Rating The Champ – NXT Edition: Adam Cole

Umar Usman
Aug 17, 2021
2 min read

Welcome to a new series on the website, called Rating The Champ. This will follow my prior World Title Series, where I reviewed each and every WWE Heavyweight Champion in history from Hulk Hogan’s first title win in 1984 all the way to the current days. Money in the Bank cash-ins will not be included for obvious reasons, unless it was a proper match (ie: Rob Van Dam at One Night Stand 2006). Royal Rumble and battle royales won’t be included as well.

In this new series, I will rate all the PPV matches from each and every WWF/E Heavyweight Champion in history. To be fair, since this is the WWF/E title, I’ll only rate their PPV matches in the WWF/E. In this edition, we’ll be heading over to NXT and looking back at the TakeOver career of the one and only, former NXT Champion, Adam Cole.

2017

Triple Threat WarGames: W/ Undisputed Era vs. SAnitY vs. Roderick Strong and The Authors Of Pain (TakeOver WarGames) ****1/2

2018

Extreme Rules: Vs. Aleister Black (TakeOver Philadelphia) ****1/2
Ladder Match: Vs. Ricochet vs. EC3 vs. Lars Sullivan vs. Killian Dain vs. Velveteen Dream – NXT North American Championship (TakeOver New Orleans) ****3/4
Dusty Rhodes 2018 Tag Team Classic Finals: W/ Kyle O’Reilly vs. The Authors Of Pain vs. Roderick Strong and Pete Dunne – NXT Tag Team Championships (TakeOver New Orleans) ****
Vs. Ricochet – NXT North American Championship (TakeOver IV) ****1/4
WarGames: W/ Undisputed Era vs. War Raiders, Ricochet and Pete Dunne (TakeOver WarGames II) *****

2019

2 Out Of 3 Falls: Vs. Johnny Gargano – NXT Championship (TakeOver New York) *****
Vs. Johnny Gargano – NXT Championship (TakeOver XXV) *****
2 Out Of 3 Falls: Vs. Johnny Gargano – NXT Championship (TakeOver Toronto II) *****
WarGames: W/ Undisputed Era vs. Team Ciampa (TakeOver WarGames III) *****
Vs. Pete Dunne – NXT Championship (Survivor Series) ****1/2

2020

W/ Undisputed Era vs. IMPERIUM (Worlds Collide) *****
Vs. Tommaso Ciampa – NXT Championship (TakeOver Portland) ****3/4
Backlot Brawl: Vs. Velveteen Dream – NXT Championship (TakeOver In Your House) N/R [Not Rated] (C)
Vs. Pat McAfee (TakeOver XXX) ***3/4
WarGames: W/ Undisputed Era vs. Team McAfee (TakeOver WarGames IV) ****3/4

2021

Unsanctioned: Vs. Kyle O’Reilly (TakeOver Stand & Deliver Night 2) *****
Vs. Karrion Kross Vs. Johnny Gargano Vs. Kyle O’Reilly Vs. Pete Dunne – NXT Championship (TakeOver In Your House II) ****1/2