WWE’s baby is back with another special after their very successful NXT Arrival event where we crowned a new NXT Champion, and where his new challenger came forth. With Paige winning the Divas title over on Raw, the NXT Women Championship belt is vacated, and two women are up against each other with the richest names in wrestling history. Does this wrestling event have what it takes to compete with other WWE Pay-Per-View events? Yes!
Was this event as damn good, or better than other WWE Product?s Yes!
Here is my recap/review of NXT Takeover. Please keep in mind that I will be rating matches on a scale of 1-5 and giving my thoughts on matches.
So, let’s do this!!! (Brock Lesnar Voice)
Single Match
Competitors: Adam Rose vs. Camacho
We open the first match of the night with Adam Rose going one-on-one with the “party pooper,” Camacho. The Bell rings and Camacho quickly goes for goes for a clothesline, but Rose ducks and then proceeds to dance around the ring. Camacho then catches him and starts beating on him with some heavy blows, meanwhile the crowd is humming Adam’s theme. Rose then begins to fight back, but Camacho nails him with a massive “Big Boot” that leaves the crowd quiet (What happened to the humming guys?); Camacho goes for the pin but only gets a two count.
The Crowd is now chanting “Party Time… All The Time” and at that moment it hit me, the whole NXT Crowd are nothing but a bunch of marks; which is a good thing, trust me. Rose fights back with a big kick and some punches, but with one good hit Camacho drops Rose and the crowd starts humming his theme again. Rose goes for an epic spine-buster and follows up with the Party foul for the 1,2,3.
The match overall was simple and well done, but I did want more from Rose,especially now that he is rolling with the big boys on Raw and Smackdown. It doesn’t change the fact for a short and simple match it was a good one.
Winner: Adam Rose
Rate: 3 out of 5
WWE NXT Tag Team Title Match
Competitors: Kalisto and El Local vs. The Ascension
Next we go to a Tag Team match where the WWE NXT Tag Team Champions Konnor and Viktor, The Ascension, are defending their titles against Kalisto and El Local.
This match was also very short, but unlike the last one very disappointing. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed the Ascension giving big uppercuts to Kalisto and El Local on their way out of the ring. I enjoyed the high spots of Konnor and El Local, especially when Kalisto nails an uppercut and a big takedown from the top to Konnor. El Local on the other hand, well, he should hit the gym more often. Look, he knows how to wrestle, I’m just saying, Ricardo Rodriguez (yes it’s really him) should start running more.
As always The Ascension were amazing. My big problem with them is that there is no real competitors for them to face. I mean, when was the last time we really saw The Ascension feuding with another team that we actually thought, “They might lose their titles.” It ends as expected when Konnor tags in by Viktor after hitting a STO on Local. Once both men were in the ring we knew that if Kalisto is out cold ringside and The Ascension is in the ring with one person, there is only going to be one thing happening and that is “The Fall of Man.” Konnor covers Local for the win.
NXT please look for a good team that will shake up The Ascension. I’m kind of tried of them winning all the time, but maybe that’s just me.
Winner: The Ascension
Rate: 3 out of 5
#1 Contender’s Match
Competitors: Sami Zayn vs. Tyler Breeze
This is when the show start’s getting good. Of course Sami Zayn comes out to a massive pop of “ole!” (Marks much?) with Tyler Breeze coming out looking the super model role that he thinks he is. The winner of the match becomes the #1 Contender for the NXT title, so it’s a big one for these two.
Both of these guys deserve to be in the main roster, not sure about Tyler with the current gimmick though. After some posturing around the ring Zayn manages to springboard up and moonsaults onto Breeze whom he laid out nailing a big cross body on Breeze. Sadly ,when Zayn pins him it was only nets him a 2 count. There was one moment during the match in which I’m almost certain Zayn botched his moves. Either way the outcome was good and hopefully in the near future we can see him wrestle a little cleaner.
Breeze really looked good during the match. I enjoyed watching him deliver a big sit-down power bomb on Zayn. In fact, it was so good that the whole crowd began chanting “This Is Awesome”, and it really was. Watching both men gave me renewed faith in the future of wrestling in the WWE. It also left me in a shock of the winner, because I totally didn’t see it coming at all and I’m pretty sure I wasn’t the only one. In the last few minutes of the match, Sami runs the ropes and leaps out onto Breeze, knocking his head on the steel ramp (it was a brutal hit). The crowd chants “holy shit” and then “ole!” as Sami brings Breeze back in the ring but misses a “Helluva Kick “in the corner. It appears Sami got hit with an accidental low blow and that’s when Breeze takes advantage and nails the “Beauty Shot” for the win.
My mouth dropped, but I was clapping at the same time for the simple fact it was a very well done match and was easily one of the best matches of the night (for now). Congrats to Tyler Breeze for becoming the #1 Contender for the NXT title.
