Rating the 10 best matches in NXT Takeover history

NXT has been the most consistent and enjoyable brand of the WWE for quite some time now, as they tell fantastic stories with some of the world's greatest performers, but with wrestling these days, it's all about the match quality, something that NXT has in spades.

From quick fire singles sprints to long, drawn-out hardcore matches to tag team classics, since rebranding itself in 2012, NXT has showcased the very best of professional wrestling, and it's hard not to tune in to every episode waiting to see something great.

Follow Sportskeeda for the latest WWE news, rumors and all other wrestling news

Then, NXT Takeover was born. Since the first Takeover in 2014 took place at Full Sail, NXT has run these live events 5-6 times a year, and given all the care and love they put into these stories, it's no wonder that each and every time we get to see a Takeover, it delivers on a bigger and better scale.

These events have since been revamped and are now used the night before big WWE PPV's, and while that's great for NXT as they get a bigger and bigger audience for every single show, it allows the developmental brand to steal the show each and every time it's matched up with a WWE PPV.

That's a conversation for another time, because today we are looking at matches from these great shows, and counting down the top 10 matches in NXT Takeover history (we understand that the order may be a point of contention for many, but with so many quality bouts, it comes down to personal preference at the end of the day).

So what do you guys think? Are there any matches from the 23 Takeover's that we missed? Would you order these bouts differently if given the opportunity? What's your personal favourite match in NXT Takeover history? As always, let us know all your thoughts and opinions surrounding this in the comment section below.

#10. Authors Of Pain & Roderick Strong vs. Undisputed Era vs. Sanity - War Games (NXT Takeover War Games)

NXT has a refreshing take on most concepts, so when they decided to revive a WCW classic, fans knew it was going to be great, but no one expected it to be quite this good. Sure, AoP and Roderick Strong were quite an odd pairing for a trio, but they worked well together within the story, and for 40 minutes, all 9 of these men battered the living daylights out of each other.

The story was a simple one. It wasn't about titles, it wasn't about anything but 9 men fighting for pride and their standing within NXT, and at the end of the brutality that saw Alexander Wolfe become a bloody man, it was Adam Cole, Bobby Fish and Kyle O'Reilly who stood tall.

Killian Dain was the star of this bout though, with unreal athleticism and a willingness to put his body on the line for his team, and NXT followed up in 2018 with another great one, so this is another concept that NXT has done a fantastic job with.

#9. Velveteen Dream vs. Aleister Black (NXT Takeover: War Games)

Sometimes, the best stories in wrestling are the most simple, and this one was as basic as it gets. Velveteen Dream simply wanted acknowledgement and attention, and by the end of this classic bout, he got exactly that. Coming into it, not many people knew what to expect from Dream, but he dug his teeth into this story, and both men put on a fantastic bout in a very short amount of time.

This won't ever be considered one of the best matches in NXT from an in-ring perspective, but when you combine what they did in the ring with the story they told, the crowd were engrossed from beginning to end.

Both men have gone on to bigger and better things, but the interaction after the bell where Aleister Black simply said: "Enjoy infamy, Velveteen Dream", shows just how much NXT understand that simple is better, and in this case, it was arguably the recipe for Match of the Year.

#8. Lars Sullivan vs. Killian Dain vs. EC3 vs. Ricochet vs. Velveteen Dream vs. Adam Cole - North American Championship Ladder Match (NXT Takeover: New Orleans)

Ladder matches don't occur too often in NXT, so when they do, get ready for a car crash, and if that's what you were hoping for when 6 of NXT's top stars collided in the opener to WrestleMania 34 weekend, that's exactly what you got.

This one had plenty of incredible spots but was also timed and put together incredibly well, and by the time this match was over, the fans and Mauro Ranallo were exhausted.

It was one of the best ladder matches any company has produced in years, and it finished perfectly. At the end of the day, it wasn't the dominant Killian Dain or Lars Sullivan to come out on top, or the ultra-athletic Ricochet, it was the opportunistic Adam Cole, capping off one of the best ladder matches in WWE history.

#7. Pete Dunne vs. Tyler Bate (NXT Takeover: Chicago)

In 2017 when this bout occurred, many people called it the best match in NXT history, but so many great bouts have taken place since, but coming in at #7 on a list like this is still incredibly impressive. This was the rematch from the Final of the WWE UK Tournament, and both men had something to prove, and how they proved that was by putting on a bout that perfectly represented the British wrestling style.

From technical exchanges to working the body to their smooth, crisp exchanges throughout the bout, the fans were invested in each and every moment, to the point where they couldn't help but giving a mid-match standing ovation. They've since had another fantastic bout on NXT utilising another style entirely, showing just how diverse these two are, but on this night, they created pure magic in Chicago.

We hope to see another Bate vs Dunne match in the future.

