NXT - Post NXT Takeover discussion in progress

[ColinBollocks]

Everyone involved must be delighted with that. No way is Wrestlemania topping this show. I haven't been keeping up with NXT at all so was planning on skipping a bunch of it, but I ended up watching nearly the whole thing. Right up until the women's match, everything was so brilliantly watchable.

The women's title match was fine, but the standards were so high up until then that it felt a bit of a let down. Same with the start of the main event, but I guess cooling the crowd down helped them get that mad reaction at the end.

Dream, Walter, Ricochet and Black are clear stand outs in the group. All have an extra level of charisma to them that you can't coach.

[Fatty Facesitter]

I know NXT crowds are perhaps more likely to cheer for all of the performers than most, but for all the mixed reactions or cheering for the heels at the start of a match, they are always sucked in and rooting for the babyfaces to triumph by the end of a match. That’s a real testament to the performers for getting them back on side and making people invest in them, but also on the producers for the way they construct the matches and allow them to breathe. 

[SuperBacon]

Agreed. That last fall in the main event was booked to perfection 

[Arch Stanton]

I stayed up to watch the show, to try to force myself into the right mood for a pretty uninspiring WM weekend, and while I did enjoy lots of it- I certainly wasn't buzzing for it like most people in here are.

The tag team opener was decent, but I've already had more than my fill of Black and Ricochet lately and they're going to be on again on Sunday night. At least here they got to have their goodbye moment with the NXT audience, which was pretty cool. War Raiders do way too much flying about for bigger lads. These shows are full of high-flying from first match to main event, it wouldn't hurt them one bit to try to stand out as being something different.

Dream and Riddle was my favourite match of the night, because Dream is the brightest star in NXT by a million miles and Riddle has a great weird charisma about him. Two big characters that are a great fit for each other. Wasn't a fan of the German Suplex off the ropes which could have snapped Dream's head off.

I really love Walter's entrance and he has a unique look and some great mannerisms. I think he should have made shorter work of Dunne though, who still doesn't really come close to convincing me that he's anywhere near ready for main roster duty, unless he's confined to 205 Live. It's now over two years since he was signed and he's 25 years old- he should be in peak condition. He looks like a star from the neck up, but I see regular guys in the gym every day of the week who look more impressive physically. He's just far too ordinary to look at all intimidating. All the joint manipulation stuff irks me too, because nobody sells anything after the move is done anymore, so it renders it all a little pointless because it rarely plays into the storytelling of the match at all.

The women's match was fun, Shayna is a tremendous heel- she's very believable and as such she has a credibility that I just don't get from the Japanese girls, having only followed them since they arrived in NXT. Belair is easily my favourite of the latest crop of NXT's women though- she's got all the tools to do well on the main roster in either a heel or face role.

I can see why you would be losing your mind over that main event if that style of wresting is your thing, but I guess it just isn't for me anymore. This is a complaint which can be applied to most of the matches we see on TakeOver shows these days. It's too much, too fast, nothing hurts, finishers are dead, no story other than taking turns to do spots until the end. The fans absolutely love it though, so I can't knock it, because at the end of the day that's what it's all about. If the 'big' matches at WrestleMania on Sunday get half as much of a passionate response out of the audience it would be an absolute miracle. Two out of Three Falls does absolutely nothing for me as a match stipulation though, it's a virtual guarantee that the first twenty minutes of the match will mean nothing, because we all know that it's going to be all square at 1-1.

These shows are so much more watchable than the big WWE shows, because even though everything runs at 100mph, it's all over before the fans burn out. They are still hot as hell for the most crucial moments in the big matches. I'm dreading to think about how long WM is going to drag on for after the last few years.

Edited April 6, 2019 by Arch Stanton

[Statto]

Christ alive Ranallo is an assault on the senses for 3 hours. STOP BLOODY SHOUTING!! McGuiness is nearly as bad.

I’m in the Arch camp - I don’t think the style of the main event is for me. ‘Gargano kicks out’ has very nearly tipped over into parody.

I enjoyed the first 3 matches on the show, but after a couple of hours, epic after epic after epic wears me out (especially with the commentary becoming shoutier by the match) so I just didn’t get into the last 2 matches. Perhaps didn’t help I was already pretty tired before starting to watch.

