Ranking Every NXT TakeOver From Worst To Best

8. Respect

Finn Bálor Samoa Joe
WWE.com

Though TakeOver: Respect was all about one match, it was far from just a one-match show.

Returning to Full Sail University after the historic Brooklyn supershow could have undermined the importance of the TakeOver label, but Bayley and Sasha Banks' noble sequel to their era-defining classic ensured that Respect would always be considered amongst the elite for the brand.

Their 30-minute Iron Woman main event was a story-driven classic underpinned by their lengthy programme and the history they were making going on last. Underneath Izzy's tears and Bayley's cathartic cheers, Finn Bálor and Samoa Joe won the first ever Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic with two strong wins as their impending rivalry rumbled under the surface and Asuka arrived in style by joyously battering f*ck out of a stupidly over-matched Dana Brooke.

When this wasn't building talent it was blowing minds. It was a show representative of the three letters acting as both developmental proving ground and sh*thot brand in perfect synchronicity.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael is a writer, editor, podcaster and presenter for WhatCulture Wrestling, and has been with the organisation nearly 8 years. He primarily produces written, audio and video content on WWE and AEW, but also provides knowledge and insights on all aspects of the wrestling industry thanks to a passion for it dating back over 35 years. As one third of "The Dadley Boyz" Michael has contributed to the huge rise in popularity of the WhatCulture Wrestling Podcast and its accompanying YouTube channel, earning it top spot in the UK's wrestling podcast charts with well over 62,000,000 total downloads. He has been featured as a wrestling analyst for the Tampa Bay Times, GRAPPL, GCP, Poisonrana and Sports Guys Talking Wrestling, and has covered milestone events in New York, Dallas, Las Vegas, Philadelphia, London and Cardiff. Michael's background in media stretches beyond wrestling coverage, with a degree in Journalism from the University Of Sunderland (2:1) and a series of published articles in sports, music and culture magazines The Crack, A Love Supreme and Pilot. When not offering his voice up for daily wrestling podcasts, he can be found losing it singing far too loud watching his favourite bands play live. Follow him on X/Twitter - @MichaelHamflett