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Csonka’s NXT Takeover: London Review 12.16.15

December 16, 2015 | Posted by Larry Csonka
8.5
The 411 Rating
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Csonka’s NXT Takeover: London Review 12.16.15  

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NXT Takeover: London Review 12.16.15

OFFICIAL RESULTS
– Asuka defeated Emma @ 14:55 via pin [***¾]
NXT Tag Team Championship Match: Champions The Mechanics (Dash and Dawson) defeated Enzo Amore and Big Cass @ 14:58 via pin [***]
– Baron Corbin defeated Apollo Crews @ 11:40 via pin [**]
NXT Women’s Championship Match: Champion Bayley defeated Nia Jax @ 13:20 via submission [***]
NXT Championship Match: Champion Finn Balor defeated Samoa Joe @ 18:20 via pin [****½]


– Triple H, thankfully alive following the attack from Roman Reigns at TLC, was here to kick off the show.

Asuka vs. Emma w/Dana Brooke: I have loved having Asuka in NXT, she’s so damn good and is exactly the sort of worker they should sign if they want to take women’s wrestling seriously (throughout the whole company). Emma has done a great job reinventing herself, and I am happy to see here get the opportunity here on a Takeover special. Asuka worked the arm early, in different ways, before laying in the kicks and sending Emma to the floor. Asuka then hit the flying ass attack off of the apron to wipe out Emma. Brooke distracted Asuka just enough to allow Emma to take control of things. Emma came across ruthless here, working a nice pacing for the heat, mixing strikes and holds. Asuka would make her comeback with a missile dropkick, and they did the double down, and then Asuka fired up and laid in the kicks and strikes on Emma. Emma remained game and even was able to avoid several of Asuka’s signature strikes, but then she ended up eating them and Asuka did more ass attacks (something I hope she does less of). They had some very nice back and forth down the stretch, with Asuka countering he curb stomp into an ankle lock and then finishes her Kurt Angle tribute with a German suplex. Asuka went for the Asuka lock, but Emma pulled the ref around and they did a ref bump… ugh. Dana Brooke threw her belt into the ring, they teased the DQ, and then Emma rolled up Asuka, but Asuka turned it into the Asuka lock. Brooke interfered again and got tossed as Emma did the phantom tap. Asuka countered Emma’s attack with the belt, and hit the head kick for the win. That was completely overbooked for the show’s opening match, there was really no need for it. They were working a good match, with Emma looking legit and putting up a good fight. A few distractions (like the early one) would have been fine, but it became complete overkill at the end. It was still a very good match, a match that was heading to the upper tier of quality but they did not need all of the shenanigans at the end and it took away from things for me. The good news was that they got time to work and they certainly delivered. Credit to both ladies for a great opening match; Emma’s evolution has been awesome to see.

NXT Tag Team Championship Match: Champions The Mechanics (Dash and Dawson) vs. Enzo Amore and Big Cass: Enzo and Cass controlled earl, with Enzo getting a lot of run until the Mechanics got the heat on him. I have said it before and will say it again here, the Mechanics are an awesome throwback team in the spirit of the Andersons. They work a simple, grinding and ugly offense at times that not only feels fresh in 2015, but they do it very well. They worked a good heat, with Enzo getting the phantom tag to the disappointment of the boisterous crowd. Cass finally got the hot tag and ran wild for a bit, but the Mechanics remembered the knee they took out a while back, and went to work to chop the big man down. Enzo tried to maker the save, but got turned inside out by a clothesline. Cass would make the ropes, got the tag to Enzo and they hit the rocket launcher, but the ref got pulled out. Carmella was not pleased, and the Mechanics looked to threaten her, and Cass tried to make the save but got posted. Enzo then ate the crazy double team lung blower off the ropes and was pinned. If you were going to do the referee shenanigans here, which did work as a tremendous near fall, you really shouldn’t have done the bullshit in the opener. When you do that in the opening match, there is nowhere else to go and it feels repetitive. The work was good and they had a great crowd that was into the action and reacted well to the teases and near falls.

Apollo Crews vs. Baron Corbin: Corbin cost Crews his shot at the NXT Title, both men want to be champion so they are fighting. It is simple and works. They got bit wild and brawled a bit, worked to the floor and Crews got sent to the steps. Corbin then took the time to tell Crews he should have stayed in the Indies in little gyms. Corbin then worked a slow and methodical heat segment, working the back of Crews and trying to keep him grounded. Crews fought back and double legged Corbin and beat him down, leading to Corbin taking a powder. They fought to the floor, with Crews hitting a moonsault off the apron. They headed back to the ring, with Corbin hitting deep six for a near fall. Crews would then counter end of days slickly and then hit an enziguri and standing moonsault for the near fall. Corbin countered out of the sitout powerbomb that Crews has been using, and connected with end of days for the win. This was the least over thing on the show, with the crowd starting into it, and then eventually chanting to amuse themselves. I am a big fan of Crews, and while he needs to be able to use his athleticism more, some are going to say he had to “slow down” for Corbin or some shit to defend a lackluster effort, but this just wasn’t a very good match and they didn’t click at all for me. They worked, they tried to have some intensity, I liked some parts and ideas they had, but they went a little too long and it never developed into a full picture. At the end of the day, it was a disappointing effort for both guys on a big show.

