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NXT Takeover: WarGames II is in the history books, and what a show it was.
NXT has been on another planet this year when it comes to producing quality PPVs, and NXT Takeover: WarGames II was another fine example of that.
Despite only featuring five matches, all of them, outside of the opener, were thoroughly engrossing encounters, and two of the matches could even be considered match of the year contenders.
With Survivor Series just a few hours away, the WWE main roster are going to have to seriously up their game if they don't want to be outdone by their NXT counterparts.
Let's take a look at all five matches from NXT Takeover: WarGames II, and rank them from worst to best.
#5 Matt Riddle Vs Kassius Ohno
It seems unfair to list this as a match, given that the whole thing was over in less than a minute, but it did officially take place, so here it is, the bottom of the list.
Personally, I've no issue with the way this was booked. Riddle got to look incredibly strong and it sets up a rematch a little later down the line, which gives Riddle something to do until he has a clearer route to the main event.
It's going to be interesting to see how well Riddle does down in NXT, but given the reaction, he got last night, and the way he was booked, it looks as though the sky is the limit for the former Evolve Champion.
#4 Kairi Sane Vs Shayna Baszler
Kairi Sane and Shayna Baszler have put on some exceptional matches over the last few months, and they continued that trend last night, despite the fact that their match was over and done within 10 minutes.
The action came thick and fast here, and it didn't take long for Duke and Shafira to get involved and cost Sane the first fall.
The match did become a bit of an overbooked mess towards the end, but it was awesome to see Shirai make her NXT debut and her moonsault to the outside was a thing of beauty. Despite the shenanigans, though, Baszler and Sane still did a great job of keeping the in-ring stuff entertaining and the finish, which saw Baszler roll Sane up from the In-Sane Elbow was the perfect way to finish the match.
It looks as though we're now heading towards a Horsewomen Vs Sane, Kai and Shirai at the next Takeover, and if that's the case, you're not going to hear any grumbling from me.
#3 WarGames: The Undisputed Era Vs War Raiders, Ricochet, and Pete Dunne
Well, this one was crazy, wasn't it? Heading into WarGames, it was always clear that the main-event match was going to be absolute carnage, and the eight men in the ring certainly didn't disappoint.
The match utilised its gimmick well, delivering non-stop action for the best part of 50 minutes, with all eight competitors being ample time to shine.
That was also the match's downfall to some degree though, as the encounter did perhaps run a little long. That's only a minor criticism though as the competitors did an excellent job of keeping the whole thing entertaining nonetheless.
The highlight reel for this match was unreal, and it would take far too long for me to list all of the awesome spots that we got to witness. Ricochet looked incredible once again, and his double moonsault onto the rest of the competitors was the best spot of the whole night. War Raiders also looked great here, and this was the first time we've really got to see them perform for a long period.
The Undisputed Era losing could indicate that they are on the way to the main roster in the near future, though, the group still clearly have plenty to offer NXT.
#2 Johnny Gargano Vs Aleister Black
Outside of maybe Tommaso Ciampa, Aleister Black and Johnny Gargano have been the two finest performers on any WWE brand this year, and the two men managed to live up their hype and then some at Wa.
This match went full throttle from the opening bell to the last, featuring several beautifully executed exchanges and an excellent finish.
The decision to have Black win seemed an odd one at first, but this will no doubt drive Gargano to an even darker place as he continues to obsess over Tommaso Ciampa and the NXT title.
As for Black, a move to the main roster surely has to be on the cards for him soon.
#1 Tommaso Ciampa Vs Velveteen Dream
Admittedly, it was incredibly difficult separating the top two matches on this list, but Tommaso Ciampa's successful title defence against the Velveteen Dream just takes it, largely because of the match's thrilling finale.
Everybody knew this match would deliver from an in-ring perspective, but the biggest concern going into the encounter was just how much drama the two men would generate, given the fact that Ciampa so was so clearly going to retain.
Needless to say, one year after making a name for himself against Aleister Black, Velveteen Dream was incredible once again last night, putting on a display that shows exactly why he is being hailed the future of the industry by so many people.
Donned in Hulk Hogan NWO inspired attire, Dream brought the fight to Ciampa and displayed the kind of tenacity that really helped fans believe he had a chance of winning the title.
The match's near falls were expertly put together, and who knows? We may even be treated to a rematch between the two men at NXT Takeover: Phoenix.
