Headlined by the ‘Biggest money match in NXT history’ between Shinsuke Nakamura and Bobby Roode for the NXT Championship, a fatal-4-way match for the NXT Women’s Championship, DIY’s quest to hold on to the tag team titles against the towering Authors of Pain and a host of other tantalising matches; NXT Takeover was stacked to the core.
Thankfully, it did deliver and some more. Seth Rollins returned to NXT to confront Triple H and two titles changed hands in what ended up being another epic Takeover offering. So here are the results and highlights from the show:
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#1 Eric Young vs. Tye Dillinger
As expected, Ten chants echoed around the arena when Tye Dillinger made his entrance. This guy is insanely over and has a great future ahead of him if WWE Creative doesn’t screw him over. Eric Young and his twisted troupe made a bone-chilling entrance and the first match of the night finally got underway.
Dillinger dominated in the early goings of the match until Killian Dane’s brutal crossbody block tipped the scales in Young’s favour. Young used all his experience to wear Dillinger down. The turning point of the match came when Dillinger caught Young with a drop kick in mid-air. Soon after, an overhead throw from the top rope yielded Dillinger a near fall.
Despite taking out all of the extra baggage, the numbers game eventually got the better of Tye. Young took advantage of Tye’s obsession of taking out Young’s stable mates by hitting him with the Youngblood. He went for the pinfall and picked up the win in an underwhelming opening match of the night.
Result: Eric Young def. Tye Dillinger via pinfall
Rating: 3/5
#2 Andrade ‘Cien’ Almas vs. Roderick Strong
Roderick Strong’s PPV debut was an eagerly anticipated event, but did he deliver? The ROH legend sure did. The heel Cien worked on the babyface Strong right from the onset of the match. This was a technical yet hard-hitting match with a host of impactful spots.
The fans were invested in the in-ring action and voiced their appreciation with a ‘this is awesome’ chant on one occasion. In the end, the Messiah of the Backbreaker wanted it more than his Hispanic competitor and it became obvious he wouldn’t lose in his debut PPV outing. The notable moments of the match included Strong’s resilience to break out of Cien’s armbar and his impressively powerful move-set.
At the end of it all, Strong laid out Cien with the Sick Kick to pick up the win in his first ever Takeover.
Result: Roderick Strong def. Andrade ‘Cien’ Almas via pinfall
Rating: 3.5/5
#3 DIY (C) vs. The Authors of Pain (WWE NXT Tag Team Championship)
The winners of the Dusty Rhodes Classic tournament were the favourites to win the tag team title purely because of their intimidating presence. The match kicked off with Rezar overpowering Ciampa. DIY popped the fans with a few double team manoeuvres that included a suicide dive by Johnny Gargano on Akam.
Their momentum was short-lived as Akam and Rezar regained control of match and started to inflict pain on Johnny Gargano. The fans chanted for Mr.Wrestling as Ciampa waited in the champion’s corner for the hot tag. Gargano finally reached out and tagged Ciampa in. Ciampa came in and executed two monstrous German suplexes on both Akam and Rezar. The fans got up on their feet after a clinic of brute strength from Ciampa. Insane!
Ciampa tagged Gargano back in and they hit Akam with a double slingshot spear through the middle rope for the near fall. Gargano then unloaded on him in the corner before tagging in Ciampa. They went for a double team but sadly missed. Authors of Pain looked for the Last Chapter on Ciampa but Gargano came in and hit one of them with a dropkick. They then locked in simultaneous submissions but Rezar powered out and bodyslammed Gargano onto Ciampa. That was epic.
Gargano and Ciampa looked for the running knee and superkick combo but the Authors simultaneously Powerbombed Gargano and Ciampa. They then hit Ciampa with the Last Chapter. Ciampa couldn't kick out of that. And Authors of Pain became the new tag team champions. While putting the titles on AOP is the right decision keeping with their undefeated streak in mind, having DIY drop the straps this soon was just disheartening.
