NXT
Date: September 14, 2021
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Beth Phoenix, Vic Joseph, Wade Barrett

We have arrived as it is time for the all new NXT, featuring a lot of the same people and whatever angles need to be wrapped up. I’m almost terrified of what this is going to include as the usual suspects from Raw are in charge. We have a wedding and a vacant World Title to fill though so let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

We open with a quick recap of Samoa Joe vacating the NXT Title and the setup of the four way for the vacant championship.

Tommaso Ciampa doesn’t care which NXT it is because he’ll be champion.

Pete Dunne thinks it is time for a Bruiserweight Champion.

Kyle O’Reilly is ready to achieve a goal sixteen years in the making.

LA Knight knows Samoa Joe was scared of him and now three men are stuck in the same spot. Someone named Bron Breaker (better known as Bronson Rechsteiner) comes up to Knight and says he wants a chance to prove himself. Knight tells him to go out there and take a beating in a few minutes.

The arena and set are far brighter and the setup makes it look FAR bigger. The seats wrap around the ring for a unique look. It’s actually quite the improvement.

LA Knight vs. Bron Breaker

Breaker shoulders and clotheslines Knight down and some suplexes have Knight in the corner. Commentary says Breaker has a Dog Faced Gremlin mentality for the first Steiner reference. Knight is back with a clothesline and the jumping neckbreaker out of the corner puts Breaker in more trouble. Some running shoulders have Knight back in trouble as we hear about Breaker’s resume. Not his family history or anything, but he did play football. Knight gets gorilla pressed into a powerslam for the clean pin at 3:42.

Rating: C-. So I guess they’re starting with the rapid fire changes, as Breaker is suddenly thrown right into the spotlight. I’m still stunned that they didn’t directly say he’s a Steiner, but I guess that might be too much pressure? Either way, quite the surprise for the first match, but it doesn’t do Knight much good.

Post break, Breaker gets congratulated by a bunch of unnamed wrestlers.

Imperium vs. Brooks Jensen/Josh Briggs

Jensen powerslams Aichner to start so it’s off to Barthel, who grabs an armbar on Briggs. That’s fine with Briggs, who powers his way out in a hurry. Barthel strikes away but can’t get in a suplex. Instead he hits a running kick to the chest but Briggs tosses him away without much effort. It’s back to Jensen to clean house but Briggs gets knocked outside. The Imperial Bomb finishes Jensen at 3:18.

Rating: C. I can go for some new names being showcased, but I could go for less of Imperium. They have every bit of the in-ring acumen but egads they are incredibly dry. I know that’s kind of the point, though it doesn’t make things much better. Briggs continues to have something there, but it hasn’t quite broken out yet.

Hit Row talks about how fabulous B Fab really is. She has trained with the best and now she is ready for her win.

B Fab vs. Katrina Cortez

Fab kicks her away and shrugs off Cortez’s comeback. A big kick to the face in the corner rocks Cortez and it’s a neckbreaker for the pin at 1:14. They weren’t out there very long and didn’t look great while they were.

B Fab doesn’t think much of Elektra Lopez getting involved in their business so here is Legado del Fantasma to interrupt. Lopez and B Fab insult each other with various threats…and we’re just done with that.

Odyssey Jones and Cameron Grimes are trying to cheer up Johnny Gargano when Austin Theory returns. He even has a surprise: you can’t have a wedding without a priest, so here is DAMIAN Priest to say the bar must be open. Grimes has the drinks covered and Theory and Gargano hug. The matching Dexter Lumis costumes help a lot.

Here is Carmelo Hayes, with Trick Williams (whoever that is) for a chat. After a break, Hayes talks about winning the Breakout Tournament three weeks ago. You aren’t going to catch him off guard again so he called Williams, who insisted he was bout it bout it. Now Williams is going to be everywhere Hayes goes because he has the gift of the gab and the gift of the jab. Hayes is great, but Williams has a bone to pick with him. Williams describes being bout it bout it and Hayes says it is hard to be good and humble. When he shoots he doesn’t miss, but if he chooses to pass, Williams will see it.

Duke Hudson comes out for his match and says Hayes got lucky in the Breakout Tournament. Williams comes in and hits a cyclone boot to Hudson’s face. The beating is on and Hayes joins in. Some double teaming leaves Hudson laying. I have no idea what they said or what this was supposed to be.

Gigi Dolin and Jayce Jane compliment the NEW Mandy Rose, whose face we don’t see.

Kayden Carter/Kacy Catanzaro vs. Gigi Dolin/Jayce Jane

It’s a brawl to start with Catanzaro dropkicking Jane to the floor so Carter can run Dolin over. A double arm crank has Dolin in trouble as we go split screen to see Pete Dunne and Ridge Holland taking out Kyle O’Reilly. Dolin gets armdragged into the corner for the tag to Jane. That’s fine with Carter, who hits her in the face from the apron. The 450/neckbreaker combination is loaded up but Mandy Rose, in a hoodie, comes in for the DQ at 1:57.

Post match the beatdown is on and Mandy is….a brunette. Sarray comes in for the save and clears the ring in a hurry.

Sarray/Kayden Carter/Kacy Catanzaro vs. Gigi Dolin/Jayce Jane/Mandy Rose

We’re joined in progress with Sarray hitting a missile dropkick on Dolin and a fisherman’s suplex gets two. It’s off to Carter for a dropkick into a backsplash and Catanzaro comes in, only to fall for a distractions o she gets caught in the wrong corner. Mandy forearms her in the back and hits a slam for two.

A bodyscissors sets up a suplex for two and it’s back to Jane to keep Kacy in trouble. Not that it matters as Kacy slips through some legs and brings in Carter to clean house. The basement superkicks drops Jane and everything breaks down. That means the Rose vs. Sarray showdown until Carter superkicks Mandy for two. Rose is back up with a jumping knee to Carter’s face for the pin at 6:12.

Rating: C-. So that happened, as Blonde Bombshell Mandy Rose is now Evil Brunette Bombshell Mandy Rose. I don’t know how much of a difference that makes but I’m kind of digging the heel trio. There is something there, though it might need a bit more of an explanation of what it actually is.

The bridal party is getting ready.

William Regal announces that O’Reilly is out of the way and…..Von Wagoner will take his place. You’re not supposed to know who that is.

Ridge Holland vs. Drake Maverick

Holland throws him around to start and runs him over with ease. Some forearms across the face keep Maverick down and more forearms keep up the pain. Northern Grit finishes Maverick at 1:48. Total squash.

Tommaso Ciampa talks about how everyone is coming for the title and that is why we are here. It has been 908 days since he held Goldie and tonight he gets his redemption.

Tony Dangerfield is a former All American Greco Roman wrestler and he’s coming to nXT.

Creed Brothers vs. ???//???

Brutus starts fast and shoves one of them over the top and out to the floor. Back in and Brutus drives them into the corner and Julius comes in sans tag. After the double teaming, Brutus plants the first one again before a slap brings Julius back in for a suplex. Julius makes one opponent tag the other and a dropkick just fires Julius up. A spinebuster plants the first one and a basement clothesline is good for the pin at 2:50. Total dominance and they have something with the Creed Brothers.

Post match Malcolm Bivens brags about the Diamond Mine’s success and introduces the newest member of the team: Ivy Nile. She’s in great shape and hasn’t had a carb in sixteen years. Cue Kushida to say he is ready for Roderick Strong and the Cruiserweight Title match is set for next week.

NXT Title: Von Wagoner vs. Pete Dunne vs. LA Knight vs. Tommaso Ciampa

One fall for the vacant title. It’s a big brawl to star with Wagoner clearing most of the ring until Knight gets to clean house. Dunne is back in to work on Wagoner’s arm and it’s time for the showdown with Ciampa. That means an armbar into a stomp to Ciampa’s arm until Knight breaks that up. A clothesline sends Knight outside though and the brawl is on again. Wagoner comes in and cleans house as we take a break.

Back with the brawling continuing with Ciampa hitting the running strikes in the corner. The double clothesline takes down Dunne and Knight but Wagoner blocks the Fairy Tale Ending. Knight scores with Blunt Force Trauma for two. Another one sends Dunne outside but Ciampa scores with Willow’s Bell for two, as Dunne makes another save. Ciampa hits the running corkscrew dive onto everyone else and is the only one left standing. Back in and Dunne snaps Ciampa’s fingers, setting up the Bitter End. Knight tries to steal the pin but Wagoner cuts him off with an Angle Slam for a very close two.

Dunne and Ciampa take Wagoner and Knight out and the big slugout is on. A German suplex sends Ciampa outside and Dunne goes up top, only to have Knight grab a top rope superplex to bring him back down. Wagoner hits a double underhook slam for two on Knight with Ciampa making the save. The Fairy Tale Ending to Knight gives Ciampa the title back at 10:36.

Rating: B. This was all action and that’s what you need for the title match. It didn’t feel like an epic title win, but Ciampa is about as solid of a choice for the title as you can have. I was convinced that Wagoner was actually going to get the title, but at least they went with something that made sense. There are all kinds of ways to go for the first title feud too so this is a safe and smart choice.

Ciampa is rather happy to have won the title.

Video on Indi Hartwell and Dexter Lumis’ road to the altar.

It’s time for the wedding, with wrestlers in the wedding party. Indi Hartwell comes to the ring and Johnny Gargano gives her away, though only after he lists off his resume. Gargano asks if Austin Theory has the rings, with Theory saying they’re in a ring. Ikemen Jiro has rings, inside his jacket of course. We get up to “speak now” and Dexter threatens anyone who says something with an ax.

Indi reads her vows to Dexter, whose middle name is Gaylord. She says he is misunderstood and is glad that he’s a freak. Lumis has to cut her off from a story about sneaking into her bed one night, with Gargano and Candice LeRae freaking out. Indi: “Dexter, you never lose a staring contest.” Lumis’ vow is a thumbs up, with the minister being confused about what is going on. That earns the minister a Silencer so there is no one to finish this.

The fans want William Regal….but Beth Phoenix jumps in the ring because she knew this would happen. That’s why she became an ordained minister last night so she can handle things. Beth wants to cut to the chase, which draws up Andre Chase….who is taken out by Odyssey Jones. With that out of the way, Beth says her thing, making sure to say that any death doing them parting is hopefully not ax related. Indi says she does and Dexter….actually says I DO (Candice’s shocked face is great). After the kiss, they pose together and no major shenanigans ensue.

Tommaso Ciampa is watching in the back when Bron Breaker comes up to say congratulations. A tense staredown ends the show.

Overall Rating: C-. I have no idea what to think of this show and I don’t think NXT knows what they were thinking with it either. We’ll start with the good: the new look makes it feel like a much better show as they leave behind the cramped atmosphere. There were also fresh faces, which makes things seem like it is a brand new production. The wrestling wasn’t bad either, with the title match being well put together.

The problem comes in two parts: who are these people and why are they here? There was no explanation from William Regal, no storyline explanation and really nothing at all about WHY this was the new NXT. We know that it is because they kept talking about it, but we were never told why it was happening. There are all of these new faces running around too, making for a rather confusing show at times. It isn’t bad and it was the start, but dang I do not have any confidence in this show at the moment.

Results
Bron Breaker b. LA Knight – Gorilla press powerslam
Imperium b. Brooks Jensen/Josh Briggs – Imperium Bomb to Jensen
B Fab b. Katrina Cortez – Neckbreaker
Kacy Catanzaro/Kayden Carter b. Jayce Jane/Gigi Dolin via DQ when Mandy Rose interfered
Mandy Rose/Gigi Dolin/Jayce Jane b. Kacy Catanzaro/Kayden Carter/Sarray – Running knee to Carter
Ridge Holland b. Drake Maverick – Northern Grit
Creed Brothers b. ???/??? – Basement clothesline to ???
Tommaso Ciampa b. LA Knight, Pete Dunne and Von Wagoner – Fairy Tale Ending to Knight

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NXT
Date: August 31, 2021
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Beth Phoenix, Wade Barrett, Vic Joseph

The changes continue around here as we are marching towards the new version of NXT. I still have no idea what that means and I’m not sure I want to. Then again it might be for the best, as NXT has not exactly been at its most thrilling for a long time now. There are a few matches set in advance this week so let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Mandy Rose vs. Sarray

Gigi Dolin and Jacy Jayne are here with Rose. Mandy takes her down to start and rubs her face in the mat, setting up some pushups on Sarray’s back. Sarray is back up with a dropkick and a kind of nasty looking fisherman’s suplex for two. A top rope twisting splash misses for Sarray and we hit the quickly broken chinlock.

Rose grabs a fall away slam into a nip up and it’s off to something like an abdominal stretch. That’s broken up as well and Sarray starts the striking. The running dropkick sets up the running dropkick in the ropes to send Mandy outside. Jayne and Dolin immediately cover her face up and get her to the back for the countout at 7:39.

Rating: C. This was completely acceptable as Mandy is doing a much more old school heel thing in the ring. There is no point in trying to have her be some kind of a moves person and thankfully NXT gets that. Let her go out there, be the heel she can be so easily and use some old school tactics to get heat. It works well for her, and in a place where everything is about going a hundred miles an hour, it makes her stand out that much more.

Tommaso Ciampa is ready to hurt Pete Dunne and Ridge Holland. He isn’t going to cry over spilled milk and a motivated Ciampa is a scary Ciampa.

