A rare night where two wrestling matches earned perfect scores
In short: In professional wrestling, a five-star rating is a prestigious badge of excellence. It is incredibly rare for a single show to feature two such performances in one night. On April 7, 2018, NXT TakeOver: New Orleans achieved this feat, cementing its status as a historic landmark.
NXT TakeOver: New Orleans was the 19th installment of WWE's developmental brand livestreaming series. Held at the Smoothie King Center in Louisiana during WrestleMania 34 weekend, it served as a high-stakes showcase for scripted storylines developed on weekly television. The event featured five matches, including the crowning of the inaugural NXT North American Champion and several title changes.
The show is historically significant due to its critical reception from wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer. He awarded both the six-man ladder match for the North American Championship and the main event unsanctioned match between Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa five stars. Because Meltzer awarded perfect scores to a pair of matches during this single North American event, numerous reviewers labelled it among history's finest wrestling exhibitions.
The narrative weight of these matches was built over months of television drama. The main event concluded a year-long 'tale' involving Ciampa’s betrayal of Gargano and Gargano’s subsequent obsession with regaining his contract. Meanwhile, the ladder match featured six competitors—including EC3 and Ricochet—competing for a brand-new title. By delivering high-impact storytelling and technical skill simultaneously across multiple matches, the event set a new standard for the 'TakeOver' branding.
Beyond the ring, the event introduced several firsts, including Spanish play-by-play commentary from ringside. It also featured guest appearances such as Barstool Sports personality Pat McAfee on the pre-show panel. The combination of these elements contributed to universal acclaim, with critics praising it for 'spectacular wrestling and incredible storytelling' that felt like a 'classic night' difficult to match.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: NXT TakeOver: New Orleans
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