Cook’s NXT TakeOver: New York Review

Hi, hello & welcome to WrestleMania Weekend! I couldn’t sit this show out. The last couple of years have seen NXT TakeOver upstage WrestleMania. Will it happen again? They’ve got one heck of a card to make it happen. In a perfect world, Johnny Gargano would be meeting Tommaso Ciampa for the NXT Championship at the culmination of their story. Instead, Ciampa is out of commission, and Adam Cole BAY BAY is in his spot.

…could be worse, right?

The TakeOver preshow wasn’t much unless you’re into video games or Charly Caruso. I’m into the latter, so it was all right. Sam Roberts is what he is, and Pat McAfee is somewhat amusing. I want to sell the dude short because he’s a punter/Barstool guy, but there might be something there. Maybe.

Mauro Ranallo, Percy Watson & Nigel McGuinness are our hosts. The poor Spanish announce team gets a late cue from Nigel & talked over by Mauro. I can only assume nobody told Mauro to let the other guys talk.

NXT Tag Team Championship Match: War Raiders vs. Aleister Black & Ricochet

It’s a Viking entrance for Hanson & Rowe. Mauro calls it a Night at the Museum with five classics on deck. Kind of forced but whatevs. I can kinda see where Sam Roberts was coming from on the preshow, as Ricochet & Black insist on keeping their fun single entrances instead of combining. They do have a combined pose though, so that puts them in the Diesel/Shawn Michaels realm. Black & Rowe start it out, and if I didn’t know better I’d say they could pass for brothers. Similar styles & ink. Rowe blocks the kick & offers a respect fist bump. Ricochet & Hanson go at it, and they could not pass for brothers no matter how drunk one got. Black teases the dive, but nah he & Ricochet sit for the Moment of Zen. Lots of counters to pop the crowd early. Rowe gets isolated by Richochet & Black unto the ol’ knee to the head. Hanson with the power moves & the cross bodies. This guy’s a fun big worker that I feel slips under the radar. Ricochet being able to catch him and throw him isn’t something I was expecting, but the dude has an eight-pack so I probably should have. Rowe & Black exchange strikes and it’s as painful looking as you’d expect. Hanson & Ricochet back in and it’s Hanson with a handspring back elbow because that’s what he does. I was kinda hoping for a Lethal Injection there. Nah, not really. Then Hanson was thinking moonsault, and Ricochet broke that up. War Raiders double teaming Ricochet and breaking the man in half, but a double stomp from Black breaks that up. I wonder if anybody will chant “FIGHT FOREVER” at WrestleMania. Meanwhile, Ricochet is breaking the record for flips and Hanson does a cannonball off the top rope onto the floor. The 10 count barely gets broken by Ricochet & Rowe. Black delivers Black Mass to Rowe, and Ricochet delivers a shooting star press, but Hanson runs over Black to break the count! Ricochet goes for the 630 and gets nothing but mat thanks to Hanson pulling Rowe out of the way. Black tries to dive, misses & Hanson takes him out. Ricochet’s still fighting, but it’s not enough as the Fallout results in the 1-2-3.

War Raiders retain, not to much surprise as Ricochet & Black have business on the main brands to attend to. They did business on the way out and put over the two badasses. I mean, good luck finding a credible team to beat these guys. ****

War Raiders bow to Ricochet & Black, and let the departing NXT heroes have center stage. That’s the Viking Code of Honor right there. Ricochet & Black soak in the accolades of the crowd.

Piper Nevin & Toni Storm are hanging out at ringside. That’s a beautiful couple if I’ve ever seen one.

