We’re looking forward to NXT: Takeover Brooklyn because it, quite possibly, marks the end of an era for NXT. The event, coming live from the Barclays Center, is as anticipated as Summerslam, which is taking place the next night at the Barclays, or RAW, which is taking place that Monday, also from Barclays. All of this means that NXT is less the developmental division of the WWE and more of an integral part of the WWE, especially on big weekends like Wrestlemania and SummerSlam.

So before NXT goes to the next level, let’s take a look at that last time we were fortunate enough to see NXT live, in Albany, NY. The Albany Armory is very different from the Barclays Center.  It’s stripped down venue compared to the WWE’s usual places: the seats are chairs on risers (or on the floor), the are no giant screens to display the action, there’s no booming sound system and there isn’t a lighting system. In fact, the “spotlight” was two guys working lights from the PA room. All of this makes for a show that promotes more wrestling than sports entertainment, fitting for an independent wrestling show or the WWE’s developmental division. But it doesn’t dampen the excite that the crowd has.

Enzo and Cass kicked off the night in a tag team match against NXT Champions Blake and Murphy. Much like in San Jose, the crowd was louder than any sound system. You could hear everyone saying “S-A-W-F-T!” in unison, shaking the armory’s foundation! All that moment couldn’t help them defeat Blake and Murphy on that night but they definitely seemed like the victors to the crowd.

Since this is a few months removed from the current NXT show on the WWE network. This was the early days for The Perfect 10, Tye Dillinger. Then, his 10 cards looked more like pieces of paper taken straight from the printer and not what he has today. But he wasn’t the only one who changed. Alexa Bliss was still teaming with Bayley, using her glitter, glitz, sparkle and flips for good, not evil.