5 Things WWE NXT got right at TakeOver: WarGames 2020

By Ali Akber Habib
Modified Dec 07, 2020 18:30 IST
WarGames was one of the best TakeOver events of the year
WarGames was one of the best TakeOver events of the year

WWE NXT delivered a great final TakeOver event this Sunday. NXT TakeOver: WarGames saw Team Candice LeRae take on Team Shotzi Blackheart to kick off the night, while The Undisputed Era took on The Kings of NXT in the final match of the pay-per-view.

Cameron Grimes and Dexter Lumis competed in a good Strap Match that saw Lumis defeat The Technical Savage. Leon Ruff geared up to defend his NXT North American Championship in a Triple Threat Match against Damian Priest and Johnny Gargano.

That wasn’t all, as Tommaso Ciampa finally got his hands on Timothy Thatcher and both Superstars delivered an extremely physical encounter.

With so many great matches lined up for TakeOver: WarGames, WWE was looking to end the year for the Black and Gold brand on a high.

Keeping that in mind, we will look at the five things WWE NXT got right at TakeOver: WarGames this year.

#5 Tommaso Ciampa scores a victory over Timothy Thatcher at NXT TakeOver: WarGames

Tommaso Ciampa and Timothy Thatcher are two of the most physical men in WWE, and they showed exactly what they’re made of with an incredible match at NXT TakeOver: WarGames.

After Ciampa had stalked Thatcher for a couple of weeks, the brawler had choked him unconscious on the go-home episode of NXT TakeOver: WarGames. The match kicked off with a much more focused Ciampa taking control early but Thatcher was able to turn the tides soon after.

Both men delivered some thunderous strikes, and the slow start turned into an extremely physical encounter. The Blackheart of NXT delivered a great superplex to Thatcher off the top rope to stay in the contest.

Blood poured from Thatcher’s ear, but he refused to give up and fought through a headlock to get back in the game. After both men continued to dish out a lot of punishment to each other, Ciampa applied a guillotine to Thatcher and turned it into Willow’s Bell to pick up the victory.

This was one of the finest matches of the night that showed both men’s potential. They are both equally good in the ring, and the Black and Gold brand did the right thing by allowing their former NXT Champion to win the contest.

Ciampa, unlike Johnny Gargano, hasn’t gotten many opportunities since the two men had their One Final Beat Match, and it seems like they can build Ciampa up as a potential challenger for the NXT Championship once again.

#4 A former NXT Champion teases a return at TakeOver: WarGames

One of the biggest segments of the night saw Finn Balor appear in a video package to send a warning to the entire WWE NXT roster. Balor hasn’t competed since his match against Kyle O’Reilly, and it seems like The Prince of NXT is ready to get back to action very soon.

While Balor believes all eyes will be back on him after TakeOver: WarGames, another video package signaled towards the return of another former NXT Champion.

Karrion Kross has been away from the ring due to a shoulder injury, but it seems like he’ll be returning to action very soon. Earlier this week, Triple H also confirmed that Kross will return sooner rather than later, and this could turn out to create an interesting storyline for the brand.

Just like Balor never lost the WWE Universal Championship, Kross never lost the NXT Championship and had to relinquish it. That means that we could watch him return as early as this coming Wednesday and challenge Balor for the NXT Championship.

The Prince could be in for a rivalry of a lifetime, and we could even see the return of The Demon to take down Kross. While Balor and Kross did not compete at TakeOver: WarGames, NXT did the right thing by teasing the return of both the top Superstars.

#3 Austin Theory helps Johnny Gargano win back the NXT North American Champion at TakeOver: WarGames

Leon Ruff looked to prove his doubters wrong as he prepared to compete in his first match at NXT TakeOver: WarGames. Johnny Gargano and Damian Priest, on the other hand, were looking to win back the NXT North American Championship during the TakeOver.

