10 WWE PPVs That Changed EVERYTHING

9. NXT ArRIVAL

Austin Vince McMahon WrestleMania X-Seven
WWE.com

Though it sits somewhere near the bottom of the quality ladder when it comes to NXT live specials, ArRIVAL's significance to the developmental brand and WWE's then-nascent streaming platform can't be denied.

This proto-TakeOver provided the blueprint for the shows that would help make NXT the go-to destination for cutting-edge North American wrestling. This was largely down to a scintillating clash between Sami Zayn and Cesaro, which opened the show, and still stands as one of the greatest matches the black-and-gold brand has ever delivered. Still, ArRIVAL was no one-bout show, with Paige's underrated Women's Title clash against Emma exceeding expectations, and (Adrian) Neville's NXT Championship winning kickstarting a reign that underpinned NXT's surge from developmental territory to its own viable enterprise.

It was also the first wrestling card to ever air live on the WWE Network, thus providing the company with a canvas to experiment on before applying the model to the main roster. They succeeded. ArRIVAL went by without a hitch, and while NXT's first major event often gets forgotten when discussing landmark events in the brand's history, it undoubtedly signposted the offshoot's future.

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Andy has been with WhatCulture for six years and is currently WhatCulture's Senior Wrestling Reporter. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.