WWE NXT TakeOver WarGames Live Results: Highlights, Grades, and Analysis

Credit: WWE.com

Drew McIntyre (c) vs. Andrade “Cien” Almas For The NXT Championship

Result: Almas Wins NXT Championship Via Pinfall (DDT Off Top Rope)

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Although it would be weird to see Drew McIntyre, who is one of the few wrestlers that is better when holding a championship, dropping the title in his first match at a TakeOver special, fans have been speculating that it could be Almas’s time right now. With Zelina Vegas as his manager, Almas is white-hot, and his matches with the likes of Johnny Gargano and Roderick Strong have been excellent.

Zelina Vega tried to intervene in the match as she did when “Cien” faced Roderick Strong on NXT television, but Drew McIntyre wasn’t having any of her headscissors takedown onto the steel steps. He countered the move and also countered a brief follow-up attack from Almas.

There were some beautiful moves and counters in this match, including McIntyre’s overhead release suplex after bouncing Almas off the ropes. Almas used his submission on the ropes to hurt McIntyre’s arm, which is a story they would use later in the match.

But nothing topped Almas countering a powerbomb into a headscissors that knocked McIntyre into the ring post, which was followed up with a gorgeous moonsault to the outside. Now that was the spot of the night thus far. And, of course, the crowd became insanely hot for this match after that spot.

Wait a second, that spot might have been topped by Almas moving to the outside after being frustrated by McIntyre’s kickout. He grabbed the title, hoisting it up in typically braggadocios fashion. Vega took advantage of the distraction to hit a headscissors on McIntyre, who was then hit by Almas’s “Hammerlock DDT”. It looked like the fan speculation would be proven correct, but McIntyre shocked everyone in attendance by kicking out.

McIntyre then hit Almas with a “Claymore”, but Vega placed Almas’s foot on the ropes. Almas then won the match with a shocking DDT off the top rope to finish what may have been the greatest match of the year in WWE and one of the most shocking finishes.

It is now the era of Almas, and it’s truly incredible. But what is next for McIntyre, who had a brief reign but already put together two instant classics on the NXT roster?