Johnny Gargano Costs Tommaso Ciampa His NXT Title Match With Adam Cole at NXT TakeOver: Portland

At NXT TakeOver: Portland, Adam Cole defended the NXT Championship against Tommaso Ciampa. The challenger controlled the match early on but Cole drilled him with a boot to the head. Cole took too much time to taunt, and Ciampa sent him crashing into the ring post. The match turned into a brawl at ringside. Cole floored Ciampa with a wheelbarrow suplex onto the broadcast table. Ciampa kicked out of the pin when Cole rolled him back into the ring. Then, the champion targeted Ciampa’s surgically repaired neck. Cole got a two count after a backstabber and rocked Ciampa with a kick to head. Ciampa dodged a Panama Sunrise with a jumping knee strike.

The champ isn't holding back ???????#NXTTakeOver #NXTChampionship @AdamColePro pic.twitter.com/1ExKozGFyi

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) February 17, 2020

Cole hit a running knee strike but Ciampa hit an Air Raid Crash off the top rope for a two count. Ciampa powerpowered Cole onto the broadcast table. Ciampa then powerbombed Cole through the table and rocked him with another knee. Cole nailed him with a superkick but Ciampa got a near fall after he hit Project Ciampa. The challenger caught a diving Cole with a knee outside the ring. Cole hit a neckbreaker for a near fall. Cole hit two more superkicks and the Last Call but Ciampa rolled to the apron. Ciampa countered Panama Sunrise into an Air Raid Crash on the apron.

What will @NXTCiampa have to do to put @AdamColePro away at #NXTTakeOver: Portland?!??!#WWENXT #NXTChampionship pic.twitter.com/0Gkqar0BRj

— WWE (@WWE) February 17, 2020

Cole hit Panama Sunrise on the floor. Ciampa hit Willow’s Bell and the Fairytale Ending for near fall. Cole locked in a crossface but Ciampa turned it around on Cole, who reached the ropes. Roderick Strong distracted the referee, and Kyle O’Reilly and Bobby Fish attacked Ciampa. Ciampa reversed the Last Call and tossed Cole onto his teammates. Ciampa took down the Undisputed Era, but Cole capitalized and hit Last Call again. The challenger kicked out, but Cole shoved him into the referee. Cole hit Ciampa below the belt but Ciampa hit him with one, too. A Fairytale Ending would have earned Ciampa the win but the referee couldn’t count the pin. Johnny Gargano came to the ring and hit Ciampa with the NXT Championship. Cole pinned Ciampa to retain the title.