3 New Champions Crowned At WWE NXT TakeOver 36

NXT TakeOver 36 was a night of seismic changes, as three championships ended up changing hands in the night's four title fights.

WWE pulled the trigger on Samoa Joe in the night's main event. Competing for the first time since February 2020, the veteran became a three-time NXT Champion by defeating Karrion Kross, putting the once-dominant big man away in just over 12 minutes. A Muscle Buster set up by a top-rope enzuigiri was enough to seal the deal for Joe, who is now NXT Champion for the first time since his last reign ended in December 2016.

Further congratulations are in order, as Joe is now the only three-time NXT Champion in the brand's history.

Elsewhere, Ilja Dragunov ended WALTER's epic 870-day reign as NXT United Kingdom Champion, forcing the Austrian colossus to tap out after one last sleeper hold at the end of a gruelling, attritional war, the likes of which the duo have made their name on.

Cameron Grimes finally became Million Dollar Champion in TakeOver's opener. He defeated LA Knight after interference from Ted DiBiase, who, per the stipualtion, would've had to become Knight's butler had the former Eli Drake won.

Raquel Gonzalez was successful in retaining the Women's Championship in the night's other title fight, defeating former ally Dakota Kai.