10 Best Wrestling PPVs Of 2017

3. NXT TakeOver: WarGames

Finn Balor AJ Styles TLC 2017 Too Sweet
WWE.com

WWE murdered the very concept of nostalgia at the subsequent Survivor Series event, the overarching quality of which was tempered by a parodic Triple H ego trip.

One night earlier, NXT glorified it.

The titular headliner ruled. A maverick modernisation of a concept genuinely thought dead forevermore, even in the resurrective world of pro wrestling, this was a near enough perfect storm in its brutality, jaw-dropping sequences, and cerebral storytelling. A shocking and welcome title switch, similarly unprecedented in the context of NXT, generated many headlines, uplifting and disheartening - as did the frenetic match itself, a choice rebuttal to the unmerited accusation that Drew McIntyre is "boring".

The Velveteen Dream draped himself in a 1980s aesthetic, but delivered a psychological masterclass all of his own in a hugely unique outing with Aleister Black. Furthering that theme, Lars Sullivan announced himself to the wider world with the help of the sorely underrated Kassius Ohno in what was yet another superb restoration of the art of the opening match, one lost in the bloated Network era. Some dissenting voices complained about the exciting if forgettable Women's Fatal 4-Way affair - but such matches are crucial to the ebb and flow of a card as an experience in and of itself.

Uplifting, history-making, perfectly sequenced: WarGames was a triumph.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!