Winner: Tyler Breeze
Rate: 4.5 out of 5
Segment
Before I go on to the next match, I must mention this segment that happened right before the Women’s Match between Charlotte and Natalya. Lana comes out looking great as she always does, followed next by Rusev with a big Russian flag. Once in the ring, Lana takes the mic and cuts a promo about how Russia has expanded over Europe to become the next super-power tying it to how Rusev has expanded over RAW and SmackDown (very well done). Lana mentions Russian President Vladimir Putin and we see him on the big screen.
She soon says “Raise,” to Rusev and once that happens Mojo Rawley’s music hits and out he comes with the American Flag. Mojo cuts his own promo, but it’s what comes next that I loved. He rushes to the ring and as soon as he’s in Rusev just hits him with a super kick and just beats the holy hell out of him. For some reason, I couldn’t stop laughing, because it made Rusev look even stronger and it was pretty much out of nowhere. Better luck next time Mojo, and please add some more moves to your move set.
Vacant NXT Women’s Title Match:
Competitors: Charlotte vs. Natalya
I’ve have been waiting all night for this match, not only because my favorite wrestler in the world was going to be apart of it, but her daughter will be the one in the ring going up against one of the most talented women wrestlers of our time, with her uncle “The Best There Is, the Best There Was, the Best There Ever Will Be” by her side.
This match, in my opinion, was the match of the night. I mean, I was on the edge of my seat cheering for both of these women, with both giving us possibly the best women’s wrestling match of 2014 so far. I will be so bold and say it’s one of the top women matches in WWE in the past 10 years (Bold, I know). The best part of it is we had two of the biggest names in wrestling cheering for them too.
Both of these women were evenly match, going back and forth with submissions that made you will think you were watching an Olympic style-wrestling match. We also had some heavy blows and chops that would make Ric Flair dance around the ring and yell “Woooooo.”
There were many memorable exchanges in the match, such as Natalya going for the “Sharpshooter” and it locking it in, Charlotte crawling to the ropes in front of Flair, but Natalya pulling her back into the middle of the ring. But it’s when Charlotte counters and goes for the “Figure Four”that the crowd really starts responding, saying “Woooo”. This match was so good the crowd was chanting, “This is Awesome.” In all seriousness, when was the last time you remember watching a women’s wrestling match in WWE and hearing the crowd chanting like that?
In the ending of the match we see Charlotte doing a big “Woooooo,” looks at Bret Hart and applies a “Sharpshooter” on Natalya. Natalya crawls for the rope, but Charlotte pulls her back. Natalya rolls through and goes for a “Sharpshooter”, but Charlotte kicks her off and hits her with her finisher and pins her for the 1,2,3!!!!
Natalya, I would like to say thank you for really putting your best work out there, we as fans truly believe that you gave your heart in that ring tonight.
Congrats to Charlotte, not only on being our new NXT Women’s Champion, but for possibly delivering one of the best women’s matches this year. You’re also a Flair, and you really show that Flair’s get all the gold.
Winner: Charlotte And New Women Champion
Rate: 5 out of 5
WWE NXT Title Match
Competitors: Tyson Kidd vs. Adrian Neville
Lastly, we go to the main event and by this point the crowd is dead after from witnessing that last amazing match. Out comes Tyson Kidd getting a decent reaction from the crowd, but next comes our NXT Champion Adrian Neville and we see the crowd wake up giving him a massive Pop!
The match was really good, but the crowd seemed really spent vocally. After some back-and-forth, Neville climbs up for a superplex, but Kidd fights him and goes for the powerbomb from the top. Neville manages to jump off and does a massive backflip that he lands on his feet )impressive!). Later, Kidd goes in with a kick to the head and follows with a dropkick to the head of Neville. It gets intense quick. Kidd goes for a suplex, but is blocked by Neville who goes for one of his own, but they both tumble over the top rope and out to the floor. At this point, I join with the crowd and start chanting “NXT,” as the finally begin to show signs of life.
Both men gave it their all, but in the end Neville runs back up and launches Kidd across the ring and nails his “Red Arrow.” He goes to pin Kidd and 1,2,3 … Neville wins and still is our NXT Champion.
After the match I found it cool how Neville went up to Kidd to thank him for a very well done match and offer to shake his hand. Kidd just looks at him and bumps him and walks away. Seems like were going to be having a rematch in the near future, maybe with Tyler Breeze joining in the feud.
Winner: Adrian Neville
Rate: 4.5 out of 5
What do you think of these matches? Love them, Hate them?
I am always excited to talk wrestling. WWE, TNA, ROH and even more indie goodness.
You can keep the conversation going by dropping me a message via twitter @Nando_Pov
You can watch NXT Takeover on WWE Network.
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