10 Things WWE Got Right At NXT Takeover: Brooklyn

Who needs SummerSlam when you've got NXT Takeover?

Aug 23, 2015 August 23rd, 2015

As we now find NXT Takeover: Brooklyn in the record books, the NXT brand has again delivered a show of high quality.

With a sold out crowd of 15,000+ in attendance at Brooklyn's Barlcays Center, this was a huge moment for NXT; if they hit a home run here then the only way is up, but if they put on a so-so or poor show that leads to big question marks being asked about the stars of tomorrow. Simply put, Takeover: Brooklyn was a huge opportunity. Luckily for us, those involved grabbed that opportunity with both hands and delivered an exceptional show from start to finish.

The cult of NXT is growing, the talents are improving, the reach is extending, and when people say that NXT is the most hotly-talked about place in professional wrestling, they're not lying.

This most recent Takeover special again made you realise why you're a wrestling fan, and it ticked so many boxes for how the show was put together, presented and delivered.

With that great things to take away from NXT Takover: Brooklyn. And that's without even taking into account the fantastic news of a UK tour in December.

10. Triple H's Opening Segment

Sure, it was brief, but the opening moments of NXT Takeover: Brooklyn set the tone for what was to come.

Triple is the proud father of NXT, and you could see his sense of pride and achievement as he opened this huge opportunity for the brand. The Game may be a heel on WWE TV, more familiar for boring 15-minute opening segments on Raw, but in NXT he’s nearly at the level of a Paul Heyman in ECW.

As Hunter put it, “It started as a whisper, until you screamed it at the top of your lungs. We gained momentum, you made us unstoppable. We had a vision for change, you made it a revolution. We told you we are the future, ‘til you told us the future… is… now. WE ARE NXT!”

It was heartfelt, it was too the point, and it perfectly set the mood for the action ahead.

Andrew Pollard

Senior Writer

Once described as the Swiss Army Knife of WhatCulture, Andrew can usually be found writing, editing, or presenting on a wide range of topics. As a lifelong wrestling fan, horror obsessive, and comic book nerd, he's been covering those topics professionally as far back as 2010. In addition to his current WhatCulture role of Senior Content Producer, Andrew previously spent nearly a decade as Online Editor and Lead Writer for the world's longest-running genre publication, Starburst Magazine, and his work has also been featured on BBC, TechRadar, Tom's Guide, WhatToWatch, Sportkskeeda, and various other outlets, in addition to being a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic. Between his main day job, his role as the lead panel host of Wales Comic Con, and his gig as a pre-match host for Wrexham AFC games, Andrew has also carried out a hugely varied amount of interviews, from the likes of Robert Englund, Kane Hodder, Adrienne Barbeau, Rob Zombie, Katharine Isabelle, Leigh Whannell, Bruce Campbell, and Tony Todd, to Kevin Smith, Ron Perlman, Elijah Wood, Giancarlo Esposito, Simon Pegg, Charlie Cox, the Russo Brothers, and Brian Blessed, to Kevin Conroy, Paul Dini, Tara Strong, Will Friedle, Burt Ward, Andrea Romano, Frank Miller, and Rob Liefeld, to Bret Hart, Sting, Mick Foley, Ricky Starks, Jamie Hayer, Britt Baker, Eric Bischoff, and William Regal, to Mickey Thomas, Joey Jones, Phil Parkinson, Brian Flynn, Denis Smith, Gary Bennett, Karl Connolly, and Bryan Robson - and that's just the tip of an ever-expanding iceberg. Where his beloved Wrexham AFC is concerned, Andrew is co-host of the Fearless in Devotion podcast, which won the Club Podcast of the Year gong at the 2024 FSA Awards.

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