Tenken347
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|  #1 Posted on 11.12.15 0942.24
Reposted on: 11.12.22 0942.32 | Takeover: London is just a week away, so it's time to finish setting the table. This week's show is packed solid, and we start with a match between the returning Enzo and Cass and, well, let's just call them "Not Dash and Dawson." Corey Graves even notes it on commentary, calling them "bootleg versions." This is every bit the squash you'd expect. Not D&D get pinballed around a bit before Cass hits a big splash in the corner. He brings in Enzo, who wipes out the other guy with a fast crossbody block and a very nice standing dropkick - incidentally, Enzo looks more serious tonight than we've ever seen him before. Cass comes back in, tosses Enzo in for an assisted splash, and sends the other guy to the floor with an absolutely huge boot to the face. An East River Crossing sets up the Rocket Launcher, and we're done here.
Match Rating: They Appear To Be Doin' Just Fine.
Afterwards, Enzo gets on the mic and starts talking about how D&D put Cass on the shelf, and tried to take away their ability to feed their families, and oh shit I'm dying for him to go full "Hard Times" in the ultimate Dusty Rhodes tribute. Enzo restrains himself, though, and instead Cass gets the mic to talk about the retribution they're going to get from D&D. How you doin', indeed.
It was probably due to Cass's injury that they kind of had to put this one together in a hurry, but they've still managed to put some really good heat on this feud in a very short amount of time. This should be a really exciting match.
Backstage, Emma and Dana finally explain what their problem with Asuka is. Emma's pissed that Asuka came in with all kinds of special treatment, when Emma's been here a long time busting her ass and not getting anything for it. In her opinion, the Diva's Revolution started with her Emmalution. It's a pretty solid point, actually. Anyhoo, Dana and Emma decide that they're going to be paying special attention to Asuka's match later tonight.
Before that, we get a special look at Tye Dillinger, the Perfect 10. You know, if he's not going to do comedy bits with this gimmick, I ain't got time for it.
Okay, now it's time for Asuka's tuneup match. She'll be facing Deonna, who I believe we last saw getting her face rubbed in the dirt by Nia Jax. The match starts with some very nice chain wrestling, which is extra cool because the women almost never wrestle matches like this. Asuka eventually moves a headlock into a pinning position, but transitions that into a cross-armbreaker. When Deonna gets out of that, we start getting the hard striking that we're more accustomed to from Asuka - a series of hard kicks, followed by a big right hand and a flying hip attack. Before this goes any further, though, Emma's out to ruin what was actually a really enjoyable match. Emma's distraction doesn't quite pan out, though. Deonna tries to sneak up on Asuka, but a lightning-quick roundhouse kick knocks her straight out. The ref calls the match without a pinfall.
Match Rating: The Start Of A Great Match.
Afterwards, it's really Dana Brooke's expression that sells the whole thing. She's just standing their with her jaw literally hanging. Her mic skill still need a lot of work, but Dana's really grown on me.
The Hype Bros have a match against Blake and Murphy, and Mojo says some stuff, but really I just love how done Zack Ryder is with Mojo in these bits. There is a killer heel turn coming here, I swear.
Meanwhile, Alexa Bliss is just straight-up embarrassed that her men lost to the Hype Bros in their six-person tag a few weeks back, as well she should be. Incidentally, the three of them are now sporting matching Nightmare on Elm Street themed attire. Probably would have been better back around Halloween, but even so, their matching outfits are awesome.
Anyhoo, their match comes up right after another Elias Samson package. Mojo starts for his team, and mostly spends his time flailing around like a complete dope. The Hype Bros take an early advantage, though, when Ryder slides through the middle ropes to dropkick both Blake and Murphy on the outside. He tosses Murphy back into the ring and hits a second rope dropkick to set up the Broski Boot. Blake makes the save, though, but Ryder recovers and sends Murphy out so that Blake can eat the boot instead. Things are looking good for him, except that Murphy's actually the legal man, and clobbers him from behind. The heels work standard "cut the ring in half" tag offense, including Blake locking in a headlock with a bridge, which I suppose isn't particularly noteworthy; I just really liked it, is all. Anyhoo, Ryder gets backed into their corner but is able to shove Blake into Murphy, knocking their heads together and giving him time to make the tag to Mojo. Mojo cleans house, including a discus haymaker. Just when it looks like the heels are going to get back into this with a superkick from Murphy, Blake eats a Hype Ryder out of nowhere to end the match. That was abrupt.