This was arguably the biggest match of Ruff’s career as he geared up to take on two of the best men in NXT in a Triple Threat Match. Priest tossed Ruff aside at the beginning of the match and worked over Gargano.

Ruff tried to get back in the match but met with Priest’s wrath. While Gargano and Priest continued to keep the battle between themselves, Ruff tried to keep coming in with some offense to try and protect his title.

All three men traded some blows before Priest got caught in the bottom ropes and Gargano applied the Gargano Escape to try and win back the title. However, Priest was able to break free, but several Ghostface-clad men came into the ring to attack The Archer of Infamy.

Priest fought through and took out the attackers before getting back to work on Gargano. Another Ghostface appeared soon after with a lead pipe in hand and blasted Priest. Ruff tried to roll-up Gargano, but The Rebel Heart recovered to deliver a Superkick on Ruff and hit him with One Final Beat to pick up the victory.

After the match, the main Ghostface revealed himself to be Austin Theory. This was a fun match that brought the best out of Priest while giving Gargano back the Championship. The Rebel Heart has been having a great heel run, and Theory can help him reach new heights. Unfortunately, Ruff’s reign came to an end at NXT TakeOver: WarGames, but it was fun while it lasted.

#2 Raquel Gonzalez pins Io Shirai at NXT TakeOver: WarGames

Candice LeRae led Dakota Kai, Toni Storm, and Raquel Gonzalez in a match against Shotzi Blackheart, Ember Moon, Rhea Ripley, and NXT Women’s Champion Io Shirai to kick off TakeOver: WarGames. This match had the most backstory and was brought to life after months of buildup and drama.

Blackheart debuted her new tank during her entrance and Moon and Kai kicked off the match in the ring. Blackheart entered next with a toolbox in hand to take the fight to Kai.

From thereon, the women of NXT delivered some of the greatest moments of the year, and Superstars kept entering the match one by one. Blackheart delivered a big move from the top of the ladder, while Shirai took our breath away with a crossbody from the top of the cage while wearing a trashcan.

Moon hit a jaw-dropping Eclipse on Kai atop two standing chairs, while Storm took down Moon with a Storm Zero through a trash can.

Finally, Gonzalez caught Shirai between the two rings and hit a one-handed slam through a ladder to pick up the victory for Team LeRae. This was a fantastic match that helped elevate the entire women’s roster. Having Gonzalez pick up the victory for her team by pinning the NXT Women’s Champion now opens up a lot more possibilities for the Black and Gold brand.

Will Gonzalez be the next challenger for Shirai’s title, or will Kai and Gonzalez have a disagreement and break up soon?

#1 The Undisputed Era reign supreme at NXT TakeOver: WarGames

Pat McAfee led his team comprising of Pete Dunne and NXT Tag Team Champions Danny Burch and Oney Lorcan to take on The Undisputed Era in the final match of TakeOver: WarGames.

After putting on a stellar ladder match a couple of weeks ago on WWE NXT, Kyle O’Reilly and Dunne kicked off the match. After both men delivered some great moves, Lorcan entered the match and Team McAfee gained the numbers advantage.

Fish was the next man in and slowly all eight men entered the cage to begin the most brutal match of the night. With not many highflyers in the match, McAfee impressed the NXT Universe with some great moves from the top of the cage.

Cole and Dunne had a great exchange that lit up the match, while Roderick Strong pulled off some incredible moves.

At the end of the match, McAfee tried to hit Adam Cole with the Panama Sunrise but ended up taking the finisher from the former NXT Champion himself. Finally, O’Reilly delivered a running knee into a steel chair to Lorcan to pick up the victory for his team.

This match was intense and impressive, and The Undisputed Era did extremely well to stay at the top of NXT once again. McAfee was a true star as he managed to deliver and take some big moves without any trouble.

O’Reilly picking up the victory for his team is another sign that the Superstar may be ready for a solo run and could be on his way to his first singles Championship in the company.

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