Io Shirai vs. Shayna Baszler for the NXT Women’s Championship, from WWE NXT TakeOver: XV

This plays better on a second viewing. The party line the night this happened was that it was pretty good but underwhelming, but I’ll take this sprint over the “sophisticated mind games” of at least two other singles matches on this card. The conveyed contrast, the meaningful limb work, the hope spots, and WWE’s penchant for the overdramatic makes for the best singles women’s match in NXT of the year so far. I’ve no doubt the teased rematch would better this via expanding further on what was brought to the table here. Would’ve been fine with this closing the show.

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Tomohiro Ishii vs. Katsuyori Shibata, from NJPW G1 Climax 23 Night 4

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Io Shirai vs. Candice LeRae, from WWE NXT TakeOver: Toronto