NXT - Post NXT Takeover discussion in progress

[WyattSheepMask]

Good Ladder Match which could have been excellent if trimmed down. Richochet’s entrance was great, looked like a star right from the off. I get that they want EC3 doing his point at the screen but, but they can’t keep putting his roid-backne on screen. It looks like a map of Mordor

Really enjoyed Moon/Bayzler. Enjoyed it much more than their previous outing at Philadelphia, Bayzler is still awkward taking certain bumps, but is clearly improving. Told a good story, but as Rick said, the heel shouldn’t be portrayed as bravely overcoming the odds.

Was Paige pissed when she did that intro for that film clip? And did we really need to see it twice?

Nigel’s commentary is still dogshit

The three way tag was OK, that Russo-riffic swerve finish though. “Roderick Strong always wanted to be a champion in NXT”. Had he not turned on Dunne, the champs & Dusty Cup winners were Strong & Dunne. But he turns on Dunne, so the champs & Dusty Cup winners are...Cole & O’Reily, meaning (unless they’re going to Freebird Rule it) Strong wins nothing and has now joined the group he’s spent the last 6/7 months feuding with. Fucks sake. I get that they don’t want UE to just be a duo while Bobby Fish is out injured, but you might as well have debuted someone new, or you could have had that Wesley Blake/Steve Cutler team (Forgotten Sons?) join UE.

Really enjoyed the title match and really happy for Black to get the belt. I know when he was signed and someone on here described him as a “European Megastar” or something along those lines, and I wasn’t convinced by him when he had the match with Neville at the UK Tournament, his NXT debut was a bit of a letdown, and he didn’t do a whole lot until he got his first proper feud but since then he’s really come on leaps & bounds and is now a favourite. Both men have come so far from where they were a year ago against eachother. 

Was nice to see Shane McMahon sat at ringside. And he was there for the whole show, not like when they do those “look whose here!” camera shots when they come in, do the shot, then leave.

And like Supremo said, yeah your calling Ciampa an arsehole now, but they’ll be cheering him and clap-clap-clapclapclap-ing soon enough . The main event built to a good finish, but took a while to get going. I was expecting more of a wild crazy brawl, and it did look for a second like they were going to start this ultra grudge match with a collar & elbow tie up, but it served its purpose. I can see them maybe going for one more match between them at the next Takeover, but Gargano should be main roster bound after that.

Edited April 8, 2018 by WyattSheepMask

[FLips]

Disagree with Rick about the ladder match, thought it was ace from start to finish. I've no problem with contrived spots in matches like this, the setting up and 3 ladders thing looked infinitely better than the bloke getting his crutches stolen in the main event.

Agree about Adam Cole though, I don't get it. If he was a mouthpiece I would, but he's a tiny skinny man who also wins all the time and not through chickenshit tactics. He's got no physique at all.

Not a big fan of Ricochet either. Spot monkey who seemed to even turn selling moves into spots, bouncing and flailing around like he was HBK vs Hogan, pulling his shit eating grin all the time.

Love Velveteen Dream and Lars Sullivan. That's what this business needs, big men and massive characters, not skinny guys doing superkicks.

[Jacko]

The ladder match was insane but I really don’t get it with Adam Cole, would of loved to see Dain win it the MVP of the match for me 

the women’s match was clunky at times and who the fuck green lighted your new woman’s baby face star in Ronda to be cheering the heel on.

the tag match was decent didn’t see the swerve coming but what. A pop for Dunne the kids a star.

i love Zelina Vega 😍 very good match but would of liked to see black called up and. Almas get a long run with the strap 

great drama in the main event with the right winner. Nice to see Shane out there watching it instead of in production 

very good show though wrestlemania will struggle to get close tonight 

[DootDootDoot]

I don't get a lot of the nagtivity - I thought this was close to the best Takeover yet. Five good to great matches, a great heel turn in the middle and one of the greatest stories ever told in the whole of WWE, let alone just in NXT.

Cudos to Ciampa for coming back after months out to give a performance like that and of course to Gargano for his part. The purest heel on the roster against the purest babyface and the story had me gripped from start to finish. It shows what can be done with the right characters at the right time...I think Ciampa's injury has been a blessing in disguise with how they've been able to build this story for months up to this pay off. 

The Women's title was fifth placed in terms of quality but I enjoyed Ember's entrance with the live performance.

I have no problems with the ladder match or with Cole winning...I'm not 100% on board with him but he should be a good heel for challengers to chase after. Velveteen Dream continues to impress on Takeover shows. 

NXT Title was excellent and again told a good story with the lovely Zelina trying to win it for Almas. I can see Almas and Vega rocking up on Smackdown this week or in the shake up.

Tag titles was all about the turn and what NXT do so well is make their turns mean something even if you're expecting them. 

