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New NXT Champion crowned at NXT TakeOver: New York as WrestleMania weekend gets off to flying start


A new NXT Champion was crowned tonight at NXT TakeOver: New York as WrestleMania weekend got off to a flying start.

WWE ‘s so-called developmental division has a habit of outshining the main roster and may have done so again at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn.

A thrilling night saw a barnstorming tag team titles clash to open the show, a brilliant showdown for the NXT North American Championship and an absolute war over the WWE UK title before a wild Fatal 4-Way clash over the NXT women’s gold.

Johnny Gargano faces Adam Cole at NXT TakeOver: New York

But the best was arguably saved until last in a mesmerising and emotional 2 out of 3 falls match for the vacant NXT Championship.

It saw Johnny Gargano finally achieve his dream by getting his hands on the prize he has coveted for nearly 18 months as he bested Adam Cole in the main event of the show.

Johnny Gargano is the new NXT Champion

The Rebel Heart of NXT – paying homage to another of his Marvel heroes, Iron Man – defeated the leader of the Undisputed Era by two falls to one in the best of three contest, capturing the title vacated by his former tag team partner, Tommaso Ciampa.

After four years and 12 TakeOver events, Johnny Wrestling grabbed the one title he has never held in the black and yellow brand, which in turn made him the promotion’s first ever Triple Crown champion.

Gargano and Cole contested a fast paced technical encounter which had the Brooklyn crowd on their feet for the entirety of the match. The early exchanges featured a series of rapid reversals and takedowns before Adam Cole took over and scored the first fall.

Not one to be held down, Gargano restored parity fairly quickly by getting Cole to tap to the Gargano escape and with this the match went into sudden death.

The athleticism didn’t let up with a series of high flying exchanges both in and out of the ring including Gargano’s  leaping DDT, Cole hitting a brutal version of Ciampa’s Fairytale Ending on the announce table and the amazing Panama Sunrise from Cole, which gained a close two count for the Undisputed Era’s figurehead.

Johnny Gargano draws the scores level with Adam Cole at 1-1

As expected the rest of his faction got involved after a ref bump, which prompted a huge reaction from the fans in attendance as despite their meddling Roderick Strong, Kyle O’Reilly and Bobby Fish were wiped out by Gargano in swift fashion as Cole failed to take advantage of the numbers game.

Somehow, he dug deep and Gargano was still able to overcome Cole and made him tap out for the second time to the Gargano Escape as the Barclays Center erupted.

As well as the new NXT Champion, Johnny Gargano is the first NXT triple crown champion

Joined by his tearful wife Candice Le Rae, the celebrations began, only for the icing on the cake, as Ciampa emerged on the entrance ramp and the two best friends, turned bitter enemies, now allies once more, hugged and enjoyed the moment together.

Finally, the man more deserving than any other, Johnny Wrestling, is NXT Champion.

Watch WWE WrestleMania 35 live on the WWE Network or on Sky Sports Box Office at midnight on Sunday, April 7.   

You can follow all the action as it happens in the Mirror Sport WWE WrestleMania 35 Live Blog.

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