NXT TakeOver 2014: The Night a Developmental Brand Found Its Signature Event

Adam Rose and Camacho open the first TakeOver with a short character-driven match that establishes the celebratory Rose presentation without asking it to carry major dramatic weight. Camacho works from the more grounded heel position and slows Rose whenever the party offense starts to build, while Rose relies on movement and crowd energy to keep the match light. The five-minute runtime prevents either wrestler from developing a substantial control segment or a layered finishing stretch. Rose eventually creates one clean opening and lands the Party Foul for the pin. The result is decisive and keeps his early NXT momentum intact. As an opener it is functional and easy to watch, but the event quickly moves into much stronger wrestling once the championship and contender matches begin.

The Ascension defend the NXT Tag Team Championship against El Local and Kalisto in a compact match built around the champions' power against the challengers' speed. Kalisto supplies the most dynamic offense, forcing Konnor and Viktor to react to quick tags and aerial movement, while El Local gives the challengers enough structure to avoid becoming a pure showcase. The champions eventually cut off the faster exchanges and regain control through size and tandem offense. The finish is straightforward. Konnor and Viktor isolate El Local, hit the Fall of Man and Viktor scores the pin. The Ascension retain cleanly and remain established as NXT's dominant tag team. The match is solid rather than memorable, but it gives the inaugural TakeOver its first championship defense without unnecessary interference.

Tyler Breeze and Sami Zayn deliver the first great match in TakeOver history by combining Zayn's urgency with Breeze's opportunistic counters in a fifteen-minute contender bout. Zayn repeatedly appears one sequence away from breaking through, especially after the Blue Thunder Bomb produces a major near-fall. Breeze survives by staying patient and using Zayn's forward momentum against him rather than trying to match his pace. The late stretch becomes a series of increasingly narrow escapes, with the Supermodel Kick giving Breeze his strongest opening before Zayn rallies again. When Zayn charges for the Helluva Kick, Breeze counters at exactly the right moment with the Beauty Shot and scores the clean pin. The result elevates Breeze without weakening Zayn's long-running chase.

Charlotte and Natalya turn the vacant NXT Women's Championship final into the emotional centerpiece of the inaugural TakeOver, with Ric Flair and Bret Hart at ringside adding history without overshadowing the wrestlers. Natalya brings the technical credibility and repeatedly tests Charlotte with the Sharpshooter, while Charlotte proves she can survive longer exchanges and counter submissions rather than relying only on athletic flashes. The match grows increasingly confident as both women trade leg attacks and submission attempts. Charlotte even applies the Sharpshooter herself, giving the family symbolism a direct in-ring purpose. Natalya escapes, but Charlotte eventually creates space and lands Natural Selection for the clean pin. The title win establishes Charlotte as a major NXT centerpiece and gives the division a defining early championship match.

Adrian Neville and Tyson Kidd close the first TakeOver with a championship match that feels like a statement of what NXT wants its main events to become. Kidd combines veteran control with enough athleticism to follow Neville into faster exchanges, while Neville repeatedly has to survive submission threats instead of simply waiting for the Red Arrow. The strongest stretch comes when Kidd moves from the Sharpshooter into the Dungeon Lock and forces Neville to reach the ropes. Neville answers with a pop-up sitout powerbomb and several escalating counters, but Kidd keeps creating believable near-falls. The champion finally lands a super hurricanrana, climbs to the top rope and hits the Red Arrow for the clean pin. Neville retains, and the finish gives TakeOver an appropriately decisive first main event.