WWE NXT TakeOver: Top 5 NXT TakeOvers of all time

Less than 2 months ago, the WWE Network had its second NXT TakeOver of the year, NXT TakeOver: New York. Keeping an eye on NXT TakeOver XXV, let us take a look at NXT and how it is slowly becoming instrumental in the WWE. Although NXT started as a developmental program to create future Superstars, it has become quite popular over the years. In fact, NXT has been so consistent in putting up great performances that it has often outperformed the main roster pay-per-views.

TakeOvers started as various WWE Network events worked up to draw attention to their third brand, NXT. While initial shows were filmed at the Full Sail University in Florida, it quickly changed as NXT started holding its own individual PPVs and storylines. Since its inception in mid-2014, NXT TakeOver has produced some of the finest wrestling displays in the entire professional wrestling history. The main reason for this has been the constant strength of the NXT roster.

As each batch moves on to Raw or SmackDown, it is again replenished by a new batch. Let us take a look at Top 5 NXT TakeOvers of all time.

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#5 NXT TakeOver: Chicago

The real surprise was when Tommaso Ciampa turned heel

We start our list with the NXT TakeOver in Chicago. This particular event was memorable for two reasons: An excellent match and an excellent piece of story-telling. The match was between Pete Dunne and Tyler Bate for the UK Championship Tournament in hand. When the two entered the ring, they received polite applause, but when they finished the match they received a standing ovation.

They delivered a classic British-style wrestling match, as they delivered what was according to many, WWE’s match of the year. The duo combined the traditional World of Sports style along with Lucha, Japanese Strong Style, and American sports wrestling. In the end, Pete Dunne emerged as the WWE UK Champion after a classic match, which saw prominent figures like Jim Cornette become fans of the young British wrestlers.

The show ended with a chaotic affair between DIY and Authors of Pain which gained equal appreciation. However, the real surprise was when Tomasso Ciampa turned heel and attacked Johny Gargano, which sealed the night.

#4 NXT TakeOver: Toronto

The main spotlight belonged to the tag team match between The Revival and DIY

The NXT PPV before Survivor Series 2016 was an electrifying one in Canada’s capital. The first attraction was the return of former Women’s Champion and future hall-of-fame diva, Mickie James, and her match with Asuka. But that was just the beginning. The main spotlight belonged to the tag team match between The Revival and DIY as they clearly produced one of the greatest tag team matches in NXT. The legendary moment was when Ciampa and fan-favorite Gargano applied a dual submission, and The Revival held onto each other to avoid a loss via submission.

Samoa Joe and Shinsuke Nakamura closed the night with yet another interesting encounter, which gave a surprising result when Joe came out victoriously and was the first person to be crowned a two-time NXT champion. The encounter was the third encounter between these 2 Superstars.

#3 NXT TakeOver: Philadelphia

Andrade vs Johnny Gargano was an instant classic

This show hosted one of the first WWE matches to be awarded a 5-star rating by Dave Meltzer since CM Punk and John Cena’s WWE Championship match in 2011. The NXT Championship match between Andreas ‘Cien’ Almas and Johnny Gargano was the best match one could expect from the NXT Roster. These two stars threw at each other everything they could. Every possible variation of the DDT was used and multiple near–falls and count outs were drawn.

When Gargano’s wife, Candice La Rae hopped over the barricade to spear Zelina Vega, the crowd blew up. The match came to an end when Andrade delivered a top-rope DDT to Gargano to seal his fate as the most promising NXT Champion. His opponent, Johnny Gargano's babyface attitude was at his best in this 5-star classic. In other matches, Aleister Black and Adam Cole competed in an extreme rules match. The Authors of Pain had a seemingly easy victory against The Undisputed Era.

#2 NXT Takeover: Dallas

The main attraction of the night was the match between Nakamura and Zayn

NXT TakeOver in Dallas at the WrestleMania 32 weekend was a message to the WWE Universe that the young guns of tomorrow were ready to take the spotlight, as most of the main roster stars had left or were on their way out. This event before WrestleMania and the Hall of Fame event lived up to its hype perfectly.

Austin Aries debuted in a matchup against Baron Corbin. Asuka’s victory against Bayley saw her reign start as the new NXT Women’s Champion. The main attraction of the night, though, was the match between Shinsuke Nakamura and Sami Zayn.

Snapped up from NJPW, Shinsuke Nakamura was brought up against the heart of NXT, Sami Zayn. Some have since argued that Nakamura's WWE debut match was one of the best wrestling performances that he ever took part in. The pre-WrestleMania TakeOver linked up two wrestlers who had never faced each other anywhere, in a twenty minute hard-hitting, technically brilliant match.

#1 NXT TakeOver: New Orleans

Gargano’s performance and Ciampa’s heel turn was one of the groundbreaking storylines

Drama always brings out the best of a wrestling match, and this exciting feud between Johnny Gargano and Tomasso Ciampa was overflowing with it. The bad blood between the tag team began when Ciampa turned heel on Johnny Wrestling at TakeOver: Brooklyn III. Gargano was the public hero post the infamous heel turn, as Ciampa was subjected to nuclear heat by the public. Ciampa and Gargano’s unsanctioned match was yet another match from NXT which earned a 5 star by Dave Meltzer. Gargano’s performance and Ciampa’s heel turn led to one of the major groundbreaking storylines in the history of NXT.

The other match to watch out for was the chaotic 6-man tag team match, which revived the memory of the epic ladder matches in the Attitude Era. The aerial brilliance of Ricochet, the brute force of Sullivan, the fearlessness of Velveteen Dream, and veteran ring awareness of EC3 and Cole created a perfect ladder match, a rarity these days.