Ranking all 5 matches from NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn IV

NXT took over Brooklyn again, and while this particular TakeOver wasn't as strong as some of the ones we've seen in the past, this was still a tremendous show that SummerSlam certainly won't be able to match tonight. At worst, it was "good." The best matches and the moments of the night are the outstanding spectacles we expect from NXT.

It was a major event that seismically shifted the entire NXT landscape going forward, which is exactly what the yellow brand should want from its biggest show of the year. Two major titles changed hands, reigning champions were sent messages, and the bitterest, most brutal feud in NXT history reached yet another turning point.

Like all TakeOver events, no match overstayed its welcome, but which of the five on the night were the best?

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#5 EC3 vs. Velveteen Dream

Velveteen Dream, in the words of Aleister Black, is a prodigy. This match was a perfectly-told story between two men with egos so big that the yellow brand might not be able to contain them both. As always, Velveteen Dream's character work was on point, with his tights requesting a call-up from Vince McMahon stealing the show before the match even began.

All that said, it's clear that Velveteen Dream isn't quite the finished article yet. The match started off somewhat awkwardly, though it picked up nicely as it went on. The Purple Rainmaker apron spot was a great way to end the match.

Another year in NXT would allow Velveteen Dream to master his skill set so that when he does get that wanted call-up, he'll be ready to maximize his potential as the next major star in the industry. This was a much-needed victory that provided fuel for his NXT career. It wouldn't be entirely out of place to see him emerge as Tommaso Ciampa's challenger for TakeOver: War Games.

#4 NXT Championship: Tommaso Ciampa (c) vs. Johnny Gargano

This might be a controversial opinion, but for me, this match was easily the worst of the Gargano vs. Ciampa trilogy. Obviously, that doesn't mean it was a bad match by any means - far from it! There were some innovative spots and the masterful use of callback elements we've come to expect, but it didn't feel wildly different to anything that we already saw in New Orleans and Chicago. Aleister Black's injury clearly hurt this match.

The finish also could have used some improvement in my opinion, but the emotion told by both competitors was top notch. Gargano revealed himself to be the increasingly deranged lunatic he's come to be, while Ciampa revealed himself for the coward that he is under his showboating exterior.

Ultimately, Gargano's madness cost him yet again, and a knee injury story is now being told. It's smart, as it hearkens back to Ciampa's legitimate injury while also giving these two an out to stay away from each other for a while, which clearly needs to happen. The point of diminishing returns has been reached.

Now Johnny Gargano can nurse his kayfabe injury, slowly find himself again, and set up a fourth and final match inside Hell in a Cell before the Royal Rumble or WrestleMania next year, where he'll finally have his cathartic triumph. Such would be the only satisfying end to this feud.

#3 NXT Women's Championship: Shayna Baszler (c) vs. Kairi Sane

Johnny Gargano might have failed, but catharsis was in Brooklyn last night. It showed up in the women's championship match. This story had been told for nearly a year, and it came to a triumphant conclusion in the Barclays Center, where babyface underdogs have found treasure before.

Shayna Baszler easily had the best match of her WWE tenure as she brutally worked Kairi Sane's limbs, but that didn't stop the Pirate Princess from going after NXT's leading bully with everything she had, landing devastating spears and elbow drops.

Numerous false finishes presented themselves until finally, Sane outsmarted her opponent and reversed her formerly unstoppable Kirifuda Clutch into a pin. Brooklyn erupted in delight to see Kairi Sane at last holding gold.

#2 NXT Tag Team Championship: The Undisputed Era (c) vs. Moustache Mountain

While this match had some problems with excessive finisher kickouts, it was still a tremendously-worked affair that we've come to expect from both of these teams. Tyler Bate is always lightning in a bottle when he's in the ring, and putting him in there with the likes of Roderick Strong and Kyle O'Reilly guarantees that some kind of magic will happen.

Eventually, the Undisputed Era would retain after seemingly nonstop, blistering action, but the ending of the segment was as memorable as the match itself. War Raiders warned that they were coming for the titles before this, and they made their presence felt. They laid out the champions and set the stage for War Games nicely.

#1 NXT North American Championship: Adam Cole (c) vs. Ricochet

This was exactly what the NXT North American Championship needed. In what was easily the best match of the night, Adam Cole and Ricochet worked a clinic that elevated the prestige of the title they were fighting for. Ricochet's victory breathes new life into the title picture and gives Adam Cole his first real setback since he stormed onto the NXT stage one year ago.

These two were familiar with each other before, getting a 5-star rated match on the independent scene and another in the ladder match at TakeOver: New Orleans. However, those were both multi-man matches. In a way, those encounters prepared them for their biggest meeting yet.

While this one might not deserve quite that high a rating, it was still a tremendous contest, and opens up a lot of intriguing possibilities going forward.