black vs. Velveteen Dream
3. Fatal 4-Way for the NXT Women’s Championship: Ember Moon vs. Kairi Sane vs. Nikki Cross vs. Peyton Royce
4. NXT Championship Match: Drew McIntyre (c) vs. Andrade ‘Cien’ Almas
5. War Games Match: Sanity vs. Undisputed Era vs. Authors of Pain and Roderick Strong
Why This Moment? Welcome to the Velveteen Dream Experience. Through this first major feud with Aleister Black, patriotic jobber Patrick Clark transformed himself into a Prince character and built a match of the year candidate around a relative “nobody” wanting a relative “somebody” to say his name. Much like Zayn and Cesaro at Arrival, Velveteen Dream doesn’t win against Aleister Black, but he wins his respect. Everything Dream’s been able to do or accomplish since is built on the shoulders of this match and angle execution.
Honorable Mention: Thanks for coming, Drew McIntyre. Have fun being Shane McMahon’s bodyguard and losing on 7 out of 10 Raws.
NXT TakeOver: Philadelphia
Date: January 27, 2018
Complete Show Card:
1. NXT Tag Team Championship Match: Undisputed Era (c) vs. Authors of Pain
2. Velveteen Dream vs. Kassius Ohno
3. NXT Women’s Championship Match: Ember Moon (c) vs. Shayna Baszler
4. Extreme Rules Match: Aleister Black vs. Adam Cole
5. NXT Championship Match: Andrade ‘Cien’ Almas (c) vs. Johnny Gargano
Why This Moment? THIS is the Gargano vs. Andrade match you’re thinking about, and it’s still a five-star barn-burner. It’s also notable for the return of Tommaso Ciampa as an evil, murderous troll who not only wants to ruin Johnny Gargano’s career, but his marriage, sanity, and personal well-being. Ciampa wants to fuck up your whole life.
Honorable Mention: Shayna Baszler has arrived at TakeOver, and Velveteen Dream’s pretending to be a boxer to make fun of Kassius Ohno for thinking he’s great at knockouts. This is a hell of a show.
NXT TakeOver: New Orleans
Date: April 7, 2018
Complete Show Card:
1. Ladder Match for the North American Championship: Adam Cole vs. EC3 vs. Killian Dain vs. Lars Sullivan vs. Ricochet vs. Velveteen Dream
2. NXT Women’s Championship Match: Ember Moon (c) vs. Shayna Baszler
3. Triple Threat Match for the NXT Tag Team Championship and Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Trophy: Undisputed Era (c) vs. Authors of Pain vs. Roderick Strong and Pete Dunne
4. Aleister Black vs. Andrade ‘Cien’ Almas
5. Unsanctioned Match: Johnny Gargano vs. Tommaso Ciampa
Why This Moment? Best TakeOver ever? Maybe. It opens with a crazy ladder match and closes with the best chapter in the Ciampa vs. Gargano rivalry, but in the interest of representing the most historically important moment, it’s gotta be the formal formation of the Undisputed Era. Adam Cole becomes the first NXT North American Champion, Roderick Strong swerves his partner to let the Era keep all the tag team trophies, and NXT’s squadron of former ROH dickheads has never been stronger.
Honorable Mention: Literally the rest of the show. Every match had a moment or three I could’ve included here. Special shout-out to Shayna Baszler’s ringside surgery, the finish to Gargano/Ciampa, and Dream coming off the tippy top of a ladder.
NXT TakeOver: Chicago II
Date: June 16, 2018
Complete Show Card:
1. NXT Tag Team Championship Match: Undisputed Era (c) vs. Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch
2. Ricochet vs. Velveteen Dream
3. NXT Women’s Championship Match: Shayna Baszler (c) vs. Nikki Cross
4. NXT Championship Match: Aleister Black (c) vs. Lars Sullivan
5. Chicago Street Fight: Tommaso Ciampa vs. Johnny Gargano
Why This Moment? The Gargano/Ciampa story was all anyone was talking about during this time, and Ciampa removing Gargano’s wedding ring, spitting on it, and then tossing it away might be his single grossest act of malice. Gargano countering with a huge move through a table, then reflecting on the chaos he’s brought into his life only to realize what Ciampa did to his wedding band and kicking his ass some more is so choice.
Honorable Mention: Velveteen Dream as a Hulk Hogan/Prince Puma mash-up is something I never asked for, and never knew I needed.
NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn IV
Date: August 18, 2018
Complete Show Card:
1. NXT Tag Team Championship Match: Undisputed Era (c) vs. Moustache Mountain
2. Velveteen Dream vs. EC3
3. North American Championship Match: Adam Cole (c) vs. Ricochet
4. NXT Women’s Championship Match: Shayna Baszler (c) vs. Kairi Sane
5. Last Man Standing Match for the NXT Championship: Tommaso Ciampa (c) vs. Johnny Gargano
Why This Moment? I’d be remiss if I didn’t show love to Shayna Baszler’s feud with Kairi Sane, especially at Brooklyn IV, where they had the best match of their series. Kairi drops the Insane Elbow, but Baszler counters by kicking her arm as she falls. She then gets overconfident applying the Kirifuda Clutch, doesn’t get her legs wrapped around tightly, and Sane just rolls back to win the match and the Women’s Championship. Really A+ stuff, which is important because …
Honorable Mention: … the towel throwing callback during the NXT Tag Team Championship match is something special. That, the quebrada countered with a superkick during the North American Championship match, and honestly most of the main event (minus the finish, which still makes Gargano look like an idiot) could’ve gotten the spot.
NXT TakeOver: War Games II
Date: November 17, 2018
Complete Show Card:
1. Matt Riddle vs. Kassius Ohno
2. 2-out-of-3 Falls Match for the NXT Women’s Championship: Kairi Sane (c) vs. Shayna Baszler
3. Aleister Black vs. Johnny Gargano
4. NXT Championship Match: Tommaso Ciampa (c) vs. Velveteen Dream
5. War Games Match: Undisputed Era vs. War Raiders, Pete Dunne, and Ricochet
Why This Moment? Triple H’s explanation for why he didn’t put a roof on the War Games cage was that if you’ve got Ricochet in the match, why would you box him in instead of giving him a high place to jump from and do cool shit? I still think there should be a roof on the damn thing, but Ricochet’s double moonsault onto everybody IS the NXT War Games moment people talk about the most. So maybe I don’t know as much about wrestling as the guy who runs wrestling, who knows.
Honorable Mention: “I absolve you of all your sins.” Fwack. Additionally, here’s the entire Riddle vs. Ohno match in a single GIF.
NXT TakeOver: Phoenix
Date: January 26, 2019
Complete Show Card:
1. NXT Tag Team Championship Match: Undisputed Era (c) vs. War Raiders
2. Matt Riddle vs. Kassius Ohno
3. North American Championship Match: Ricochet (c) vs. Johnny Gargano
4. NXT Women’s Championship Match: Shayna Baszler (c) vs. Bianca Belair
5. NXT Championship Match: Tommaso Ciampa (c) vs. Aleister Black
Why This Moment? The show goes off the air with the unthinkable: Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa holding all the singles gold, standing side-by-side, united. This would set up the return of DIY, only KIND OF EVIL, and a huge full-circle moment for them in and after the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic. It also set up the 2-years-long blowoff for WrestleMania weekend, which … doesn’t happen, because life. But still.
Honorable Mention: Ricochet vs. Gargano (all).
NXT TakeOver: New York
Date: April 5, 2019
Complete Show Card:
1. NXT Tag Team Championship Match: War Raiders (c) vs. Aleister Black and Ricochet
2. Velveteen Dream vs. Matt Riddle
3. United Kingdom Championship Match: Pete Dunne (c) vs. WALTER
4. Fatal 4-Way for the NXT Women’s Championship: Shayna Baszler (c) vs. Bianca Belair vs. Io Shirai vs. Kairi Sane
5. 2-out-of-3 Falls Match for the NXT Championship: Johnny Gargano vs. Adam Cole
Why This Moment? It’s not the end of the story we wanted, but it was the end of the story we needed.
Honorable Mention: New York is the most recent TakeOver event, and the most difficult to pull a moment from. I also considered the emotional farewell from the NXT Universe to Ricochet and Aleister Black, Velveteen Dream’s Statue of Liberty entrance, the hyooooooge powerbomb off the ropes from WALTER, or the double KOD from Bianca Belair. The main event has its own collection of moments, whether it’s Undisputed Era’s interference, the reaction to some of the nearfalls, or Candice LeRae hugging her husband for getting from one end of Hell to the other intact.
And that leads us to …
NXT TakeOver XXV
Date: June 1, 2019
Complete Show Card:
1. Matt Riddle vs. Roderick Strong
2. North American Championship Match: Velveteen Dream (c) vs. Tyler Breeze
3. Ladder Match for the NXT Tag Team Championship: Street Profits vs. Undisputed Era vs. Forgotten Sons vs. Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch
4. NXT Women’s Championship Match: Shayna Baszler (c) vs. Io Shirai
5. NXT Championship Match: Johnny Gargano (c) vs. Adam Cole
What will be the most important GIF from this show? Let us know what you think in the comments below.
