10 Things NXT Got Right At TakeOver: Philadelphia

3. The Best Match In NXT History

Johnny gargano cien almas
wwe.com

Is that hyperbole? It could be. The immediate aftermath of any great match generally leaves a warm glow, and opinions can become somewhat inflated as a result. The true impact of the NXT TakeOver: Philadelphia main event won’t be felt until some time has passed. With that in mind, I’m happy to call this the best match in NXT to date.

Andrade ‘Cien’ Almas and Johnny Gargano put on an absolute clinic to round out a fantastic wrestling show. The match had everything, from the ‘Big Match’ entrances to the nerve-shredding near falls all the way until that final Hammerlock DDT. Johnny Wrestling showed why he may be the best babyface in wrestling today, as Almas once again proved that the initial hype surrounding his signing wasn’t misplaced.

Gargano’s facial expressions are something else. His eyes in particular tell a story all of their own, and add extra layers of desperation to the last second kick-outs and audacious comebacks. ‘The Ultimate Underdog’ is a nickname that could prove detrimental over time, but right now it fits Gargano perfectly.

The performance of Andrade Almas must not be forgotten in all of this. El Idolo has been a revelation since Zelina Vega was added to his act, and the former IWGP Intercontinental Champion has repaid the faith shown in him after a slow start. His offence here was brutal from start to finish, and his facial expressions that followed Gargano’s continued survival completely justified presenting him without the mask that made him famous.

The two went at it for 32 minutes, and the NXT Universe was on a string from start to finish. Right now, this feels like it was the best bell-to-bell match in NXT history.

Advertisement
Contributor
Contributor

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.