Match Rating: The Hype Bros Have Absolutely No Business Beating Blake And Murphy. Or Blake Or Murphy, Actually.
Backstage, Joe and Corbin have some words for their opponents. You can probably imagine what they are, but the upshot is that they're going to hand out some beatings tonight.
Incidentally, it just occurred to me that Hideo Itami (whose surprise return I'm still predicting for Takeover) got injured at Unstoppable, the very same show that Samoa Joe debuted on. Hmmmmm.
Reminder: Takeover is on London time, and starts at 3pm. Someone else can feel free to start the thread, because I am not going to be watching live, most likely.
Bayley has a tuneup match against Peyton Royce, who seems to have also realized that her name is the name of a rich bitch character. She's got some new music and presentation that seems to be going in that direction, at any rate. Anyhoo, the match starts off with some dueling armdrags, with Bayley getting the better of that trade. Royce connects with a running knee to give her an advantage, and lays in a corner choke with her long legs. Royce is able to slap on a chinlock as well, but Bayley counters out of that and takes down Royce for some shots to the head. Royce is able to counter back herself, landing a rounhouse kick off the ropes. Commentary is doing a pretty good job of selling the idea that Bayley's not 100% after getting tossed through a door by Nia Jax last week. Bayley manages to get in position to hit her spinning elbow off the turnbuckle, and a one-handed bulldog sets up a snap suplex. Royce is still in this, though, and hits a jawbreaker for a rollup. Bayley's done, though, and after kicking out of the pin attempt, she nails the Belly to Bayley to end this one.
Match Rating: A Lot More Peyton Royce Than Expected.
Afterwards, Jax comes out on the ramp, with Eva Marie in tow. Eva Marie starts talking, but Jax cuts her off because "I don't need you to talk for me." True, but then why is she there? Anyhoo, Jax wants Bayley to know that she's destined for greatness, and that Bayley never would have been champ in the first place if Jax had gotten there sooner.
Finn Balor's backstage warming up, but Apollo Crews wants to make sure he's ready for their match. Of course he is Apollo, don't ask dumb questions. AC also wants Finn to know that he's still gunning for that championship, as he hands him the belt. For his part, Finn just looks like he's wondering why guys keep handing him his own title belt.
Another Sami Zayn package before the main event, this one detailing his match with John Cena where he threw out his shoulder. Early reports are that he's been seen on the England tour, ready to go.
Main event time. AC and Finn Balor against Joe and Corbin, as advertised last week. I expected this one to break down immediately, but we actually get a pretty solid match here. Finn starts of by slapping Corbin around a bit, and tags in AC after a big dropkick. Corbin, of course, immediately begs off AC and brings in Joe instead. AC slaps an armwringer on Joe, who tries to punch his way out of it. You know, Joe, punches won't solve all your problems. Case in point: AC counters with with a dropkick to the point of Joe's chin, sending him scurrying back to his own corner. Inexplicably, when we return from break, it's Crews on defense, as Joe and Corbin work over his arm. Eventually, though, Crews is able to make the hot tag to bring in Finn, who nails Joe with a big clothesline and some chops. He goes for the 10-count punch in the corner, but Joe powers out of that and sets Finn up for a Muscle Buster. Finn slides out into a sunset flip while AC takes Corbin out of the ring. That only gets two, though, so Finn hits the slingblade and the knockback dropkick. Everyone knows where this is going, including Corbin, who takes just enough time away from brawling with Crews to shove Finn off the tope rope before he can hit the Coup de Grace. Corbin goes back to fighting with Crews, and they brawl all the way up the ramp and out. Meanwhile, back in the ring, Samoa Joe hits a Death Valley Driver (I cannot remember the last time I saw that move done!), and slaps on the Kokina Clutch. Finn gets choked out again, and is once more left unconscious in a puddle of his own drool. Undignified, man.
