In the words of NXT announcer Alicia Taylor, “Let the War Games begin…”
At NXT Takeover: War Games III it’s ladies first with a last minute audible. It seems as tho Mia Yim has been pulled due to her injury caused from her ladder match with Io Shirai. Don’t get me wrong. I absolutely loved that match. But I just knew someone was going to get hurt in a match of that magnitude right before War Games. (I’m not sure how Cole is still in one piece, but I digress.) Happy for Kai, but absolutely bummed for Yim.
Regardless, the match kicks off with former best friends, Io Shirai against Candice LeRae – a match that previously stole the show at TakeOver: Toronto. “The Genius of the Sky” kicks it off with an early pair of 619s, (1238?) followed by the best springboard missile dropkick you will ever see. ( Just ask Mia Yim ) It’s all Io. Things get worse for LeRae as the EST of NXT makes her way to the cage for 2-on-1 advantage. Belair powerbombs Candice onto the side of the cage followed by a rope running dropkick from Io. Fortunately team captain Rhea Ripley makes her way into the ring with weapons aplenty much to the delight of the Chicago crowd. This truly is her brutality tonight. Rhea and Candice change the tone of the match with garbage can attacks and setting up chairs in the middle of the ring(s).
We knew they'd make history. But we didn't know it'd go down like THIS!
There is absolute carnage EVERYWHERE you look in the first-ever Women's #WarGames Match! #NXTTakeOver pic.twitter.com/sWHP2GuHty
— WWE (@WWE) November 24, 2019
Kay Lee Ray is up next with chairs in tow. Bonus points for faking out the fans by pretending to get a table. Rae hits a devastating DDT onto her opponent onto a chair. Next the ladies set up for a five person tower of doom onto the chairs, but Bel Air manages to stay on the top rope. The formerly “UnDEfeated” competitor hits a 450 splash for good measure.
As if things weren’t starting to get interesting enough, Dakota Kai is up next and absolutely snaps! She runs back into the cage and Lays out her teammate, Tegan Knox. (Dig the Captain Marvel attire) She absolutely goes bonkers on Tegan. The crowd loves it and I love it too. Mauro’s call is absolutely amazing during this and adds to the drama. Regal comes out with officials but Kai takes a shot at the NXT manager as well. There’s so many question marks popping up in this match right now, and it’s super fun.
Tegan is on dream street as the champ, Shayna Baszler, makes her way to the ring for the four on two advantage! To make matters worse the officials have ruled that War Games has officially started in this four on two scenario. Somehow our face team is still in this. Rhea locks in one of the best submission moves you’ll ever see in the corner, but our NXT women’s champ locks in a submission in the opposite corner. No one taps just yet, but it’s time to beware the hair as Belair whips Ripley around the ring. Candice retaliates with several kendo stick shots!
Next up is the spot I’ve been waiting for. Fave, Io Shirai begins to climb the cage. But Lerae and Kaylee follow her up. LeRae hits an avalanche reverse-rana off the rop rope. I haven’t seen her hit that since the indies so I’m already thrilled. The icing on the cake is an absolutely stellar moonsault off the top of the cage from the genius of the sky. I honestly think Io could’ve landed on her feet if she wanted to. In the other ring, Baszler locks in the Kirafuda Clutch on Ripley. Ripley somehow escapes and handcuffs herself to the Baszler and hits the Rip-cord onto two chairs to pin the NXT Women’s Champion! I’m shocked out the out comes but love the momentum for Ripley!
We knew they'd make history. But we didn't know it'd go down like THIS!
There is absolute carnage EVERYWHERE you look in the first-ever Women's #WarGames Match! #NXTTakeOver pic.twitter.com/sWHP2GuHty
— WWE (@WWE) November 24, 2019
Next up at NXT Takeover: War Games III is the triple threat match between Killian Dane, Pete Dunne, and Damian Priest and this is the right spot for it. I’ll be honest. I haven’t been very interested in this feud but as always in the ring work will do the talking. The number one contender spot being up for grabs in this one adds some excitement. Lots of back and forth early. Dain slams Dunn while essentially sitting down onto Priest’s face. Ouch. Dain continues to display his power by carrying and slamming both of his opponents on the outside. More big spots on the outside include Priest slamming (Razor’s Edge) Dunn onto the announce table, and Dain with a flipping cannonball through Dunn on the barrier. Priest even hits a razor’s edge onto the much heavier Dain for the nearfall. Priest hits a dive to the outside followed by a top rope moonsault to the outside by Dunne. Maybe it’s because of the double ring or something like that, but I have to acknowledge that A LOT of this match is taking place outside of the ring.
Dunne locks in a submission on Priest, and I’m almost positive I saw Priest tap for a quick second. Dain breaks it up and lays out both opponents with a rolling cannonball in the corner. Somehow Dunn hits a Bitter End on Dain for the nearfall. Priest hits the reckoning for a near fall of his own, but it’s broken up. Again, lots of back and forth here but I honestly feel this match is going way too long for this particular card. A lot of repeat moves as well. Dunn hits a superplex on Dain somehow, and a Bitter End on Priest. Again, Dain breaks it up. The safe money was on Dunn on this one, and he takes it after a sleeper hold onto Dain while Dain drops himself and Dunn onto Priest. Priest takes advantage for the win. A bit confused how Dain kind of rolled out of the ring here. I guess from the affects of the sleeper hold. Glad to see Dunn pull out the win here, but not my favorite match of the night.