 

[Supremo]

Johnny Gargano's a good wrestler, isn't he? I hadn't watched any NXT since the last Takeover and went in to this show not particularly interested in the main event or Johnny because of how badly they fucked his character up trying to be too clever with the Ciampa storyline. You could sense what damaged goods he was at the start of the match, with Adam Cole getting the bigger reaction. Even during the duelling chants, the chants for Adam were far louder.

By those last ten minutes though? Those last few incredible near falls after the Undisputed Lads ran in? That finish? Greatest babyface I've ever seen. That he managed to suck me and everyone else back in, getting that thunderous pop for the win, whilst I sat grinning like a dickhead? What a performance. What a fucking great pro-wrestler. 

This was the show of the year and I can't see anything else coming even remotely close. Everything delivered, if not over-delivered. Spectacularly fun opener, lovely, genuinely touching send off to Ricochet and Black, tremendous match between Dream and Riddle, solidifying that Riddle needs to go heel full time, fun women's match and an amazing main event.

Most prominent thought coming out of the show though? Walter should be Brock Lesnar's next challenger. Fuck Seth off and put Walter and Brock together as soon as possible. There's no-one in the business I buy more as a legitimate threat to Brock. Fucking killer of a man.

[King Pitcos]

Arch - I was thinking during the match that, with all the focus on how dominant Pete Dunne has been for two years, that Walter clattering him like Lesnar did to Cena that time would’ve been really effective. I was happy with the match they did, though.

[tiger_rick]

The only issue i have with Takeovers is that they are so stacked top to bottom that they burn me out. As a result, I end up not being that into the main events. 

Dream & Riddle is my favourite match of the year so far. That pleases me so much. I really like Riddle's story and look and really want him to be something so when he goes out and looks SO FUCKING GOOD it warms the cockles of my heart. I really want Dream to be as good as his character work too so everytime his work is this FUCKING GOOD it pleases me too.

Some of the spots in this thing were out of this world and both adapted just enough to ensure their styles meshed. I particularly liked Riddle's subtle heel stuff in the second half of the match.

I hope they go with that going forward. A gradual heel turn that leads to him cheating Dream out of the title will be gold. The show needs it. Apart from Shayna, there are no heels in the big stories on this brand apart from shit ones like Adam Cole and his jobber club. Ciampa is a big loss there.

Opening tag was a bundle of fun and a hell of a farewell. Push Ricochet to the fucking moon.

Dunne's loss was predictable and hopefully means he's going to NXT or WWE full time. 

Felt like a real changing of the guard show and I'm chuffed Riddle and Dream came off so brilliantly. Every time you wonder how they follow stuff on NXT, you get something like this and realise they're ok for a good while yet.

[LaGoosh]

When I watch these Takeover events, I sometimes really start to feel like perhaps today's wrestling isn't for me. I'll use some examples from Walter/Dunne to explain why:

- Dunne manages to powerbomb Walter off the top rope.

- 30 seconds later, Dunne hits a double footstomp off the top rope to the outside. Fucking insane spot.

- 30 seconds later, Walter hits Dunne with a big boot/german suplex/powerbomb combo.

- 15 seconds later, Dunne hits him with an enzigur, goes to the top rope where Walter hits a psychotic sleeper suplex off the top rope.Dunne of course is back up within 15 seconds.

- Now weirdly, they go into a trading chops segment. Dunne ends up doing Daniel Bryan's stomps on the face spot (he also did Aleister Blacks float over moonsault spot in the early stages of the match. Why the fuck do guys do eachothers spots???)

- After about 15 other huge spots that neither sell they go into a finger breaking segment. Why after all these huge moves on your opponent you'd think "I know, that F5 thing I did didn't work, I'll try pending his pinky finger" I don't know. Not that any of this matters because about a minute later they're trading chops and Walter isn't selling that he's chopping someone with broken fucking fingers at all. The fans chant "UK" or do duelling chants throughout because there's no story at all here so there's no reason for them to actually have any emotional investment.

- The ending spot is a fucking KILLER powerbomb off the top rope. Brutal and spectacular. That's it for the 1-2-3! No actually, Walter just HAS to do do a top rope frogsplash because in this day and age of indyriffic wanky bullshit being acceptable a FUCKING TOP ROPE POWERBOMB isn't enough to defeat the mighty midget Pete Dunne. 

