10 Best Matches From WWE NXT Takeover History

For Sasha and Bayley heading into this match, it was clear there was really no way to top their match at the prior TakeOver. Rather than trying, HHH and the creative team decided to allow for a few historical firsts. For the first time ever, it was announced that a women's match would headline a TakeOver. Additionally, the match would be the first ever women's Iron Man match, a match lasting 30 minutes with the competitor with the most falls at the end crowned the winner.

Bayley and Sasha brutalized each other for every second of the 30 minutes. Sasha showed why she's one of the best heels in the business, violently smashing Bayley into the video screen at the top of the ramp and stealing Bayley super-fan Izzy's headband before mockingly parading around in it. Despite being a heel, Sasha was a favorite amongst fans for the level of performance she brought to every match she was in. She did a great job of stifling that and getting genuine heat with the crowd in this match.

The finish of the match was a masterclass in wrestling psychology. The two women incorporated elements from their prior match into the story of this match, allowing for a breakneck finish that went down to the last second. With 2 seconds left, Sasha finally couldn't take the pain of Bayley's arm wrenching submission anymore and gave up, allowing Bayley to retain in a match that continued to raise the bar for women's wrestling.