Written by Michael Vacchiano
The loaded and action-packed WrestleMania weekend begins with NXT Takeover at the Barclay’s Center in Brooklyn, New York. The card is featuring a quintet of highly-billed matches in which all championships are on the line. The 2-out-of-3 Falls main event, however, resulted from former NXT champion Tomasso Ciampa having to relinquish the belt due to a neck injury. His years-long feud with Johnny Gargano will not culminate as originally planned, but WWE has stepped up by giving the fans an excellent replacement in perennial favorite Adam Cole. The faith of the fans has always been rewarded when it comes to these Takeover events, and I don’t doubt that we’ll be treated to another excellent night of NXT brilliance. Let’s get to it…..
NXT Tag Team Championship: War Raiders (c) vs. Ricochet & Aleister Black
Hanson and Rowe made an amazing entrance complete with Viking guards and decked out in Norse warrior gear. The challengers, who earned this shot by winning the annual Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic tournament, were not intimidated in the least. Pulling double duty this WrestleMania weekend, Black and Ricochet were nonetheless ready to go out of the gate against the powerhouse War Raiders.
Nonstop action from bell to bell, this contest featured a plethora of great spots from all four men. The Dutch Destroyer and The One & Only even got the crowd riled up early with matching meditative sitdowns in the ring. Very cool. Rowe was surprisingly able to trade holds with Black throughout the match, and the two leveled each other with kicks, elbows and knee strikes. Hanson’s deceptive agility included a back handspring elbow that turned Ricochet inside out. Not to be outdone in playing the other’s game, Ricochet was able to miraculously hit Hanson with a stalling fall away slam! Yep, you read that right.
The finale commenced with all four men hitting dives to the outside, including the 300-plus pound Hanson landing a somersault cannonball from the top rope. The War Raiders double covered Ricochet after a Thor’s Hammer, but the pin got broken up by an Aleister double stop off the top turnbuckle. The challengers almost won the belts with an awesome Black Mass/Shooting Star Press combo, but it was not to be. After crashing on the 630, Ricochet became easy pickings for Rowe and Hanson who finished him with the Fallout for the 1-2-3.
The raucous crowd in attendance gave all four men standing ovations, especially as they showed respect to one another with post-match hugs and handshakes. The War Raiders then let their opponents have the ring to themselves as the fans heaped further praise on Black and Ricochet. The latter two were very emotional as they apparently took their final bows to the NXT universe. Great stuff.
Winners and still champions: War Raiders.
NXT North American Championship: Velveteen Dream (c) vs. Matt Riddle
The Original Bro made his way to the ring in a NY Yankee-style pinstripe baseball shirt and hat. Dream was not to be outdone with a grand and pompous intro, dressed like Lady Liberty and carried out by servants on a platform. The Brooklyn crowd was into both entrances big time, but was soon fairly split in whom they were rooting for.
The champ tried to utilize his flamboyant mind games early, but Riddle was not falling for it as he leaned on his MMA background to try and gain an early submission. Worming his way to the ropes on more than one occasion, the Purple One soon got the upper hand with some heelish tactics. Riddle got the advantage back and took control with his unorthodox mix of suplexs, strikes, and holds. Eventually, Dream went back on the offensive after “Hulk”-ing up much to the delight of the fans in attendance. Velveteen soon paid his usual homage to both Hogan and Macho by hitting some of their trademark moves.
He laid Riddle out with both his Dream DDT and rolling Death Valley Driver. Unfortunately for the champ, The Purple Rainmaker elbow was beautifully countered by Riddle into the Bromission, which almost resulted in a tap out. Velveteen also kicked out of Riddle’s impressive Floating Bro, a corkscrew moonsault maneuver off the top. In the end, Dream surprised everyone with a Bret Hart-style sleeper reversal of a second Bromission into a rollup for the pin and ending Riddle’s undefeated streak! But the former UFC fighter showed respect to the Dream with a post-match fist bump, in which the retaining champ humbly accepted.
Winner and still champion: Velveteen Dream
WWE United Kingdom Championship: Pete Dunne (c) vs. WALTER
These two no-nonsense European grapplers were not about the flash and grandiose as they made their ways to the ring with stone faces and locked eyes. Dunne has had an incredible 685-day reign as UK Champ, but he’s laser focused as he knows the Austrian powerhouse WALTER is probably his greatest challenge to date.
Obviously knowing he couldn’t match strength with his opponent, the Bruiserweight employed his quickness and technical ability early on. WALTER was easily able to counter by using his size advantage, and began to wear down the champ with clubbing shots and boots. Slams and suplexes were also aplenty, including a brutal throw onto the apron from the outside. The tenacious Dunne would not back down and unleashed every strike and aerial move in his arsenal to stop the big man, including enziguris and a nice-looking moonsault.
