10 Best NXT TakeOver Matches Of 2017

7. The Undisputed Era Vs Sanity Vs The Authors Of Pain & Roderick Strong (WarGames)

Scott Dawson Rezar Johnny Gargano
WWE.com

A bloody, barbaric and brutal battle, 2017's unexpected WarGames retread satisfied much of the nostalgia fans had for the WCW double cage showdown. The match deserves far more praise for bravely bringing the stipulation into the 21st century with some aesthetically pleasing and creatively malleable new twists.

The lack of wide shots focussing on the structure itself suggested that somebody high up within WWE still doesn't think an awful lot of the two-ring set-up, and may also explain why the roof was extricated beforehand. It was a good decision too - Adam Cole's desperate crawl away from the battle midway through the contest and a latter multi-man high spot from the corner of the cage justified omitting the oppressive ceiling.

Cole, as all great professional wrestlers should, did the most by doing the little, too. Whilst Killian Dain made himself a star by launching his almighty frame around the structure and eating the key that would have released the nine men from the locked cage, the former Ring Of Honor Champion did so by avoiding conflict wherever possible. His 'Undisputed Era' triumvirate won this battle, but with a few echoes of 'The Game' watching backstage, Cole won the war.

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