NXT: Why the women’s division should headline Takeover
![PARIS, FRANCE - MAY 19: Sasha Banks (L) in action vs Bayley during WWE Live AccorHotels Arena Popb Paris Bercy on May 19, 2018 in Paris, France. (Photo by Sylvain Lefevre/Getty Images) PARIS, FRANCE - MAY 19: Sasha Banks (L) in action vs Bayley during WWE Live AccorHotels Arena Popb Paris Bercy on May 19, 2018 in Paris, France. (Photo by Sylvain Lefevre/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape/cover/sport/c59501c6794f03b4811df8771d8ec439700ff7e478b70ca71526bc39dcdcebeb.jpg)
With only one women’s main event in 27 Takeover shows, the WWE’s NXT women’s division have more than proven they deserve the main event spotlight.
WWE’s NXT women’s division offers arguably the best women’s wrestling in the world right now. Ever since Paige was crowned the very first NXT Women’s Champion in 2014, the division has always been full to the brim with talent.
With former champions such as Paige, Charlotte, Sasha Banks, Bayley, Asuka, Ember Moon, Kairi Sane, Shayna Baszler and now a future megastar in 23-year-old Rhea Ripley as the current champion. The vast majority of these wrestlers since leaving NXT have gone on to win numerous women’s championships on the Raw and SmackDown brands.
With the loss of such incredible talent, you would somewhat expect the quality of the division to decline and decrease, but in my opinion. the division has only evolved, grown and found more than suitable replacements ready to step up. The roster is incredibly deep and is just able to keep producing a seemingly never ending conveyor belt of incredible talent.
However, there is one aspect of the NXT brand that really surprises me. Out of the total 27 Takeover shows in their history, there has only ever been ONE women’s Takeover main event and that was way back in 2015: NXT Takeover Respect on Oct. 7, 2015 from Full Sail University.
It was an incredible 30-minute Iron Man match between Sasha Banks and Bayley, with Bayley coming out the winner three falls to two.
For the purpose of this article, I went back and watched this match. It was an incredible back and forth contest with the crowd firmly in the palm of their hand. Chants of “women’s wrestling,” “main event” and “You deserve it” were echoed before the bell even rang. The fans in attendance and those watching at home knew they were witnessing something historic.
Therefore, I find it rather baffling that the women of NXT have not had a chance to main event any NXT Takeover since then. It’s been four and a half years, after all.
With the NXT women’s division coming off a red hot 2019 and seemingly no Evolution 2.0 PPV on the cards anytime soon, I would like to give two very simple reasons why they deserve the main event spotlight at Takeover shows in 2020 and beyond.