Duke Hudson vs. Kyle O’Reilly

O’Reilly’s ribs are heavily taped so Hudson goes after the obvious target in a hurry. A heel hook is blocked and Hudson blasts him with a right hand to the ribs. O’Reilly can’t grab an abdominal stretch and it’s a hiptoss to take him down. Hudson even mocks the air guitar, which is a bit better than Hogan’s. A fireman’s carry gutbuster drops O’Reilly and we take a break.

Back with Hudson staying on the ribs and cutting off an O’Reilly comeback attempt. O’Reilly gets smart by kicking at the legs before spinning into a guillotine choke to put Hudson in trouble. It’s broken up with straight power, so O’Reilly grabs a hanging dragon screw legwhip. The top rope knee to Hudson’s knee sets up the heel hook for the tap at 11:52.

Rating: B-. They had a good, back and forth match here but the key was to not have things get too complicated. Hudson is still very much a work in progress so it was a smart move to let him get in there with someone who can walk him through a match. O’Reilly gets a come from behind win, Hudson gets his feet wet against better competition and we move on after a good use of both guys.

We look at Dexter Lumis and Indi Hartwell’s engagement.

Beth Phoenix is VERY excited about the wedding but Wade Barrett throws away his In-Dex shirt.

Here is the very banged up and limping Ilja Dragunov to talk about how he went through a war with Walter. He survived against the Ring General and is ready for whatever comes at him. The fans don’t want him to go and wants to know who is willing to come after the title. Long live the Czar.

Kay Lee Ray says the NXT women’s division needs a boost and that is why William Regal…..and the interviewer cuts her off to ask about various women in NXT. Ray isn’t worried about Io Shirai or Ember Moon and she is coming to take over the division.

Carmelo Hayes is considering his options for the title match but Elektra Lopez comes in to say the North American Title is for Santos Escobar. Cue Legado del Fantasma to seemingly offer some threats.

Imperium vs. Grayson Waller/Drake Maverick

Before the match, Maverick looks worried but Waller says Imperium is just annoyed at having to carry Walter’s bags. Waller is taken into the corner to start and it’s time to hammer away. Barthel adds some loud kicks to the chest but Waller gets over to Maverick for the hot tag. Maverick loads up what looks to be a charge but Waller tags himself back in, leaving Maverick to be knocked outside. Maverick is sent into the lighting rig and Waller is kicked in the face. The Imperial Bomb finishes Waller at 3:04.

Rating: C-. More of the same from Imperium, meaning they had a competent squash which wasn’t going to hold my interest. These two are not exactly inspiring but do have all of the technical stuff down. It’s kind of a Dean Malenko vibe, but without the occasional big spots to spice it up a bit.

Indi Hartwell asks Johnny Gargano to give Dexter Lumis a chance. Lumis is standing near Gargano and gets to go to the ring with him.

Pete Dunne, Ridge Holland, Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch are ready to hurt Tommaso Ciampa.

Gigi Dolin and Jacy Jayne have attacked Sarray.

Johnny Gargano vs. LA Knight

Indi Hartwell and Dexter Lumis are here with Gargano. The fans are behind Gargano, Lumis and Hartwell here as Gargano and Knight fight for control on the mat. It’s too early for the Gargano Escape so Knight starts in on the arm and then elbows him in the face. Gargano sends him outside though and hits a suicide dive. Knight runs him over again though and, after some mocking of Lumis and Hartwell, drops Gargano to send us to a break.

Back with Knight missing a knee drop, allowing Gargano to hit a middle rope Downward Spiral. The slingshot spear drops Knight again but he’s back up with a pop up powerslam dropped backwards instead of forwards. Gargano doesn’t mind as he tries the Gargano Escape, which is quickly escaped. The One Final Beat is countered as well but Gargano lands on Lumis, who then moves him away from a charging Drake. Back in and Gargano reaches for Lumis, but walks into the BFT for the pin at 14:02.

Rating: C+. This was much more about the interactions and the character stuff with Gargano, as the fans’ reactions are getting interesting. Gargano is still popular, but all he has to do is give Lumis and Hartwell a sideways glare and fans can’t stand him all over again. The wedding actually has me curious and I would not have bet on that just a few weeks ago so nice job on setting things up.

Lumis knows he screwed up.

MSK goes in to see William Regal and wants Oney Lorcan/Danny Burch to have a Tag Team Title shot. Burch and Lorcan were stripped of the titles so Regal makes the match for next week.

Next week: Mei Ying’s in-ring debut.

Raquel Gonzalez vs. Jessi Kamea

Non-title and Robert Stone and Frankie Monet are here too. Kamea slips out of a suplex to start and manages to snap the leg over the top rope. A missed basement spinwheel kick lets Gonzalez dropkick her into the corner, setting up a powerbomb hot shot. The Chingona Bomb finishes Kamea at 2:42.

Ember Moon doesn’t like what Kay Lee Ray said and would be glad to face her next week.

We get a sitdown interview with Samoa Joe, who knows what it means to be champion. He hasn’t had time to rest because he has been in Las Vegas scouting NXT talent. Then he took a red eye flight back here because he needed to win the NXT Title. The precedent had to be set and now it is time to defend his title. If anyone wants something, come try and take it from him.

Roderick Strong vs. Ikemen Jiro

The Creed Brothers are now part of the Diamond Mine. Jiro is accepting an open challenge on Kushida’s behalf because Kushida is his hero. Strong starts strong by kicking Jiro down and sending him outside. A hiptoss sends Jiro into the steps and we hit the chinlock back inside. The seated abdominal stretch keeps Jiro in trouble but he fights up for some shots to the face. The slingshot springboard moonsault gives Jiro two but Strong knees him in the face. Back to back End of Heartaches finishes for Strong at 5:02.

Rating: C-. Total squash here and there is nothing wrong with that. Strong is in a holding pattern until Kushida gets back from whatever is wrong with him. Until then, just keep building Strong up and making him feel like the ultimate challenger. They can do a lot of work on the way to the title match and that seems to be the case.

Zoey Stark and Io Shirai are ready to defend their Tag Team Titles against Kayden Carter and Kacy Catanzaro. The champs aren’t really friends outside of the ring and it is going to catch up with them. Stark and Shirai don’t have much of a rebuttal.

Cameron Grimes, looking like his old self again, talks about how great it is to receive the Million Dollar Legacy. Cue the Grizzled Young Veterans to say that Grimes is the champion with a fake title, just like the one they have. Maybe next week he can be Universal Champion once he hits WWEshop.com. Grimes is impressed by the replica belt…and drops it on Zack Gibson’s foot. He throws in some money on his way to the moon.

Tommaso Ciampa vs. Ridge Holland

Oney Lorcan, Danny Burch and Pete Dunne are with Holland while Ciampa is alone. Ciampa headlocks him down but gets caught in a northern lights suplex. Not that it matters as Ciampa is back up with a running knee in the corner. Holland is taken outside for a ram into the barricade and a posting. A running knee to the face lets Ciampa pat himself on the back but Holland goes for the knee to send us to a break.

Back with Holland grabbing a chinlock to keep Ciampa in trouble. Ciampa fights up with a clothesline and a jumping knee to the face. More corner clotheslines look to set up the Fairy Tale Ending but Holland reverses into an Alabama Slam to drop Ciampa hard. After a check from the referee, Ciampa fights up with some shots to the face to knock Holland down against the ropes. An Air Raid Crash drops Holland again but he headbutts Ciampa out to the floor. Holland powerslams him into the barricade but Ciampa is back with some knees to the face. Willow’s Bell is good for the pin on Holland at 12:05.

Rating: C+. I’m not sure what it is but there is something about this feud that is making it hard for me to care. What you’re getting is mostly good stuff and I can go for seeing more of Ciampa, but it feels more like a way to get us towards WarGames rather than a match or feud that I want to see. Good match, though I didn’t really get inspired by what I was seeing.

Post match the beatdown is on but MSK comes out for the save.

Overall Rating: C+. The biggest problem with NXT right now is the lack of a top story. What is the main angle going on in NXT right now? Samoa Joe doesn’t have a challenger. The Way is waiting around to get to the wedding. Ciampa vs. Holland N Pals feels like an upper midcard feud at most. What on here feels like a top level story? I know it will change, but that has been seriously lacking from NXT.

The NXT Title hasn’t felt important in months, Raquel Gonzalez vs. Frankie Monet still seems like it’s a few weeks away at most and the North American Champion is part of a faction war. What does that leave? Io Shirai/Zoey Stark and MSK? There just isn’t much going on right now that feels must see and nothing is standing above the rest. That’s a problem and until it is fixed, NXT isn’t going to feel all that important.

Results
Sarray b. Mandy Rose via countout
Kyle O’Reilly b. Duke Hudson – Heel hook
Imperium b. Grayson Waller/Drake Maverick – Imperial Bomb to Waller
LA Knight b. Johnny Gargano – BFT
Raquel Gonzalez b. Jessi Kamea – Chingona Bomb
Roderick Strong b. Ikemen Jiro – End of Heartache
Tommaso Ciampa b. Ridge Holland – Willow’s Bell

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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NXT
Date: August 24, 2021
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Beth Phoenix, Wade Barrett, Vic Joseph

Takeover has come and gone and I have no idea what to expect next. Everything is about to be turned upside down around here and there is a good chance that we are going to be seeing something completely different going forward. That might be a good thing, but it is certainly going to be an eventful thing. Let’s get to it.

Here is Takeover if you need a recap.

Ted DiBiase and Cameron Grimes arrive and we follow them into the ring. DiBiase talks about how people have wanted to see what he wanted around here. He is here because he saw something in Grimes, who kept getting back up. That is why he is now the Million Dollar Champion, which the fans seem to like. Grimes talks about how DiBiase drove him nuts when he got here, which DiBiase says was a test.

Instead of learning, Grimes got distracted by the money and the stuff, and now he has the accomplishment to back it up. At Takeover, the two of them took care of LA Knight and now he has the title to prove it. Now though, it is time to go TO THE MOON, and Cameron Grimes Bucks are launched at the crowd. Beth to Barrett: “You can buy a new gavel!”

We get the long Takeover recap video.

Ridge Holland vs. Timothy Thatcher

Pete Dunne and Tommaso Ciampa are here too. An exchange of shoulders doesn’t get them anywhere so Holland goes with the slam to send Thatcher’s legs into the ropes. Back up and a running elbow gives Holland two but a belly to belly gives Thatcher a breather. A knee to the ribs cuts Holland down again and it’s time to work on the arm.

Holland grabs Thatcher’s arm and grabs a clothesline though and we take a break with Thatcher on the floor. Back with Thatcher winning a slugout and hitting his own slam to send the legs into the ropes. The half crab goes on but a rope is grabbed in a hurry. Holland knocks a jumping enziguri out of the air and Northern Grit finishes Thatcher at 10:36.

Rating: C+. I can go for watching these two beat each other up as they know how to make things look physical. Holland is a good power guy and Thatcher is someone who can work well with anyone. You could mix these things up into various combinations and that is the way to keep a story moving for a long time to come.

Post match Ciampa comes in to save Thatcher but Oney Lorcan and the returning Danny Burch runs in for the big beatdown. Holland hits Thatcher in the arm with his club and gets in a shot to the throat as well. This is feeling like the groundwork to WarGames.

Carmelo Hayes is used to facing bigger people but he dubs himself the overdog instead of the underdog. This is a long time coming and he has put in the work to get here. If he wins tonight, it is still one match at a time and he will wind up with gold. Hayes sounds confident on the mic and if he can back it up in the ring with some personality, he should be fine.

Indi Hartwell and Dexter Lumis are ready to get married and have been making sandcastles on the beach. Lumis pulls out a wedding invitation with the wedding set for September 14. Beth: “WE HAVE A DATE!”

Kayden Carter/Kacy Catanzaro vs. Jacy Jayne/Gigi Dolin

Dolin rolls Carter up for two start but gets kicked in the head. Catanzaro and Carter tease double dives to the floor but bounce back in for some dancing. Dolin takes Catanzaro into the corner though and the beatdown is on, with Jayne calling her a little girl. Another shot to the face gets two on Catanzaro but she manages to get over to Carter for the hot tag. House is cleaned for a bit until Carter takes Jayne over to the corner for the neckbreaker/450 combination for the pin at 4:18.

Rating: C-. This was another fine win for Catanzaro and Carter, though calling them the Tik Tok Tag Team and showing their Tik Tok videos before the match doesn’t give me the most hope. They have turned into a pretty nice team over the last few months though and I’m curious to see how their eventual Tag Team Title shot goes.

Raquel Gonzalez knows it isn’t over with Dakota Kai because Kai is that tough. She has been waiting for Kay Lee Ray too and she can bring it. Cue Frankie Monet and company to say she doesn’t wait in line. She’s coming for the shine and the title.

Video on Kay Lee Ray.

We get a sitdown interview with Odyssey Jones, who knew he would get here one day. He just didn’t know how well it would go once he got here. Taking off the football helmet is a big change and his name comes from his energy. He isn’t thinking beyond tonight’s title match because he can’t look beyond Hayes.

