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Credit: WWE.com
Even in the most turbulent times when WWE seems unable to avoid chaos, one source of reliability is that NXT events almost always deliver.
TakeOver has developed a reputation for being consistently just as good, if not far better, than the main roster’s pay-per-views to follow, and with TakeOver: WarGames 2018, expectations were certainly high.
Despite having one less match than the normal lineup, the four scheduled fights had significant promise.
Not only was The Undisputed Era set to do battle once more in the titular cage match, but they would also be joined by Velveteen Dream’s quest for Tommaso Ciampa’s NXT Championship, Kairi Sane settling the score with Shayna Baszler in a 2-out-of-3 Falls match and Aleister Black’s lust for vengeance against Johnny Gargano.
The hype was built, so did NXT pull off another spectacular show, or did some elements fail to get the job done?
Presented in order of appearance, let’s take a look at the highlights and low points from TakeOver: WarGames 2018.
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Credit: WWE.com
For those more curious about just the outcomes themselves, here is a quick recap of the results in general:
- Matt Riddle defeated Kassius Ohno by pinfall
- Shayna Baszler defeated Kairi Sane to retain the NXT Women’s Championship
- Aleister Black defeated Johnny Gargano by pinfall
- Tommaso Ciampa defeated Velveteen Dream by pinfall to retain the NXT Championship
- WarGames match: Ricochet, Pete Dunne and War Raiders defeated The Undisputed Era by pinfall
Now, let’s dive deeper into which elements stood out as the best and worst parts of TakeOver: WarGames.
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Credit: WWE.com
Matt Riddle and Kassius Ohno were scheduled to face off on the next episode of NXT rather than at TakeOver, but their confrontation was bumped up a little earlier as an impromptu match to kick off this event.
It’s generous to call it a match, as it was just a single kick and a pinfall, but that in itself was even more emphatic.
Ohno’s been positioned as the bitter veteran whose career is circling the drain in comparison to the younger, fresher faces like Riddle, who now looks even more legitimate after making such short work of Ohno.
This was quick but effective. It gave the crowd a special little treat as an extra bonus to the already-scheduled card, and it took the feud between Riddle and Ohno to the next logical place as efficiently as possible.
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Credit: WWE.com
To no surprise, the fifth match between Shayna Baszler and Kairi Sane was just as good, if not better, than their previous encounters.
Something just clicks perfectly when putting these two together in the ring, and they play up their roles as heel and babyface flawlessly.
A great example of this was how Jessamyn Duke and Marina Shafir were responsible for the first fall going to Baszler, which put Sane in the underdog spot even more.
That made it sweeter to see Sane crash down upon all three of them with a fantastic top-rope elbow drop on the outside to fight back from underneath.
It was also nice to see Dakota Kai and Io Shirai get a little love on TakeOver by trying to help even the odds and fight off the outside interference, especially as we got to see Shirai’s beautiful moonsault.
In the end, Baszler retaining the title is the best course of action for the future, as she’s a bigger priority going forward, so this match kept that trajectory going with giving heat to her while making sure Sane didn’t have to look weak in the process.
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Credit: WWE.com
Continuing their trend from the past year, Aleister Black and Johnny Gargano proved once again why they have been two of the anchors of NXT for quite some time.
They consistently put on such amazing performances that it shouldn’t be taken for granted as the norm and overlooked that this was yet another top match of the year you need to check out if you missed.
This was a strong showcase of their athleticism and technical skills, with both hitting numerous high-flying maneuvers and countering each other’s attacks as smooth as butter.
But this wasn’t just a series of moves. It also told the story of Black’s need for revenge and Gargano’s descent into madness.
Fans of Marvel would appreciate Gargano’s ring gear, which was a reference to Punisher in a very stylish way to further push the idea that he is more of a tweener, if not a full heel, just like how Frank Castle is one of the darker anti-hero characters in the superhero genre.
When two performers can go out there and effectively tell a story and put on a show as well as these two did, causing the crowd to erupt into a standing ovation, they deserve all the praise in the world.
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Credit: WWE.com
If you were a fan of Gargano’s outfit, you surely also popped for Velveteen Dream’s ring attire, which was an homage to Hollywood Hulk Hogan. Any time Velveteen Dream does that, he gets bonus points for nostalgia.
But that was just the start of what was yet another amazing match on this card.
Velveteen Dream has such an undeniable “it” factor that shines quite literally every time he steps in front of the cameras. He’s seamless with his transitions and oozes charisma with the littlest touches to his work, even if it’s as simple as grabbing his headband back in the midst of an exchange.
Not to be outdone, Ciampa is one of the most realized characters in the entire scope of WWE. He knows exactly what he’s going for, what he needs to do to get that point across and how to simultaneously be someone entertaining you want to see and someone so evil that you want to see him get his comeuppance.
The pacing of this match never once stopped being a thrill ride, and every single near-fall was masterfully done to be a believable end to the battle, which could have gone on forever, and it’s doubtful you’d find someone complaining.
On a card with such amazing matches, this was another step up, and there should be no doubt whatsoever that these are two of the best Superstars WWE has to offer.
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Credit: WWE.com
Each match on this card was a tough act to follow, so the main event had its work cut out for it. Lo and behold, despite the pressure, the eight men in WarGames filled that tall order and then some.
In a way, this was a coming-out party for War Raiders, as Hanson and Rowe haven’t had much of an opportunity to really tear it up in the ring since this was their TakeOver debut.
Ricochet, Pete Dunne and The Undisputed Era were, of course, as reliable as ever, as if that were ever in doubt.
It’s amazing how the WWE main roster shows defy logic but an event like this doesn’t let little details get lost in the shuffle. Evidence of this is Hanson—the biggest person on the babyface team—coming in when he did to help offset the numbers game and get a bit of revenge on Kyle O’Reilly following their singles match from this week.
That may not make or break a match, but enough small touches like that certainly build up to add value to the overall segment.
Even better was having Bobby Fish lock Dunne into his shark cage and throw away the key.
Ricochet’s flip off the top of the cage was absolutely wild. Hanson somehow pulled off a handspring double back elbow. The list of individual highlights alone just goes on and on.
That means that possibly for the first time ever, this list contains no low points, which is incredibly refreshing after the mess that was Crown Jewel.
It’s a rarity to not have anything to nitpick or lambaste. Then again, with the NXT roster’s track record of putting on wonderful shows, the potential recipe for success was not only pulled off, but it was also surpassed.
Though that’s just one person’s opinion. Perhaps you disagree and felt let down by something that happened at the event.
If so, tell us why and express your thoughts in the comments section to keep this discussion going!
Anthony Mango is the owner of the wrestling website Smark Out Moment and the host of the podcast show Smack Talk on YouTube, iTunes and Stitcher. You can follow him on Facebook and elsewhere for more.
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