NXT North American Championship Match: The Velveteen Dream vs. Matt Riddle

Two fun guys going at it right here. I mean, how can you hate the Original Bro or the man that’s taken the business by storm over the past year or so? Especially when Riddle is out here rocking pink flipflops. Dream going with a Statue of Liberty themed entrance. He does have some tassels like Macho Man, but it’s not wrestler cosplay like usual. Mauro calls Dream the “American Meme”, and well, he’s not wrong. “Velveteen” & “Bro” chant the crowd. Riddle offers the fist bump, Dream does the Karate Kid pose, and here we go. Riddle looking for that submission early, working the arm. A test of strength results in Riddle going for another submission. That’s not Dream’s game, so he steps on Riddle’s foot like he’s Marco Ruas. BACK RAKE! Riddle gets mad and does a series of pumphandle suplexes. Series of double axehandles from the Dream, but Riddle ducks the one on the floor and German suplexes the man onto the padding. Riddle dominates after, and keeps going after a submission. Dream delivers a German, Riddle no-sells, hits a knee strike and a suplex for two. The Bro delivers a Broton for two. Dream keeps getting to the ropes. Riddle continuing to elbow Dream during the five count gets some boos. Riddle don’t care though. He keeps dominating and gets a couple of near-falls on the Dream. Riddle tells Dream he’s the bro that runs the show. Who does he think he is, AJ Styles? Dream Dreams up, and he points at the man, and here he comes! BIG BOOT! SLAM! Oh, if only he had hit the legdrop. Double axehandle to the floor though. Fameasser gets the two count. Riddle fires back. CODEBREAKER BY DREAM GETS TWO. Shining Wizard countered into the ankle lock by Riddle! Riddle doesn’t care which ankle, by cracky. Dream hits his DDT, then delivers the Dream Valley Driver. Up top for the Purple Rainmaker, which is countered into a Bromission attempt! Dream breaks with the ropes. Riddle Germans the man off the second rope, goes up top, hits the Floating Bro for 2.9999999! Wut da hail man! Dream says bring it on, delivers the pimp slap! Kicks! Powerbomb and a knee from Riddle is another nearfall! Bromission time! DREAM REVERSES INTO A PINFALL! THE DREAM LIVES!

Respect afterwards!

Good God. I was expecting something like this from these guys, and they lived up to any and all expectations. One would assume this will not be the last meeting of the Velveteen Dream & Matt Riddle, and I am here for any future meetings. ****1/4

KUSHIDA signed his NXT contract earlier today, and he’s at ringside splitting time tonight.

The only downside tonight? All these damn Papa John’s ads.

NXT UK Championship Match: Pete Dunne vs. WALTER

I remember seeing Big Van Walter on some wXw shows from back in the day. The German fans shit on him then, but I saw the potential. Sometimes a big puppy just needs time to grow into his paws. Vic Joseph has joined Mauro & Nigel at the table, as he is the NXT UK play by play announcer.

WALTER vs Pete Dunne is basically a match between your friend's stern dad and William Regal's shitty kid. #NXTTakeOver

— Brandon House (@TheAlaskanHero) April 6, 2019

WALTER tries to tie Dunne in knots, but Dunne grabs a hold of WALTER’s ankle. Dunne goes for that joint manipulation, which would be smart since WALTER loves to chop people with that big paw of his. He misses the first chop attempt, but gains the advantage with an armbar. Oh there’s the chop. Dunne felt that one. He felt the second one too. Back & forth off the ropes, and it’s WALTER with the killshot. Another chop in the corner, and he innovates a choke on the top rope. Back suplex on the apron, which we all know is the hardest part of the ring. Shocked it took the third match for somebody to do a move on it. People are learning. Dunne tries to hook WALTER’S heel. A couple of chops break it up, and WALTER locks in the Berlin Crab. Dunne makes the ropes, catches a chop, and tries to bend WALTER’S hand, but that doesn’t work. Dunne fights back, flips out of a German and kicks WALTER outside. They end up in the corner, and the Bruiserweight hits a walking Ligerbomb for two. Dunne hits a doublestomp on WALTER on the floor, and Low Ki is throwing a fit somewhere in New York. Dunne tries to flip out of the way, misses, WALTER dropkicks him, hits a series of no-nonsense moves. WALTER breaks out one of the No Mercy powerbombs I haven’t seen in awhile for a two count. Time for a strike exchange! Dunne goes for the hands again, but WALTER stomps him in the face and hits the boot twist. A step-up enziguri by Dunne takes both men down and the fans applaud & chant for the UK brand. Dunne stomps the man’s hands, goes up top, but WALTER crotches him. Dunne smashes one of those hands against the post, but that doesn’t stop the avalanche sleeper suplex. Two count. The hand of WALTER looks damaged though. Now Dunne is trying to break fingers. Crucifix bomb nearly gets the three count for Dunne but nah. Now Dunne is stomping the man’s head. WALTER is kicking the man’s head. Dunne is stomping the head. Now he’s snapping the man’s fingers in a variation of the Rings of Saturn, and WALTER finds the ropes. He clotheslines Dunne off the top rope, heads up there himself and gets caught in a triangle choke, rolls through, reversal, some finger snapping, some stomping and it’s broken. Now WALTER is stomping Dunne, who refuses to let go of that left hand. LARIATOOOOOOOOOOOOOO by WALTER. Forearms by Dunne! Dunne hits the Bitter End, and WALTER kicks out at two! Dunne seems demoralized, but I’m sure he has a plan. Staredown. They exchange forearms and chops until WALTER boots Dunne’s head off. He climbs up top again…but takes too much time. Dunne snaps the fingers, follows WALTER up top, locks in a triangle, WALTER with chops, and he powerbombs Dunne off the top rope! Good Lord, WALTER’s going up top again…Superfly Splash and we have a new NXT UK Champion! The Ring General reigns!

