NXT War Games 2020 Recap, Grades & Reaction

NXT TakeOver: Wargames 2020 Results

A.K.A. The One With A Flying Trashcan

Results:

• Candice LeRae, Raquel Gonzalez, Dakota Kai & Toni Storm def. Io Shirai, Shotzi Blackheart, Rhea Ripley & Ember Moon in a War Games match
• Tommaso Ciampa def. Timothy Thatcher
• Dexter Lumis def. Cameron Grimes in a Strap match
• Johnny Gargano def. Leon Ruff (c) and Damian Priest to win the NXT North American Championship
• Undisputed Era def. Pat McAfee, Pete Dunne, Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch

Three Thoughts:

Undisputed

The men’s War Games match was another showcase for the Undisputed Era. Having participated in all four of the War Games matches since NXT started them in 2017, Era are now 2-2. The match was a hard hitting affair with everyone getting a chance to shine. The final two to enter the match were the two leaders: Adam Cole and Pat McAfee. It was McAfee who had the biggest “holy shit” moment:

🤯 🤯 🤯 🤯 🤯 🤯 #NXTTakeOver #WarGames @PatMcAfeeShow pic.twitter.com/zEFieHMNK7

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) December 7, 2020

McAfee may be one of the smoothest athlete-to-wrestler transitions we’ve ever seen. His ability in the ring combined with his truly detestable personality and razor-sharp mic skills could make him a legit competitor in NXT for a while. We very well could see him hold gold.

Raquel’s Reign?

The women’s War Games match was an epic encounter, lasting almost forty minutes to start the show. Interestingly, the face team had the advantage of order of entry, but the heels still had the advantage in numbers as Indi Hartwell supported Candice’s team. The match had a great spot where Io Shirai dove off the top of the cage with a garbage can on her head, but her team didn’t pick up the win. Instead it was Raquel Gonzalez getting the pinfall after powerbombing Shirai through a ladder. This should mean Gonzalez is the next competitor up for a shot at Shirai’s title. It will be a big step up for her, but her performance tonight shows she is up for the challenge.

2019: @RheaRipley_WWE pins #WWENXT #WomensChampion @QoSBaszler inside #WarGames!

2020: @RaquelWWE pins #WWENXT #WomensChampion @shirai_io inside #WarGames!

This is what we call a MOMENTUM SHIFT! #NXTTakeOver pic.twitter.com/O7ZykaySk1

— WWE (@WWE) December 7, 2020

Ghosts of Titles Past

Johnny Gargano is a three-time NXT North American Champion, and he got there with some help from a friend. In a triple threat match against rival Damian Priest and surprising champ Leon Ruff, Gargano was able to secure the victory after a group of Ghostfaced accomplices helped him. One of them revealed themselves to be a returning Austin Theory:

"IT WAS ME, AUSTIN! IT WAS ME ALL ALONG… AUSTIN!" @austintheory1 is BACK! 😯 #NXTTakeOver @JohnnyGargano pic.twitter.com/EgROumznXF

— WWE (@WWE) December 7, 2020

Turns out the Garganos have lots of ghost friends in high places. Folks may feel a lot of different feelings with Theory returning, given the allegations that were raised about him during wrestling’s #SpeakingOut movement, but here we are. He joins Indi Hartwell in supporting the Garganos as the top couple of NXT.

Grade: A-

Look, it is War Games. It’s fun as hell. Did I love the other three matches? Not particularly. The Ciampa-Thatcher match was solid for what it was. I thought that Lumis and Grimes got to a good end point of their rivalry and that Lumis continues to look impressive. Heel Gargano is not for me, but I get his value. This grade is a reflection of two excellent War Games matches, plus the promise of Karrion Kross to come.

𝑻𝒊𝒄𝒌…

𝑻𝒐𝒄𝒌…#NXTTakeOver pic.twitter.com/Hgx3eNpqIC

— WWE (@WWE) December 7, 2020

One for the Road:

Io Shirai, everybody.

When I think of embarrassing shit I did as a teenager.#NXTTakeOver pic.twitter.com/7C0LdNscmh

— Crossbody of Work Podcast (@CrossbodyOfWork) December 7, 2020