Match Rating: Good. It Was A Good Match.
Joe poses with the belt afterwards, but I think that's probably as close as he gets to it at this point. I don't think it's Joe's time - yet. I'd like to see him stew over a loss for a couple months before coming back and winning. Maybe redo the old Taz/Sabu spot where he locks in the Kokina Clutch, but Finn rolls him over and pins his shoulders to the mat while he's being choked out. I'm thinking Crews over Corbin, because one of those guys has tremendous upside for the company as a whole, with the potential to be the next John Cena that they keep looking for, and the other guy is Baron Corbin. Bayley and Jax is hard to call, but I'm hoping they can deliver a Sting/Vader-type match, with Bayley staying on top for now. I'll take Asuka over Emma in my most anticipated match of the evening. No matter who wins the title, Asuka is a logical challenger. If Enzo and Cass don't win the titles here, nothing they've done for the past three months or so makes any sense at all, and Enzo's new seriousness plays pretty well, I think.
Of course, the upshot of all this is that I once again think that NXT has done a dynamite job of setting up Takeover, with all the matches laid out, everyone's motivation clear, and as much heat as humanly possible put on every match. From the top of the card all the way down to the first match of the night, every win is important to someone. That's NXT's "secret," really. Everything feels important, even if, in the grand scheme, it's not. It's a show that gives us reasons to care, instead of excuses not to. London's the last big show of the year, and while I don't know if it can match up to what they delivered in Brooklyn, or even at (R)Evolution last year, it should be a hell of a time. I'll see you all next week in London. | Promote this thread! |             | andy1278
Bockwurst
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| #2 Posted on 11.12.15 1835.25
Reposted on: 11.12.22 1835.58 | I love NXT. There's just so much to enjoy.
Serious Cass & Enzo works. It works well. We don't need it every week, but it is money broken out every now and then. Also, I don't cringe at Enzo's hair as much.
I was one of many doubting Dana when she debuted, and now I have been won over. She's improving in the ring and she is great in backstage segments and ringside. And Emma is, as usual, great.
Asuka is just awesome, straight up.
Heel Ryder against crazy party animal Mojo is something I am looking forward to. Maybe the offscreen couple of Zack & Emma can get together onscreen as jaded heels that got pushed down from the main roster.
Evil Alexa is best for business.
I like Nia Jax's attitude. After Bayley gets the callup, I can see the moment Nia powerbombs Eva Marie into oblivion being the moment that rockets her into the new face star of the womens division.
Main event was fun too, but I seem to be too wrapped up in the lower card to care as much about the big stories. | InVerse
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| #3 Posted on 14.12.15 1031.36
Reposted on: 14.12.22 1041.05 | Originally posted by andy1278
I like Nia Jax's attitude. After Bayley gets the callup, I can see the moment Nia powerbombs Eva Marie into oblivion being the moment that rockets her into the new face star of the womens division.
Face Nia Jax vs Face Asuka just beating the ever loving hell out of each other might not be able to top the previous NXT women's epics for best match of all time, but it could very easily be the funnest match in NXT history if the crowd is fully invested in both of them.
Between Takeover and the recent addition of Global Wrestling Federation shows to the Network, I'm actually contemplating resubscribing after a two year lapse. (For those unfamiliar with Global, they were best known for an angle where a big heel stable ran rampant, eventually revealing their boss to be the man in charge of the company. Somebody should probably resurrect that idea.) | Greymarch
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|  #4 Posted on 14.12.15 1452.43
Reposted on: 14.12.22 1454.01 | | Nia Jax really kinda screams Face more than Heel I dunno if that's just me. I think she'll have to simmer in heel territory with Eva for a whole, but like andy said once she smokes Eva it will be mega face time. | | ALL ORIGINAL POSTS IN THIS THREAD ARE NOW AVAILABLE |
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