Wow! That's really all I can say about last night's show. Once again, Takeover has hit it out of the park! I don't want to be one of those people that says, "top that, SummerSlam!" I just want to emphasize how much I enjoyed this show and how Takeover has never disappointed me. While some of it was predictable, that isn't always a bad thing. Each match was great and I think the pacing and match placement was perfect. We had some Title changes and all around great entertainment, even an appearance by the latest signee to NXT, Matt Riddle. I guess I'll get to it!
NXT Tag Team Titles - Undisputed Era vs. Mustache Mountain
I couldn't think of a better match to start this show. As we've seen at the UK Championship Special and on NXT television, these two teams provide fantastic matches. Even though many people assumed the Undisputed Era would retain, there were so many times during this match that I thought we'd all be wrong. I'd also like to point out the amazing story telling, that adds so much more to the match. The spot with Trent Seven possibly throwing in the towel over concern for his partner's well being took us all back to their last encounter when Tyler Bate did that actual task. Seven throwing it into the crowd instead and going on with the match was a great moment. The action was non-stop and the things that Roderick Strong and Kyle O'Reilly did were nothing short of amazing. This was the perfect opener. Not only that, but after the match, we saw the War Raiders enter the ring and obliterate the Undisputed Era, staking their claim to a future shot at the NXT Tag Team Titles.
The Velveteen Dream vs. EC3
It shows how good Takeover is when a match like this is considered number five out of the five matches on this card. Don't get me wrong because this match was very good. But, everything on this card was fantastic so it's simply nitpicking. I didn't find a fault in the match but it comes in last when rating how good the other matches were. As I'm sure many of you noticed, the Dream had the words "Call me up Vince" on the back of his tights. It was meant to stir the pot but ultimately he was not actually referring to Vince McMahon like many assumed. Honestly, the last thing The Velveteen Dream needs is to be called up to the main roster and promptly ruined. The man is only 22 years old and if he's this good now, both in and out of the ring, think of how much better he'll be when he's older. I think he needs to stay there until 2020, especially now that there is a mid-card Championship to go for in NXT. Before I get carried away, EC3 is certainly no slouch and brought his A game, but it just wasn't his night. EC3 will be a big deal in NXT as time goes by and I'm sure he will on Raw or Smackdown at some point as well. They're both at that point where they deserve separate matches showcased on the Takeover shows. Either one against Keith Lee would be great, for instance.
NXT North American Title - Adam Cole vs. Ricochet
This match was simply bonkers! I had been thinking about where this match would end up on the card and thought it was here because everyone knew it would be great; therefore, it would not be smart to put it right before the main event. I knew these two would create magic in the ring. I went back and forth on my pick for the winner before the show. I originally had Ricochet but changed it because I thought they could extend it a little more. I'm not upset one bit that Ricochet is the new NXT North American Champion. That spot where Ricochet was caught mid-air with a super kick to the head was outstanding! It was all action and both men gave us something special last night. I'm predicting a War Games match featuring the Undisputed Era against Ricochet and the War Raiders at the next Takeover. What a match!
NXT Women's Title - Shayna Baszler vs. Kairi Sane
I think a lot of people were sleeping on this match before it began. You can see the development in both women since their encounter at the Mae Young Classic almost a year ago, especially Shayna! I was completely wrong on my pick, as I thought Kairi would get it done at the upcoming Evolution PPV in October. This was another match that contained great story telling and Kairi's selling of her leg injury was great. The Pirate Princess went deep down to find that killer instinct that Shayna said she didn't have, fought back, and won the day. It makes one think now about where they go next with the Queen of Spades. Will she execute her rematch on NXT TV or Takeover: War Games, or will she find herself on Raw or Smackdown? With the next Mae Young Classic coming up, along with the current state of the NXT women's division, there will be plenty of competition for Kairi so losing Shayna won't be too bad of a blow to NXT. The growth Shayna has gone through, both in the ring and as a character, has been fun to watch. She is a great heel and plays the bully character to a tee! Congratulations to both women, but especially to our new NXT Women's Champion, Kairi Sane!
NXT Title Last Man Standing Match - Tomasso Ciampa vs. Johnny Gargano
Where do I even begin with this one? Just when you thought we've seen everything from these two, they surprised us once again and it didn't even matter that this was their third Takeover singles encounter this year. Not only was the action incredible and often hard to watch, but the story telling again was amazing. I had a feeling Ciampa would retain, especially because he just won the Title last month, but did not see the end coming. What I mean by that is once again, Gargano beat himself. He was so caught up in emotion that he lost the match. He already had Ciampa down, and even handcuffed but he just had to go the extra mile. Gargano went too far over that it cost him dearly. I love the story because now we're at that point where he must find Johnny Wrestling once again. Clearly, he's become what he hated, driven mad by Ciampa, who is laughing it up. Though I don't see this as their last encounter, I think they'll be separated for a while. Ciampa will defend against someone else at War Games while Aleister Black goes after his mystery attacker, leading to Black getting his one on one rematch with Ciampa at Takeover in January. Then for WrestleMania weekend, have Gargano finally defeat Ciampa and win the Title. Have their last match go down at Takeover: Chicago III, two years after DIY exploded. This match was absolutely insane and for the right reasons. Good job to all who are involved in NXT. I'm not trying to shit on SummerSlam, which hasn't even aired yet. I'm simply emphasizing how much I love NXT, Takeover, and what these men and women bring to the table.
If you have any further thoughts on this topic, let me know in comments. Heck, let us all know on The WAR Report podcast, every Tuesday at 7PM EST on YouTube, brought to you by tagmeadate.com, the first and only dating site for wrestling fans. Go to askthewarreport@gmail.com or #askthewarreport. For TagMeADate members, our Android and Apple apps are vastly approaching so stay tuned!
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