10 Things NXT Got Right At TakeOver: Philadelphia

4. NXT’s Best Plunder Match

NXT TakeOver Philadelphia Adam Cole Aleister Black
WWE.com

WarGames may have been NXT’s best weapons match before this event, but the Extreme Rules bout between Aleister Black and Adam Cole may well have topped it. The two main event superstars put on a memorable bout that featured as much drama as it did plunder, and ultimately ended with the right man victorious.

Adam Cole’s facial expressions are among the best in professional wrestling. The Panama City Playboy veered between arrogance and insecurity throughout, the two defining attributes of his character. Cole presents himself as one of the best in the world, but just underneath that visage lies someone who knows that others are better in between the ropes than he is.

Aleister Black proved that he was the better man here, overcoming the attempted interference of The Undisputed ERA and a brutal table spot in the process. This was a match that built to an intense crescendo, not outstaying its welcome and covering every No DQ base it needed to. It was without doubt NXT’s best plunder match to date.

Black was also the right man to win, and the Dutchman continues his undefeated streak in singles competition in NXT. An NXT Championship match in New Orleans is surely in his future.

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Born in the middle of Wales in the middle of the 1980's, John can't quite remember when he started watching wrestling but he has a terrible feeling that Dino Bravo was involved. Now living in Prague, John spends most of his time trying to work out how Tomohiro Ishii still stands upright. His favourite wrestler of all time is Dean Malenko, but really it is Repo Man. He is the author of 'An Illustrated History of Slavic Misery', the best book about the Slavic people that you haven't yet read. You can get that and others from www.poshlostbooks.com.