5 things WWE NXT got right before TakeOver WarGames: Bron Breakker wins big; Kay Lee Ray scores the advantage

The go-home episode of WWE NXT before TakeOver: WarGames had two big ladder matches. Participants in both WarGames matches would collide to see who’d get the advantage.

Kay Lee Ray represented Team Raquel in the match while Dakota Kai represented Team Kai during the show.

Meanwhile, the number one contender’s match was between Legado del Fantasma and the team of Kyle O’Reilly and Von Wagner to determine the next NXT Tag Team Championship challengers.

In other news, Indi Hartwell got to know that Dexter Lumis had checked himself out of the hospital without notice. Yet, she teamed up with Persia Pirotta to defeat Yulisa Leon and Valentina Feroz.

Here are five things WWE got right on NXT this week.

---

#5. Kay Lee Ray and Dakota Kai put on a stunning ladder match on WWE NXT

The night kicked off with the two teams for the women’s WarGames match meeting on the stage with and women getting in a brawl. Finally, Kay Lee Ray and Dakota Kai were ready to battle in the ladder match.

Kai and KLR got going right away. Lee Ray hit Kai with a Superkick and took control of the contest early.

The fight spilled over to the floor where Kai hit KLR with a DDT on the steel steps. Both women used the ladder as a weapon against each other.

The Captain of Team Kick trapped KLR in a turnbuckle and nearly knocked her out with a double foot stomp. She targeted Lee Ray’s knee in hopes of keeping her off the ladder.

Lee Ray hit a KLR bomb on the announcers table and tried to get to the top. Her injury gave Kai enough time to catch up, hit a Coup de Grace off the ladder, and nearly pick up the win.

However, the former NXT UK Women’s Champion regained enough strength to knock out Kai with a superkick and climb the ladder to retrieve the briefcase. The match was fantastic and gave NXT a good start this week.

Kai and KLR were phenomenal and they gave it their all. Fans will hope to see them perform at this level once again at NXT TakeOver: WarGames.

#4. The newcomers of WWE NXT 2.0 send a warning to the veterans ahead of TakeOver: WarGames

Johnny Gargano would represent his team in the ladder match on WWE NXT. Team NXT 2.0 headed to the ring to target their opponents before TakeOver: WarGames.

Carmelo Hayes talked down Gargano to put himself over as the NXT North American Champion. Grayson Waller followed and took some shots at LA Knight to build their rivalry.

Bron Breakker made it clear that his team would defeat Team NXT before he takes the NXT Championship away from Tommaso Ciampa. Tony D’Angelo fired some shots at Pete Dunne just to make himself feel part of the squad.

It was then announced that Breakker would represent his team in the ladder match scheduled for the main event. This brought out Johnny Wrestling, who took some shots of his own at Breakker and his men.

He ended his promo by asking Breakker to leave his team behind for the main event clash. Breakker willingly accepted Gargano’s demand to set up a clean match for later in the show.

WWE stayed true to its words and allowed the fans to pick the participants of the ladder match. Gargano vs Breakker is a dream match for many. Instead of utilizing D’Angelo and LA Knight for the contest, NXT decided to go all out for the main event of the night before TakeOver.

#3. Solo Sikoa defeated Edris Enofe on WWE NXT

Debutant Edris Enofe was out to make a statement on WWE NXT. He wanted to prove his doubters wrong as he took to the ring to face Solo Sikoa.

Sikoa dominated Enofe early and kept him down. But Enofe bounced back with a diving crossbody and looked to hit a 450 splash, but Sikoa countered and hit a senton for a near fall.

Enofe hit a big dropkick and tried to put the youngest Uso away with a DDT. He climbed the ropes to hit a splash, but Sikoa dodged his dive. He hit a Samoan Drop and finished his opponent off with a splash for the win.

After the match, Boa attacked Sikoa. Enofe helped him fight Boa off, and the two men looked at each other to end the segment.

Enofe could have had a better debut on NXT. The ending can help both Sikoa and Enofe get ahead without reaching the title picture too soon. The NXT creative team could team them up for a short run before disbanding them to move Sikoa into a larger role.

#2. Kyle O’Reilly and Von Wagner earned themselves a title match for WWE NXT TakeOver: WarGames

Legado del Fantasma faced the team of Kyle O’Reilly and Von Wagner on WWE NXT this week. Both teams were looking to get a shot at Imperium’s NXT Tag Team Championships.

Joaquin Wilde and Raul Mendoza isolated O' Reilley from his partner early. Meanwhile, Xyon Quinn arrived to stare down Elektra Lopez. Santos Escobar and Quinn brawled to the back as the action picked up inside the ring.

Wagner finally got the hot tag, but he was soon taken down by Mendoza, who targeted his knee. KOR regained strength and came back into the ring.

Legado del Fantasma hit their finisher on KOR, but Wagner saved his partner from the pin. In the end, O’Reilly and Wagner hit their team finisher for the win. After the match, the challengers got in the NXT Tag Team Champions’ faces.

The match was decent and allowed KOR to shine once again. However, his partnership with Wagner still needs more time to grow. The two men will likely give Imperium a good fight at NXT TakeOver: WarGames.

WWE should look to keep the titles on Imperium following the event.

#1. Bron Breakker defeated Johnny Gargano to earn the advantage for TakeOver: WarGames on WWE NXT

Bron Breakker and Johnny Gargano represented their respective teams in the ladder match on WWE NXT. Breakker used his strength to push Gargano down early and throw him around with ease.

Johnny Wrestling bounced back and used tactical strikes to wear down his bigger opponent. He used the ladder and announcers table to take out his opponent and tried his best to win the match early.

Even after taking some vicious blows and falls, the two men refused to give up. Gargano hit Breakker with a few superkicks to cut him down to size. Breakker responded with a picture-perfect Frankensteiner to nearly take Gargano out.

The final moments of the match saw Gargano hit Breakker with the briefcase in the face at the top of the ladder. The new face of NXT 2.0 responded by pulling Johnny Wrestling down from the ladder and hitting a Military Press powerslam before climbing the ladder to retrieve the briefcase.

After the match, both teams took to the ring and a massive brawl broke out to end the night. The final match was just as good as the first one and NXT did incredibly well to build hype around TakeOver: WarGames.

Gargano gave Breakker the match of his life just days before TakeOver. It will be great to see how the heels of NXT 2.0 use the advantage on Sunday to pick up the win against the veterans.