Kay Lee Ray vs. Valentina Feroz

Ray goes after the arm to start and lifts Feroz off the mat with the arm cranking. Some forearms have no effect and it’s a gordbuster to drop Feroz again. Ray beats on her in the corner and Feroz’s feathers are falling off. A dropkick slows Ray down but she is right back with a superkick. The Gory Bomb finishes for Ray at 2:53. As it should have been.

Mandy Rose offers Gigi Dolin and Jayce Jane some advance. They shrug and follow her.

Here is new NXT Champion Samoa Joe for a chat. Joe talks about facing the most dominant NXT Champion of all time and taking him down at Takeover. Now he is the first ever three time NXT Champion but he is here to fight instead of celebrating. Someone needs to come out here and face him, so here is Pete Dunne to say he wants the next title match. Go get William Regal and have the match made.

Cue LA Knight to say Joe is running from the only megatstar in NXT and it would have taken him 43 seconds to dust Karrion Kross. He wants to be the first challenger and that means he will be the last challenger. Dunne to Knight: “Take one more step and I swear I’ll break every one of your fingers.”

Now it’s Kyle O’Reilly to say that Samoa Joseph, Peter Dunne and La (pronounced as one word, not two letters) Knight aren’t here to get a title shot. He mentions winning the Undisputed Finale but here is Ridge Holland to jump him from behind. Dunne and Joe are about to fight but Tommaso Ciampa runs in to go after Dunne, though Joe grabs the belt first. Holland comes in to headbutt Ciampa and Joe takes out Knight. I could go for a lot of this.

Cameron Grimes and Ted DiBiase are leaving when Grimes tries to give him the title back. DiBiase says it belongs to Grimes and hands it back…..but he switched it out for a replica and is keeping the real thing as he drives off. Grimes, with a smile: “That Ted DiBiase.” That’s a pretty perfect ending and hopefully they don’t keep the title around now that Grimes has gotten everything he needs out of it.

Duke Hudson jumps Kyle O’Reilly in the back but O’Reilly fights back and they have to be separated.

Breakout Tournament Finals: Carmelo Hayes vs. Odyssey Jones

William Regal is at ringside. The much smaller Hayes gets driven into the corner and sat on top for a bat on the chest. Hayes tries running the ropes but stops when he realizes what is waiting on him. Jones powers him into the corner again and a big toss sends him flying and then rolling out to the floor. Back in and Hayes scores with an enziguri but his springboard is knocked out of the air.

We take a break and come back with Hayes working on the leg in the corner. Jones misses a charge and gets caught in a sleeper to slow the big guy down. The fans are split as Hayes scores with a pump kick and a springboard clothesline but can’t put the big man down. An ax kick gets two on Jones but he is right back with a shoulder breaker. Jones misses a charge into the post though and a top rope ax kick puts him down again. Hayes can’t hit it twice in a row and gets crushed with the splash. That’s not quite enough though as Hayes grabs a crucifix for the pin at 10:32.

Rating: B-. Good showing here from Hayes, who looks very polished every time he is in there. Jones is going to be fine as he can go be an enforcer for just about anyone and make them look better. There wasn’t a bad choice here and both of them will likely be around for a good while to come. NXT needs some fresh talent too so this is something they should be doing.

Post match Regal hands Hayes his contract for a future title shot. Hayes says Jones is no joke but he isn’t sure who he is going to face first. He called his shot here and when he calls his shot, he doesn’t miss.

Pete Dunne, Ridge Holland, Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch are ready to hurt Timothy Thatcher and Tommaso Ciampa.

Boa vs. Xyon Quinn

Boa kicks away in the corner to start but stops to look up at Mei Ying. The distraction lets Quinn hit a forearm for the upset pin at 1:13.

Quinn is smart enough to leave through the crowd instead of walking near Ying.

Johnny Gargano is in William Regal’s office and asks for a favor: stop the Dexter Lumis/Indi Hartwell wedding. They get in an argument over Gargano going nuts and how to pronounce bananas. LA Knight comes in to yell a lot and Regal throws both of them out. Regal: “Buffoons.”

Malcolm Bivens is overseeing a training session with Diamond Mine and the Creed Brothers. Next week, Roderick Strong is issuing another open challenge and he hopes Kushida is watching.

Hit Row vs. Legado del Fantasma

Legado starts the brawl before the bell and Top Dolla is triple teamed until B Fab makes a save. Ashante Adonis and Swerve pull Raul Mendoza and Joaquin Wilde outside and the brawl is on. We settle down to Adonis hitting back to back monkey flips with Mendoza and Wilde being sent outside. A dropkick (which seems to miss) sends Wilde outside and it’s a flapjack on the floor to make it worse.

Legado needs a breather on the floor and we take a break. Back with Swerve caught in the Legado corner for a series of running clotheslines. A suplex drops Scott again and something like the old McGillicutter gets two. Scott counters a sunset flip and gets in a stomp to the chest, allowing the hot tag off to Dolla. Everything breaks down and Dolla carries ALL THREE members of Legado around at the same time (e pluribus gads), setting up a World’s Strongest Wasteland.

Adonis comes back in and gets caught with a double basement dropkick for two. Swerve and Escobar drawl in the ring as Dolla flip dives onto the rest of Legado. That leaves Swerve to 450 Escobar for two but Legado is sent outside. B Fab gets in a slap but here is Electra Lopez to hit B Fab with a pipe. Lopez throws the pipe to Swerve, but it’s a swerve so Escobar can roll him up with tights for the pin at 13:57.

Rating: B. Some of that is for Top Dolla carrying around three grown men at the same time. The action was good throughout and they evened the numbers in the end too. These teams are getting a nice feud going and they could be in for a pretty major match down the line. Keep this thing going, probably including the eventual title showdown with Escobar vs. Swerve.

Overall Rating: B-. This was still the traditional NXT, but there are some new faces showing up. That isn’t a bad thing as NXT has really been needing a freshening up, but they need to get the transitional period down. Overall, a rather fun show with a mixture of stuff to make the two hours and change go by pretty quickly. They have the talent to make this work, but they are going to need to execute it really well over the next few weeks.

Results
Ridge Holland b. Timothy Thatcher – Northern Grit
Kacy Catanzaro/Kayden Carter b. Gigi Dolin/Jacy Jayne – 450/neckbreaker combination to Jayne
Kay Lee Ray b. Valentina Feroz – Gory Bomb
Carmelo Hayes b. Odyssey Jones – Crucifix
Xyon Quinn b. Boa – Forearm
Legado del Fantasma b. Hit Row – Rollup with tights to Scott

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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NXT
Date: August 10, 2021
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Nigel McGuinness, Vic Joseph

NXT has been the hot topic in wrestling as of late and that very well may be the case again tonight. There are several major changes rumored, but I don’t think we’re going to be seeing them right away. There is a chance something could be shaken up, but I would bet on it being either more gradual or at least after Takeover. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Ember Moon has not been medically cleared tonight so we have a replacement for her scheduled match against Sarray.

Sarray vs. Dakota Kai

Kai promises to make an example out of Sarray on her way to Takeover. They trade arm cranks to start with Sarray getting the better of things. Kai gets taken to the mat for a quickly broken Muta Lock so she fires off some kicks to Sarray’s back to take over. A suplex gives Kai two but she gets pulled into some kind of really cranked half crab. The slow crawl to the rope gets Kai out of trouble so Sarray grabs a fisherman’s suplex for two.

We take a break and come back with Sarray snapping off a German suplex for two more. Another bridging German suplex gets two more and it’s time to scream a lot on the kickout. Kai avoids a charge and hits a running boot in the corner for two. Joseph: “Kai starting to lose her composure.” The composure she had from being on offense for eight seconds?

Kai hits a Scorpion kick but Sarray is right back with the dropkick. The decapitating dropkick in the ropes rocks Kai again but she avoids a second edition. We see Raquel Gonzalez arriving as Sarray gets some rollups for two each. Kai has had enough of this and hits the running kick to the face finishes Sarray at 11:08.

Rating: B-. Good match, though Sarray continues to just exist on the roster. It is way too early to make a determination on her yet, but until she has a feud of some kind, we aren’t going to know what she can do yet. Kai winning makes sense for the title shot though and I’m curious to see how the Takeover match goes.

Post match Kai loads up another kick but Raquel Gonzalez sprints in to chase her off. Gonzalez grabs the mic to say if Kai wanted a shot, all she had to do is ask. She’ll get the shot at Takeover but Gonzalez is going to tear her apart. That was to the point and it worked.

We look back at Dexter Lumis and Indi Hartwell finally getting together last week.

We go to House Gargano, where Johnny Gargano and Candice LeRae are not happy. They have done everything for the Way, even buying this house so they could have their own rooms. The doorbell rings and here is Dexter, with flowers, and without saying a word. As Indi keeps putting on her makeup, Gargano orders Lumis to take her to a nice restaurant and have her back by 10pm. Indi and Dexter leave, with Gargano and LeRae following. Hijinks to follow.

Hit Row isn’t happy with Legado del Fantasma and burn a mask to prove their point.

Here is Ilja Dragunov for the first time in NXT. He talks about putting his rage into everything he has, including his fists. At Takeover, he will make the impossible happen and you will see violence and rage. An unbeatable kingdom will fall and Walter will be defeated for the United Kingdom Champion. Cue Pete Dunne to interrupt and talk about how he carried the UK wrestling scene on his back. He is the real star, but Dragunov says Dunne never could beat Walter. Dragunov will do that at Takeover, but that’s in twelve days. How about tonight, he show Dunne what this is all about? Dunne says Dragunov isn’t making Takeover.

LA Knight doesn’t want to hear about the butler getting attention because Knight is the real star around here. Now put the title on his shoulder already. Cameron Grimes’ spirit dies just a bit more.

LA Knight vs. Andre Chase

Blunt Force Trauma (headlock driver) finishes Chase at 30 seconds.

Post match, Grimes has to wipe Knight down but here is Ted DiBiase to interrupt. DiBiase says that Grimes can do all kinds of things better than being a butler. He believes in Grimes, just like all of these people here. Knight asks what the point here is, but DiBiase thinks Knight needs to put the title on the line one more time. That doesn’t sound good for Knight, but he’ll finally put it on the line, with one condition: if Knight wins, DiBiase is his new butler. Despite Grimes saying no way, DiBiase says that he has a lot of money, and he’s putting it on Grimes.

Gigi Dolin is ready to destroy Io Shirai and drops a rose.

Gigi Dolin vs. Amari Miller

Jacee Jane is here with Dolin, who takes Amari straight into the ropes. A few forearms set up an abdominal stretch….which Dolin snaps down into something like a crucifix bomb for the pin at 2:12. That was a new one.

Dexter Lumis and Indi Hartwell are at the restaurant, where Indi orders half of the menu for appetizers. Then she overhears Candice LeRae on a walkie talkie and throws out LeRae and Johnny Gargano.

Here is William Regal for the face to face between Kyle O’Reilly and Adam Cole (the Undisputed Finale). O’Reilly and Cole come out with security (including Parker Boudreaux) standing guard. Regal says the match is going to be 2/3 falls and they both get to pick a stipulation each.

O’Reilly picks one fall to a finish with only pin or submission, because losing that way would hurt Cole more than anything. Cole picks a street fight, because he needs to hurt O’Reilly. They don’t need to know the third fall because we aren’t getting there. O’Reilly talks about how he learned to go after people from Cole, who doesn’t think O’Reilly has the killer instinct. The brawl is on and Regal says he knew this would happen, so the third fall will be inside a steel cage. As usual with Cole, this took WAY longer than it needed, just like the match will.

Tommaso Ciampa and Timothy Thatcher don’t like Oney Lorcan and Ridge Holland trying to be them. Holland and Lorcan aren’t the two of them but they’ll learn a lesson. School is in session.

MSK interrupts Imperium and mocks their serious style. If Imperium wants the Tag Team Titles, come get them.

Breakout Tournament Semifinals: Odyssey Jones vs. Trey Baxter

The fans are behind Jones here as he throws the smaller Baxter around to start. Baxter gets a foot up in the air but Jones throws him off the top hard. A choke gets Baxter out of trouble for a bit and he nails a spinning kick to the face. Jones avoids a dive off the top though and hits a corner splash. Jones picks him up and spins him into a slam for the pin at 2:53. They kept this quick and more effective here.

Post match, Jones is fired up about his win.

Boa is ready to hurt someone.

William Regal announces some title matches next week: MSK defends the Tag Team Titles against Imperium and Roderick Strong challenges Kushida for the Cruiserweight Title.

Boa vs. Drake Maverick

Mei Ying rises up out of the stage. Boa strikes away to start but Maverick manages a quick hurricanrana in the corner. Back up and Maverick hits a running basement dropkick while seeming to favor his left arm. A big flip dive to the floor drops Boa again but Ying mists Maverick behind the referee’s back. Boa kicks Maverick in the head for the pin at 2:59.

Back to the restaurant, where Dexter has Indi laughing and now it’s time for dessert. Cue Gargano as a waiter in a wig and mustache (Indi doesn’t buy it) to insist that Dexter pay for dinner. The cake goes into Dexter’s face by mistake and Gargano (“See you at home!”) bails. Hartwell eats some icing off of Dexter’s face and covers the camera before the kiss.

Video on Samoa Joe vs. Karrion Kross. Joe wants to end the chaos, which Kross says is Joe wanting to control everything. Kross talks about Joe getting his second chance, but he is ending NXT’s past. Everyone pays the toll. Tick tock.