Result: The Authors of Pain def. DIY via pinfall to become the new NXT tag team champions
Rating: 4/5
#4 Seth Rollins makes a shocking appearance and calls out Triple H
Just when the announcers were reviewing the tag team titles match, the entire arena erupted as Seth Rollins rushed into the ring and demanded Triple H to come out. Holy crap! He certainly received what he asked for.
The Game walked out and demanded Rollins to get out his ring. Rollins wanted HHH to come to the ring and make him leave. Hunter, as expected, didn’t get his hands dirty. He called for the security guards and walked off backstage. Rollins went after Hunter but the guards were just too many for him to even reach the Titantron. The fans chanted ‘bullsh**’ in unison. Great booking from the WWE to have The Architect show up in Triple H’s den, despite former master and protege not having an epic brawl.
Segment rating: 4.5/5
#5 Asuka (C) vs. Nikki Cross vs. Peyton Royce vs. Billie Kay (NXT Women’s Championship)
The short yet frantic encounter between the women had some big spots. One was when the Breakout stars of the year, Royce and Kay superplexed Nikki Cross through a table, which was stationed next to the announcer’s table.
Royce and Kay worked well in tandem as they dominated the proceedings and it looked certain that another title change was just on the horizon. Royce hit an insane widow's peak neck breaker on Asuka for a very close fall. Very close indeed!
In a shocking turn of events, Asuka recuperated and hit Royce with a good old fashioned kick to the side of the head and pinned her for the win. As Cory Graves said, Asuka may very well be the most dominant champion in all of pro wrestling. This was a solid bout for whatever time it lasted. Most importantly, Asuka is still champion. All’s good!
Result: Asuka def. Nikki Cross, Peyton Royce and Billie Kay via pinfall to retain the NXT Women’s Championship, continuing her undefeated streak.
Rating: 4/5
#6 Shinsuke Nakamura (C) vs. Bobby Roode (WWE NXT Championship match)
Bobby Roode made his entrance with eight women by his side! A glorious hoe train indeed! Nakamura was in his black tights. He meant business. After the in-ring introductions, Nakamura and Roode began the biggest money fight in NXT history. The crowd was absolutely electric with the rhythmic humming of Nakamura’s theme music.
The mind games were on from the time the bell rang, with both men taking a methodical approach. This looked like a typical start to what usually ends up becoming an instant classic.
Roode used all the trademark heel tactics in dominating Nakamura in the early goings of the match. Nakamura regained control with an enzeguiri and the pace of the match picked up after a methodical start. Nakamura hit Roode with a perfect T-bone exploder suplex.
Nakamura smelt blood and positioned himself for the Kinshasa, but Roode seemed dead as a possum at this point. Roode rolled Nakamura just as he came to pick up him for the two-count. Nakamura went on a full-on brutal onslaught on Roode with a barrage of kicks and knees.
Nakamura looked to lock in an armbar but Roode had his fingers locked. Nakamura turned it into a triangle lock instead but Roode lifted him up. Nakamura broke free and hit a sliding knee for another near fall. This match was reaching its crescendo at this point.
Nakamura hit a knee to the heart from the top rope and onto the apron as he crashed outside. Nakamura was favouring his knee as he rolled Roode back into the ring. Nakamura nailed Roode with a Kinshasa but it looked like Nakamura injured his knee. Roode looked out cold.
Nakamura crawled back into the ring and Roode immediately pounced on him and hit him with a beautiful DDT. Nakamura kicked out!!!
Roode had Nakamura in a Half Boston Crab. He slithered towards the ropes. Matt Bloom was also out now as Nakamura kicked Roode in the head and had him in a Triangle Hold. Nakamura's knee gave out as Roode hit another DDT. Roode pinned Nakamura! And just like that Roode became the new NXT Champion. A solid match to end what wasn’t the best Takeover special of all time, but still quite an entertaining and well-booked one. We have a Glorious Champion god damn it!
Result: Bobby Roode def. Shinsuke Nakamura via pinfall to became the new NXT Champion
Rating: 4/5
