Rating The Champ – NXT Edition: Johnny Gargano

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, Johnny Gargano.

2016

W/ Tommaso Ciampa vs. The Revival – NXT Tag Team Championships (TakeOver Brooklyn II) ****1/2
2 Out Of 3 Falls: W/ Tommaso Ciampa vs. The Revival – NXT Tag Team Championships (TakeOver Toronto) *****

2017

W/ Tommaso Ciampa vs. The Authors Of Pain – NXT Tag Team Championships (TakeOver San Antonio) ****
Elimination: W/ Tommaso Ciampa vs. The Authors Of Pain vs. The Revival – NXT Tag Team Championships (TakeOver Orlando) ****1/4
Ladder: W/ Tommaso Ciampa vs. The Authors Of Pain – NXT Tag Team Championships (TakeOver Chicago) ****1/2
Vs. Andrade “Cien” Almas (TakeOver Brooklyn III) ****1/2

2018

Vs. Andrade “Cien” Almas – NXT Championship (TakeOver Philadelphia) *****
Unsanctioned: Vs. Tommaso Ciampa (TakeOver New Orleans) *****
Chicago Street Fight: Vs. Tommaso Ciampa (TakeOver Chicago II) ****3/4
Last Man Standing: Vs. Tomamso Ciampa – NXT Championship (TakeOver Brooklyn IV) ****1/2
Vs. Aleister Black (TakeOver WarGames II) *****

2019

Vs. Ricochet – NXT North American Championship (TakeOver Phoenix) ****3/4
2 Out Of 3 Falls: Vs. Adam Cole – NXT Championship (TakeOver New York) *****
Vs. Adam Cole – NXT Championship (TakeOver XXV) *****
Vs. Adam Cole – NXT Championship (TakeOver Toronto II) *****

2020

W/ Tommaso Ciampa vs. Moustache Mountain (Worlds Collide) ****3/4
Vs. Finn Bálor (TakeOver Portland) ****1/2
Vs. Keith Lee – NXT North American Championship (TakeOver In Your House) ****
Ladder: Vs. Damian Priest Vs. Cameron Grimes Vs. Bronson Reed Vs. Velveteen Dream – NXT North American Championship (TakeOver XXX) ****1/2
Vs. Damian Priest – NXT North American Championship (TakeOver 31) ***3/4
Vs. Leon Ruff Vs. Damian Priest – NXT North American Championship (TakeOver WarGames IV) ****1/4

2021

Vs. KUSHIDA – NXT North American Championship (TakeOver Vengeance Day) ****3/4
Vs. Bronson Reed – NXT North American Championship (TakeOver Stand & Deliver Night 2) ***1/2
Vs. Karrion Kross Vs. Adam Cole Vs. Kyle O’Reilly Vs. Pete Dunne – NXT Championship (TakeOver In Your House II) ****1/2