wrestling / News

Join 411’s LIVE NXT Takeover Brooklyn IV Coverage

August 18, 2018 | Posted by Kevin Pantoja
NXT Takeover: Brooklyn Adam Cole Ricochet

Keep Refreshing For The Latest Results

Don’t forget to follow along with me on Twitter @The_Kevstaaa.

Me pre-show report won’t be very detailed as my wrist is hurt and I’m saving most of my typing for the live show. Charly Caruso, Sam Roberts, and Pat McAfee host the pre-show. They discuss the Aleister Black attack controversy. This is followed by a rundown of tonight’s card. Cathy Kelley interviews the Undisputed Era on WWE Now about tonight. The group believes their litany of titles aren’t going anywhere. The new focus is on EC3 and Velveteen Dream. Great video package. Following that discussion, we see a hype video for Ricochet/Adam Cole. This sets up an interview with Ricochet. He says he’s been begging for this match because he knows he can beat Cole. He feels Adam hasn’t brought prestige to the title, which he wants to do. Shayna Baszler is shown arriving earlier today with the other two MMA Horsewomen not named Ronda Rousey. That leads to a video package for the NXT Women’s Title match.After clips of Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa arriving earlier are seen, we get discussion on their match. William Regal joins the Kickoff panel. He clears Undisputed from the list of suspects. The pre-show ends with a video package on the Gargano/Ciampa main event.

The show opens with a video package hyping the card set to “Blood // Water” by grandson.

NXT Tag Team Championship: The Undisputed Era [c] vs. Mustache Mountain

Seven and Strong start off. Strong knocks Bate off the apron and levels Seven. They beat on Seven in the corner. Bate enters and gets beat on too. The teams trade blows in the center of the ring. European uppercuts, followed by BOP and BANG from the challengers. The fight moves outside with chops. Seven and Kyle, the legal men, enter. Seven chops him. Tag to Bate for their signature tandem offense. Kyle kicks at Bate’s leg. Tag to Roddy who takes a body slam. Tag to Seven for an assisted BIG BOY SENTON! Strong goes over Seven and hits a backbreaker. Tag to Kyle for a series of kicks and knees. Tag to Roddy. Jumping stomp. Tag back to Kyle for a snapmare and knee drop. That gets two. Kyle gets faked out to set up a DDT from Seven. Tag to Bate for a rana and dropkick on Strong. He catches Kyle with a knee and leaps for a European uppercut. Kyle kicks him and tags out. Bate puts Kyle on his shoulders and catches Strong for an airplane spin/big swing combo. They fight free and Kyle puts a sleeper on Bate. Bate, while in the hold, dead lifts Roddy into a German, taking out both men. Running Europeans in the corners for both champs but Strong explodes out with a lariat to stop his momentum. Tag to Kyle and Bate is isolated. Kyle with an arm breaker and he drops knees on it. Kyle fires off palm strikes. Double team facebuster of sorts gets the champions a near fall. Kyle applies a body scissors and tags out, holding Bate for a Roddy knee. Gory stretch applied by Strong. He goes very deep on it. Bate slips out and sends strong to the corner. He can’t make the tag, as Kyle tags in and hits a shin breaker and works the leg. Super quick tags by the champs, continuing the focus on the leg. Bate sends Strong outside and crawls towards Seven. Strong grabs his foot but is kicked away. His next attempt is nearly stopped but Kyle, who is sent outside. Bate gets close again, only to have Kyle pull Seven off the apron. Seven fights him off, Bate kicks away Strong, and tags out. Seven hits a back body drop on Strong and tope suicida on Kyle. Inside, he delivers clotheslines on opposite corners. Kyle tries a big boot but misses and hits Roddy. Seven throws him aside and delivers a release Dragon suplex on Strong. A Fire Thunder Driver of sorts on Strong gets two. Strong hits a forearm and elbow before tagging to Kyle. He kicks Seven and adds a Brainbuster for two. Seven gets double teamed with knees in the corner. Olympic Slam by Strong, with Kyle adding a kick to Seven’s leg, for two. Bate interrupts a tandem move with a rolling kick. Strong slams him down. Seven wipes out Kyle with a spinning back fist. Strong Hold applied. Bate’s save attempt is cut off by a Kyle triangle choke. STRONG BOI Bate breaks it by lifting Kyle and powerbombing him onto the submission. Bate gets tagged and lights up Roddy. He hits Kyle with an Exploder into Strong, sending him outside. With both men out, Bate hits a no hands tope onto Kyle. Strong sends him in, but Bate rebounds off the bottom rope with a lariat. Tyler Driver ’97 hits but Strong gets a shoulder up. The crowd is stunned. Bate climbs up, but Strong cuts him off. They fight up there and Bate elbows him to the mat. Kyle clips Bate’s leg while he’s up top. He falls and Strong drives his knee into the corner. Kyle gets tagged and kicks Seven off the apron. Kyle rolls into the heel hook that won them the titles.Seven goes to the table and gets the towel to save Bate, who refuses to quit. Seven throws the towel away and cheers Bate on. Strong runs over but gets sent outside. Bate fights his way to the corner and tags in Seven. Seven exchanges strikes with Kyle. Seven Star Lariat connects for another near fall. Tag back to Bate for their finisher. His leg is busted and he gets cut off by Strong. Strong is knocked outside and Bate completes the Burning Hammer/Knee Drop combo. That somehow also only gets two. Tag back to Seven, who holds Kyle for a full nelseon. Strong hit sa knee to cut off Bate’s rebound. Chop block by Kyle and they hit Total Elimination with a Sick Kick to win.