We expected a lot out of this match, and I dare say it delivered. As long as Dunne’s reign was, there was a lot of dead space there where NXT UK wasn’t actually doing things. Now that it’s a viable brand to some extent, it’s time to have a new face. A dominant face, which WALTER certainly is. Well, not a babyface, but I think you know what I’m getting at. ****

Edge & Beth Phoenix in the house. Also a good looking couple, I’m not gonna lie.

NXT Women’s Championship Match: Shayna Baszler vs. Io Sharai vs. Kairi Sane vs. Bianca Belair

Sane’s entrance will be a lot better next year in Tampa when she has a pirate ship to work with. WALTER needs to take notes from Baszler on how to dominate a division. She’s so good that people keep telling me they need to bring the other two Horsewomen to the roster with her. Those people are out of their minds. The Sky Pirates are sent out of the ring, and Bazler & Belair go at it briefly. That does not last long because there are four people in this match. All I can think about is how awful these battle royals and multi-tag team matches will be to write about tomorrow night. Sharai & Sane are certainly working together, but now they’re in the ring alone, and want to fight. Not a smart idea, they should really wait. Their opponents break it up anyway. Baszler uses Belair’s hair against her, then stomps her twisted arm. It’s been too long since we’ve seen a Tower of Doom spot, am I right? Probably not. Sane hits the elbow onto the floor, then Io hits the moonsault off the corner to the floor. Those Sky Pirates working together. Io with the bridging German on Baszler, but can’t get a pinfall attempt. Belair gets the advantage on all three and singles out Baszler. She gets the double chickenwing, but Baszler counters into a rear naked choke. As Nigel pointed out, it took about five years for Belair to quit last time. She powers out and hits the KOD, but Sharai breaks it up. Io breaks up a slam attempt into a facebuster, then hits some moonsaults for two, as Kairi breaks it up. Sane Alabama Slams Sharai onto Baszler, goes up top, hits that Insane Elbow and it gets two because of Io. Nigel insists there’s no ill will, but I think there’s some right now. Belair is back in, and wants to get both Sky Pirates with a KOD, and she actually does. Well how about that. Baszler breaks up the pin attempt and goes back to the rear naked choke. Belair goes for the eyes, but can’t get them and has to tap out. The Queen of Spades retains, which we all should have expected.

