NXT Minus 6: Takeover War Games, After Show Rankings

Bradley is back with his post-NXT Takeover War Games rankings, and there might have been some changes!

Before the show I ranked the matches based on my excitement for them. Now I’ll rerank them. What hit? What missed? Who was the biggest mover?

6. Dexter Lumis versus Cameron Grimes: stayed at 5

For the love of all creatures big and small, please retire the strap match. 75% of this match would have been the exact same without the strap, which means for 75% of the match I was wondering when they would use the strap. This is the stipulation of death. Grimes and Lumis did the best they could do. Let’s hope this ends the feud. 3 stars

5. Timothy Thatcher versus Tommaso Ciampa: stayed at 4

 If there was more of a story, this easily would have stolen the show. Both guys know how to pummel another human being senseless. Thatcher is the uncrowned King of Bleeding Hard Way. The neverending stare down after the match was intense. Me thinks this feud is just beginning or Thatcher found himself a new co-teacher/tag team partner.   

4. War Games: The Brand versus Undisputed Era, dropped to 3 from 1

If the story is that it’s the end of the Era, then UE should have spent 20 minutes getting demolished, only to rise from the ashes and snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. Roderick Strong, Pete Dunne and Kyle O’Reilly put on strong individual performances, but overall it felt lacking. And why does Adam Cole have not one but two finishers that suck? It must suck to suck. 4 stars

3. Leon Ruff versus Johnny Garano versus Damian Priest: stayed at 2

The story was great. Gargano is a sneaky jackass. Ruff is everybody’s best friend. Priest showed a depth of character not seen enough in wrestling. Everyone played their part, so I will not punish them for the piss-poor debacle of an ending. Priest takes out two groups of ghost faces, only to be clubbed by another? No. No. Hell to the no. The match itself gets 4.6 stars. Whoever wrote that ending gets 4.6 kicks to the beanbag, rounded up to 5. 

2. War Games: Team Blackheart versus Team Lerae: up to 1 from 3

I won’t say too much, but at least three year end superlatives are a direct result of this match. This is Women’s Revolution 3.0. Lita and Trish laid the foundation. The Four Horsewomen carried women’s wrestling into the main event. The current roster can do whatever they want and it’s no longer surprising when they steal the show. Greatness is the norm. 2020 is a banner year for women’s wrestling and this match is the exclamation point it deserves. 4.8 stars

1. Someone somewhere recently said that consistency is NXT’s secret weapon. I wish I said it first, because it’s 100%. When the in-ring product is this good, you don’t have to rely on surprise turns, special guests and the other desperate trappings of a wrestling company that doesn’t trust its own product. We have high hopes for NXT and they consistently deliver. Overall, a 4 star show.