The match soon turned into a down-and-dirty fight towards the conclusion, including multiple submission holds by the champ complete with finger bending and snapping. OUCH! Not to be out-Dunne (see what I did there?), the massive WALTER showed off his agility with an impressive running dropkick and a top-rope splash attempt. The monstrous Austrian also obliterated his opponent’s chest with vicious open palm chops reminiscent of Japanese legends like Misawa and Kobashi. Dunne showed his strength by busting out some power moves, including his patented Bitter End finisher, but it was not enough. WALTER destroyed his opponent with a powerbomb off the top rope, launching him across the ring. One frog splash from the big man later, and the amazing 22-month title reign of the Bruiserweight…was Dunne.
Winner and new champion: WALTER
Fatal 4-Way Match for the NXT Women’s Championship: Shayna Baszler (c) vs. Kairi Sane vs. Io Shirai vs. Bianca Belair
The ladies from Japan were immediately thrown out of the ring by their opponents, as Baszler and Belair wanted to finish what they started at NXT’s last Takeover event. It was not one-on-one for long, however, as the Sky Pirates fought back with their trademark tandem teamwork (say that three times fast) for most of the remaining match up.
Baszler tried to slow things down with her methodical strikes and holds, but the fast-paced rules of the match did her no favors against her much quicker challengers. Belair would not bow down to the Queen of Spades and kept up with her in the brawling department. And yes, the EST of NXT broke out the hair whipping on more than one occasion. Sane and Shirai’s high-flying skills were on full display by hitting their opponents with dives to the outside and top rope feats of gravity defiance.
In the end, however, the Pirate Princess and the Queen of the Sky were forced to go against each other. Baszler felt the wrath of both Sane’s flying elbow drop and Shirai’s top rope moonsault, only to have their partner break up their respective pin attempt. The Japanese duo laid into each other with strikes, but were soon victimized by a Belair comeback. In a moment of freakish strength and athleticism, Beware the Hair torture racked both women en route to a double KOD! The champ ruined Belair’s moment of glory, however, by stopping the pin and locking her in the Kirifuda clutch. Half a minute or so later, Baszler got the tap out.
Winner and still champion: Shayna Baszler
Two-Out-of-Three Falls Match for the vacant NXT Championship: Johnny Gargano vs. Adam Cole
Even before the bell rang to signify the start of the match, the crowd immediately broke out into dueling chants for their respective favorite. Whether the people were wearing “Johnny Wrestling” t-shirts or supporters of the Undisputed Era, the fans were ready for an epic contest to see who would win the vacant title and become NXT’s first ever Triple Crown Champion.
Knowing the potential length of this main event bout, Gargano and Cole stuck to chain wrestling and rest holds for the first 10-plus minutes. Both men soon picked things up and delivered some of their usual big spots, including Johnny’s slingshot spear through the ropes and Cole’s ushigoroshi neckbreaker. After a few more reversals, Gargano ended up taking a Last Shot shining wizard, and Adam Cole “BAY-BAY!!” won the first fall.
The Undisputed Era leader immediately delivered a second one, but Gargano kicked out. For the next several minutes, Cole calmly positioned himself in the driver’s seat knowing that his opponent was in sudden death mode. Several more knee strikes and suplexes would not get the job done due to Johnny Wrestling’s intestinal fortitude. The underdog from the city of Cleveland fought back and was able to trap Cole in the Gargano Escape for the submission and second fall.
Now at the point of no return, both men laid into each other with every weapon in their arsenal. Gargano and Cole traded multiple strikes and enziguris, along with enough superkicks to crash a Young Bucks party. Adam hit another Last Shot, and nearly got the win after jumping off the top and planting Mr. Wrestling with a brutal Canadian Destroyer. In disbelief over not getting the pin, Cole then relied on distractions from his fellow Undisputed Era compatriots. The numbers game looked like enough for Cole to get the title, but Gargano would not stay down. After eliminating the outside interference, Gargano engaged in a final battle of superkicks with Cole. After another bout of reversals, he was finally able to lock in the Gargano Escape one final time. With no place left to go, and no one left to help, Cole had no choice but to tap out. Johnny Wrestling wins the big one!!!
Winner and new champion: Johnny Gargano
NXT once again delivered a fantastic event full of action and drama that can rival anything WWE does on their main roster shows. The quality in the ring never disappointed, and there was plenty of genuine emotion throughout.
Aleister Black and Ricochet both appeared to fittingly give their swansongs in a great tag title match.
The Velveteen Dream continues to prove why he may just be the best homegrown product of the NXT system, while newcomer WALTER emerged on the scene in spectacular fashion.
Baszler continued her dominance against the best women in NXT, but I’m wondering now who else will step up to challenge her. The elite tier of female wrestlers of the brand appear a bit slim at the moment, but the “new season” of WWE starts next week so there’s hope.
Finally, Johnny Gargano got (and more than earned) his moment in an awesome match for the NXT championship. Gargano’s wife Candice Le Rey as well as Ciampa (his on-screen nemesis but real life friend) came out to congratulate and embrace him and cap the night off in style with one great final shot to end the show.
Hats off to the NXT roster and backstage personnel for continuing the streak of memorable Takeover events. Sunday’s Showcase of the Immortals definitely has its work cut out for it.
Rating: 9 out of 10
