NXT - Post NXT Takeover discussion in progress

[Daaaaaad!]

Great to read that, Houchen. I find the NXT Takeovers are some of the most enjoyable shows to watch. Not too long, clearly defined characters and always a hot crowd (albeit mildly smarky). I was lucky enough to be at last year's Brooklyn show and it was fantastic.

[Undefeated Steak]

Has there ever been a non Wrestlemania event that had two entrances as brilliant as Roode and Nakamura's? Both outta this world.

[Wrasslin]

I was thinking about spectacular non wrestlemania entrances, there's not been that many have there?

 

I know Cena had the descending platform / spaceship thing at Royal Rumble one year.

 

I'm blanking on any others. (Not counting the band that does the song played live)

[sammorgz]

Doesn't it just make you wish Roode had been there 5 years ago? I've thought for the past few years it would be a travesty if he never had a WWE title run and the reactions he's getting (of course the theme is helping and is ace, but still) just makes me think this even more. I can see Vince being a big fan of his. He needs to enter the Rumble, the moment that theme hits the place would go nuts.

 

Nakamura speaks for himself. I still can't believe all of these guys are now under the WWE banner. It's fantastic.

[wordsfromlee]

According to a tweet he sent out, Joe dislocated his jaw in his match but should be fine.

[Snitsky's back acne]

A couple of the crappy newz!! sites are speculating the Sanity promos could be for Crazy Mary Dobson, who has apparently signed with WWE, or a new character for Eric Young, who has signed with them too.

 

Nice to have a bit of genuine speculation going on for once though.

[chokeout]

A couple of the crappy newz!! sites are speculating the Sanity promos could be for Crazy Mary Dobson, who has apparently signed with WWE, or a new character for Eric Young, who has signed with them too.

 

Nice to have a bit of genuine speculation going on for once though.

 

They'd be mad to bring Crazy Mary straight up, she's sloppy as hell in straight up matches and would get lost in the shuffle with a lot of far better women wrestlers.

[Snitsky's back acne]

 

A couple of the crappy newz!! sites are speculating the Sanity promos could be for Crazy Mary Dobson, who has apparently signed with WWE, or a new character for Eric Young, who has signed with them too.

 

Nice to have a bit of genuine speculation going on for once though.

 

They'd be mad to bring Crazy Mary straight up, she's sloppy as hell in straight up matches and would get lost in the shuffle with a lot of far better women wrestlers.

 

Yeah, I agree. Eric Young would fit the gimmick though - he looks demented as fuck with his current look. Plus, he is a name that would justify the vignettes.

[PowerButchi]

I'd have him as a singing fisherman. His fishing songs on his Robson Green ripoff are ace.

[Otto Dem Wanz]

Just catching up on both shows from the weekend - Christ I love Naka - what an entrance!

 

Shame it means he almost certainly won't be coming up for a while though

Edited August 22, 2016 by Otto Dem Wanz

[Guest]

If he's still where Raw is, he might have a chance tonight

[JLM]

Takeover Tings:

 

Aries vs José was fun. Thought it was the best thing either one has done in NXT so far. The Itami segment was just what both he and Aries needed. Not sure where Jose goes next. I'm sad for him that he has this gimmick as I thought his pissed off promo on Aries on TV a couple of weeks ago was very good, but ''dancing goofball who can fight if you piss him off enough'' isn't a winning character for me.

Ember Moon's debut did its job. Thought she was getting beaten up for a bit too much of it though. She has a whole bunch of highlight-reel type moves and it would have been nice to show off a few more of them. Her finish was always going to impress though. Loved seeing some of the reactions on the first few rows from people who hadn't seen it before.