Pete Dunne vs. Ilja Dragunov

Feeling out process to start with Dragunov going for the grappling but getting his fingers bent back. Dragunov kicks him down and hits a top roe knee for two but Dunne gets in a shot on top. We take a break and come back with Dunne working on the arm. Dunne kicks said arm away but Dragunov strikes away. A suplex is countered into an armbar but Dragunov elbows him in the head, setting up a suplex for two. Dragunov hits a backsplash, followed by more elbows to the head.

Dunne pulls him into a triangle, which is countered into a powerbomb for two. Back up and Dragunov spins out of the finger splitting but the 61Line fails because of the hand. Another suplex is countered into Dunne’s cross armbreaker, which is countered into a bridging suplex for two. The top rope backsplash connects….and here’s Walter. Dunne can’t get the Bitter End but he can counter Torpedo Moscow. Now the Bitter End can finish Dragunov at 14:30.

Rating: B. Oh like this wasn’t going to be good. These guys could have a hard hitting match int heir sleep and be more entertaining than almost anyone else in WWE today and that’s more or less what happened here. The ending was a bit odd as you would have expected Dragunov to get the win but at least it wasn’t a clean loss or something insane like that on the way to a title match, because that would just be stupid.

Post match Walter goes after Dragunov but gets caught with Torpedo Moscow to send him outside. Dragunov holds up the title to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. This felt like an old school NXT and I certainly approve. What mattered here was keeping things moving, which is not something you get to see most of the time around here. The important things, or at least the things in the right spots, got some extra time but a lot of this show was about getting in and out while doing what needed to be done. Very good show this week, but it’s more or less a holding pattern until after Takeover.

Results
Dakota Kai b. Sarray – Running kick in the corner
LA Knight b. Andre Chase – Blunt Force Trauma
Gigi Dolin b. Amari Miller – Abdominal stretch bomb
Odyssey Jones b. Trey Baxter – Spinning slam
Boa b. Drake Maverick – Kick to the head
Pete Dunne b. Ilja Dragunov – Bitter End

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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NXT
Date: August 3, 2021
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Wade Barrett, Vic Joseph, Beth Phoenix.

We are less than three weeks away from Takeover and after last week, we have a new main event for the show as Samoa Joe will challenge Karrion Kross for the NXT Title. Granted Kross might not mean as much after how things have gone on Monday Night Raw, I’m not sure how much that is going to be worth. Other than that, more things will be happening. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

Opening recap.

Legado del Fantasma vs. Hit Row

Santos Escobar and the rest of Hit Row is at ringside. It’s a brawl to start with Legado being knocked outside until Mendoza and Adonis slug it out inside. A whip into the corner takes Mendoza down and a neckbreaker makes it worse. Top Dolla comes in to throw people around, including running both of them over. Hold on though as Escobar gets up for a distraction, allowing Mendoza to low bridge Adonis to the floor.

We take a break and come back with Adonis getting planted with a double spinebuster into a chinlock. Back up and some running clotheslines in the corner set up a moonsault for two. Mendoza’s chinlock doesn’t last long either as Adonis gets up for a dropkick. That’s enough for the hot tag off to Dolla to clean house. Legado is rocked but Escobar hits Dolla in the back with a chair for the DQ at 10:52.

Rating: C+. It was nice while it lasted but they were smart to not have a definitive ending here. This is all but guaranteed to have some kind of a big match at Takeover (or maybe even two of them) so there was zero reason to have a clean fall here. Hit Row shouldn’t be losing, but you also don’t want Legado taking another loss until it’s on a big stage. The ending might be annoying, but it was the right call.

Post match the beatdown is on with Escobar stealing Swerve’s grill. The Pillmanizing of the neck is broken up though and Dolla sends Legado running. Escobar still has the grill.

William Regal tells Samoa Joe to not get physical until Takeover.

We look back at the return of Ridge Holland last week to wreck Tommaso Ciampa and Timothy Thatcher.

Dexter Lumis is drawing INDEX over and over.

Ridge Holland vs. Ikemen Jiro

Pete Dunne and Oney Lorcan are here too. An uppercut drops Jiro in a hurry and we’re already off to a chinlock. Jiro fights up but gets knocked outside in a hurry. The big tackle sends Jiro hard into the barricade, allowing Holland to take off the jacket, which is high treason against Jiro. A headbutt into Northern Grit finishes Jiro at 3:12.

Rating: C. This was all it needed to be as Holland destroyed someone with a minor name. Holland is going to need ring time after being gone for so long (and not being around that long before he was put on the shelf). Holland is a monster who can wreck people for a good while while he develops and that should work fine for the time being.

Post match Pete Dunne says they’re ready to destroy Timothy Thatcher and Tommaso Ciampa, because Holland is a real man.

Frankie Monet blames Robert Stone for her loss last week. The Robert Stone Brand is used to losing but that is not what she does. Stone seems to accept responsibility as Monet and Jessi Kamea leave.

Video on Roderick Strong vs. Bobby Fish.

Video on Trey Baxter, who is All Heart.

Roderick Strong vs. Bobby Fish

The rest of the Diamond Mine is here too. They go technical to start with Fish grabbing a headlock into a suplex to take Strong down. The grappling on the mat goes to Strong until he lands a kick to the chest. Fish is fine enough to take him into the corner as Malcolm Bivens is looking worried on the floor. Strong gets knocked to the apron and we take a break.

Back with Strong taking him down for another chinlock but Fish fights up again. A fish hook gives Fish a breather and it’s time to strike away at Strong. Some chops stagger Fish and a belly to back faceplant puts him down again. Fish is back with a rollup for two but Strong knees him in the face. End of Heartache finishes Fish at 12:45.

Rating: C+. Only way this one could have gone as Fish isn’t going to win any important match right now. Strong seems to be on the rise and a Cruiserweight Title match against Kushida at Takeover would make sense. You almost have to get the Fish match out of the way though and it gives Strong a nice win on the way there.

Cameron Grimes is ready for the tag match tonight but LA Knight wants him to be more serious. Grimes promises to be there for him and Knight will have his back too. For now though, Grimes has a boot to polish.

Grizzled Young Veterans vs. Cameron Grimes/LA Knight

Grimes is still in his tuxedo. Before the match, the Veterans say they don’t like Grimes and Knight and want them out of their way. Grimes and Gibson start things off but it’s quickly off to Knight, who gets caught with a clothesline. Drake comes in to forearm away but a neckbreaker gets Knight out of trouble. It’s back to Grimes, who gets distracted by Knight and taken into the wrong corner.

Grimes manages to backdrop his way out of trouble but Knight walks off, saying Grimes can do this on his own. That’s fine with Grimes, who takes off the gloves and sends the Veterans into each other. A double hurricanrana puts the Veterans on the floor and Grimes snaps off the flipping powerslam for two on Drake. Gibson comes back in though and it’s the Ticket To Mayhem for the pin at 4:42.

Rating: C. This was angle advancement and that’s fine. The big blowoff match is coming at Takeover and that is the right way to go for Grimes and Knight. Grimes needs to get the big win and probably will, which will be even better now that they have put in the effort like this. The Veterans even got to win something for a bonus too!

Post match Ted DiBiase comes out to say that Grimes is a man of his word, but he needs to find a way out of this.

Video on Samoa Joe.

We look back at Dakota Kai turning on Raquel Gonzalez last week.

Dakota Kai talks about how she found Raquel Gonzalez and helped bring her up. They were friends and partners, but it was all Kai’s doing. Then Io Shirai gave Gonzalez the Women’s Title shot at Takeover: Stand & Deliver and won the title. That should have been Kai’s, because she plucked Gonzalez out of security. Kai is more than Gonzalez’s sidekick and the only opportunity should be hers. How does it feel knowing that the person standing next to you is about to kick your head off? Kai brought her into this world and now she is going to take her out of it by winning the Women’s Title. Logical explanation.

Johnny Gargano and Candice LeRae are sick of Dexter Lumis messing with the Way. Tonight, Gargano is ending InDex for good.

Joe Gacy won’t be controlled until he wins the Breakout Tournament. After that, sure why not.

Adam Cole has a neck injury after last week’s attack at the hands of Kyle O’Reilly. We look at the attack again.

Breakout Tournament First Round: Trey Baxter vs. Joe Gacy

The smaller Baxter tries a waistlock to start but gets thrown into the corner for his efforts. A dropkick puts Gacy on the floor but he catches a dive by sending Baxter into the ropes. That lets Gacy knock Baxter silly again and we hit the neck crank back inside. Baxter reverses into a quickly broken choke and Gacy suplexes him down for two. The neck crank is on again but Baxter escapes just as quickly.

A missile dropkick sends Gacy outside and this time the suicide dive works. Back in and a slingshot splash gets two but Gacy sends him into the corner for a Cannonball. Gacy takes him up but Baxter slips off and sends him into the ropes. Baxter hits a quick middle rope 450 stomp (or maybe he just didn’t rotate properly) for the pin at 5:11.

Rating: C+. I liked what we got here but Baxter needs to either pick a 450 or a stomp because it was messy enough that I couldn’t really tell what he was trying. At the same time, Gacy winning would have been nice as the roster could use someone built like him rather than another cruiserweight style guy. Baxter was good though and will be fine as an appetizer for Odyssey Jones in the semifinals.

Zoey Stark and Io Shirai get sushi and Stark is rather confused/disgusted. Food is thrown away when Shirai isn’t looking and Stark gets stuck with the bill. Shirai hugs the waitress, who says they don’t know each other but speak the same language. The two of them leave and Stark is somewhere between annoyed and disgusted by the food.

Indi Hartwell wishes the Way would give Dexter Lumis a chance because he isn’t a bad guy. Tonight, we’ll see how much he cares.

Commentary talks about Johnny Gargano vs. Dexter Lumis but Karrion Kross interrupts to stand on the announcers’ table and call out Samoa Joe. Cue Joe, who fights through security and chokes one of them out but Kross has escaped. Joe shouts a lot.

We get the Prime Target video on Ilja Dragunov vs. Walter II. They beat each other so horribly in the first match and everyone is talking about it. Dragunov talks about how angry and aggressive he has been since the first match because he knows something was missing. The rematch will take place at Takeover, and Walter says he is unbeatable on his best day. Dragunov says he has the stamina and mental toughness, which is why he can take the title. We see clips from the press conference with Dragunov getting in Walter’s head as he’s smarter this time around. This is going to be awesome.

Kushida says of course Roderick Strong can have a Cruiserweight Title shot.

Dexter Lumis vs. Johnny Gargano

Love Her Or Leave Her, which technically means the winner gets Indi Hartwell. Gargano shouts about how Lumis has to go through him to get her and starts in on the arm. Lumis is back up with a dropkick but gets sent outside as Hartwell comes out. The distraction lets Lumis get in a Thesz press back inside to hammer away and slowly stalk Gargano in the corner. Gargano is back up to knock Lumis outside, with Lumis going under the ring. Hartwell goes after him so here is Candice LeRae to help pull her out….with her hands interlocked with Lumis’.

We take a break and come back with Gargano winning a slugout but getting caught in a spinebuster. The Silence is broken up with Lumis being elbowed to the floor. Gargano hits his suicide dive and yells at Beth Phoenix, with the distraction allowing Lumis to block the slingshot spear. A slingshot Falcon Arrow gives Lumis two but Gargano’s superkick gets the same. Lumis runs him over again but misses the springboard elbow. The Gargano Escape goes on until Lumis reaches out to Hartwell/the rope for the break. Lumis’ rollup gets two and the kickout sends him into Hartwell. One Final Beat finishes Lumis at 12:53.

Rating: C. I was getting into the love conquers all story and you know this isn’t going to be the end of the thing. It’s a fine enough story, but Lumis is still not doing anything for me for the most part. This isn’t exactly the most thrilling stuff, but Beth being so into the romance thing and Hartwell in general are making it work well enough. Just…please find something to make Lumis more interesting somehow.

Post match Hartwell goes to leave with the Way but then runs back and dives on Lumis for the big kiss as Beth Phoenix screams about InDex to end the show. Makes enough sense (while not doing much for the stipulation), as Hartwell never said she was leaving anyone.

Overall Rating: C+. Nothing really jumped off the page here but it was an easy to swallow use of two hours. The good thing is you can see almost all of (if not all of) Takeover from here. NXT knows how to set up a card and then make it come into reality. That’s what they did a lot of here, making it more efficient/important than good.

It’s also nice to see how logical things are around here. There might be some things that don’t make a ton of sense at first, but NXT knows how to tie them together. It is such a jarring change of pace from Raw, where things seem like they are happening at random and if they can be made somewhat coherent later, so be it then. NXT feels like they have this planned out and that can make all kinds of difference.

Results
Hit Row b. Legado del Fantasma via DQ when Santos Escobar interfered
Ridge Holland b. Ikemen Jiro – Northern Grit
Roderick Strong b. Bobby Fish – End of Heartache
Grizzled Young Veterans b. Cameron Grimes/LA Knight – Ticket to Mayhem to Grimes
Trey Baxter b. Joe Gacy – Middle rope 450 stomp
Johnny Gargano b. Dexter Lumis – One Final Beat

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6

AND

Remember to check out Wrestlingrumors.net for all of your wrestling headline needs.