#6. DIY vs. The Revival - 2 Out Of 3 Falls (NXT Takeover: Toronto)

Tag team wrestling is somewhat of a lost art in the WWE, but NXT has had a heavy focus on the style with the likes of American Alpha, Enzo & Cass, The Undisputed Era and others, but the two tag teams that stand head and shoulders above the rest are The Revival and #DIY.

They had a series of bouts together that should be shown to aspiring wrestlers for generations, but their 2 out of 3 falls bout in Toronto was the best of the bunch.

Sure, they fell back on WWE cliches by taking it down to the wire with alternating falls, but they did it with such smart spots that the fans couldn't help but be invested. By the end of the bout, the fans had been whipped into a frenzy, and when both Gargano and Ciampa made Dawson and Wilder tap simultaneously. The crowd knew they'd witnessed a match for the ages.

#5. Ricochet vs. Johnny Gargano (NXT Takeover: Phoenix)

This is the most recent of any match on the list, as it happened at the latest NXT Takeover event. Once again, it not only served as a showcase for just how great Johnny Takeover is, but it also showed the NXT Universe just how far Ricochet has come as a performer.

On the independent scene, he was nothing but flips and incredible athleticism, but within NXT, The One and Only has transcended that 'flippy guy' tag and shown that he can tell an incredible story when given a great dance partner like Gargano.

This bout showed that Gargano is delving further into the darkness, resorting to a sick brain-buster on the exposed concrete outside, and it has us all looking to the future of NXT. Sure, this one isn't the high-flying bout that some would have seen these two perform on the independent scene, but it's much, much better, as both men give their all in a gruelling contest that could very well be 2019 NXT Match of the Year.

#4. Johnny Gargano vs. Andrade "Cien" Almas (NXT Takeover: Philadelphia)

Johnny Gargano vs. Andrade won NXT's Match of the Year in 2018, and rightly so, as it was the culmination of Johnny returning to his true form, Johnny Wrestling, and for 20+ minutes, the two put on a wrestling masterclass. It was a back and forth bout that had the entire NXT Universe on their feet, wishing and hoping for a Gargano victory, but in the end, it was El Idolo who came out on top.

The post-match shot of a returning Tommaso Ciampa again attacking Johnny Gargano from behind played a big part in the ensuing 12 months of NXT television, but this bout is one that will be remembered in the history books of NXT. This is Gargano's 4th of 5 matches on this list, and that proves just how great he is, and when two fantastic performers are allowed to go at it with no restrictions, magic can still be made inside a wrestling ring.

#3. Sami Zayn vs. Shinsuke Nakamura (NXT Takeover: Dallas)

The next two matches on this list are absolutely incredible, but in terms of the pure electricity and atmosphere in Dallas on this night, this bout between The Heart and Soul of NXT and the debuting King of Strong Style will never be topped.

The two men would go on to create magic in their 15-20 minute bout that showcased the very best of each performer, to the point where the NXT Universe couldn't help but ask the two to 'Fight Forever'.

Nakamura would go on to win his debut bout as Sami Zayn made his way to the main roster, but it's a match that will never be forgotten and should be on every wrestling fans 'must watch' list. NXT Takeovers seemingly get bigger and better every year, and it's because of performers like Sami Zayn who make that possible, and therefore, this was the perfect send-off for him.

#2. Sasha Banks vs. Bayley (NXT Takeover: Brooklyn)

Women's wrestling in the WWE is at an all-time high right now, with Becky Lynch and Ronda Rousey likely to main event WrestleMania 35, and that all started due to the incredible work of the women down in NXT. Charlotte, Becky, Sasha and Bayley all had incredible matches with one another, but it was this bout at the first ever NXT Takeover: Brooklyn event that stands head and shoulders above the rest, and for good reason.

The story was great, the character work throughout the bout was even better, and the final moments of this match are what wrestling is all about, and this will forever be remembered as one of the best NXT matches in history.

Sure, there are other bouts on here that are better from a pure wrestling standpoint, but on this night, The Boss and The Hugger stole the show because they used every phase of what makes wrestling great to create magic.

#1. Johnny Gargano vs. Tommaso Ciampa (NXT Takeover: New Orleans)

A lot of people still consider Johnny vs. Andrade the best match in Takeover history, and from an in-ring standpoint, that point can be argued, but when you add in the immense build-up to this bout, it stands tall. After his best friend stabbed him in the back almost a year earlier in Chicago, Gargano was out for revenge in this unsanctioned match, and it tied in a brilliant story with some brutal in-ring work.

They went on to have 2 more bouts at the following 2 Takeovers, and while they were both amazing, nothing touched the pure animosity and brilliance of this one. It stole the show on what was WWE's best show of the year (and the best Takeover in history), and given how their story has not yet ended, it's unlikely we've seen the last classic between Johnny Wrestling and The Psycho Killer.