Ranking Every NXT TakeOver Special - From Worst To Best

8. TakeOver: Arrival

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WWE

The Highlights: No one knew what to expect from NXT's inaugural live special on the WWE Network, especially those who hadn't watched the product since its days as a crappy competition show. This event was intended to wipe away that previous perception of the program and instead introduce the audience to what would be the future of WWE.

Sure enough, the event accomplished that goal. Cesaro and Sami Zayn opened Arrival with an absolute thriller that came close to topping their 2-out-of-3 Falls match from the prior summer, while Paige and Emma kicked off the real women's revolution in WWE with their phenomenal outing. Additionally, the Ladder match in the main event saw Adrian Neville end Bo Dallas' then-record-setting reign as NXT champion.

The Low Points: The marquee matches surely delivered, but fans tend to forget about the awful undercard for Arrival. The Ascension vs. Too Cool (no, seriously) for the NXT Tag Team Championship was fine yet forgettable, Mojo Rawley vs. CJ Parker was a bout that belonged on NXT TV, and Tyler Breeze vs. Xavier Woods never even got underway.

Nevertheless, the main matches are what made this show a success.

Contributor
Contributor

Since 2008, Graham has been a diehard pro wrestling fan and, in 2010, he combined his passions for WWE and writing when he joined Bleacher Report. Equipped with a master's in journalism, Graham has contributed to WhatCulture, FanSided's Daily DDT, Sports Betting Dime, and GateHouse Media. Along the way, he has conducted interviews with wrestling superstars like Chris Jericho, Edge, Goldberg, Christian, Diamond Dallas Page, Jim Ross, Adam Cole, Tessa Blanchard, Ryback, and Nick Aldis among others.