NXT
Date: July 27, 2021
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Beth Phoenix, Wade Barrett, Vic Joseph

Things got serious around here last week as NXT Champion Karrion Kross attacked William Regal to close the show. Samoa Joe is ready to destroy him as a result and that is all this needs to be. We are less than a month away from Takeover and that means it is time to start getting the card ready. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

The opening video recaps the end of last week’s show, as Karrion Kross left William Regal laying.

Tommaso Ciampa/Timothy Thatcher vs. Pete Dunne/Oney Lorcan

Thatcher and Dunne get things going with neither being able to get very far on the mat. Ciampa and Lorcan come in with Ciampa grinding on a headlock. A shot to the face knocks Lorcan outside and the beating continues back inside. Ciampa wants Dunne, who comes in and blasts him with a clothesline. Everything breaks down for a second with Ciampa and Thatcher pounding away with forearms to the chest. Everyone heads outside with Dunne and Lorcan being sent into the barricade as we take a break.

Back with Dunne surfboarding Thatcher so Lorcan can fire off more chops. Thatcher slips away and brings in Ciampa so everything can break down. Lorcan is sent outside, leaving Ciampa to go after Dunne’s arm. Thatcher and Lorcan brawl on the floor but the returning Ridge Holland takes Thatcher down. Lorcan is able to save Dunne and it’s the Bitter End to finish Ciampa at 11:55.

Rating: C+. This was about people hitting each other hard and laying things in, which is why you have this match in the first place. The return is a nice twist too as we never got to see what Holland can do. Having him as the big bruising villain works out well and he could become a player around here in a hurry. Good brawl here, but the surprise is the important part.

Post match Lorcan and Dunne hold Ciampa back as Thatcher gets destroyed by Holland. The villains stand tall.

Carmelo Hayes is ready to win the Breakout Tournament.

Hit Row is ready to take apart Legado del Fantasma, with Top Dolla throwing in some Spanish.

Here is Samoa Joe to set up a table and chair in the ring. He knows Kross isn’t going to come do anything himself, so he would like William Regal out here right now. Cue Regal, with Joe saying he knows Regal is going to fire Kross. Joe has a better idea though, and it is in three steps.

First up, he presents Regal with his resignation as part of NXT management. Step two is another piece of paper, which needs Regal’s signature to bring Joe back to the main roster. Regal signs, which brings us to step three: signing Joe vs. Kross for Takeover, which Regal does as well. Regal didn’t say a word (at least not one we could hear).

Josh Briggs is ready to win the Breakout Tournament.

Earlier today, LA Knight and Cameron Grimes were on the golf course. Grimes is busy washing Knight’s (golf) balls and then gets confused by which club to use (Grimes: “Driver? I’m your driver!” Knight: “That’s a sand wedge.” Grimes: “Sandwich? Now you’re hungry?”). Grimes even throws out a $5,000 bet on Knight hitting it into the trees. Knight does just that and then yells at Grimes for mentioning it.

Breakout Tournament First Round: Carmelo Hayes vs. Josh Briggs

Hayes is a cruiserweight and Briggs is a giant. Briggs slams him down to start so Hayes is back with some rights and lefts in the corner. A dropkick sends Briggs face first into the middle buckle and it’s time to go after Briggs’ knee. That just earns Hayes a backdrop to the floor for the crash. Back in and Hayes catches him with a springboard legdrop for two, setting up the front facelock. Briggs gets in a shot of his own though and we take a break.

Back with Duke Hudson, who faces the winner in the next round, on commentary as Briggs gets two off a splash. Hayes counters a powerbomb attempt with a hurricanrana into the corner, followed by a pair of enziguris. A Codebreaker gives Hayes two more and he hits a running boot in the corner. Briggs shows him how to hit a big boot and a chokeslam gets two. The side slam is countered into a faceplant and Hayes does it again for good measure. A top rope Fameasser gives Hayes the pin at 10:43.

Rating: B-. This was a power vs. speed match and that is wrestling 101. Hayes is someone who made an impact when he debuted a few weeks ago and he looked good again here. The high flying is effective as Hayes looks polished, which is what you could use in a tournament like this. Briggs is going to be fine as an enforcer of some kind and I’m sure he will be around in the future.

Frankie Monet is ready to take the Robert Stone Brand to the next level. Maybe they can even win the Women’s Tag Team Titles. Kacy Catanzaro and Kayden Carter come up to say not so fast, because you can’t create chemistry like theirs.

Back on the golf course, Cameron Grimes imitates a commentator and LA Knight hits his ball into the water. Grimes cracks up, until Knight sends him after the ball. He finds the ball, but here is Ted DiBiase in a golf cart. DiBiase talks about how people like Knight are always going to hold people like Grimes down. Grimes was born to be a champion and DiBiase sees him as a fighter. Think about that. The wheels continue to turn on this one and that’s a good thing.

Here are Dakota Kai and Raquel Gonzalez for a chat. Gonzalez talks about destroying Xia Li last week and wonders who is next. Bring them on, because no one is stopping her. Kai says Gonzalez is the most dominant woman in NXT history and lists off the greats of the women’s division.

This division is great because of one woman (though Kai doesn’t say who) and asks who is woman enough to challenge Gonzalez at Takeover. Kai says Gonzalez will be champion as long as she has Gonzalez’s back and posing ensues. Gonzalez turns around….and gets kicked in the face. Kai holds up the title and the fans seem to approve. This works.

Adam Cole thinks NXT is nuts right now, including Bronson Reed calling Cole his rebound. That’s not what Cole is because he is at the top of the mountain. Tonight, Reed is falling off of that mountain because he isn’t good enough. Cole doesn’t care about Reed’s fourteen year journey and tonight is another sad chapter.

Zoey Stark comes up to Io Shirai to ask for some partner bonding time. Shirai doesn’t seem convinced but eventually gives in.

Mandy Rose talks to Gigi Dolin and Jayce Jane until she has to throw the cameras out.

Kacy Catanzaro/Kayden Carter vs. Jessi Kamea/Frankie Monet

Robert Stone is here with Kamea and Monet. Kacy takes Kamea down for an early two and brings in Carter for a rollup. Monet comes in for a DDT out of the corner to take over on Carter, including the running knees in the corner. Rights and lefts keep Carter in trouble, with Monet getting to shout. Hold on though as Stone throws in his purse (yes purse) to get her attention. The distraction lets Carter hit a pump kick, setting up the neckbreaker/450 combination for the pin at 3:29.

Rating: D+. I get what they’re going for with the story but egads did they need to have Monet take a fall here? There was no way to have this set up Kamea taking a fall? Or anything but Monet taking a pin? That feels like something they would do on Raw and that is not a good thing these days.

Wade Barrett had a sitdown interview with Malcolm Bivens and Roderick Strong. The Diamond Mine was perfect for Strong, because he was tired of the drama of the Undisputed Era. Bivens talks about how great of a talent Strong is and anyone, including William Regal, can understand that. Barrett asks about the Cruiserweight Title and Bobby Fish, so Strong promises to end Fish next week.

We look at Dakota Kai turning on Raquel Gonzalez.

Kai leaves without saying a word.

Hit Row vs. Imperium

Ashante Adonis and Top Dolla for Hit Row. Adonis starts with Marcel Barthel, who takes him into the corner. It’s quickly off to Fabian Aichner, who gets dropped with a neckbreaker for one. Dolla comes in for a jumping knee to drop Aichner and Adonis comes back in for a dropkick. Another neckbreaker is countered into a belly to back suplex but B Fab breaks up the double dropkick in the corner. Adonis uses the distraction to take Aichner down again and we take a break.

Back with Adonis having his spine bustered but he kicks Barthel away anyway. The ankle lock cuts off the hot tag though and Aichner adds an elbow to the back for two. The beating continues, including Barthel grabbing a butterfly suplex for two of his own. Adonis finally manages a backdrop though and the hot tag brings in Dolla to clean house. Dolla knee lifts Aichner and a side slam putts him down again. Adonis plants Barthel but here is Legado del Fantasma to take Adonis out. Dolla chases them off and the European Bomb finishes Adonis at 12:23.

Rating: C. Not the best match but you’re not going to have Imperium in there for something energized. I’m not wild on Hit Row losing but at least it wasn’t a clean loss. Hit Tor vs. Legado will be pretty awesome once we get there and Hit Row isn’t going to lose any kind of momentum as long as they can keep talking.

Post match Legado comes in for the beatdown until Swerve makes the save.

The Way is looking for Austin Theory, with Johnny Gargano saying he ran away from home. Indi Hartwell gets a present, which is a drawing of Dexter Lumis with the Way. Gargano freaks out and says no way, even as Hartwell asks them for a chance. Gargano: “NO CHANCE!” A match is set up with Gargano vs. Lumis, with Lumis’ inclusion in their lives seemingly on the line. Hartwell goes to find Lumis.

It’s back to the golf course where the Grizzled Young Veterans pop up to ask if they can pick up the pace. Just let LA Knight hit the ball into the woods again so we can move on. Cameron Grimes makes another bet on who can get it into the hole next, with $20,000 on the line.

Knight hits the ball into the water again, so Grimes busts out a gold ball and, after hitting Knight low with the club, knocks it into the hole with one shot (and hits Knight in the head with the club on the way back). Grimes blames Knight for the club shots so the Veterans bail in the golf cart. As usual, this feels like Knight and Grimes were given a script saying “hijinks on a golf course” with a few bullet points and told to fill in the gaps. It’s the best thing on this show because it doesn’t feel forced. This is how these two would act on a golf course and it works as a result.

Adam Cole vs. Bronson Reed

Reed runs him over to start and sends Cole flying with ease. That lets Reed sit on his chest for two, and then stay there despite the referee not counting due to a foot under the rope. A superplex is loaded up but Cole slips out and kicks the knee. We take a break and come back with Cole working on the knee, including a dragon screw legwhip.

Reed gets up and runs Cole over again to get a breather. A suplex drops Cole and Reed punches him in the corner, only to get kicked in the face for two. Reed chops away until Cole gets in a shot of his own. The Panama Sunrise gets two and Cole is stunned by the kickout. Back up and Reed blasts him with a clothesline to set up a powerbomb. The Tsunami misses though and the Last Shot gives Cole the pin at 11:19.

Rating: B. Another power vs. speed match here, with Cole being just smart enough to make the difference. Cole is primed for a huge match against Kyle O’Reilly at Takeover and Reed seems likely for the main roster. The good thing for Reed is that his size and that splash are going to be more than enough to carry him anywhere he needs to go, so this loss doesn’t do much damage.

Post match Cole poses, but here is Kyle O’Reilly to chair him down. A brainbuster onto the steps leaves Cole out cold to end the show. I’m not sure how popular that made O’Reilly.

Overall Rating: B+. The wrestling was good here and the antics on the golf course made it even better. This show felt much more NXTesque as they seem to know where they want to go and are taking steps to get there. Not only did stuff happen on this show, but stuff happened that advanced the stories and got us closer to a Takeover card. That’s where NXT shines and it is great to have that feeling back, even if it is just for a week.

Results
Oney Lorcan/Pete Dunne b. Tommaso Ciampa/Timothy Thatcher – Bitter end to Ciampa
Carmelo Hayes b. Josh Briggs – Top rope Fameasser
Kacy Catanzaro/Kayden Carter b. Frankie Monet/Jessi Kamea – 450/neckbreaker combination to Monet
Imperium b. Hit Row – European Bomb to Adonis
Adam Cole b. Bronson Reed – Last Shot

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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NXT
Date: July 13, 2021
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Beth Phoenix, Wade Barrett

It’s a big night as the main event will feature Karrion Kross defending the NXT Title against Johnny Gargano. This comes amid rumors that Kross is on his way to the main roster so we could be in for some serious fireworks tonight. Other than that, it’s time to begin the Breakout Tournament. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

In Memory Of Paul Orndorff.

We open with a recap of the Great American Bash and the setup of the title match.

Dakota Kai vs. Ember Moon

Raquel Gonzalez is here with Kai, who grinds away with a headlock to start. A running shoulder drops Moon as well but she armdrags Kai into an armbar. Kai pops up with a kick to the face but Moon sends her outside for a ram into the barricade. That earns him a kick from the apron as we take a break.

Back with Kai throwing her down again, only to have Moon nip up for an enziguri. A springboard spinning crossbody gives Moon two but Kai’s backbreaker gets the same. Kai goes up and gets kicked in the face, allowing Moon to hit a top rope hurricanrana for two. Moon is sent to the apron, where Kai pulls her over the top for the GTK and the pin at 12:59.

Rating: C+. This was a hard hitting, back and forth match until Kai won in the end. She needs the match a bit more, but it’s kind of a shame that Moon is left hanging out there. Shotzi Blackheart has been sent up to the main roster while Moon has nothing to do, but she seems to be a better fit in NXT anyway.

Post match Kai poses with Gonzalez but here is Xia Li to say she wants Gonzalez’s Women’s Title. Gonzalez is down.

Malcolm Bivens talks about how great the Diamond Mine is and issues an open challenge. Bobby Fish pops up to say he’s in to face Roderick Strong. Bivens switches that over to Fish vs. Tyler Rust instead.

Ikemen Jiro says don’t let his good looks fool you, because he can beat you up. He was trained by Tajiri and Great Muta so he knows how to fight.

