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WWE NXT has become the most popular brand in the company. Throughout its history, they have crafted amazing storylines that have provided emotional moments. Friendships, tag teams and stables have been the lifeblood of their storytelling crux. With those relationships, the brand has given us memorable betrayals that have shifted the course of several careers.
Most recently, the relationship between NXT Women's Champion Raquel Gonzalez and Dakota Kai has shown signs of tension. Kai gave Gonzalez a side eye and looked fondly at her gold. On the July 27th episode, Dakota finally turned on Raquel and officially set her sights on the title. It was just the latest betrayal that has taken the brand in a new direction.
With almost a decade of history behind the brand, there have been important shifts that have created powerful groups and critically acclaimed matches through betrayals. In this article, let's look back on the five greatest NXT betrayals of all time.
#5 Adam Cole turns on Kyle O'Reilly and ends Undisputed Era (NXT TakeOver: Vengeance Day)
The Undisputed Era has to be considered the most dominant faction in NXT history. Adam Cole debuted at TakeOver Brooklyn III by attacking then-NXT Champion Drew McIntyre with Kyle O'Reilly and Bobby Fish by his side. The three men won the first ever WarGames to take place on the brand. When Roderick Strong joined their ranks, things only got better.
The four men completed the golden prophecy, winning all the men's championships in NXT. After the group lost all their gold, things seemed bleak for The Undisputed Era with many fans thinking they would move on to the main roster as a stable. Their babyface turn and victory over Team McAfee at TakeOver: WarGames 2020 cooled those speculations.
Kyle O'Reilly saw the emergence as a singles star in 2020 that included two failed opportunities at the NXT Championship and main eventing TakeOver. However, his praise of respect toward NXT Champion Finn Balor led to the final demise for the super group. At TakeOver: Vengeance Day, Balor defeated Pete Dunne and looked to be attacked by Burch and Lorcan until The Undisputed Era intervened.
It looked as if the UE was extending a hand to Finn Balor inviting him into the stable, but Adam Cole laid out the NXT Champion with a superkick. Due to the respect earned in battle, this upset O'Reilly, who got in Cole's face with Roderick Strong trying to separate the two men. Cole then dropped O'Reilly with a superkick, ending their friendship and the Undisputed Era as a result.
The end of such a dominant group should be higher on this list. However, it came out of nowhere with no real buildup to it. The followup has left a lot to desire with Roderick Strong and Bobby Fish really having no real reaction to the end of the Undisputed Era. The series of matches with Cole and O'Reilly doesn't seem to have a well-thought plan for it as well, but this turn definitely deserves mention.
#4 Roderick Strong turns on Pete Dunne (NXT TakeOver: New Orleans)
Upon their arrival to NXT, The Undisputed Era embraced their past together and extended an invitation to the group for someone else from their time before coming to WWE. Roderick Strong spent a lot of time with Adam Cole, Bobby Fish and Kyle O'Reilly in a number of promotions including PWG. When The Undisputed Era invited Strong into the group, many fans wanted him to join.
Roderick Strong maintained being an honorable performer and fought against his former friends. Strong was apart of a team with Authors of Pain that lost to The Undisputed Era in the first WarGames in NXT history. Roderick would then form a team with Pete Dunne due to their mutual dislike of the group and enter into the 2018 Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic.
The two men made it to the finals against the Authors of Pain, but The Undisputed Era interfered. General Manager William Regal decided to redo the finals as a triple threat match with the Undisputed Era with the NXT Tag Team Titles on the line. Bobby Fish went down with an injury, so Adam Cole stepped in after winning the North American Championship in a six-way ladder match.
At TakeOver: New Orleans, the three teams battled for the gold. Just when it looked as if Dunne would get the win for his team, Strong turned on him and laid out Pete to give The Undisputed Era the victory. After the match, he pulled the UE armband off of Cole and put it on him, marking his introduction to the group. This truly kicked off a magical run of dominance for the stable over NXT.
#3 Dakota Kai turns on Tegan Nox (NXT TakeOver: WarGames 2019)
The friendship of Tegan Nox and Dakota Kai was one of the most genuine relationships seen in NXT. The two ladies became close friends through their upbringing in the business and coming into the brand. Their bond was tight and resonated with the fans. Both were seen as underdogs and experienced plenty of setbacks.
Heading into NXT TakeOver: WarGames 2019, their team had suffered some losses, especially Kai. Unfortunately, this led to Rhea Ripley making a decision to leave Dakota Kai on the outside of her team for the titular matchup against Team Baszler. Before the show started, Mia Yim was attacked, leaving a spot open on Team Ripley. Dakota Kai stepped up to fill the spot.
