Ranking every NXT Championship match on an NXT TakeOver (and Arrival)

8. Kevin Owens v. Finn Balor(c)- Ladder Match- NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn

Just as the first NXT live special finished with a ladder match, so too did NXT’s first event in a big arena end in a ladder match. Owens, at this point a full-fledged member of the main roster, challenged Balor for the title he lost at the Beast in the East event. And while it might not be the most memorable match from that show, it certainly delivered as an excellent ladder match.

Balor came out in his demon persona, and it ended up factoring heavily into the match. Balor’s previous appearances did feature him getting tested, but no more than any other main eventer would be, so we didn’t get to see what the demon provided. Owens and Balor brutalized each other during this match. They not only used the ladders to great effect, they also brawled all along the outside and traded their biggest shots. Balor landed a Coup de Grace, but couldn’t retrieve the belt before Owens swung him off the ladder and into a powerbomb. Balor reversed one apron powerbomb attempt, but missed a running apron coup de grace and Owens laid him out with the apron powerbomb. However, Balor’s resiliency won him the day, as the move that put Neville and Zayn on the shelf failed to stop The Demon. Balor came in, stopped Owens from climbing, knocked him off one ladder into another, and finished Owens off with the Coup De Grace from the top of the ladder before retrieving the belt.

Balor surviving the Apron Powerbomb that had put other stars out of action for a month (or more, in the case of Sami’s second time being hit with the move) is the best work NXT/WWE ever did with characterizing The Demon. It firmly established him as possessing inhuman resiliency, something that made Samoa Joe pushing, and eventually defeating, The Demon during their trilogy of TakeOver matches all the more impressive.

7. Tyler Breeze v. Sami Zayn v. Tyson Kidd v. Adrian Neville(c)- NXT TakeOver: Fatal 4-Way

I was a bit late to NXT, given that I didn’t start following wrestling again until 2013, and only started watching WWE full-time in the summer of 2014. Therefore, NXT TakeOver: Fatal 4-Way was the very first NXT show I watched, and being amazed by this match remains one of my fondest pro wrestling memories.

This match resulted from Adrian Neville wanting to establish himself as the best, by beating all three of his possible #1 contenders in a Fatal 4-Way match. Early on, this was a glorified tag match between Kidd/Breeze and Neville/Zayn, which made a lot of sense given they’d had two high-profile tag matches, one of which was a showcase on RAW. However, after Kidd and Breeze took control, Kidd dissolved their alliance and took control.

This match did a great job of giving each man in this match a chance to shine. Kidd dominated large swathes of this match, holding off Breeze and Neville while dominating Zayn. In the span of mere seconds, Breeze wiped out Zayn with the Beauty Shot, Kidd with the Supermodel Kick, and dropkicked Neville out of the air to nearly win the match. But the two main stars were Sami Zayn and Adrian Neville. Zayn was the beating heart of the match, refusing to be defeated no matter how much punishment he took , while Neville was the ace, the fastest, strongest and most skilled wrestler in the ring. Ultimately, it was the clash between these two that fans most anticipated, at least judging by crowd reactions, and the match was structured accordingly, with their final clash leading to the end of the match. Zayn gained control, wiping out everyone in a flurry of moves before leveling Kidd with the Helluva Kick. However, in a desperate move, Neville pulled the ref out of the ring, before laying out Zayn on the outside and finishing Kidd off with the Red Arrow.

There wasn’t really any complex story to the match, but there didn’t need to be. Four talented wrestlers got the chance to shine in ways that fit their characters, and do so in a great match that featured flashy high spots, intensity and sharp technical sequences alike. My own nostalgia aside, this still remains a good example of Fatal 4-Ways done correctly.

6. Andrade Almas v. Drew McIntyre(c)- NXT TakeOver: WarGames

This level of wrestling had been sorely missing from the NXT title scene since the end of  Neville’s title reign in 2014. That’s not to say the talent hadn’t been there, but the main events ranged from “great, but not too spectacular” to “boring.” This was an excellent match, and was an excellent way for Andrade to win the title, even if that wasn’t the original plan.

Everything about this match ruled. It was worked at a frenetic pace, only slowing for a moment when one competitor kicked out There was a lot of great-looking sequences here, and every hit looked and sounded stiff. The crowd was also unglued for this match, particularly the near-falls and the finish. The finish came when, after Zelina vega put Almas’s feet on the ropes to escape the Claymore, Andrade dodged another attempt and hit a Hammerlock DDT from the top, which secured the pinfall.

That last move also caused McIntyre to tear his bicep, missing several months and returning on RAW. For a last match on NXT, it ranks up there with Zayn/Nakamura as among the best farewells on the roster. And yet, Andrade would manage to top this match on the very next TakeOver.

5. Aleister Black v. Andrade Almas(c)- NXT TakeOver: New Orleans

Andrade Almas’s title reign went out with a bang.

This match is stellar. This is a well-paced, hard-hitting, intense match that features plenty of believable near-falls but doesn’t overstay its welcome, has great storytelling (Black’s resilience overcoming the numbers advantage) and delivers a very satisfying finish, with Vega’s constant interference finally backfiring, giving Black the opening he needs to win and become champion.

This is everything I want in a wrestling match. It is a testament to the strength of Andrade’s reign that this, somehow, isn’t his best title defense. Andrade, at least from an in-ring standpoint, is the best champion NXT has ever had.