Earlier today, Cameron Grimes showed up to start as LA Knight’s butler and doesn’t mind that he showed up late. He’s here because of his pride because he gave his word, but first up it’s time for a makeover. The beard and hair are adjusted and Knight even has a uniform for him. Grimes likes the look (the tuxedo works) and it’s time to go to work. More on this later.

Tyler Rust vs. Bobby Fish

Rust starts in on the arm and strikes away, setting up a Figure Four necklock. Back up and Fish punches him down, setting up a kick to the chest. Roderick Strong gets on the apron for a distraction but Fish knocks Rust outside anyway. The distraction lets Rust get in a chop block though and a kick to the head finishes Fish at 2:39.

Post match the Diamond Mine surrounds Fish but Kushida runs in for the save.

Samoa Joe comes up to Karrion Kross, who threatens him if he messes with the title match.

The Way arrived earlier today and Beth Phoenix asked Indi Hartwell what happened with Dexter Lumis. That would be nothing, but they both seemed to want it to. Beth tells her to take a chance.

Gigi Dolin vs. Sarray

Sarray grabs a wristlock to start but Dolin reverses into one of her own. A running armdrag into a headlock takeover has Dolin down again but here is Mandy Rose of all people to watch. Sarray grabs the leg and slaps on a Muta Lock, which she just lets go. That leaves Dolin to grab some rollups for two each, followed by an STO for the same. Sarray is back with a running dropkick against the ropes, setting up a MUCH harder one to knock Dolin silly. A high collar suplex (nearly dropping Dolin on her head) gives Sarray the pin at 3:31. Those last two moves were nasty and Dolin was rocked.

Rating: C. I wouldn’t be surprised if Dolin’s bell was a bit rung there so hopefully she’s ok. The Rose deal is interesting, if nothing else because she could use more ring time in NXT. You’re only going to get so much out of photo shoots and posing with Dana Brooke so if a few matches here can help her a bit, so be it. Sarray continues to just be kind of there, but she is certainly a physical one.

Santos Escobar doesn’t like Bronson Reed, Hit Row or Dexter Lumis.

Duke Hudson is ready for Ikemen Jiro. You can either call him Duke or just cut tot he chase and call him the Breakout Tournament winner.

Dexter Lumis vs. Santos Escobar

The rest of Legado del Fantasma is here too. Escobar runs him over to start but Lumis nips up to scare him a bit. Back up and Lumis runs the ropes, setting up the Thesz press to hammer away. That’s enough for Escobar to need a breather on the floor but Lumis uses the distraction to slide underneath the ring. Lumis tries to pull him under but has to settle for just crawling out for the glare as we take a break.

Back with Escobar hitting a basement dropkick to the side of the head and hitting some running clotheslines in the corner. Lumis fights up with some right hands and it’s a clothesline into a bulldog. The Silencer is loaded up but the rest of Legado makes a save. The distraction lets Lumis gets posted, allowing Escobar to hit the Phantom Driver for the pin at 9:18.

Rating: C-. I’m still not wild on Lumis but he is a good bit easier to take now that he is not featured nearly as much as he was before. That is the kind of thing that could give him a longer shelf life and I could go for him a lot more if he is in a match like this, especially one where Escobar wins. Escobar has a lot of possible ways to go and that is rather interesting.

Post match Legado runs into Hit Row for a showdown with trash talking.

Earlier today, Kyle O’Reilly sat down with Wade Barrett and said that unfortunately, losing is a part of life. That was the case last week against Adam Cole, but now he isn’t sure if he needs his soul back. He needs to get his groove back and he is willing to do what it takes to finish Cole.

Back at Knight’s estate, LA Knight has Cameron Grimes mow his rather large lawn with an old a rather ancient push lawnmower. Grimes talks about his grandmother chasing him with one like this but Knight doesn’t want to hear it.

During the break, Indi Hartwell tried to carry Dexter Lumis off but couldn’t hold him up. The kiss was imminent but Candice LeRae broke it up. Ok the fall was funny.

Breakout Tournament First Round: Duke Hudson vs. Ikemen Jiro

Hudson is formerly known as Brendan Vink and Jiro has wrestled on 205 Live for a few months. Jiro’s jacket, which he wrestles in, is universe themed but he gets shoved down to start anyway. A cartwheel and some flips have Hudson a little confused, as does Jiro’s headstand in the corner. Hudson gets him on his shoulder for a knee to the head and then drops Jiro down onto the top rope.

Some stomping in the corner has Jiro in more trouble but he gets in a few shots to the face (with jacket) to stagger Hudson. A few more right hands put Jiro in trouble again but he hurricanranas his way out of a Razor’s Edge. That’s enough to send Hudson outside for a top rope Asai moonsault but Jiro bangs up his ankle. Back in and Hudson hits a swinging Boss Man Slam for the pin at 5:28.

Rating: C. This was a bit of a styles clash but they made it work anyway. Hudson needs the win a lot more as he is best known for a forgettable run on Raw when nothing was going on while Jiro has some amazing chemistry which will take him a long way. The jacket alone is something that makes him stand out and a loss in the first round isn’t going to take him down.

Pete Dunne wants the winner of tonight’s title match but Timothy Thatcher doesn’t like Dunne calling himself the best technician in NXT. Tommaso Ciampa runs in to start the brawl with Dunne and Oney Lorcan.

Kacy Catanzaro/Kayden Carter vs. Robert Stone Brand

Jessi Kamea kicks Catanzaro into the corner and it’s off to Aliyah for a hair toss. Catanzaro gets up some boots in the corner to cut off Aliyah though and dives over for the tag to Carter. Everything breaks down and Catanzaro dives onto Kamea on the floor. That leaves Aliyah to get caught with the 450/neckbreaker combination for the pin at 3:30.

Rating: C-. Carter and Catanzaro have a long way to go but the Coconut Loop opening back up should help them out a lot. They both need more ring time and working a few house shows a week to give them some time in front of a crowd is going to help them. Working a three minute tag match on TV once a week isn’t getting you very far, but ten minutes two or three times a week could.

Post match Robert Stone checks on Aliyah, who shoves him away and shouts that she has done more for him than he has ever done for her. She slaps Stone in the face and beats the fire out of him, drawing a heck of a reaction as a result. Aliyah leaves as Frankie Monet comes out to look at Kamea. Stone crawls up the ramp as Kamea leaves with Monet.

Samoa Joe comes up to Johnny Gargano to protect himself at all times and obey his commands. Gargano is cool with that, just like Austin Theory is cool with the new Way shirt. Joe leaves and gets into a staredown with Pete Dunne.

Cameron Grimes is sitting by the pool because, as a fellow millionaire, he has hired a kid to mow the lawn for him. LA Knight is furious and sends the kid away so he gets kicked in the shin. That makes Knight drop his money, so Grimes sweeps it up, knocking Knight into the pool in the process. Slapstick still works.

Here is Adam Cole to say that Kyle O’Reilly needs to rethink that rematch idea. Anyway, it’s time to move on to Samoa Joe, who choked him out from behind a few weeks ago. Joe is a security guard in a suit and Cole knows no one in the back is man enough to face him. Cue Bronson Reed, who doesn’t have the North American Title anymore but he’s still ready to fight. Cole’s superkick is blocked and Reed runs him over, sending Cole outside. Cue Samoa Joe for the main event and the staredown with Cole is on.

Frankie Monet and Jessi Kamea are leaving with Robert Stone catching up to them. Mandy Rose pops up to say it looks like the brand is under new management.

NXT Title: Johnny Gargano vs. Karrion Kross

Kross, with Scarlett, is defending and Samoa Joe is referee. Gargano goes right after him to start but gets knocked down in a hurry. Some dropkicks tot he back put Kross on the floor though and a running flip dive from the apron drops Kross again. A missed charge sends Kross shoulder first into the steps but he is fine enough to drop Gargano onto the announcers’ table.

We take a break and come back with Kross being sent shoulder first into the post. Gargano kicks him outside but this time Kross comes back in with a suplex to take over. Back up and Kross hits a hard lariat but Gargano grabs a tornado DDT out of the corner. A chokeslam cuts off Gargano, who is right back with a superkick. The Krossjacket is escaped with a backflip and the Gargano Escape has Kross in trouble for a change. That’s countered as well and Kross grabs the Krossjacket again. Gargano makes the rope but Kross won’t let go, earning a break from Joe (his first important moment in the match).

They head outside with Gargano being rammed into the barricade. Kross loads up the steps but Joe takes them away and gets in Kross’ face. The distraction lets Gargano hit a DDT onto the floor. One Final Beat gets two (with commentary making it clear that it wouldn’t be a pin, which they really need to work on) but Kross hits him in the face. A powerbomb into another doublebomb into a triplebomb into a Doomsday Saito has Gargano mostly done. The running forearm to the back of the head retains the title at 12:47.

Rating: B. This worked well as Gargano knows how to wrestle this match in his sleep. The match made Kross look like a monster who was having a match rather than someone just doing one thing after another from bell to bell. Kross vs. Joe seems to be on the horizon and that should be the awesome brawl that you should expect it to be.

Post match Kross gets in Joe’s face again but Joe goes to walk away. Kross jumps him from behind and chokes him out to end the show. There’s the Summerslam Takeover main event.

Overall Rating: B+. It’s a good example of a show where the sum is greater than the total of the individual parts. The main event was the best match on the show but they had a nice collection of matches throughout, the funny Grimes/Knight stuff and setting things up for the future. The show also flew by and it was one of the best NXT’s in a good while. It was well put together and a rather entertaining show. Well done, and very NXT of them.

Results
Dakota Kai b. Ember Moon – GTK
Tyler Rust b. Bobby Fish – Kick to the head
Sarray b. Gigi Dolin – High collar suplex
Santos Escobar b. Dexter Lumis – Phantom Driver
Duke Hudson b. Ikemen Jiro – Swinging Boss Man Slam
Kacy Catanzaro/Kayden Carter b. Robert Stone Brand – 450/neckbreaker combination to Aliyah
Karrion Kross b. Johnny Gargano – Running forearm to the back of the head

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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AND

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NXT
Date: June 22, 2021
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Vic Joseph, Wade Barrett, Beth Phoenix

It’s another pretty big show this week as Kyle O’Reilly faces Kushida. That’s an interesting way to go but it doesn’t do much good for the Cruiserweight Title. The easiest way to make a title valuable is to have people fight over it and the title isn’t on the line here. We also find out what the Diamond Mine is, which has me curious. Let’s get to it.

Here are last week’s results if you need a recap.

The narrated recap talks about Samoa Joe’s return last week and the chaos between Adam Cole and Kyle O’Reilly.

Here is Adam Cole to pick his opponent for his match against Kyle O’Reilly. Cole isn’t going to do that because no one is going to tell him what to do. Samoa Joe may be back, but he isn’t the big star around here anymore. Cue Carmelo Hayes to say he’ll change Cole’s mind. Cole wants to know how so Hayes says RUTHLESS AGGRESSION and slaps him in the face to start things off.

Carmelo Hayes vs. Adam Cole

Hayes starts fast by hitting a springboard clothesline to put Cole on the floor, setting up the big dive. Back in and Cole stomps away in the corner, setting up a suplex so he can wipe the dust off of his hands. A neckbreaker looks to set up a low superkick but Hayes is back up with a hard clothesline for two. Hayes tries to go up but gets knocked to the floor in a heap.

Back to back whips into the barricade take us to a break with Hayes in trouble. We come back with Cole hitting a running knee in the corner but Hayes is back with a pump kick. Something like a suplex into a cutter gets two on Cole, who grabs a Backstabber for two of his own. Cole goes up but dives into a superkick, only to get superkicked out of the air as well. The Panama Sunrise finishes for Cole at 12:27.

Rating: B-. You can feel the potential with Hayes, who has the poise and skill to back it up. He doesn’t seem like someone who is trying to get in everything he can but rather having a match that he has planned out. It worked well here, and having him hang with Cole for twelve minutes is a good idea.

Frankie Monet is talking to the Robert Stone Brand about how they are all going to win their matches tonight. Robert Stone comes in and gets scared by Frankie’s dog.

Zoey Stark helped Io Shirai last week because Shirai gave her the big break around here. Shirai comes in to say she respects Stark.

LA Knight talks about taking out Cameron Grimes and the fans chanting or Cameron Grimes. It turns out that Grimes cares about DiBiase instead of the money. That makes Grimes a total idiot and Knight will drink to that for sure.

Here is the Way for a chat. Johnny Gargano thinks he should be the handsome, hard working, headband working, respectable family man to be the NXT Champion again. He was champion for 57 days and NXT has never been better. At Takeover, Gargano outclassed Karrion Kross and he can do it again any day. Cue Pete Dunne and Oney Lorcan to interrupt and Austin Theory isn’t happy. Dunne tells him to try it but Gargano calls them off. They don’t partake of in hijinks or shenanigans anymore and it’s time to go. Gargano leaves but Theory stops to point fingers at Dunne, earning him a snap. That’s perfect Theory.

Cameron Grimes arrived earlier and paid some of the attendants for being nice. Someone asked how Ted DiBiase was doing at the nursing home and gets punched in the face. Grimes throws some money at him and says that was for Ted.

