NXT TakeOver WarGames II: 8 Things It Got Right

5. The Bells & Whistles In The Women’s Title Match

Jessamyn Duke Marina Sharif Dakota Kai Io Shirai
WWE.com

Also unlike the usual interference-laden TV matches we see on Raw and SmackDown, the additions of Jessamyn Duke, Marina Shafir, Dakota Kai and Io Shirai actually helped the NXT Women's Title match.

All the bells and whistles WWE tacked on to Baszler vs. Sane served to differentiate it from everything else on the card. Keep in mind that no other bout on the show had any interference from workers who weren't supposed to be involved in the match. That was a sweet touch and gave the women's scene some spotlight.

Everything worked. The live crowd sympathised with Sane when Shayna's Four Horsewomen pals brutally beat her behind the ref's back, and they popped huge when Shirai performed a perfect Moonsault from the top rope to the outside. This, hopefully, will set up some six-woman tags on NXT over the next while, and could lead to something special at TakeOver: Phoenix in January.

Baszler and Sane were already 2-2 in matches against one another going into WarGames II, so they probably needed something extracurricular to keep the story fresh. What a match, what intensity and what a build towards future feuds.

Advertisement
Contributor

Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.