NXT TakeOver 36 - Best and Worst - Samoa Joe makes history, Major problem with grudge match
Does NXT TakeOver 36 represent the end of an era? Possibly.
The landscape of NXT after tonight's event looks to be radically different, following WWE President Nick Khan's promise for an immediate "revamp" of the black and gold brand. As a result, NXT TakeOver 36 may be the last one of its kind.
Like every single TakeOver event before this, the quality of wrestling was off the charts. We got to see a couple of in-ring classics and a few great moments. However, NXT TakeOver 36 was not without its faults.
A few aspects of the show could have made it even better, whether or not NXT could have done something about it. Nevertheless, as the only TakeOver to ever directly follow a WWE pay-per-view, it ended SummerSlam weekend with a bang.
Let's take a look at the main positives and negatives of NXT TakeOver 36. What did you think of the show? Leave your thoughts down in the comments.
#3 Best: Samoa Joe makes history at NXT TakeOver 36
Samoa Joe's in-ring return lived up to the hype, as he delivered another top performance with his usual intensity. The Samoan Submission Machine barely skipped a beat at NXT TakeOver 36, despite not wrestling since February 2020.
Joe challenged Karrion Kross in a gritty and violent affair, which saw both men lay into each other. And while the result was predictable due to Kross' move to WWE RAW, the match was still great. It was a worthy conclusion to their compelling story on NXT.
Bringing back the Muscle Buster to lay his opponent out, Samoa Joe won his record third NXT Championship. Just like that, he has made history on the black and gold brand.
This was a fantastic moment, especially considering Joe was a part of the WWE releases a few months ago. Fortunately, the in-ring veteran very quickly returned to NXT and is back competing.
His presence at the top of the card is a good sign, thanks to his expertise in the ring and on the mic, despite the uncertainty around the brand set to follow. Already one of the greatest stars in NXT history, Joe's experience could be absolutely massive for the brand in the future from NXT TakeOver 36.