Adam Cole isn’t talking about Kyle O’Reilly when William Regal comes in. Regal says there is no animosity between Cole and Samoa Joe. Cole provoked him and got Clutched out, so that’s it. That’s not enough for Cole, but he leaves anyway.

The battery from last week is now at 31%.

Johnny Gargano and Austin Theory go into William Regal’s office to complain about Pete Dunne and Oney Lorcan. Gargano wants consequences and bribes Regal with a new pencil. Regal has an idea: a tag match for later tonight.

Zoey Stark/Io Shirai vs. Robert Stone Brand

Shirai fireman’s carries Aliyah to start but puts her down to chop away. A flapjack plants her again and there’s a basement dropkick to the side of Aliyah’s head. The slingshot knees to the chest connect and it’s off to Stark for an armbar. A sliding clothesline drops Aliyah again so it’s off to Kamea, who hits a rolling kick to the face for two. Stark comes back in for a running double stomp to the back but Kamea elbows her down again.

Cue the Way to watch and the distraction lets Kamea drop Stark as we take a break. Back with Stark still in trouble, including Kamea dropping Aliyah down onto her for two. The bodyscissors goes on but Stark gets over the hot tag to Shirai. House is cleaned for a bit until Aliyah grabs a northern lights suplex. That doesn’t last long either as it’s back to Stark for a suplex of her own, setting up the moonsault to finish Kamea at 9:42.

Rating: C. The Stone Brand continues to be lovable losers and little more than that. They still don’t exactly feel like major stars, but at least they are established enough to lose a match like this and still make the other team feel like they did a little something. Odds are they are going to be pawns for Frankie Monet in one way or another and that is not a bad place for them.

Post match here are Dakota Kai and Raquel Gonzalez to help the Way surround Stark and Shirai. The brawl is almost on but Ember Moon and Shotzi Blackheart come in as well as the Way stays on the floor. Samoa Joe comes out to call in security to break things up.

Kushida is looking forward to his match with Kyle O’Reilly.

We look back at Tommaso Ciampa/Timothy Thatcher beating the Grizzled Young Veterans. As a result, Thatcher and Ciampa get a Tag Team Title shot at the Great American Bash.

The Way vs. Pete Dunne/Oney Lorcan

Gargano armdrags Dunne down to start and hands it off to Theory, who uses his bad hand for a not very bright chop. Dunne takes Theory down and starts cranking on various limbs before taking him into the corner. Lorcan comes in to work on the wrist but Theory gets in a quick shot for two of his own. Dunne isn’t having that and takes him back down to crank on the arm, including some finger bending.

We hit the seated armbar into the kick to the bad arm but Theory manages to fight up. After knocking Lorcan to the floor, Theory hits a big dive to take him down but it’s a double half nelson slam onto the apron to send us to a break. Back with the arm stomping continuing but Theory kicks Dunne into the corner. Lorcan is right there in time to break up the tag, meaning it’s a big forearm allowing the tag to Gargano.

House is cleaned and it’s rather quickly back to Theory for a springboard Spanish Fly for two on Lorcan. Gargano escapes the Bitter End though and Dunne is planted with a DDT. A running Blockbuster drops Theory so Dunne comes back in to kick him down, setting up the arm cranking until Gargano makes the save.

Gargano comes back in to kick away at Dunne, including the rolling version to send him outside. Back in and Dunne is sent into Lorcan but it’s a half nelson slam/powerbomb combination for two on Gargano. Theory makes the save but can’t hit his own powerbomb to Dunne. An enziguri drops Lorcan again but Gargano is back up with a suicide DDT to Dunne on the floor. One Final Beat finishes Lorcan at 14:18.

Rating: B. If they are trying to turn the Way, or at least Gargano and Theory, face, this was a good start as they played the roles well. These two are so much goofy fun together that it would be an easy way to go, especially with the idea of Johnny Gargano/Takeover/Wrestling challenging Karrion Kross for the NXT Title at Takeover. Heck of a match here, though I could also see Dunne getting the shot. Those question marks are what make NXT thrive and it is nice to have them back.

Post match, Karrion Kross comes out to drop Gargano.

The battery is at 40%.

Karrion Kross and Scarlett run into Samoa Joe, who is reminded that nothing physical can happen unless Joe is provoked. Joe: “Of course champ.” Kross and Scarlett leave, but Pete Dunne pops up for the staredown with Joe.

Next week: a triple threat match to crown new #1 contenders to the Women’s Tag Team Titles.

Elektra Lopez vs. Frankie Monet

Monet headlocks her down to start and it’s time to fight over a wristlock. Lopez backs into the corner so Monet poses a bit and runs her over again. Some mounted shots to the face have Lopez in more trouble but she comes back up with a shot to the face. A pump kick drops Money for a second but two shots of her own set up the Road to Valhalla to put Lopez away at 3:26.

Rating: D+. Fairly short and to the point here as Monet beat her up, posed a lot and then won. That’s why you bring in someone like Lopez, who has a unique enough look to get some interest and then lose anyway. Monet is someone who came in ready to be a star and very well could be again for a long time to come. The Robert Stone deal is fine for a start, especially if she can steal them from Stone.

Bronson Reed isn’t sure what is going on around here but Hit Row comes in. Top Dolla says everyone is colossal until Colossus walks into the room. They don’t like Ever-Rise either.

Earlier today, Ever-Rise went to spray point Hit Row’s car but Top Dollar was inside, sending them running off.

Ever-Rise vs. Hit Row

That would be Ashante Adonis/Top Dolla, with the latter running Chase Parker off the apron to start. Matt Martel gets dropped as well and it’s off to Adonis for a dropkick. Parker saves Martel from a powerslam and Ever-Rise knocks Dolla to the floor. This proves to be a bad idea as Dollar comes back in to wreck more things. The Long Kiss Goodnight sets up a powerbomb/neckbreaker combination (with a nasty landing) to finish Martel at 2:32. Hit Row has great presence, but they aren’t completely polished in the ring.

Mercedes Martinez is ready for a mixed tag against Tian Sha next week. Xia Li and Boa jump her from behind but Jake Atlas kicks Boa in the head for the save.

Kyle O’Reilly is ready for the main event.

The battery is at 51%, putting it into green.

Here’s what’s coming next week.

Kyle O’Reilly vs. Kushida

Kyle takes him to the mat to start but Kushida winds up on top in the grapple. They get up to a standoff so O’Reilly goes for a kneebar. That’s broken up as well so Kushida takes him down and twists on the arm. Back up and O’Reilly takes him into the corner where a double headbutt puts both of them down.

We take a break and come back with Kushida working on the ankles but O’Reilly slips out. A kneebar is broken up with Kushida looking for the Hoverboard Lock, which is countered into a cross armbreaker which is countered into the Hoverboard Lock which is countered into a choke which is countered into a kick to O’Reilly’s arm. O’Reilly blocks a kick but Kushida is right back with a bridging northern lights suplex for two.

Kushida goes up but dives into a kick to the chest, setting up another kneebar from O’Reilly. That’s countered into a cradle for two but O’Reilly is back up with a rebound lariat to put him down as well. The brainbuster gives O’Reilly two so he heads to the apron, where Kushida sends him arm first into the post.

They trade kicks to the arm until Kushida’s hammerlock suplex drops O’Reilly onto the apron and out to the floor. Back in and they trade more kicks but Kushida still can’t get the Hoverboard Lock. Another attempt mostly works but O’Reilly gets smart by putting his hands in his trunks to avoid all of the pressure. O’Reilly finally manages to roll out and cradle Kushida for the pin at 14:26.

Rating: B+. Yep this was great and I’m not sure why that should be a surprise. They traded holds and strikes for the better part of fifteen minutes until one of them got pinned. Everything looked crisp, they didn’t do very many ridiculous looking things and it felt like a struggle. This was a heck of a main event and is more than worth the time to find if you want to see something awesome from this style.

Post match here is Adam Cole to brawl off with O’Reilly. Cue three guys in hoodies with one of them jumping Kushida. The guys are revealed as Roderick Strong, Tyler Rust and Hideki Suzuki (not named). Malcolm Bivens comes in to hand Strong the Cruiserweight Title and says THIS IS THE DIAMOND MINE to end the show. I’m intrigued, while also being annoyed that I thought Strong was the battery guy.

Overall Rating: B. When the only thing close to bad (and that is debatable) on your show is a three minute squash, you’re having a pretty good week. This was a heck of a show and felt like the NXT of old, with a mixture of very good wrestling, building for the future and leaving me intrigued about where things go. Awesome show here, and it’s nice to have NXT feeling like it’s old self again.

Results
Adam Cole b. Carmelo Hayes – Panama Sunrise
Zoey Stark/Io Shirai b. Robert Stone Brand – Moonsault to Kamea
The Way b. Pete Dunne/Oney Lorcan – One Final Beat to Lorcan
Frankie Monet b. Elektra Lopez – Road To Valhalla
Hit Row b. Ever-Rise – Powerbomb/neckbreaker combination to Martel
Kyle O’Reilly b. Kushida – Cradle

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Takeover: In Your House 2021
Date: June 13, 2021
Location: Capitol Wrestling Center, Orlando, Florida
Commentators: Beth Phoenix, Wade Barrett, Vic Joseph

We’re back to this series but in this case, the card isn’t looking like the strongest in the world. That has been the case for some of the last few of these have not exactly had a great build. I’m not sure what to expect from this one, as the main event is a five way match for the NXT Title. Let’s get to it.

The opening video is a pretty standard look at every match on the card.

Naomi Fox performs the theme song live.

There seems to be a full capacity of fans here, making the show feel much more like classic NXT.

Here’s Todd Pettengill (who looks and sounds the same, albeit with a beard) to welcome us to the show.

Tag Team Titles/North American Title: MSK/Bronson Reed vs. Legado del Fantasma

Legado is challenging and it’s winner take all. We get a nice shot of Legado putting their masks on the apron before Lee and Mendoza go with a fast pinfall reversal sequence to start. Lee flips out of a headscissors to land on his feet and it’s off to Wilde to send Carter into the corner. A dropkick sends Wilde into the corner so Escobar comes in for the big staredown with Reed.

As expected, Escobar tags Mendoza back in rather than face the monster. A blind tag brings Escobar back in for a cheap shot to the head, but for some reason Escobar tries a slam. This goes as badly as expected and it’s MSK taking turns on Wilde. MSK holds Wilde up for a running backsplash from Reed but Carter gets sent outside. The parade of alternating dives is on with Reed’s big one knocking out everyone else. Back in and Lee gets taken down, including an elevated 450 from Wilde.

Lee manages to roll over for the tag to Reed though and house is cleaned in a hurry. Reed wants Escobar, who somehow manages a Michinoku Driver to stun Reed for two. It’s already back to Carter, who gets caught in the Russian legsweep/running boot to the face. Lee dives in for the save in a pretty hot near fall but Reed comes back in to wreck things. The big charge sends Escobar through the set, leaving Wilde to take the Blockbuster Hart Attack. Reed adds the Tsunami to retain at 12:29.

Rating: B-. This took some time to get going but there were some hot near falls, including a good false finish with Carter. Reed is a force of nature though and that Tsunami is an awesome finisher which looks great every time. It was a hot choice for an opener here and while I’m not surprised at the result, Reed vs. Escobar should be a good singles match down the line.

Earlier today, Kyle O’Reilly nearly got in a fight with the Way in the parking lot but security broke it up.

Todd Pettengill throws us to a video (as in a tape) of Xia Li losing to Mercedes Martinez in the 2017 Mae Young Classic, but McKenzie Mitchell says it’s all digital now. Todd calls her Stephanie Wiand in a joke a lot of people probably won’t get.

Mercedes Martinez vs. Xia Li

Boa is here with Li. Martinez starts fast and knocks Li to the apron but Li ties her up in the ropes. They head outside with Li sending her into the post, starting the XIA LI chants. Martinez’s bad ribs are wrapped around the post and a running dropkick sends her outside again. Back in and Martinez gets smart by kicking at Li’s legs to give her an opening.

Li manages to send her back into the corner but charges into a hot shot. Something like a Razor’s Edge Dominator gets two on Li and Martinez hits a running knee to the face to send her outside. Boa’s distraction doesn’t do much for Li, who is backdropped onto the floor. Back in and Martinez loads up the Air Raid Crash but Li slips out for the spinning kick to the face and the pin at 7:40.

Rating: C. I’m not sure what that was as it felt like they were getting into another gear and then the match just ended. Li is a monster and beating Martinez means something but it wasn’t exactly a match that felt like it belonged on Takeover. This could have been a fairly hot TV match but the sudden ending and pretty short run time hurt it a bit.

Post match Li grabs a chair but Martinez takes it away and drops Boa. Some chair shots put Li down but Mei Ying gets up for the staredown. Martinez gets caught in a Tongan Death Grip and, after shrugging off some chair shots, throws Martinez into a cage wall to leave her laying.

Tommaso Ciampa and Timothy Thatcher are REALLY fired up to fight the Grizzled Young Veterans on Tuesday.

Ted DiBiase narrates a video on the history and value of the Million Dollar Title. It matters the most because it costs the most and now it is time to find someone to carry on its legacy. That will be either Cameron Grimes or LA Knight, who can fight for it in a ladder match.