Overall, blown away by this and the future is very, very bright for WWE.

[BrodyGraham]

The long form story of Gargano and Ciampa from the first Dusty Cup, through the CWC, the fueds with Revival and AOP has been as good as anything I've seen in WWE.

The fact that the match last night called back to so much of that was awesome. That finish was beautiful.

[TildeGuy~!]

I’m happy, we’re probably gonna get a British Strong Style/Undisputed Era feud out of this. 

[quote the raven]

So basically NXT is everything current WWE is not.

Loved it from start to finish bravo

[d-d-d-dAz]

The film about Paige looks fucking terrible. It looks like it’s a half arsed, tongue in cheek advert for Chef Boyardee from 2001 or something.

[DootDootDoot]

14 minutes ago, quote the raven said:

So basically NXT is everything current WWE is not.

Loved it from start to finish bravo

Pretty much. Gives you hope for when Trips is the big boss though!

[mim731]

Having the band open with the video over the top was ace, had a real ECW feel to It, but better produced. I like that it feels like a different style of production than the main roster. 

[PunkStep]

9 hours ago, tiger_rick said:

What's wrong with Lars Sullivan? Lot of boos when he looked like he'd win.

*puts on Bruce's Jim Cornette voice*

"HE'S A HEEEEEL"

He's supposed to get that reaction, Rick. Sure, they're supposed to boo Adam Cole too, but at least they got booing Sullivan right.

Really enjoyed the ladder match and the tag match was fine. Adam Cole has actually grown on me quite a bit and I like the Undisputed Era now. Their cool nWo-cum-RATM music helps. Haven't watched the women's and men's title matches yet but the main event was bloody superb. A truly emotional bout that really captivated me. I rarely get tricked by near falls these days, but I did on a couple of occasions here. Couple of blown spots, but come on, allow it.

 

Edit: one more observation- Killian Dain really hasn't impressed me since his debut. He's obviously a decent worker and he has a good look, but he doesn't interest me- he hasn't stood out. Lars Sullivan, despite being rather green, has shown more about him. He has good intensity about him, the kind that would improve Dain massively if he had/showed it.

Edited April 8, 2018 by PunkStep

[gmoney]

I massively turned around on Kyle O Reilly. His weird body and goofy acting make him stand out as a massive, massive dickhead. This is a very good thing. Adam Cole has won me round too. He is small, yes, and I think he'll look ridiculous on the main roster, he's a really good smug prick with great facial expressions. 

I loved this show. Everything was well built, had enough time and felt important. In the ladder match there were such a great mix of characters, styles and colours that I just got that giddy feeling I get so rarely watching wrestling anymore. The main event was incredible. 

[tiger_rick]

15 minutes ago, PunkStep said:

*puts on Bruce's Jim Cornette voice*

"HE'S A HEEEEEL"

He's supposed to get that reaction, Rick. Sure, they're supposed to boo Adam Cole too, but at least they got booing Sullivan right.

Is he? Blimey, what poor presentation.

Incredible to see Ciampa get such heat. They've booked this superbly and to see it pay-off was great. Proper heat too. Match was very good. Agree with @d-d-d-dAz, I thought they had another gear in them but it was a very worthy main event nonetheless. That spot on the concrete and the suplex off the table were sick. Credit to them both for taking that.

[tiger_rick]

58 minutes ago, mim731 said:

Having the band open with the video over the top was ace, had a real ECW feel to It, but better produced. I like that it feels like a different style of production than the main roster. 

I think the ECW comparison generally is a good one. It feels like a modern day ECW. After it folded in 2001, remember all of those indys trying to be the next ECW and it turns out it's actually WWE who've done it. The feel of the show, the crowd being smarks, the really good stuff like this Ciampa/Gargano feud working that crowd into a frenzy, the simple production, it all feels alternative. Personally, I thought the tune that opened the show was fucking bollocks but generally the music feels more contemporary than the main shows. As a standalone, alternative products it really works - even if it doesn't make any money.

Does it do it's job as a developmental, I dunno? There's very little on the shows that I see translating to the wider audience. Maybe someone the size of Sullivan, someone who gets it like Dream and an all-round package like Black. As limited as they are, AOP have far more chance than most and even they might end up like The Ascension. EC3 has a chance too if he keeps his nose clean. Not sure on anyone else.

As for...

2 hours ago, DootDootDoot said:

Gives you hope for when Trips is the big boss though!

...it's always an interesting thought. This product as is wouldn't work for a mass audience. Can Trips take the stuff that works in NXT and make it work within 5 hours of TV each week without burning it out. Could anyone? I don't think so.

[d-d-d-dAz]

Do they take the testing seriously anymore? 

I’m absolutely CERTAIN ECIII is clean, but I’d love to know if that had been verified by the piss sniffers or not.