Ranking the 5 Greatest Main Events in NXT Takeover History

June 1st marks the 25th Takeover event in NXT history, and across the first 24 events, we've seen some of the most incredible wrestling in the entire business, and they've become worth the price of the WWE Network alone. The main events of these matches have become a coveted spot, and given how great each and every event has been, narrowing these down to the 5 greatest was a very hard (but enjoyable) task, as I was able to go back and watch some thrilling contests.

So, without further ado, let's take a look back on the history of WWE's brightest and most consistent brand (a third brand, despite the WWE's emphasis on NXT being 'developmental') and their live special Takeover events, as we count down the 5 greatest main events in Takeover history.

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#5 DIY vs. The Authors of Pain - NXT Takeover: Chicago

DIY vs AOP

DIY and the Authors of Pain had a great rivalry, and their triple threat with The Revival in Orlando was absolutely incredible, but for the spots and the story this match told, it earns a spot on our list. Most people will remember this event for Tyler Bate and Pete Dunne's masterclass and the aftermath of this bout, but watching it back, this one was a classic in its own right.

The Authors of Pain were new to the title scene and still finding their footing, but they were guided through this match perfectly, and it all set up that heartbreaking turn as the show went off the air. Sure, there's been better pure wrestling bouts to end Takeovers, but the story this told, of Gargano standing up for his injured brother before being turned on was just fantastic, and ladder matches are always fun, so this is one you need to seek out and watch again.

#4 Bayley vs. Sasha Banks - NXT Takeover: Respect

Admittedly, this match was not the best in the storied rivalry between Bayley and The Boss, but after tearing the house down in Brooklyn, they were given this spot with a 30-Minute Ironman match. It was always going to be hard to top that encounter from Brooklyn, but these ladies did a hell of a job, and they built on their already impressive legacies down in NXT as a driving force behind the women's revolution.

During the match, The Boss would even go as far as making a child in the audience cry, and it was fantastic from start to finish, but in the end, Bayley managed to make Sasha tap in the dying seconds to nab a 3-2 victory. The NXT Four Horsewomen are all making history on the main roster, but in terms of NXT success, it was Sasha and Bayley that did the most work, and this match is the perfect example of how great the two are.

#3 War Games I - NXT Takeover: War Games

When it was rumoured that WWE would be reviving WCW's classic War Games, fans begged for it to be down in NXT, as they'd handle it much better, and these 9 men proved that to be true, as this was arguably the best War Games bout in history. With an open roof and a different structure, the three teams of three were able to go all out, and with Alexander Woolfe being busted open, it made the War Games bout seem like a true throwback to the old days of WCW, with a new NXT twist.

Despite the makeshift team of AOP & Roderick Strong, this match clicked from the start, and with all the hype around the return of War Games, they managed to deliver a back-and-forth, brutal encounter. It was eventually Adam Cole that picked up the pin fall victory, and while the following year saw another incredible encounter, it will be tough to top the first one.

#2 Andrade "Cien" Almas vs. Johnny Gargano - NXT Takeover: Philadelphia

This bout for the NXT Championship was the first to receive a Dave Meltzer 5-star rating in WWE since 2011, and rightfully so, as these two men went to war for 25 minutes in an all-time classic. It was voted the NXT Match of the Year for 2018, and although we wouldn't see Johnny crowned NXT Champion, it was yet another high point in the long, winding story of Johnny Wrestling in NXT.

Many fans doubted Andrade until it was Zelina Vega that joined his side, and in this bout, El Idolo showed everyone the reason why he was such a megastar in his home country of Mexico. These two had the most underrated feud in NXT for over a year, with 3 classic bouts that stack up against the best of them, but at the end of the day, this is the best match in NXT history, but it just falls short of our next bout because of the storytelling aspect.

#1 Johnny Gargano vs. Tomasso Ciampa - NXT Takeover: New Orleans

This is the greatest rivalry in NXT history, and after Ciampa turned on his best friend a year earlier in Chicago, it would all come to blows here in this unsanctioned match over WrestleMania weekend. The atmosphere for this one was absolutely electric, and throughout the clash, you could feel the intensity and the physicality, and it left the NXT Universe wondering what it would take for one to put the other away.

Ultimately it would be Johnny who got revenge on his friend, and while the two would go head to head in the main event of the following 2 Takeover's, nothing will ever top the first. Johnny is now NXT Champion following Ciampa's fantastic reign, and both men embodied #DIY throughout their entire NXT careers, and this will always be a rivalry that defines WWE's third brand.