Revival vs Gargano and Ciampa was magic. The Revival are just outstanding. Really can't say enough about how good they are. From Dawson's promos to their silky smooth tag team wrasslin' to their old school heel mannerisms and perfect pacing and understanding of tag team psychology, they are a wonderful act and make every team who faces them look like superstars. Love the little touches like the constant, audible communication with each other throughout the match. Everything they do leaves you completely convinced that they are working together to try and win the match and have a real gameplan in mind. Every action and little shenanigan they pull makes sense and there's a sense of urgency and purpose behind all of it.  It's a commentary cliché to refer to a team as well oiled machine but they are absolutely that. Gargano and Ciampa have progressed a long way as well and looked fantastic here. Ciampa in particularly has a lot of fire in him and conveys a lot of emotion without saying much.

Loved Bayley vs Asuka. Thought it was significantly better than their first match and I liked Bayley having to try and match Asuka's intensity and violence in an effort to hang with her. Really emotional stuff and even though I was fairly sure who was going to win beforehand I was still gripped from start to finish. Asuka is tremendous. Similar to Nakamura, she shows that the handicap of limited English can be overcome by bucketloads of physical charisma and being excellent in the ring.

Bobby Roode's entrance was a thing of beauty. Already re-watched it several times from start to finish. Whatever CFO$ are being paid it's not enough. Pump handle slam is a shitty finisher. Takes too long to set up and looks like a transition move. I thought this was Andrade's best outing by far but he really is in limbo at the moment. The entrance gear is horrendous, his cockiness makes him a natural heel but his in-ring work is full of fancy high spot stuff that people naturally want to cheer. I thought he showed a ton of promise in this performance but he needs a major overhaul and I'm not entirely sure what the answer would be.

Joe/Nakamura was good but I think I'd let my expectations get a bit out of hand for it. I also think the crowd, who had been on fire all night, showed signs of tiring during the middle of this. Nakamura's incredible entrance might have actually exacerbated this, as did the fact that, for me, Nakamura and Joe didn't quite gel in the ring as I hoped they would. It was still really strong but I'd had hopes of it eclipsing Nakamura/Zayn and it didn't reach those levels for me.

Depiste the main event not quite blowing me away as I'd hope it would I still had a great time as I always do with Takeover specials. With WWE main shows going back to their disappointing tedium in record time after the draft, NXT and CWC are doing such a good job of keeping my wrasslin' love alive. Really must get myself to a live show next time I have the chance.

 

Edited August 23, 2016 by JLM

[Sphinx]

I watched Takeover last night and really enjoyed it. I never really watch NXT and I wonder why after seeing Summerslam and Takeover the past few days. At an hour an episode, it's perfect time wise and the quality was much better.

 

This was my second time seeing Nakamura (the first being his debut) and...it doesn't click with me. I wonder how it will translate to WWE's main shows. The entrance was quite a spectacle, the match was decent but ultimately felt flatter than some of the others. There's enough hardcore fans watching the main shows that I'm sure he'd get some great reactions on TV, but I don't know how far his character can go. An occasional main eventer? I could see something like Balor vs. him on the main show, and if they're looking to put the Universal title on Balor that could conceivably be a B-PPV main event. But obviously you want a main eventer who you can focus a lot of time and talking around. I don't see that with him.

 

And in terms of a range of opponents to put him against, from my fairly limited time of seeing him I wonder how varied he can make feuds.

 

The tag match was lush. I bought the near falls and it was really well paced.

Edited August 24, 2016 by Sphinx

[Guest]

But obviously you want a main eventer who you can focus a lot of time and talking around. I don't see that with him.

You've not seen him talk, have you? His grasp of English seems much better than Itami's, it is still very much broken English but he delivers each line, each word with such an inherent sense of charisma it's hard not to go nuts for everything he says (and does). Look for his segment where he challenges Balor or last week's interview alongside Joe. I've become a much bigger fan of his since his WWE debut and I was already super keen, he's got "It" as Jericho would say.

[Guest]

So what if he can't do a 15 min promo, we see too many of them anyway where people are stood out there talking and saying way more then needed. But he reeks of charisma, and what he does say, people listen to as you can't take your eyes off him. Change the formula to fit the strengths

Edited August 25, 2016 by Louch