Ranking Every NXT TakeOver From Worst To Best

22. R Evolution

Finn Bálor Samoa Joe
WWE

Three matches were very very enjoyable on this formative-era TakeOver and its ending remains one of the most important in the show's lifespan, but everything else is skippable upon rewatch.

Sami Zayn and Adrian Neville crafted something wonderful in anointing 'The Underdog From The Underground' as the brand's new steward, Charlotte and Sasha Banks were on the cusp of something special together by December 2014 but this was first chapter stuff, and Finn Bálor accidentally bodied partner Hideo Itami by debuting The Demon in their tag victory over The Ascension. But the magic on this show came from the bookending appearances by Kevin Owens.

His explosive and emphatic squash win over CJ Parker in the opener left him with a broken nose but the full-throated roar of the crowd. Jaws would be even wider by the end after his cruel and calculated turn on new Champion Sami Zayn robbed those same observers and his best friends of an overdue victory celebration.

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