This entire match was filled with dozens of huge spots that you could have built a real story around. Watching this I felt like I was watching a compilation of moves in a YouTube video. Every match seems to be going for that EPIC feel with no selling and as many moves as possible and as little genuine story and emotion as possible. I'd say most the matches on every Takeover feel like this to me. I fucking hated this match. 

Then I watch Shayna Bayzler straight after who is just amazing and remember why I love wrestling again.

 

Edited April 7, 2019 by LaGoosh

[adequate8]

Loved the tag and Riddle/Dream matches!

Riddle needs to continue to slowly but surely be a smug wanker and he’ll be a top heel. Like when he stepped in the ring and stroked his six pack for example.

First I’ve seen of Walter, looks the part and can’t see him being in NXT UK for long. Read that he’s on a temp contract tho as doesn’t want the travel? Shame if so.

Unsure on Dunne and his next step, has to be NXT full time before the main show though. 

Big fan of Cole and wanted him to win the belt, hopefully he wins the rematch when Gargano moves up full time.

Not a clue on Kushida either, any good?

Edited April 7, 2019 by adequate8

[Devon Malcolm]

So I decided to watch this.

* Tag match - I don't understand this whole deal with Black and Ricochet at the moment, why are they on every show? This match was alright but why have you got Ricochet doing power moves and the fat lads doing flips? There's no reason for that AT ALL. I like Ricochet though, would love to see him against Rey Mysterio.

* Dream vs Riddle - I'm sorry, but there's no way Vince has seen Matt Riddle yet otherwise he'd have fired him yesterday. I just absolutely hate his whole look and character. In the ring he's alright but what is he? A high flyer? An MMA guy? Velveteen Dream on the other hand was almost the only person on this whole show who actually seemed to understand that wrestling is more than just moves. Doing old school stuff that looks like it hurts, he's absolutely brilliant. Can't wait to see them balls him up on Raw.

* Walter vs Dunne - Walter's entrance was great but this match was stupid. I like Dunne's gimmick of trying to break people's fingers but he never actually does it, does he? So what's the point? Him doing power moves and Walter doing top rope stuff? Fucking stupid.

* Women's 4-Way - Two identical Japanese wrestlers, someone using their hair as a weapon and another ex-MMAer. No ta. At least Baszler seemed to be an actual heel though, so well done to her for that.

* Gargano vs Cole - I don't know about fight forever, but this felt like it went on forever. Gargano seems alright but this match was fucking stupid as well. I don't understand how anyone can get invested in the utter idiocy of a guy taking about a million superkicks, having three other blokes beat him up, being slammed on a table, taking a million other finishers - and still not losing. IT'S TOO MUCH. Plus, Cole was a heel? Maybe should have pointed that out before his mates run out. Was that Roderick Strong as well? Christ almighty.

You see, this was shit. Where are the heels on this show? Part of the problem is that you have a three man commentary team and they're all neutral. A heel commentator would at least sell to me who the heel is supposed to be. It also doesn't help that Nigel McGuinness is crap and Percy Watson might as well have not been there.

Almost everyone on the show was doing the same sort of stuff. It doesn't matter how much they weigh, they're all practically the same, male or female. Velveteen Dream is the only one who stands out. I barely cared about any of the rest of them. This was just exhausting and not in a good way. No more NXT for me.

[DavidB6937]

I find it weird that people moan about not caring about certain wrestlers etc and yet only dip into the product at the Takeover events or once a year. That's like me watching a random episode of Coronation Street once a year and wondering why I wasn't emotionally invested in someone dying or something. Or a season finale of a show I haven't even watched. It's only ever going to appeal on a certain level if you don't even watch it and follow the storylines etc. I understand certain criticisms but complaints based on the fact it's not something you watch regularly are a bit far fetched.

[Hannibal Scorch]

Edited April 7, 2019 by Hannibal Scorch

[DavidB6937]

Reminds me of people complaining that Infinity War didn't make any sense when they hadn't seen the other Marvel movies.

[Supremo]

Shayna's entrance where they followed  her to the curtain felt so big-time. She's my dream opponent for Becky after Wrestlemania. The perfect heel.