#4 Johnny Gargano captures the NXT Championship
It may have been obvious, but sometimes the most obvious story is the best one to tell. At NXT TakeOver: New York, Johnny Gargano defeated Adam Cole to become the NXT Champion. Johnny Wrestling was in the middle of the greatest feud in the brand's history, battling his former best friend Tommaso Ciampa.
Following their breakup a few years ago, Gargano was haunted by the Psycho Killer's presence for nearly a year. Following Ciampa's return from injury, he was able to dethrone Aleister Black, picking up the NXT Championship and ruining Gargano's dream in 2018.
It was a five-year build in the making, dating all the way to their work with NXT before they'd even officially signed. Sadly, we never got a proper end to their rivalry, as another serious injury would put Ciampa's career in jeopardy. Forced to drop the NXT Title, he would have to step away while Gargano moved on to TakeOver: New York.
Adam Cole, the leader of the Undisputed Era, was quickly placed into the match. A few months prior, he'd declared the "Undisputed Prophecy" stating that the entire group would hold all the gold NXT had to offer in 2019. And though fans were expecting that to take place, everyone knew that TakeOver: New York was Gargano's time.
And even though fans saw it coming, it was one of the most emotional moments, not just in NXT, but in the entire WWE from 2019. Seeing someone scratch and claw for years, facing heartbreak after heartbreak and setback after setback, and finally make it to the top of the mountain? That's the kind of story that makes a legend. And it was that story that made Johnny Gargano, Johnny TakeOver, and Johnny Wrestling household names.