WWE would kick off Survivor Series weekend with NXT’s Takeover: Toronto show, would NXT continue their habit of overshadowing WWE’s main roster PPVs and put on another show-stealing event?
The event saw a number of high-profile matches such as Shinsuke Nakamura vs Samoa Joe for the NXT Title and The Revival facing off against #DIY, Johnny Gargano and Tomasso Ciampa, in a 2 out of 3 falls match for the NXT Tag Team Titles.
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Not to mention the return of Mickie James who would challenge Asuka for her NXT Women’s Championship.
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This show certainly had the potential to deliver a memorable event, but did it live up to expectations? Let’s look at 10 moments from NXT Takeover: Toronto that left us exclaiming, “Say What?”
#1 - What next for Nakamura?
After losing his NXT Championship on his very first defence of the title, what is next for Shinsuke Nakamura?
With NXT’s main event scene being very thin currently, could this result be a way to drag out the Nakamura/Joe feud while they build up some more talent to challenge for the NXT Title?
Or, will Shinsuke Nakamura, not Samoa Joe, be the one to imminently be called to either Raw or Smackdown? There are certainly many questions to be answered coming out of Takeover: Toronto, could we maybe see some of these questions answered at tonight’s Survivor Series?
Let us know what you think the immediate future holds for NXT in the comment section below.
#2 - Ellering in a shark cage
In what was some very ‘old school’ booking from WWE, Paul Ellering would be suspended above the ring in a shark cage during the finals of the ‘Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic’.
Also read: NXT TakeOver: Toronto - 5 Points to Note
This was due to Ellering interfering in the Authors of Pain’s matches in recent weeks, so this extreme course of action was taken by NXT General Manager, William Regal, in an attempt to maintain the integrity of the tournament.
It was certainly something the new generation of fans are not used to seeing, but would this decision have a deciding effect on the match between the Authors of Pain and TM-61?
#3 - High & mighty
The ‘Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic’ tournament final got off to a great start and certainly felt unique with Paul Ellering hanging above the ring in the shark cage. The spot of the match came when Shane Thorne of TM-61 would climb the structure which was holding the shark cage and dived from it onto the Authors of Pain.
Also read: WWE NXT Takeover Toronto: 5 things we learned
But would these high flying manoeuvres be enough for Shane Thorne and Nick Miller to get the victory?…
#4 - Authors of pain win tag team classic
Unfortunately for the Australians, they wouldn’t have enough and it would be the Authors of Pain who would win the ‘Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic’ trophy this year.
The finish to the match felt quite odd, this was probably due to a chain that Paul Ellering had dropped into the ring which later got lost in the crowd, I presume this chain was meant to play more of a significant role than it did but once it got lost, they had to improvise a different finish.
Whether this was the case or not, the match and series as a whole didn’t feel anywhere near as prestigious as it did last year when Finn Bálor and Samoa Joe would win the inaugural tournament. Nevertheless, this match was good for what it was.
#5 - #DIY win the NXT Tag Titles
In perhaps the most anticipated match of the night, Johnny Gargano and Tomasso Ciampa would get one last opportunity to capture the NXT Tag Team Titles from The Revival in a 2 out of 3 falls match.
The four men had a lot to live up to after their match of the year candidate at NXT Takeover: Brooklyn II earlier in the year and they didn’t disappoint.
After some great action, classic heel tactics from The Revival and plenty of false finishes, it would be #DIY who would finally capture the Championships and end The Revival’s second title reign.
Gargano & Ciampa received a huge pop from the Toronto crowd and it will be interesting to see who they face next with the likes of TM-61, Authors of Pain and Sanity all looking strong in NXT’s tag team division.
Also, does this mean that Dash Wilder & Scott Dawson will now be promoted to either Raw or Smackdown?
#6 - Mickie James returns
6 years after leaving WWE, Mickie James would make her return at NXT Takeover: Toronto to challenge NXT Women’s Champion Asuka, for her title.
While this match is an indicator of just how thin NXT Women’s division is of main event talent after losing most of their stars to WWE’s main roster, it was still great to see Mickie and she was well received by the crowd.
But how would the former Women’s Champion fare after such a long time away from a WWE ring?
#7 - Asuka retains, Mickie impresses
Mickie would ultimately lose her return match but she and Asuka put on a great match and Mickie looked as though she had never been away. While there was some good technical wrestling in this bout, it was the mind games between the two women that made this match so compelling.
Mickie would get the better of Asuka at numerous points in the match and sent the ‘Empress of tomorrow’ retreating from the ring on more than one occasion. However, once Asuka would apply the ‘Asuka lock’, Mickie would be forced to tap out and therefore fail in her attempt to capture the NXT Women’s Championship.
Although, the story wouldn’t finish there…
#8 - Asuka rejects handshake
After retaining her championship against the returning Mickie James, Asuka would celebrate before coming face to face with Mickie again.
Mickie would offer her hand to Asuka in a sign of respect after a competitive match between the pair. However, instead of accepting this handshake, Asuka would simply hold up her championship belt in the air and walk away from Mickie.
Does this mean that there is more to come from this feud?
While I wasn’t expecting Mickie to stick around after this match, I for one would love to see these two square off again.
#9 - Joe regains the NXT Title
In what must go down as a shock result, Samoa Joe would defeat Shinsuke Nakamura to regain his NXT Championship. Many had expected this match to be Joe’s NXT swan-song before his much-anticipated call-up to the main roster.
However, after a typically physical match between NXT’s two biggest stars, Joe would a hit a low blow behind the referee’s back, slam Nakamura into the steel steps and then hit his ‘muscle buster’ finisher to become the first ever two-time NXT Champion.
This result silenced the Toronto crowd and left everyone wondering where both these men will go from here.
#10 - Glorious Choir
The show began with Bobby Roode making a glorious entrance, pun very much intended.
A choir would sing a rendition of Roode’s ‘Glorious’ theme music before he would make his brilliantly obnoxious walk to the ring. Both Roode and his opponent, Tye Dillinger, were well received in their home country and the fans were invested in this match from the beginning.
It was ultimately Bobby Roode who would get the victory and defeat ‘The Perfect 10’ to kick-off Takeover: Toronto.
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