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2019 has been an amazing year for NXT as it started with Johnny Gargano becoming a Triple Crown Champion at NXT TakeOver: New York. NXT now airs live every Wednesday on the USA Network. Adam Cole's golden prophecy of the Undisputed Era being draped in gold also came to fruition. For the first time, NXT took part in the Survivor Series pay-per-view and won the battle of brand supremacy.
When it comes to in-ring wrestling, NXT TakeOver specials always deliver the goods. Coming up with a top-five list is hard especially when there are so many good matches to choose from. Out of all the TakeOver specials that took place in 2019, I chose what are the best and my top five favorite matches of 2019. So without wasting time here are my five favorite NXT TakeOver matches of 2019.
#1 Candice LeRae vs. Io Shirai at NXT TakeOver: Toronto
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Let me first say Io Shirai is my favorite wrestler and I attended the show especially to see her wrestle. I was not pleased when she didn't win the NXT Women's Title at TakeOver: XXV because I thought the right timing and I wanted to see her come to TakeOver: Toronto as champion.
With the help of Jessamyn Duke and Marina Shafir, Shayna Baszler retained the NXT Women's Title in a steel cage match. Shirai turned heel after the match as she laid out Candice LeRae which led to their TakeOver: Toronto match.
Shirai's new heel entrance is just awesome to watch live. This was incredible to watch as there were so many amazing spots as highlights included Shirai immediately teasing a Hiromu Takahashi Sunset Bomb to the floor but was blocked. She planted LeRae with a suplex on the announcers' table.
LeRae made a comeback as she hit a tope transitioning to a Tornado DDT on the floor. LeRae went for super German Suplex but Shirai landed on her feet which got a huge reaction live. LeRae hit a Poisonrana and a flying neck breaker for a pair of two counts.
The fans when nuts when Shirai hit an avalanche Spanish Fly and her signature moonsaults for close near falls. She won after applying a Koji Clutch as LeRae passed out. An excellent match and my highlight from SummerSlam weekend.
#2 NXT Championship Match: Johnny Gargano vs. Adam Cole at NXT TakeOver: 25
Adam Cole came out with Josiah Williams who rapped a remix of the Undisputed Era theme. This was really well done. This was a 30+ minute all action-packed match as Cole and Gargano worked at a crazy pace.
Highlights included The Panama City Playboy catching Gargano with a superkick on a tope. Cole hit an awesome Panama Sunrise from the ring apron to the floor but only got a two count. Both competitors used each other's signature spots. Cole grabbed a chair but was stopped by the referee. Gargano hit a tope to Cole but the referee went down as well. The next spot was great as The Panama City Playboy signaled for the rest of the Undisputed Era just like they did at TakeOver: New York. Instead, no one came out as Cole was playing mind games with the champion. Upon reentering, Cole hit an elevated piledriver for another close near fall.
Gargano fell to the canvas as Cole went for The Last Shot. The champion played possum as he placed the leader of the Undisputed Era in the Gargano Escape. Cole using his wrestling IQ broke free as he attacked Gargano's injured knee which he worked on earlier. Cole smelled blood in the water as he went for The Last Shot but Gargano countered into a cradle but only a two count. The champion wouldn't be so lucky the second time as The Panama City Playboy hit a Super Panama Sunrise and followed with The Last Shot for the 1-2-3 to an amazing ovation.
Gargano looked disappointed on the floor as Bobby Fish, Kyle O'Reilly and Roderick Strong came out as they celebrated with Cole inside the ring. This was just a tremendous match as both Cole and Gargano have great chemistry as they put on an awesome show for the fans.
#3 WWE United Kingdom Championship Match: WALTER vs. Tyler Bate at NXT UK TakeOver: Cardiff
It went over 40 minutes but this was just incredible to watch as WALTER and Tyler Bate told the perfect big-man, little-man story in their match. The crowd popped huge went Bate hit the first successful bodyslam. Bate went for a tope but WALTER countered by powerbombing against the ring post as officials came out to check on him. This is where WALTER took control as he used vicious chops, applied a Boston Crab and a three-quarter nelson.