– Nia Jax tried to do an interview and ended up in a staredown with Asuka. Asuka licked her lip and smiled before leaving.

NXT Women’s Championship Match: Champion Bayley vs. Nia Jax: I would expect some form of a Vader vs. Sting formula here. Right away Jax tried to stalk Bayley into a corner, but Bayley would keep escaping. Jax eventually cut her off, and started her attack, which including hitting a shoulder breaker and a Million Dollar Dream. Bayley countered out, and even got a dragon sleeper, but Jax put a stop to that. Bayley tried to take out a knee and then kept attacking, but the monster would not fall. Bayley would try off the ropes again but Jax swatted her down. Bayley tried a triangle as Jax went on the attack, but Jax hoisted her up and set her on the top rope. Jax climbed but knocked off and to the mat, leading to a Bayley senton bomb, but Jax kicked out at 2, which sent Bayley to the floor. Jax hit two Samoan drops, and then a toss up Samoan drop. She then hit the leg drop, but only covered with one foot, leading to Bayley kicking out. Jax then hit a leg drop to the shoulder, and then three more leg drops but Bayley still kicked out! You’re doing it wrong, brother. Jax was pissed that Bayley kicked out, and the crowd again fired up and chanted for Bayley. Jax then went back on the attack, mocking Bayley while doing so. Jax went for a Samoan drop off the ropes, but Bayley locked in a guillotine. Jax was able to power out of it, hushing the crowd once again. Jax went to pick up Bayley, who again got the guillotine choke, but again Jax slammed Bayley to the mat to escape. Bayley for the third time went back to the guillotine, and Jax finally dropped to the mat. Bayley screamed for her to tap, Jax fought but eventually tapped out. Here’s the thing, when you work that Vader vs. Sting, you need the monster and the face that can get beat down repeatedly, but that the crowd will stay behind and keep cheering for them and reacting to all of the ups and downs. This is an overall good match with a great story, they told the story they wanted to with these two and it worked. Also, considering Jax’s experience, she did well here but Bayley was absolutely incredible. From her selling to making Jax look like a legit monster, she made this match work. Jax needs a lot of work, she comes across tentative at times and not completely comfortable in her role of monster, but for her first big time match, she did well enough. The story was so very well done, Jax comes off well and didn’t lose much and Bayley continues to grow as the super babyface everyone loves.

NXT Championship Match: Champions Finn Balor vs. Samoa Joe: Good start to thing, playing off of the build pretty well. They spilled to the floor, with Balor looking to hit the double stomp onto the steps, but Joe escaped and hit the STJOE on the floor to get the heat. Joe worked a great heat, with a strong pacing and some tremendous intensity. The aggression and pacing (along with the trademark spots) made me think of 05-06 Samoa Joe, which was really cool to see. Balor also did well selling the beating here, some of his better work since joining NXT I feel. Balor finally started his comeback, sending Joe to the floor and hitting a cool dive. Back in the ring he hit the double stomp to the back, but Joe survived. Balor then fired up with several strikes and the sling blade, but missed the shotgun dropkick and ate the back splash. Muscle Buster try was countered and the roll up counter got a near fall. Crowd really started to get hot near the end, they did a back and forth striking exchange and Joe got the clutch, but Balor slammed him to the corner to escape. Joe got the clutch again, but as they went to the mat Balor rolled through and hit a standing double stomp. Balor then went wild, shotgun dropkick and sling blades, but Joe was a monster and kept fighting until a shotgun dropkick to the back took him down. Balor went up top, Joe popped up and hit the enziguri and tried for a superplex, but Balor fought him off and then hit the double stomp and that was that. In some ways this felt like a NJPW match, with a good beginning to establish things and then the action got wild as things went on. These boys know how to work a closing stretch, that’s for sure.

* Post match, Balor got checked out by the doctor, he looked a bit out of it.

* End scene.

* Thanks for reading.

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“Byyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyye Felicia!”

8.5
The final score: review Very Good
The 411
Once again the NXT brand delivers a very good show. We had a very good opener, an excellent main event and the middle was either solid to good with a hot crowd making for a great atmosphere. If you have to skip anything, I’d skip Corbin vs. Crews, but as a whole it’s worth the 2 hours or so of your time.
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