10 NXT TakeOver: Portland Impulse Reactions
NXT's rich past informs an even brighter future as the biggest TakeOver ever is one of the best.
The pressure was on. Portland came around amidst a host of new challenges and changes based on the landscape-shifting decisions made outside of NXT's auspices.
An involvement in the Survivor Series threatened to undermine the titular top matches on the show, but TakeOver: WarGames was a rampant comeback from the hugely disappointing TakeOver: Toronto. NXT on USA has always been (and will continue to be) a different proposition than the old one hour version on the WWE Network. Some significant shifts in priority had seen Tommaso Ciampa slide down the card in the pecking order right as the brand appeared ready to tee him up for a title shot. Rhea Ripley's maiden defence of her newly-won prize was muddied by the involvement of Charlotte Flair. A Worlds Collide show confused the motivations of the entire roster, a mere fortnight before they had to resume and potentially wrap up the programmes that have mostly been in place since last year.
Portland came around amidst a host of new challenges and changes based on the landscape-shifting decisions made outside of NXT's auspices. The pressure was on...
10. Poppy
In Poppy, Triple H has stumbled upon the perfect cheerleader for his "#NXTLoud" initiative.
For several years, 'The Game' has tried (and occasionally failed) to find a sound that suits the black-and-gold brand more than just relying on the CD sleeve from Kevin Dunn's glove compartment as the main roster has since 2001. He's gone old, he's gone brand new, he's gone dark, he's gone dance and on Sunday he went Poppy, again.
Live music performances rarely mesh well with wrestling shows, but just as she had during a scintillating Full Sail University appearance last October, Poppy found the miniscule bit of space between stimulating and stifling. Knocking out both tunes from the show's soundtrack to the sight of the roster knocking the f*ck out of each other on the TitanTron, the enigmatic star is as connected to every blow as she is detached from the rest of the world.
Just as they were for every match, the raucous Portland crowd were bang into it too. Foreshadowing the rest of a f*cking magnificent evening, this was a virtually flawless presentation.