Million Dollar Title: LA Knight vs. Cameron Grimes

Ladder match for the vacant title, which Ted DiBiase and some lackeys bring to the ring in a case. They shove each other to start and the fans are behind Grimes. Some chops have Knight staggered and a clothesline puts him down. Grimes knocks him to the floor and grabs the ladder but Knight gets in a cheap shot. The ladder is thrown at Grimes but only hits the floor, meaning Knight settles for a hard clothesline instead.

They pull each other off the ladder until Knight uses it to knock him outside. Grimes sends him outside, where Knight grabs his own ladder to begin the ladder jousting. Knight gets knocked outside in a heap with the ladder being driven into his ribs. For some reason Grimes goes after him and gets laddered down as well. Knight strikes the pose on the steps and sends Grimes into the barricade (Knight to the fans: “YOU WANT TO MEET HIM???”).

Back inside and Knight hits a slingshot shoulder but Grimes sends him into the corner. A crotching with the ladder misses though and Knight neckbreakers him onto the ladder. The big ladder is set up with Grimes being sent face first. Grimes is right back with a whip to send Knight face first into the ladder in the corner and it’s time to kick at Knight’s chest. Knight gets tossed over the top and onto a bridged ladder, so Grimes wants THAT GOLD! He means the gold ladder and gets his hand on the title but has to shove Knight off the ladder.

That’s fine with Knight, who shoves the ladder over for the big crash. A double knockdown leaves them both on the mat before Knight sends him onto the ramp. They fight to the floor, with Grimes being sent into a ladder, which he climbs in a hurry. Grimes climbs onto the set to dive down onto Knight for another knockdown. Knight makes a save but gets knocked down and hurricanranaed out to the floor. That lets Grimes climb but Knight knocks him over with the big crash onto a ladder on the ramp. Knight pulls down the title for the win at 19:25.

Rating: B. It checked all of the ladder match boxes but that’s about all I can give this one. Ladder matches are just so completely played out in WWE and NXT these days and it’s hard to get excited about another one. This had dives, drama and crashes, but almost nothing that you haven’t seen in a more memorable version elsewhere. Knight winning makes sense, though I’m hoping Grimes wins something sooner rather than later.

DiBiase presents Knight with the title.

Hit Row interrupts Todd Pettengill’s merchandise shilling and plugs their new song.

We recap Ember Moon challenging Raquel Gonzalez for the Women’s Title. Moon has been back for a little while now and wants the title back. Gonzalez is ready to destroy her to continue her legacy, but the Eclipse is a dangerous weapon.

Women’s Title: Raquel Gonzalez vs. Ember Moon

Gonzalez is defending and has Dakota Kai in her corner. Moon starts fast by hammering away in the corner but has to counter the lifting powerbomb. Gonzalez sends her outside and hard into the barricade for two back inside. A sunset flip doesn’t work for Moon and Gonzalez tosses her into the corner again. There’s a side slam to set up a twisting Vader Bomb for two more on Moon, followed by the Canadian backbreaker.

Moon gets out and fires off some kicks, including a superkick into a Code Red for two. Kai has to save Gonzalez from the modified STF so Moon is back up with a suicide dive to knock Gonzalez over the announcers’ table. Back in and a running Downward Spiral gives Moon two but Kai offers another distraction to break up the Eclipse. Gonzalez is right back up with a superplex but the lifting powerbomb is countered into a rollup for (another rather slow) two.

A big boot gives Gonzalez two so she loads up a suplex, which is countered into a spinning Stunner. The Eclipse connects but Kai puts the foot on the rope. Cue Shotzi Blackheart to chase Kai off as Moon tornado DDTs Gonzalez onto the ramp. That gets a rather delayed two so Moon tries a headscissors, only to get caught in Snake Eyes. The lifting powerbomb retains the title at 12:07.

Rating: B. I was getting into this one a good bit and the time helped it. What mattered here was Moon felt like someone who might have had a chance to win the title, which is hard to do against a monster like Gonzalez. Beating Moon means something for her too, so it was a good way to go for both of them, as Gonzalez gets a nice title defense and Moon looks like a player again.

Todd Pettengill plays Karate Fighters (now that feels like it belongs on this show) with Dexter Lumis but makes the mistake of asking him about his love life. Lumis stops the game and crushes one of the fighters, with Todd declaring him the winner.

We recap the NXT Title match with Karrion Kross defending against most of the main event scene. Kross wants to fight everyone at once and it has been near chaos as everyone wants to go after each other.

Johnny Gargano is on his way to the ring and sees Shotzi Blackheart having to be held back from Dakota Kai and Raquel Gonzalez. William Regal continues to lose control.

NXT Title: Karrion Kross vs. Pete Dunne vs. Johnny Gargano vs. Adam Cole vs. Kyle O’Reilly

Kross is defending and it is one fall to a finish. It’s a big brawl to start (of course) with Kross tossing people around. O’Reilly goes for a kneebar to slow Kross down but he powers out without much trouble. Gargano is back in to strike away at Kross, setting up a running hurricanrana. Dunne pulls Gargano down and ties him into the ring skirt to hammer away but Kross is back up to suplex both of them at once.

It’s O’Reilly getting back up to strike away at everyone, including some shots to Cole’s face. The cross armbreaker goes on but Dunne grabs one on O’Reilly to break it up. Gargano gets in on the parade of holds until Kross breaks it up. Kross wants Cole, who bails up the ramp. That nearly earns him a powerbomb on the ramp but Cole rakes the eyes to save himself. Gargano and Dunne shove Kross through the house door in the set.

Back in and Cole hits the fireman’s carry neckbreaker for two on O’Reilly but Gargano comes back to put Cole in the Tree of Woe. Dunne is back too but the Bitter End is countered into a DDT to give Gargano two. We get an accidental Undisputed Era reunion as some double teaming puts Dunne down but everyone gets dropped. Cole is smart enough to cover Gargano for two and it’s time to get back up for the next Cole vs. O’Reilly slugout. O’Reilly gets kicked into the ropes, where Kross is back up to pull him to the floor.

That means Kross can wreck everyone until he is left alone with Gargano. A huge release F5 sends Gargano flying for two but Dunne makes the save. Gargano knocks Dunne outside for a suicide dive, earning himself a superkick from Cole. The slingshot spear is countered but so is the Panama Sunrise, with hitting a sunset driver for two. Everyone pulls themselves back up so it’s time for a string of oddball double teamings until Gargano has to break up O’Reilly’s fisherman’s belly to back suplex on Cole.

Kross is back in to hit a bunch of running corner clotheslines but everyone gets together to take him down again. Another series of strikes gives us another five way knockdown for a breather. It’s Kross up first again with a German suplex on Cole, setting up some posing. Cole and O’Reilly get together one more time to powerbomb Kross onto the announcers’ table, leaving everyone but Kross to slug it out inside. Dunne and O’Reilly grab holds but opt to slug it out instead.

O’Reilly gets the better of it until Cole comes back in for the brainbuster onto the knee for two. Dunne’s enziguri hits Gargano (though he was aiming for Cole) so Gargano and Cole double superkick his moonsault out of the air. Gargano is back in with One Final Beat to Cole for two and it’s a double Gargano Escape. O’Reilly breaks that up but gets shoved off the top. Cole hits the Panama Sunrise on Gargano but walks all the way around to cover so Dunne can pull him out at two (that looks so dumb).

Kross is back up to slug it out with Dunne, who grabs the Bitter End for two of his own. A triangle choke has Kross out but everyone else makes the save. It’s time for Dunne to start hurting fingers but Kross Doomsday Saitos Dunne and Cole at the same time. The Krossjacket Choke is countered with a snapped finger and there’s the One Final Beat to drop Dunne.

Kross is back up with the Krossjacket Choke to Gargano but that’s broken up as well. O’Reilly hits the top rope knee to Kross with Cole making the save. Cole gets pulled into O’Reilly’s heel hook but Kross grabs the Krossjacket Choke to knock O’Reilly out and retain at 26:15.

Rating: B+. This was all action and fun, but I never could shake the feeling that it was all a big exercise until Kross retained the title. They did a good job of giving everyone a moment, even if it was finding ways to slow Kross down. The interesting thing now is who faces Kross next, as it isn’t like anyone is going to be seen as a serious threat to him one on one. I’m not sure how many of these guys are going to be sticking around NXT with the return to the road coming soon for WWE, but more than one of them seem ready for the call up.

Kross and Scarlett pose with the title.

We cut to William Regal leaving, but first he says that he has never seen such bedlam in his time in NXT. Maybe it’s time for a change. Regal walks off to end the show.

Overall Rating: B. That’s going to put it on the lower end of Takeovers, though it was certainly a good show. The problem here is there was no must see match, with a bunch of above average though not exactly blow away stuff. The main event was the best part of the show, but it didn’t quite feel like anything significant happened (save for the end, which is going to get some more attention on Tuesday). Overall, it’s another more than fine Takeover, but they need some kind of a big story to energize things around here.

Results

Bronson Reed/MSK b. Legado del Fantasma – Tsunami to Wilde

Xia Li b. Mercedes Martinez – Spinning kick to the face

LA Knight b. Cameron Grimes – Knight pulled the title down

Raquel Gonzalez b. Ember Moon – Lifting powerbomb

Karrion Kross b. Pete Dunne, Kyle O’Reilly, Adam Cole and Johnny Gargano – Krossjacket Choke to O’Reilly

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It’s that time again as NXT is taking over….well Peacock again, but that might work out just as well. This time feels different though, as I have forgotten that the show is taking place more than once now. This has not felt like the kind of build you get for a Takeover and that is a shame, as the show has earned its amazing reputation. There are matches on the card that look good though so let’s get to it.

Mercedes Martinez vs. Xia Li

We’ll start with the only non-title match on the show because NXT has become a promotion that is awash with titles, just like almost every other. Martinez is mostly a monster and Li is running through the entire division. You need to run over some people on the way there though and Li has marked Martinez as her next target. That might be easier said than done.

Or maybe not as I’ll take LI to win here. There is little reason to think that Martinez is going to win as, simply put, she doesn’t win matches around here. I’m not sure how long Martinez is going to stick around NXT, but at least she is getting some high profile matches. This should be a heck of a fight as Li has gotten that much better, and odds are she is going to win here.

North American Title/Tag Team Titles: Bronson Reed/MSK(c) vs. Legado del Fantasma

This is one of those things that can work out rather well, as you have all of the titles on the line in a winner take all match. That is something I could go with seeing, as it combined a pair of matches into one but it also opens up a bit more drama, which is not something you might be able to get out of a single match. It means you could see a surprise, and it would be two at a time.

As tempting as a pair of title changes would be here, I think the champs retain, as Reed winning the North American Title felt like a big deal. I could see MSK dropping the belts to Legado sooner rather than later, but I don’t think it happens here. There is an idea here though and that is a good thing, but actually pulling the trigger on the changes is a bit hard to imagine.

Million Dollar Title: Cameron Grimes vs. LA Knight

Hey look, a ladder match. As in another ladder match, just like they had at the last Takeover. This time around it is for the revived Million Dollar Title, which has oddly turned into an interesting feud. Granted that might have something to do with how great Grimes has been on the mic in the build to the match. Knight is one of my favorite talkers today though and I could go for seeing the match.

That means I have to pick a winner though and egads I’m not sure where this is going. I’ll take Grimes just because the story has been built up so long, but I’ll say that with a grand total of no confidence. This could go either way and that is a great way to build up some drama. Knight needs the win, but it isn’t like losing a ladder match would hurt him at all. Granted the same thing could be said of Grimes, and that is why the whole thing should work well.

Women’s Title: Raquel Gonzalez(c) vs. Ember Moon

Moon has come back a very long way and that is quite the relief. She has been back in NXT for a good while now and nothing has really come together for her just yet. That has finally started getting better and Moon is starting to feel a little bit more like a star who could pull something like this off. I’m not sure if she will, but it is something I could believe and that is a good thing to see.

With that being said, I can’t imagine Moon winning the title back here so we’ll go with Gonzalez retaining. Gonzalez is someone who could be champion for a very long time to come and a win over Moon is going to be a good start. Moon has the bigger weapon with the Eclipse and that is something you have to account for, but ultimately Gonzalez is going to retain, likely with the lifting powerbomb.

NXT Title: Karrion Kross(c) vs. Johnny Gargano vs. Adam Cole vs. Kyle O’Reilly vs. Pete Dunne

Then we have this, which is the majority of the main event scene thrown together into one huge main event. This is the kind of thing you don’t see very often in NXT and that might be a good idea in this case. What we are likely to get here is one big mess with everyone going nuts for twenty plus minutes with a bunch of near falls after another. You can get a lot of entertainment out of that if the match is structured right, which is where NXT shines.

As for a winner….egads where are they going here? I think I’ll go with my usual train of thought here and pick Kross to retain. I’m not sure I can imagine him having two pretty short title reigns, but there is always the chance that he is getting hotshotted up to the main roster. I would not be stunned to see him lose the title, but I’ll go with Kross retaining here in a prediction likely to be wrong.

Overall Thoughts

The more I think about this show, the more hope I have for it. There are a lot of good pieces to the card and just a few should be enough to carry a five match card. NXT knows how to do these big shows as well as anyone else and if they can pull this one off, they might be even more impressive than I thought. The potential is there, even if the interest might not be, and that could be enough to get it across the goal line.

Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and head over to my Amazon author page with 30 different cheap wrestling books at:

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