WWE: Ranking the Top 25 NXT TakeOver matches of all time

10. NXT North American Championship Ladder Match: Ricochet vs. Velveteen Dream vs. Adam Cole vs. EC3 vs. Killian Dain vs. Lars Sullivan (NXT TakeOver: New Orleans, Smoothie King Center, 4/7/18)

We’ve reached the top ten, and start it with this six-man ladder match to crown the inaugural NXT North American Champion. This opening contest for NXT TakeOver: New Orleans during WrestleMania weekend was also the first chance we got to really see some of these talents show what they were capable of, especially Ricochet.

All six men took each other to the limit, but it was NXT’s ultimate opportunist Adam Cole (BAYBAY) who left as the champion. As an honorable mention, if you’ve got the time, also watch the NXT Tag Team Championship match from this show to see Adam Cole’s amazing one-night set of performances continue, and a key moment in The Undisputed Era’s history.

9. Aleister Black vs. Velveteen Dream (NXT TakeOver: WarGames, Toyota Center in Houston, TX, 11/18/17)

Personally, this is a bit higher on my own list, but that’s because it’s still my favorite match I’ve ever seen live. This truly magnificent grudge match between Aleister Black and Velveteen Dream centered on a very simple goal, Dream wanted Black to say his name.

From bell to bell, we not only saw great athleticism and unique moments from both competitors but truly great in-ring storytelling. It was a near-perfect contest that really launched the stock of the Velveteen Dream and showed what he was capable in this kind of big match environment, and be sure to keep watching after the bell rings for the cherry on top.

8. NXT Women’s Championship 30-Minute Iron Man Match: Bayley (c) vs. Sasha Banks (NXT TakeOver: Respect, Full Sail University, 10/7/15)

Sometimes overshadowed by their epic at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn, Sasha Banks and Bayley also squared off several weeks later in what is still the only Iron Man Match in NXT history. It’s also one of only two in WWE history to feature women, and the other also included Sasha Banks.

This was, quite simply, a masterpiece. In the main event of NXT TakeOver: Respect, a position these two had absolutely earned, Bayley looked to prove her victory over Sasha Banks was not just a fluke. It’s 30 minutes of gold, and worth watching or re-watching to any fan.