10 Hidden Gem WWE NXT TakeOver Matches That Deserve A Rewatch

The bar has been set so enormously high by the NXT TakeOver events of the #DIY, Undisputed Era and Pandemic eras, that it's difficult to cast our minds back to the Full Sail days. However, NXT TakeOver: Rival is undeniably the best pre-Pandemic Full Sail University show. Best remembered for the brutal Zayn vs Owens main event, Finn Balor and Adrian Neville’s stunning mid-card battle has been left hidden rather than hallmarked.

Nevile and Balor routinely made headlines as two of the most revered and dynamic performers to have made their names in Japan and on European wrestling circuits. Their reputation would speak for itself when they came head-to-head in an NXT Championship #1 Contenders match, with Balor busting out his iconic demon king body paint for the occasion. This only added to the intrigue of the clash, since it was only the second time Finn had donned the paint in NXT.

Few pairings in NXT have been better well matched then these two lightening competitors, and they proved it with every step, the timing and ferocity of each kick was impeccable, and each near-fall had audiences convinced it was over. Neville had been champion before, so few expected him to win, but he played his part expertly. The Brit made Balor look like an inhuman warrior, not that the Irishman needed any assistance, and he was ultimately victorious in this thrilling contest.