Big Praise For Charlotte and Natalya Following “NXT Takeover”

Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter has provided big praise for Charlotte and Natalya following “NXT Takeover.” The match, which was the finals bout in the NXT Women’s Championship Tournament, has been deemed possibly the greatest women’s wrestling match in WWE history.

Meltzer writes,

The women’s tournament final with Charlotte and Natalya came across as the epic women’s match in modern WWE. It was presented differently than any women’s match, almost like a world title match, was given time and it was the performance of a career of Natalya to insiders. But it also was the breakout performance of Charlotte, who came across like a future superstar if the women’s division in its future changes from models doing short matches to women wrestlers doing serious pro wrestling. It was really a revelation, because it’s so different from most main roster women matches, but is more along the lines of how women are treated in action movies and the rise of women stars in UFC and how in that world they’ve blown away the interest levels of women in WWE.

When the show was over, the show-stealing performance was from [Natalya]. Many would say Natalya and Charlotte had one of the best women’s matches in WWE history. From a pure technical wrestling standpoint, Natalya’s match with A.J. Lee on Main Event, when the two were given ample time to put on a great match, was better. Even though both were presented in the same venue, the WWE Network, this one had more time, had the outside star power of Bret Hart and Ric Flair in the corners, and a storyline of two famous wrestling families. Because of that, this match was more memorable and emotionally, felt much more important, and was presented before it even started as far more significant.

[This was far more than just a great TV match, it was a statement] Natalya, who has wrestled at WrestleMania before 70,000 fans, said this match in front of 400 people was the best and most important match of her life. History will tell if that’s the case or not, because the feeling when it was over was that it was different and far superior in presentation and execution to what had been the old women’s division. You were left with the idea this match and its reaction were so good it could be a catalyst for changing the entire thought process of women in the promotion. Whether it will be is another story, and you also could do a mix of both. But the one thing is how the new women talent is learning to work in developmental, we’re probably looking at a natural change just as the men’s ring style over the last 15 years changed based on styles of newer talent.

The match, which can be viewed via the WWE Network, has been not only praised by Meltzer, but by fans and WWE officials alike. Many believe Charlotte will be brought up to the main roster faster than first believed due to the level of performance she gave during “NXT Takeover.”

Editor’s Note:
I said this during an episode of “Wrestling Rumors Radio” last week. This was the best women’s match I had ever seen. I’m a BIG Charlotte fan and hope to see her, along with others such as Paige, and Emma (if they give her a new gimmick) change the landscape of WWE’s women’s division in the future.