NXT puts on, arguably, the best pay per view events of the three WWE promotions. However, many voiced concerns in the lead up to this, the third Takeover from the Barclay Center in Brooklyn, New York. Much of NXT’s star power was stripped due to being called up to the main roster. Could the remaining members of the roster and the newest additions put on as strong of a Takeover as we saw in 2015 and 2016?
JOHNNY GARGANO vs. ANDRADE ‘CIEN’ ALMAS w/SELENA VEGA: Both men took it to the mat early on, showing their technical prowess. Gargano tried several times to bring up the pace, but Almas cut him off every time to slow the match to a methodical pace he preferred. One ill timed ‘Tranquilo’ spot in the ropes by Almas allowed Johnny Wrestling to nail him with a Tope Suicida. Gargano had a submission locked in, but Almas countered with a one armed buckle bomb. Both men desperately needed a win on a big stage.
Gargano needs to build credibility as a singles star after spending so long partnered with Tommaso Ciampa in D.I.Y. Almas has suffered from a series of losses and questionable booking and needs to look like the mega star he was before coming to NXT. In the end, Selena Vega got involved, distracting Gargano and allowing Almas to plant him with a reverse STO into a DDT. WINNER: ANDRADE CIEN ALMAS
The Good: Both men looked like a million bucks in front of a hot crowd.
The Bad: Gargano did eat a loss at a bad time. Thought the interference from Vega ensured that both men still looked strong in the end.
The Ugly: This match going on first ensured that the rest of the competitors on the card would have an uphill battle.
SANITY vs. AUTHORS OF PAIN (NXT Tag Team Championship): Both factions ripped into each other before the opening bell even rang. Akam started the match officially by tossing Wolfe nearly across the entire ring. Before Wolfe could get a hot tag to Dain, Eric Young subbed himself in for Dain. EY took the fight to Akam outside into the crowd. The AOP delivered a scary double team back body drop into a Dominator. Rezar pummeled on Young for several minutes before Wolfe made the hot tag. He almost fell victim to a top rope power bomb, but reversed into a Frankensteiner. Nikki Cross and Killian Dain got involved, driving Akam through a table, allowing EY and Wolfe to put Rezar down for the count. WINNERS: SANITY; However, during the post match celebration, NXT newcomers, Bobby Fish and Kyle O’Reilly, attacked the new champs and made a hell of a statement.
The Good: Alexander Wolfe and Killian Dain were relegated to six and eight man tag matches for far too long and them getting a tag title shot was long overdue.
The Bad: Eric Young tagging in really robbed Dain from a chance to kick ass on a big stage.
The Ugly: Even though it’s NXT, this is still WWE. A heel vs. heel championship match ensured that this crowd wasn’t as hot as it should have been.
HIDEO ITAMI vs. ALEISTAR BLACK: Much like the opening match, this was about where both men needed the win to keep their momentum going. Both men opened with aggressive martial arts strikes, each man dodging or countering the other. Itami hung Black on the rope and delivered a vicious guillotine knee drop to his opponent. Black was busted open early on, bleeding from the nose. Once he saw that Black was able to go kick for kick with him, Itami took it to the mat, showing his ground game. An avalanche Falcon Arrow still was not able to put Black away. After frustration set in at not being able to put away Black, Itami fell victim to the Black Mask roundhouse kick, which ended the bout. WINNER: ALEISTAR BLACK
The Good: This is what a pay per view match of a bubbling feud should look like.
The Bad: Strong style wrestling always makes me cringe a bit due to how much damage competitors are willing to take.
The Ugly: Itami hasn’t looked as strong since his heel turn and this loss hasn’t helped.
EMBER MOON vs. ASUKA (NXT Women’s Championship): This has been an interesting feud. Asuka has looked like an unstoppable monster as champion. But every time she’s faced Ember Moon, Asuka has won by the skin of her teeth. Ember Moon started the match with a powerful running dropkick. She wouldn’t let up on the offense, forcing Asuka to exit the ring to rethink her strategy. Moon nailed her with a cannonball from the top rope. Asuka recovered, nailing her with a suplex on the metal ramp.
She then proceeded to work on Ember Moon’s arm and shoulder to set up her submission, the Asuka Lock. Even with an injured left arm, Ember Moon was able to go blow for blow with the Empress of Tomorrow. Ember Moon hit her finisher, the Eclipse yet Asuka kicked out of the pin attempt. After a super kick attempt failed to put Asuka away, she locked in the Asuka Lock on Ember Moon, making her tap out. WINNER: ASUKA
The Good: Asuka has possibly met her match. Here’s hoping this is not the end of this feud.
The Bad: Ember Moon’s inconsistent selling of her injured arm took a bit away from the match.
The Ugly: Asuka still being on the developmental show is not cutting it anymore. She’s needed on the main roster ASAP.
DREW MCINTYRE vs. BOBBY ROODE (NXT Championship): McIntyre immediately used his size and weight advantage to overpower his opponent. For every knife edge chop or chop block that Roode went for, McIntyre would have one with double the force. The fight went to the outside, with McIntyre delivering a tilt-a-whirl backbreaker to the hard ring apron. Roode pulled out every dirty trick in the book, but McIntyre continued to fight back.
McIntyre’s attempt at top rope offense was countered into a running power bomb by Roode. Drew hit his Future Shock DDT, followed up by the Claymore Kick. However, Roode was able to get his foot on the bottom rope to break the pin attempt. McIntyre shocked the crowd with a Tope Conhilo over the top rope to Roode on the outside. Roode countered a spinning side slam into the Glorious DDT, but McIntyre kicked out of the pin. Roode went for two more, but McIntyre countered the third and hit another Claymore. McIntyre is your new NXT Champion: WINNER: DREW MCINTYRE
Another post match attack happened at the hands of O’Reilly and Fish, but this time they were accompanied by NXT newcomer, Adam Cole baybay!!!
The Good: Someone with a larger body size was needed in the NXT World Title hunt just for variety’s sake and McIntyre has the size AND the pedigree to be a fresh style of champ in NXT.
The Bad: Once again, a WWE competitor appeared to be knocked out in a match and instead of going for the pin, the babyface looks like an idiot for hesitating or for trying to hit another move.
The Ugly: Roode is now 40 years old. His window for making maximum profit in WWE is closing. This feud will probably continue for a few more months. What the hell is the delay with Roode going up to the main WWE roster?
Nearly every match on this show was at least a three and a half star match. Is it a safe bet that the matches, crowd or feel of SummerSlam tonight won’t match up to NXT Takeover for the third year in a row?