Bate showed that he had the heart of a champion as he made a comeback which included using an airplane spin and a Burning Hammer. Bate delivered his signature Tyler Driver and a corkscrew dive but couldn't put WALTER away. WALTER hit a super splash but Bate refused to stay down. The same move WALTER used to defeat Pete Dunne to win the WWE United Kingdom Title at TakeOver: New York.
WALTER finally put Bate away after delivering a massive running lariat for the win. This was the perfect finish as you didn't feel disappointed that Bate lost because he battled till the end and refused to quit. Just a tremendous pro wrestling match.
#4 2/3 Falls Match for the NXT Championship: Adam Cole vs. Johnny Gargano at NXT TakeOver: Toronto
I attended the show live and this was awesome to watch. Adam Cole came out to a huge babyface reaction. Johnny Gargano got a big mixed reaction. They worked at a crazy pace as highlights included Gargano hitting a Thunderstruck DDT but Cole kicked out. Cole hit a pair of Superkicks and an Ushigorishi but couldn't but Gargano away. Cole grabbed a chair but was stopped by the referee. The crowd booed as Gargano used the chair which led to Cole winning the first fall. This was great as Gargano sat on the chair and shrugged off the boos.
The second fall was a Street Fight as they took the fight into the crowd. The fans went crazy when Gargano blocked a Fairytale Ending as he sent Cole crashing through the announcers' table. Gargano long-darted Cole into a chair, then applied the Gargano Escape and won the second fall.
This was amazing to watch as the third fall was a Weapons Cage Match. The cage began to lower as the fans chanted "Thank You Regal." There were all kinds use of weapons as the fans popped huge when Gargano grabbed the sledgehammer which was saved for last. Cole hit a Super Panama Sunrise off the ladder which looked crazy. Gargano used pliers as he cut off a piece of bared wire. Cole and Gargano battled over the bared wire on top of the cage as the fans chanted "Please don't die." The finish was just insane as everyone stood up and watched both Cole and Gargano plummet off the cage, crashing through a table. Cole managed to place his hand over Gargano and retained his NXT Title.
After the match, Undisputed Era came out and helped Cole to the back. The fans chanted "Thank you Johnny" as Candice LeRae came out. William Regal came out and raised Gargano's hand. Inside the building, this had the feeling that it looked like Gargano's swan song from NXT. I rewatched the match on the WWE Network and it was just as good live. An awesome match.
#5 NXT Tag Team Championship Match: War Raiders (Hanson & Rowe) vs. Aleister Black & Ricochet for the NXT Tag Team Titles at TakeOver: New York
The fans were super excited from the start as everyone got a huge reaction. There were just so many amazing spots which included Ricochet showing off his power by hitting a fallaway slam onto the bigger Hanson. The War Raiders hit a springboard lariat/German suplex combo to Ricochet but Black made the save with a flying double stomp.
Ricochet took to the air as he hit a corkscrew Fosbury Flop onto Black and Rowe. What impressed me was that War Raiders showed how versatile a team they are as Hanson hit a flying somersault senton onto everyone on the floor. The crowd cheered as Aleister Black nailed Rowe with a Black Mass as Ricochet followed with a Shooting Star Press teasing we might see new tag champions. However, it wasn't meant to be as Hanson plowed Black into Ricochet. The War Raiders retained their titles after overpowering Ricochet by hitting the Fallout for the win.
Hanson and Rowe bowed to Black and Ricochet. Everyone hugged which got a big reaction. This was Black and Ricochet's swan song from NXT as they stood inside the ring. Ricochet had tears in his eyes. The match was just fantastic which featured so amazing sequences. The post-match added so much as you see the respect between all four wrestlers and showed how much NXT meant to them.
