NXT TakeOver: Portland (2020): Six Matches, Almost No Waste, and One Last Normal Night

Lee and Dijakovic open the show by turning heavyweight wrestling into an argument against gravity. Their familiarity helps because every spectacular move feels like an escalation from something the other man has already survived. Lee throws a hurricanrana, Dijakovic answers with a springboard Swanton, both men trade power spots that should not look possible at their size, and the near-falls keep getting bigger without becoming random. The Super Spanish Fly is the visual centerpiece, but the finish is smarter: Dijakovic's damaged back prevents Feast Your Eyes, allowing Lee to land the Big Bang Catastrophe. The post-match respect gives a spectacular opener a satisfying final note instead of another reason for a rematch.

Kai and Nox are given the difficult job of following the night's most explosive match, so the Street Fight wisely leans into hatred rather than trying to out-athlete the opener. Chairs, trash cans, a laptop and a cricket bat make the feud feel appropriately personal, and Nox's offense repeatedly suggests she is seconds away from finally getting revenge. The finish changes the direction of the story when Raquel González appears and drives Nox through a table, allowing Kai to steal the pin. The interference keeps the match from reaching a higher level as a self-contained grudge fight, but it introduces an important new alliance and gives the feud somewhere concrete to go.

Bálor and Gargano wrestle like two men determined to prove they belong near the center of NXT's identity, even though neither championship is involved. The opening stretch is deliberately patient, letting Bálor control pace and force Gargano to fight from underneath before the match accelerates into sharp counters and escalating strikes. Gargano's Slingshot Spear and barricade offense create believable near-falls, but Bálor gradually turns the match back toward his own rhythm. The final Shotgun Dropkick, Coup de Grâce and 1916 sequence is emphatic rather than lucky. Bálor gets the clean victory he needs, Gargano loses nothing, and the match feels like a major attraction despite existing outside the title picture.

Ripley and Belair have the misfortune of wrestling while Charlotte Flair's WrestleMania decision hangs over the entire championship picture, yet they keep the match focused enough that the outside story never completely swallows them. Belair's power and athleticism make her a credible threat, especially when she can match Ripley physically instead of relying on speed alone. Ripley survives the strongest bursts and lands Riptide to retain cleanly. The post-match Charlotte attack becomes the larger storyline headline, but the seventeen-minute title match is substantial on its own. It gives Belair a strong TakeOver performance and protects Ripley's momentum heading toward the WrestleMania challenge.

Riddle, Dunne, Fish and O'Reilly turn twenty-five minutes into a tag-team showcase that never forgets the championships are the point. The Undisputed Era control transitions with veteran precision, while the BroserWeights bring enough improvisational energy to make every comeback feel slightly unstable. Riddle accidentally Spearing Dunne is a perfect late-match complication because it creates danger without forcing either challenger to become foolish. Fish and O'Reilly nearly steal it with Chasing the Dragon, Dunne survives, and the challengers eventually combine an O'Reilly toss into Dunne's Enzuigiri for the title-winning pin. The finish rewards the Dusty Classic story and gives the show one of its most complete matches.

Cole and Ciampa wrestle for more than thirty-six minutes and spend most of that time producing the epic the story demands. Ciampa's obsession with reclaiming Goldie gives every near-fall emotional weight, while Cole escalates through table spots, Last Shots, a Panama Sunrise on the floor and the inevitable Undisputed Era interference. The match gets too busy late, particularly once referee damage and faction involvement begin stacking on top of one another, but the wrestling remains excellent. Then Johnny Gargano takes the championship from Ciampa and strikes him with it, allowing Cole to retain. The heel turn is memorable and consequential, even if the swerve leaves a sour note on an otherwise outstanding title match.