I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t bummed that Johnny Gargano isn’t at NXT Takeover: War Games III for this match. Moving Riddle to the spot against Balor was the right move. Next man up, and I think Riddle could be the NXT Champion in the near future. As I said many times in the past he’s one guy who has finally won me over after I’ve been very hard on him early on. As expected lots of mat wrestling and reversals early. Very slow drawn out opening to this one, which just means the rest of the match is gonna be a highlight real.
The pace eventually picks up and Riddle gets a majority of the offense with a Rip-cord Knee, Bro-ton, and spear just to name a few highlights. Riddle goes for the JackHammer which he’s slowly worked into his arsenal since feuding online and in conversation with Goldberg. Balor finally answers with a 1916. Riddle kicks out and hits a bro to sleep followed by a flying bro moonsault. This match has become like my autograph collection – nothing but signatures. And I love it. Balor hits a corner dropkick and heads up top for the Coupe De Grace but misses. Riddle locks in the Bromission but Balor escapes. Riddle stays on his opponent but out of nowhere Balor hits a 1916 DDT for the win! I understand Balor getting the win on this one, but I really thought this was an important match for Riddle to win. Also, this match should have gotten the time that Dain, Priest, and Dunn got. Still a solid match.
It’s time for our main event at NXT Takeover: War Games III and time to FINALLY find out who the fourth member of our face time is. I have some theories, but it doesn’t look like we’re going to find out just yet. I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Tomasso Ciampa’s entrance mask and the face paint. I dig both. Ciampa marches right down the ring without any discussion with his signature crutch in tow. As I expected, Roderick Strong starts the match for the Undisputed Era. Nothing crazy early which convinces me something really big is coming.
Eventually Kyle O’Reilly gets to the double cage and the numbers game takes effect. Finally, Dominic Dijakovic evens the odds. Lots of fighting between the ropes and the cage. Bobby Fish enters the ring next as expected. Let’s face it. Adam Cole has a lot on his plate and is banged up with a wrist injury. Met him a couple weeks back and he said in good humor that there were good days and bad days, but they keep making him wrestle!
I know that he doesn’t mind because he has been embracing his role in NXT and the brand invasions. I’m just glad he didn’t get hurt in the ladder match and I hope we don’t see him on the shelf anytime soon. I digress. The match is now three on two and spread throughout the ring. The strange thing is that there hasn’t been really any big spots just yet. That all changes when Keith Lee runs to the ring and double frog leaps two opponents before double cross body- ing them. As Mauro puts it, “Is this Keith Lee or Bruce Lee?” It takes all three members of the UE to stop Lee. Finally, Adam Cole makes his way to the ring and finally gives the fans the tables they’ve been waiting for all night! In fact the tables keep coming as Cole hasn’t even entered the ring yet. The live crowd is loving it and so am I.
As Cole finally tries to enter the ring Ciampa pushes out the cage door and through a….. yup, you guessed it … table! This is brilliant and a great way to bench Cole for the time being. (Again, I worry) Missed opportunity for Ciampa to do that self pat on the back thing while sitting on the ring steps. Finally all seven active members of the match are in the ring a classic War Games standoff before all hell breaks lose. Finally it’s time for our surprise and as many have anticipated, non other than Kevin Owens returns to the NXT ring as the final member of the War Games Match.
Great job by the Chicago crowd with the “Welcome Back” Chants. KO almost ends it with a stunner to Adam Cole for a nearfall. Lee impresses again with a diving cross body on nearly everyone from the UE. Dijovak follows with an impressive springboard moonsault. Owens nearly wins it again with a frog splash before Cole breaks it up. Strong lives up to his name as he hits an incredibly impressive Angle Slam on Kieth Lee off the top. Ciampa takes over and begins to hit more running knees than I’ve ever seen before.
Team captains Ciampa and Cole fight in the top corner of the cage as Cole climbs to the top of the cage in a very surprising turn of events. Meanwhile Owens hits a frogsplash on O’Reilly while Lee slams Fish through another table. No pins afterwards, but Cole and Ciampa battle at the top of the cage! There’s no fear in Ciampa as he hits a white noise type manuever off the top of the cage through two tables. Love the spot but why are we trying to kill Adam Cole? The look on Britt Baker’s face says it all, and very interesting that the camera’s focused on her might I add. Mauro even references Adam Cole’s girlfriend to my surprise. Regardless, great ending and great spot to end the night.
NXT Takeover: War Games III itself was short and sweet. I would’ve given Riddle/Finn more time and taken some focus off of the triple threat match. Both War Games matches were fun. NXT should’ve added some pyro (if allowed by the venue) and a live band for good measure. Usually we see a little more flare in NXT PPV entrances as well. I enjoyed this one but definitely not on par with TakeOvers of recent months.Something tells me they’re keeping a lot more surprises for the black and yellow brand in the back pocket for Survivor Series.
NXT Takeover: War Games III is now streaming on the WWE Network.
THIS IS WAR. #NXTTakeOver #WarGames @AdamColePro @NXTCiampa pic.twitter.com/huX7GjfgET
— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) November 24, 2019
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