This result tells me that Shayna Baszler will be on NXT as long as is seen fit. I know some people still want this Horsewomen feud to happen, but that ship has sailed. Her reign is working for NXT right now, so they might as well go with it. Also, when she does eventually lose, it doesn’t need to be in some multi-woman nonsense. Let one woman beat her. ***

NXT Championship 2 out of 3 falls Match: Johnny Gargano vs. ADAM COLE BAY BAY

Nigel is out here quoting Robert Frost during Gargano’s entrance. I assume that’s more obscure to the NXT audience than all of Mauro’s pop culture references. The crowd seems in favor of Cole, who has the homefield advantage of being a Northeast indy guy. Gargano was a Midwest indy guy. Either way, these guys are as good as it gets. As I sit here watching these guys work a slow pace early, I wonder what the odds are of them going 60. You gotta have some 60 minute draws to put the shine on the NXT Championship, right? That’s what Gabe told me anyway. Cole works the holds for awhile, then Johnny finally gets something going. Series of near-falls, the slingshot spear by Gargano gets two. Series of small packages gets 2. The announcers are teasing the time limit here too, so it’s all I can do to not fade out & wait until the end. Last Shot to the back of the head gets the first fall for Cole. Another one to the face gets a near fall. Gargano fights back, and he takes an avalanche Air Raid Crash out of Tommaso Ciampa’s playbook for a two count. Oh, he hits the tornado DDT on the ring apron, which we all know is the hardest spot of the ring. Johnny could have won via countout maybe, but Cole fights back and rams his head off the ringposts a couple of times. We’ve never accused Johnny of being a rocket scientist. A series of reversals in the ring leads to the Gargano Escape & Cole tapping out very quickly. As Mauro points out, it was a smart move by Cole to avoid further damage since there’s still one more fall. Johnny’s got a busted eyebrow and the referee has his gloves on. Now they going back & forth. Cole was setting up for his move, but Gargano hits the Lawn Dart & the Hertz Donut for a two count! SUPER KICKS! Cole with one to the back of the head, and a straitjacket german suplex gets 2.99999999! Reverse rana and a superkick sends Cole tumbling outside the ring! Cole takes advantage of Gargano’s pause, drags him out & wheelbarrows him into the apron! Then Gargano takes advantage of Cole’s pause, hits a couple of DDTs and gets 2. Tope suicida by Gargano, back into the ring, PANAMA SUNRISE GETS A TWO COUNT. Gargano fights back and he’s clearing announce tables. Cole blocks Gargano & hits the Fairy Tale Ending on the damn announce table! Cole wants the referee to count because he’s an intelligent man! Gargano breaks at 9.5! SUUUUUUUPPPPPERRRRRKIIIIIIIIIIICCCCCCCKKKKK gets two! They trade some more kicks, Cole goes for the Sunrise again, but Gargano locks in the Escape…until Roderick Strong distracts! Here are Fish & O’Reilly, and Kyle rakes the face of Gargano! The referee gets bumped! TOTAL ELIMINATION! Still a kickout! We got 4 on 1, a dazed referee and Gargano still won’t go down. Cole gets backdropped into his Undisputed Era allies! Gargano takes them all out on the outside! SUPERKICK SUPERKICK LAST SHOT BY COLE AND IT’S A GOSHDARN TWO COUNT WHAT THE HECK MOMMA MIA! What will it take to put Johnny Gargano down? Cole insists it’s his time, but Gargano locks in the Escape, and keeps him from the ropes! It’s the middle of the ring and Cole has to tap out!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! JOHNNY CHAMPION REIGNS SUPREME! HE’S GOT GOLDIE! Candice LeRae too, as she comes down for the celebration. The whole family is there! Who says wrestling can’t have happy endings?

It started out a little slow, as most championship matches do, but when it got going it didn’t stop. The run-ins from the Undisputed Era made things dramatic, and frankly I thought Cole was going to win & be the heel champion anyway. As it turns out, nice guys don’t always finish last, and happy endings come every once in awhile. ****1/4

TOMMASO CIAMPA COMES OUT AND HUGS JOHNNY & CANDICE! Well damn, this actually is a happy ending!

Mission accomplished. pic.twitter.com/2LTqHNiw2s

— TDE Wrestling (@tde_wrestling) April 6, 2019

9.0

The final score: review Amazing

The 411

This show had some high expectations to live up to, as NXT has stolen the show on pretty much every WrestleMania Weekend they've been part of. Dare I say they did it again? Certainly seems so. The wrestlers brought it as they always do, and the outcomes were pretty darn satisfying. Sometimes, it just makes sense to give the people what they want, and that's what NXT did tonight.