Ripley and LaRae started off their WarGames match for Team Ripley. This led to a shocking heel turn. The next into the contest was supposed to be Dakota Kai, but she walked out of the cell to enter the bout and turned around to strike her best friend with a running kick. To further this betrayal, Kai slammed the cell door on the rehabilitated knee of Nox, taking her out of the match.
This turn had a visceral reaction and was a surprise for many fans. This was a betrayal that no one saw coming and led to Kai becoming one of the most enduring heels in the NXT women's division still to this day. Kai and Nox battled at TakeOver: Portland with Dakota winning thanks to the arrival of Raquel Gonzalez. Thanks to what this led to, it still stands as an instrumental moment for the brand.
#2 Kevin Owens turns on Sami Zayn (NXT TakeOver: R-Evolution)
At NXT TakeOver: R-Evolution, the brand had three crucial moments that would set the stage for a brand new era. Kevin Owens made his WWE debut, defeating CJ Parker in the opening match after weeks of vignettes hyping his arrival. On the other end of the event, a 18-month journey was finally completed.
Sami Zayn was the biggest underdog babyface in NXT history. He went through many obstacles and adversity during his ride to the mountaintop of the brand. His series of matches against Cesaro helped to create a deep connection between Zayn and the NXT fans. After failed opportunities at the top prize, Sami got one last shot at Neville's NXT Championship with his career on the line.
This was an outstanding main event that told a compelling story of Sami Zayn choosing his principles and still overcoming this last hurdle. Zayn defeated Neville to finally win the NXT Championship. After the match, it became a celebration for the Underdog from the Underground. His best friend Kevin Owens came down and hugged him. One had finally made it to the big time and the other had finally won the big one.
However, this happy ending wasn't meant to be. With the two best friends arm and arm with each other, Kevin Owens turned his back on Zayn and shoved him down on the ramp. He then followed up with a powerbomb on the apron. This set up Owens to become the top heel for the brand and eventually led to him becoming NXT Champion at the very next TakeOver.
Kevin Owens betraying Sami Zayn would set the tone for his entire WWE career. He would become known as a superstar who can't be trusted and never meant a friend that he didn't turn his back on. This has also led to Zayn vs. Owens being a rivalry that the company has consistently come back to for the years to follow.
#1 Tommaso Ciampa turns on Johnny Gargano (NXT TakeOver: Chicago)
Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano formed one of the most unlikely yet popular duos in the history of NXT. They came to WWE as two of the top independent wrestlers in the world. They were forced together in the 2015 Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic, but they came up short. From there, they were matched up against one another in the Cruiserweight Classic tournament in 2016.
After this one-on-one contest, Ciampa and Gargano set their sights on tag team glory. They were coined DIY for their "do it yourself" nature. DIY would engage in the best tag team rivalry in NXT history against The Revival. Their battles over the NXT Tag Team Championships would steal the show at TakeOver: Brooklyn II, but the best was yet to come.
At TakeOver: Toronto, DIY faced The Revival in a two out of three falls match. This was a tremendous bout that stands as one of the greatest matches in NXT TakeOver history. Ciampa and Gargano defeated The Revival to win the NXT Tag Team Championships in a highly emotional scene. This felt like an earned achievement for the team as well as their fans.
Their reign as champions was cut short as they ran into the Authors of Pain at NXT TakeOver: San Antonio. DIY would fall short in a Triple Threat Match against the Authors and The Revival at TakeOver: Orlando before getting one last shot at NXT TakeOver: Chicago. This contest would be a ladder match.
Tommaso Ciampa suffered a torn ACL and didn't seem likely for this final showdown with the AOP. Despite the injury, he perserved and fought through it in a valiant effort. DIY showed the heart and the deep bond they had created with one another in this contest. One crucial moment seeing Johnny Gargano sacrifice himself to take a ladder shot from one of the Authors.
The Authors of Pain defeated DIY to retain the NXT Tag Team Championships at TakeOver: Chicago. It was a deflating loss to see the courageous babyfaces lose, but things just got worse in the aftermath. The Chicago crowd gave DIY a standing ovation with Ciampa and Gargano leaving side by side. The closing credit ran before Ciampa proclaimed to Gargano, "This is my moment!"
Ciampa then ran his friend into the video wall and began to brutalize him. He hit him with a running knee before giving him an air raid crash off the commentary table through staging below. This is the apex of all betrayals in WWE over the past few years. It got an amazing reaction and shook the foundation of NXT for years to come.
Johnny Gargano became the most popular babyface in NXT, while Tommaso Ciampa became the most hated man in all of WWE. Upon his return, Ciampa didn't even need entrance music. He came down to the chorus of boo's from the fans. This became the quintessential feud in the brand's history. That is why Ciampa turning on Gargano is the greatest NXT betrayal of all time.
