NXT TakeOver: Rival (2015): The Second Half Shows What TakeOver Can Become

Hideo Itami and Tyler Breeze open Rival with a compact match that benefits from both wrestlers already understanding the Full Sail rhythm. Breeze slows Itami with targeted offense and character work, while Itami's sharper strikes create the match's clearest bursts of urgency. The bout never reaches the intensity of the show's final three matches, but it does establish a useful baseline and gives Itami a straightforward victory. The final shotgun kick lands cleanly and avoids unnecessary interference. Eight minutes is enough for the pair to tell a complete story without exhausting their rivalry. It is a good opener rather than a signature TakeOver match, and its value comes from crisp execution and a decisive finish.

Baron Corbin and Bull Dempsey receive a No Disqualification stipulation, but the four-minute runtime keeps the match from becoming the kind of violent escalation the label suggests. The rivalry is built around two undefeated power wrestlers colliding, and Corbin's presentation still carries more momentum than the actual exchanges. Dempsey gets enough offense to avoid becoming a complete squash, yet the structure remains simple and direct. Corbin hits End of Days and wins cleanly, giving the feud a decisive result after weeks of short confrontations. There is nothing technically disastrous here. The disappointment comes from the mismatch between the stipulation and the ambition. For a TakeOver card, it feels more like a television blowoff than a major-event grudge match.

Blake and Murphy's first TakeOver defense gives the surprise champions a chance to prove their upset title win was not a fluke. Kalisto and Sin Cara provide the speed and established teamwork, while the champions work a more opportunistic style that fits their sudden rise. The match moves quickly and gives Kalisto several clean bursts of offense without turning the bout into an extended spot exhibition. Murphy's brainbuster on Sin Cara creates the opening for Blake's frog splash and a decisive pinfall. That finish matters because the champions retain without a shortcut and gain credibility as a real team. The match is not long enough to become a tag classic, but it efficiently strengthens a division that needs fresh championship personalities.

Finn Bálor and Adrian Neville begin Rival's outstanding second half with the kind of athletic singles match that would become a TakeOver signature. Both wrestlers enter with established credibility, so the match can focus on escalating counters rather than explaining why either belongs near the championship. Neville's middle-rope Phoenix splash produces an excellent near-fall, while Bálor's running dropkick and Coup de Grace give the finish a clear progression. The pace is fast without becoming careless, and the crowd understands that the winner is moving directly into the NXT Championship picture. Bálor wins cleanly, which gives him a major result without diminishing Neville. The match feels competitive, consequential and polished, exactly what a No. 1 contender final should be.

Sasha Banks, Charlotte, Bayley and Becky Lynch deliver the match that most clearly shows how far NXT's women's division has moved beyond the limitations of main-roster presentation. The four-way structure is busy without becoming random because alliances form and dissolve around the championship rather than around isolated spots. Bayley's top-rope Bayley-to-Belly on Charlotte creates a major near-fall before Banks breaks the pin, and Becky repeatedly looks dangerous enough to win without needing the finish. Banks ultimately traps Charlotte in the Bank Statement, converts the sequence into a crucifix and pins the champion. The title change feels earned and important. All four women leave with distinct momentum, while Sasha finally reaches the championship that had defined her character's ambition.

Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn close Rival with a championship match built less around trading near-falls than around demonstrating how completely Owens is willing to destroy his former friend. Their shared history gives every escalation meaning, and Zayn's early offense creates enough hope that the match never feels like a simple squash. Once Owens begins landing repeated powerbombs, the tone changes from competition to punishment. Medical personnel repeatedly check Zayn, Owens refuses to stop, and the referee finally awards Owens the match by technical knockout. The finish is unconventional and exactly right for the story. Owens wins the NXT Championship only two months after debuting, Zayn is protected by the stoppage, and their rivalry becomes even more personal without relying on a conventional pinfall.