10 Best NXT TakeOver Matches Of 2017

9. DIY Vs The Authors Of Pain (San Antonio)

Scott Dawson Rezar Johnny Gargano
WWE

The dust had barely settled from #DIY's November Tag Team title celebrations when The Authors Of Pain sent them a very physical message on NXT television. The hefty beatdown was a signal of intent ahead of their San Antonio tussle, but few predicted their dominance would continue so comprehensively.

Paul Ellering's stocky pair weren't the polished duo Full Sail followers had become used to after several stellar years of doubles action post-Ascension. After still looking substantially behind the quality curve at November's TakeOver: Toronto Dusty Rhodes Tag Classic finale, their title victory just two months later was a breakout display.

Credit must be given to opponents Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano for the beatings they were willing to absorb, drawing the duo into their own superbly scripted style as the match progressed. Subduing Akam and Rezar with dives and strikes, Gargano in particular sustained an ungodly sh*tkicking before finally Ciampa's hot tag finally gave the pair hope.

When The Authors powered out of the dual #DIY submission that famously dethroned The Revival though, the Champions were beaten. Gargano was slammed forcefully onto his own partner's chest, leaving them both prone for a Super Collider and title-winning Last Chapter. Thankfully, this story was far from over.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation nearly 8 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 35 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz" Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast and its accompanying YouTube channel, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 62,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, GRAPPL, GCP, Poisonrana and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett