10 Overlooked WWE NXT: TakeOver Classics

Wednesday and Thursday evening will see the NXT crew will present Stand & Deliver, the latest in the TakeOver series of events.

While fans still won't be able to attend (at least in the traditional sense), another TakeOver - especially during a WrestleMania week - is certainly cause for celebration.

Some of the previous TakeOver shows have been near-flawless and often steal the thunder of whatever WWE show they are acting as a lead-in to.

So even though all eyes will be on the two-night WrestleMania, especially since they will be the first WWE shows open to fans in over a year, you can bet that the boys and girls from the black-and-gold brand will be giving it their all to have the best matches of the week.

And looking at the line-ups, any one of Walter vs. Tommaso Ciampa, Finn Balor vs. Karion Kross or Adam Cole and Kyle O'Reilly's Unsanctioned match have the potential to be the best bout we see across all four shows.

Of course, there could also be an unsuspecting 'sleeper' match that comes from nowhere and blows everyone else out of the water, something that has happened at TakeOver events before.

With so many classics in the TakeOver cannon, sometimes even truly great matches can get lost in the five-star shuffle.

So, to whet your appetite for Stand & Deliver, I've gone back and chosen ten TakeOver classics that are perhaps overlooked and are due a revisit.

10. Adrian Neville Vs. Tyson Kidd - NXT TakeOver

WWE.com

Let's kick things off with the main event of the very first NXT TakeOver event, the aptly-titled, erm, NXT TakeOver.

The show went down on May 29, 2014 and was headlined by Adrian Neville defending his NXT Championship against Tyson Kidd.

In the early days, the NXT TakeOver events were not the giant productions that they have since become. There were no elaborate entrances, few gimmick matches and they took place at the trusty Full Sail University, not in big arenas.

The emphasis was on the wrestling and there are not many better than Neville and Kidd if you want someone to give you a top-notch wrestling match that will end the debut show on a high.

Both guys are great, all-round hybrid athletes and this bout featured a beautiful blend of strikes, submissions, high-flying and storytelling.

Notable spots included Kidd going to hit The Man That Gravity Forgot with a sunset bomb from the second turnbuckle, only for Neville to backflip out of it and land on his feet, then nail Tyson with a pop-up Liger Bomb and, in a moment reminiscent of the mythical Tiger Mask/Dynamite Kid battles from the 80's, the two men went sailing backwards over the top rope to the floor when fighting over a suplex.

It was counter after counter and near fall after near fall but, in the end, Neville managed to hit a top-rope Frankensteiner, followed by the Red Arrow to retain.

The victor offered a handshake in the post-match but was given the cold shoulder by the loser, setting up future bouts between the pair.

Also well worth checking out from the debut TakeOver is Tyler Breeze's spirited Number One Contender match win over Sami Zayn.

9. Asuka Vs. Mickie James - NXT TakeOver: Toronto

WWE.com

Asuka was supposed to defend the NXT Women's Title against Trish Stratus at NXT TakeOver: Toronto on November 19, 2016 but Trish's pregnancy put a stop to that and necessitated a substitute.

Drafting in her old frenemy and former Women's and Diva's Champion Mickie James, WWE made the best of the situation and created an intriguing first-time matchup.

This was James' first WWE match in over six years and she really took it to the Empress of Tomorrow, beginning with some nice chain wrestling exchanges as the two felt each other out and sought the advantage.

It started off respectful and even-tempered but soon boiled over as it spilled to the floor, where James hit a beautiful hurricanrana and Asuka nailed a German suplex.

James beat the count but then took a beating before the closing stretch, where both women hit some fierce strikes and attempted submissions.

Mickie looked like she had it won with a spinning kick, but Asuka managed to get the ropes and then rallied and slapped on the Asuka Lock for the tapout.

This was a really interesting dynamic and Mickie looked great in her return, giving the champion a proper challenge and forcing her to raise her game after having steamrolled through the competition to that point.

It's no wonder that James inked a full-time deal on the back of her performance here.

8. Bayley Vs. Nia Jax - NXT TakeOver: London

WWE.com

Sometimes the best stories in wrestling are the simplest ones.

Good versus evil. Right versus wrong. Big versus little.

Bayley's defense of the NXT Women's Title at TakeOver: London in December 2015 was brilliant because of its simplicity.

It was the plucky babyface against the towering heel, as Bayley needed to use her speed and skill to counteract Nia's power and strength.

Everytime the hugger was able to gain some sort of momentum, she was swatted down and levelled with a big power move like a Samoan drop or a leg drop (or three).

It was the old Sting versus Vader formula, albeit with a modern twist and, like the Stinger, Bayley never gave up and kept firing back and picking her spots whenever she saw an opening.

Her strategy of doggedly going for a guillotine choke paid off as she was finally able to lock it on properly, forcing her far larger opponent to finally tap after a surprisingly great match.

Nia Jax gets her fair bit of stick (some of it rightfully so), but performances like this prove how effective she can be when positioned in the right way and with a complimentary opponent.

7. Hideo Itami Vs. Bobby Roode - NXT TakeOver: Chicago

WWE.com

On the whole, Hideo Itami's WWE career has to rank as a major disappointment, for fans as well as the performer himself.

While on his day the man also known as KENTA is one of the most explosive workers in the business, his NXT run was hampered by injuries and apathy and he rarely got the chance to show what he was truly capable of.

One match that shows the best of Itami was his NXT Title match with Robert Roode from NXT TakeOver: Chicago, which went down on May 20, 2017.

It helped that it took place in front of a predictably raucous crowd and that the Glorious One is mister consistency inside the squared circle. The work here was tight and the two didn't hold back when it came to the strikes.

The main story of the match was the two men trying to put the other away with their finisher, as Roode consistently went for the Glorious DDT and Itami attempted the Go to Sleep.

Adding to the drama was the damage done to Roode's arm, which hampered his ability to land that knockout blow, as well as the constant GTS escapes. Even when Itami managed to hit it, Roode was able to roll out of the ring and narrowly avoid defeat.

Roode fought through the pain and finally hit the Glorious DDT, holding on and rolling through with it to hit another one, in order to make doubly sure that he retained the title.

The things that put this match over the edge were the selling and timing, as well as the fact that they didn't completely overdo it with the false finishes and, as a result, the match didn't outstay its welcome.

5. Sasha Banks Vs. Becky Lynch - NXT TakeOver: Unstoppable

WWE.com

Ah yes, the humble beginnings of two megastars of the Women's Evolution.

One of the great things about the earlier, Full Sail TakeOver events was that it provided a preliminary platform to showcase NXT's many talented female performers.

Those watching the product back then were able to enjoy sneak peaks of the likes of Sasha Banks, Paige, Charlotte Flair, Becky Lynch, Bayley, Alexa Bliss and Emma (who had her fair share of belters in NXT, too).

Not merely taking up a space on the card, these women were often involved in the best matches of the night and their combined efforts made the NXT Women's Title truly mean something.

This match was a great example of everything that was good about the division back then. Though Lynch and Banks were both works-in-progress, they knew who they were at that time and could tell a great story in the ring.

That story here was the cocky and confident champion, Banks, trying to immobilise and wear down the firey Lynch, focusing her attack on her opponent's arm.

The bout built and built and they kept the audience guessing with some close submissions, until The Boss was able to lock in the Banks Statement for a hard-fought victory.

They've had bigger and better matches against each other since, but don't sleep on this one. You could see that they were going to be something truly special one day.

5. Adrian Neville Vs. Sami Zayn Vs. Tyler Breeze Vs. Tyson Kidd - NXT TakeOver: Fatal 4-Way

WWE.com

You look at that lineup and know that it's going to be, at the very least, 'very good'.

Still, four-ways are always a tricky prospect and, despite the ridiculous level of talent on display, the main event of TakeOver: Fatal 4-Way could have been a mess if everyone wasn't hitting their cues.

Thankfully, it wasn't, as all four men brought it and made the most of the liberal amount of time they were given (25 minutes).

There was simply too much action to try and do justice with a recap, but everyone looked good and got their moments to shine, whether it was one on one or in multi-man spots like the the requisite dives and tower of doom.

It wasn't just a spotfest, though, as there was genuine drama surrounding who was going to come out as champion, as the odds were stacked against Neville and they expertly teased a title switch several times.

The climax was sensational, with Sami laying everyone out and looking to have the thing won, only to be stopped at the last fraction of a second when Neville pulled the referee out and dumped Zayn, allowing the champ to hit Kidd with a Red Arrow for a big win for him, but an equally crushing loss for the Underdog from the Underground.

This started out relatively reserved but kicked off in a big way and didn't slow down until the thrilling finale.

4. Tyler Breeze Vs. Jushin Liger - NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn

WWE.com

Judged as just a match removed from its context, Tyler Breeze versus Jushin Liger would be deemed merely OK.

Acceptable. Decent. Good enough for government work etc...

But context is everything and it is the story surrounding the match that makes this one great. It may not be a classic on the same level as some of the great matches from TakeOvers past, but it's perfect for what it is.

And what it is is Jushin 'Thunder' Liger, at 50-years-old, wrestling in his first (and only) WWE match.

The junior heavyweight legend is one of the best to ever lace up a pair of boots and the Brooklyn crowd, keenly aware of his exceptional career, were thrilled to see him.

The ideal way to kick off what proved to be a historic show, Liger did his greatest hits and Breeze held his own and looked like the star-in-the-making that he was.

And really, any match that involves the former IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion interacting with a furry selfie stick is one worth watching out of curiosity, if nothing else.

WWE made the right call in putting the Hall of Famer over with his patented Liger Bomb, music to the ears of an unbelievably hot Brooklyn crowd.

As far as one-off attractions go, this was pitched just right and served as a terrific curtain raiser.

3. Andrade Cien Almas Vs. Roderick Strong - NXT TakeOver: San Antonio

WWE.com

Roderick Strong has been one of the workhorses of NXT for years now and Andrade Cien Almas looked like a surefire future megastar on the black-and-gold brand, before he was promoted, lost two thirds of his name and, rather puzzlingly, wasn't used before deciding to try his luck elsewhere.

NXT TakeOver: San Antonio (taking place the night before the 2017 Royal Rumble) wasn't the strongest TakeOver ever, with Robert Roode's NXT Title victory over Shinsuke Nakamura being the big highlight while everything else was just sort of 'there'.

Everything besides Strong versus Andrade, anyway, as they perked the Texas crowd up with a surly back-and-forth scrap that featured all of the hard-hitting wrestling you would expect from these two.

I mean, they really laid them in here.

Andrade focused on working the arm, including trapping Strong in an armbar while hung up in the ropes, while Strong nailed several of his punishing backbreakers, including a particularly evil one on the top turnbuckle.

While there were enough falsies to keep people guessing as to the outcome, they wisely finished things up at the peak, as Roderick hit the Sick Kick for the three at just a shade under twelve minutes.

2. The Revival Vs. American Alpha - NXT TakeOver: Dallas

WWE.com

NXT TakeOver: Dallas was a very special night indeed, with the so-called developmental league doing everything in their power to outshine WrestleMania 32 the night after.

Shinsuke Nakamura's WWE debut in a blistering match with Sami Zayn, Finn Balor and Samoa Joe engaging in a bloody war over the NXT Title and Asuka beating Bayley for the NXT Women's Championship accentuated a phenomenal card that put the main roster on notice.

The tone was set from the off, with American Alpha challenging The Revival for the NXT Tag Team Titles in the opener.

Two of NXT's superior tag teams, Dash & Dawson and Gable & Jordan gelled seamlessly, as the amateur specialists tried to out-wrestle the old-school bruisers.

The early exchanges on the mat were as smooth as silk, before American Alpha picked up the pace with some nice stereo offense, including a picture-perfect double dropkick and mirror-image German suplexes.

After the babyfaces had shined, it was time for the heels to seize control and they isolated Gable. From there, it was classic tag team formula all the way.

Even one pretty noticeable botch couldn't damped things, as Gable finally made the hot tag and Jordan cleaned house, leading to some very close false finishes.

The actual finish, with Jordan getting a blind tag and surprising Dawson with a spear leading into the Grand Amplitude, was masterful and ensured that the title switch happened in the best way possible.

1. Adrian Neville Vs. Sami Zayn - NXT TakeOver: R-Evolution

WWE.com

Though it was the main event of (at that point) NXT's biggest show and was for the NXT Title, I'd argue that the epic Adrian Neville versus Sami Zayn match is still overlooked and doesn't quite get its due.

It was a simple story going into it, with Zayn having been portrayed as the perpetual bridesmaid in his pursuit of the title, with his one-time friend Neville becoming something of a tweener as he stuck the knife in and reminded him of his previous failures.

The two had been battling each other for years around the world on the indie circuit but finally had a chance to duly demonstrate just how far they had come along as performers.

They didn't rush things and kept the pace even early on, sticking to basic but effective wrestling before upping the tempo as the bout wore on.

The champion appeared to be employing more of a ground game than usual, using more strikes and power moves than usual and limiting the amount of time he spent in the air.

Zayn kept plugging away and fighting back, hitting some spectacular moves of his own. Their familiarity showed as there were counters and counters to counters, one of which resulted in a great, innocuous-looking ref bump as Neville flew backwards on a kickout and cracked heads with the counting official.

After an exhausting closing spring where all the heavy artillery came out, Zayn hit the Helluva Kick to finally bag the gold as the roof came off of Full Sail.

The post-match locker room celebration, followed by Kevin Owens turning on Zayn to set up their programme, was the icing on a delectable pro wrestling cake.