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Usually, at this time, we bring you a 'Best and Worst' analysis of the events that transpired across the length of a WWE show. Unfortunately for us and fortunately for the WWE Universe, there was not a single thing we disliked about NXT TakeOver: New Orleans.
From the opening bell to the closing moments of the night, NXT TakeOver: New Orleans did not just meet our expectations but exceeded them. There were several points in the night when we were short of breath. As we can see from social media, many others felt the same.
Therefore, instead of a 'Best and Worst' countdown, we bring you '5 Points to Note'. We do hope that you enjoy reading the article as much as we enjoyed this NXT TakeOver.
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#5 A truly blistering opening contest
When we saw the opening contest, we thought the show had peaked far too early. Thankfully, we were quite wrong. That said, the 6-Man Ladder Match to crown the first ever North American Champion was a splendid affair. We were enthralled for the duration of the contest.
Each man brought his own flavour to the match. They put it all together like a magnificent piece of art, a jigsaw puzzle that unfolded as a truly spellbinding match. There was chaos, carnage and we're pretty certain that the men will have several bumps and bruises when they wake up!
We also loved the crowning of Adam Cole as the first North American Champion and how it played out during the night. This was storytelling at its very finest, in our opinion.
#4 Shayna Baszler realizes her NXT dream
When we look back at the night, the Ember Moon vs. Shayna Baszler contest may seem like the weakest match of the lot. However, one must not call it a bad match for the same reason. It was a fantastic contest of strength, spirit and perseverance. It was a very different contest from the opening match and we were entertained.
We wonder if this means that Ember Moon will show up on RAW or SmackDown Live after WrestleMania. While the crowd was pretty exhausted by the time this match happened, following the opening contest, they did pop for the Eclipse outside the ring. There were some great counters during this match, and this played into the fact that these two women knew each other very well.
Baszler would pick up the win and celebrate with her UFC friends at ringside. Despite the fact that she plays a heel, one couldn't help but feel incredibly happy for her!
#3 A massive heel turn
NXT tells stories like few other promotions across the world do. The story this evening was that Adam Cole was exhausted after winning the NXT North American Championship. We were slightly disappointed to see that Cole wouldn't be replaced by a surprise participant in the match. But considering how the match played out, we changed our mind!
Roderick Strong stopped Pete Dunne from making a pin and aligned himself with the Undisputed ERA. This turn has been teased for weeks now, goes back to their days in ROH, and it was absolutely masterfully executed at NXT TakeOver: New Orleans.
#2 NXT has faded to Black
Andrade 'Cien' Almas was a great champion, elevating the quality of in-ring performance with every match. Aleister Black too will make a great champion, considering how over he is. The two men definitely took each other to the limit at TakeOver. The match was outstanding!
Special kudos to Zelina Vega for playing her role during this match to utter perfection. There's perhaps no better manager in WWE right now. While others may able to match her verbally, the physical stuff she does makes her stand out as a unique cat.
This was a rematch from last where, when Black decimated Almas in a thrilling match. One year later, the result was still the same but the match was far more exciting!
#1 Best match in NXT history?
Maybe we're just jumping the gun on this occasion. In our opinion, this was the best match in NXT history. And this is not just because of the moves delivered by both men. This is because of just how invested the crowd was in this epic match! It was an emotionally charged contest from opening to closing bell.
Both men took a pounding during this match. Ciampa especially looked especially bruised and battered when the match was done. There was not an ounce of sympathy from the crowd, that booed Ciampa just on and on!
As for Gargano, we were thrilled to see him finally win on the biggest stage of his career. Will he do well in the main roster?
If they can tell stories that resonate with fans like NXT does, he could!
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