Winners: The Undisputed Era in 18:07

Total banger of a match. I dug the action, drama, and intensity, especially late. They did go a bit wild with the near falls. Still, awesome tag team wrestling. Behind the match at Full Sail, but ahead of the Royal Albert Hall one. [****1/4]

After the match, the War Raiders attack the Undisputed Era. Kyle eats a popup powerslam and Roddy is taken out with a tope suicida. Kyle eats Fallout.

Johnny Gargano is shown preparing for the main event.

EC3 vs. The Velveteen Dream

Dream comes from the floor in his entrance. The back of his tights say, “CALL ME UP VINCE.” Dream throws his jacket at EC3, who throws it back. EC3 overpowers Dream and throws him into the corner twice. Then, he sends Dream outside. Back in, Dream gets a wristlock turned over on him. EC3 uses a knuckle lock to lift Dream and slam him around. Dream sent into the corner and he gets kicked in the ribs while draped across the top corner. He ends up crotched, where EC3 adds pressure to the ropes. Dream comes back with a sunset flip but EC3 blocks and Rick Rude grinds over him. Dream avoids a clothesline but eats a big chop. Dream kicks him when he telegraphs a back body drop. Scoop slam by EC3, who has the fans say his name and drops a jumping elbow. Cactus clothesline over and out. Dream blocks a suplex on the ramp and counters with his signature twisting DDT. Dream throws him into the ring post and gets a near fall. He comes off the top with a giant chop and hangs EC3 up to dry on the top rope. He hits a jawbreaker on the ropes and adds a neckbreaker. Rude Awakening gets blocked by EC3’s strength. He still manages to hit it. The fight moves outside, where Dream smashes EC3’s face into the announce table. He throws water in his face, playing off the pool spot from two weeks ago. Inside, EC3 counters Dream and gets an opening. They trade blows in hte middle of the ring. EC3 powers out of the corner with a clothesline. Punches that cause Dream to flip inside out. Stringer splash by EC3. Rolling neck snap connects. Dream counters the TKO into a pin for two. EC3 avoids a superkick, catches another, and hits the Headlock Driver for two. Dream fights back with a shot to the throat and wants to go up top. EC3 takes him down and goes up himself for a cross body. That gets two. Slap and powerbomb by EC3. EC3 picks him up for a deadlift sitout powerbomb that gets two. The fight goes up top, where EC3 fires off chops. He nails a superplex. They fight on the apron, where Dream slips out and hits a superkick. He adds the Dream Valley Driver for two. Dream hoists him up again, but EC3 slips out and nails a German suplex for two. Dream comes back with the Dream Valley Driver on the apron. With EC3 down on the apron, Dream adds the Purple Rainmaker! That ends it.

Winner: The Velveteen Dream in 15:04

A fun match that relied big time on character work over big moves. it worked. The finish was creative. [***1/4]

Matt Riddle is shown in the front row. He’s in a suit and of course, wears a hat. BRO.

NXT North American Championship: Adam Cole [c] vs. Ricochet

Hammerlock by Ricochet. Cole counters and they fight over a wristlock. They have a standoff after some quick exchanges and Ricochet avoiding a superkick. Headlock by Cole. Ricochet fights out and goes to leap over Cole, but Cole is ready and goes back to the headlock. Shoulder block. ADAM COLE BAY BAY. Cole and Ricochet avoid each other until Ricochet dropkicks a leap forgging Cole. Ricochet goes for a dive, Cole moves, and he does the handspring superhero pose. Ricochet gets dumped over the top and to the outside after Cole avoids a shot. Cole delivers a shot and sends Ricochet inside. He kicks Ricochet in the ribs. Neckbreaker by Cole. He kicks away at Ricochet and talks trash. USHIGORISHI neckbreaker and chinlock city from Cole. I’m having feed issues and I apologize. The next thing I see is Ricochet dropkick Cole out of the corner. He follows with a twisting tope con hilo. Tiger feint and springboard uppercut by Ricochet for two. Back elbow sends Cole to the corner. Shoulder thrust, step up kick, and Ricochet wants a middle rope moonsault. Cole moves, he lands on his feet, and adds a standing SSP. Middle rope twisting moonsault gets two. Cole blocks a move but eats a chop. Forearm and chop by Ricochet. Ricochet handsprings back right into a jumping Backstabber for two. Ricochet blocks a suplex, then slips free of one and nails a forearm. Cole sends Ricochet to the apron but eats a shot. Ricochet springboards in. Cole tries a superkick but Ricochet catches it. he spins him around and hits a discus forearm. Riochet tries a quebrada but is hit with a massive superkick. Brainbuster on the knee gets two. Ricochet counters the Last Shot with a rollup for two. They trade forearms, Ricochet avoids a superkick, and back to exchanging shots. Cole with a step up enziguri, but Ricochet with a jumping knee. Ricochet fires up to eat a superkick and rebounds with a kick of his own. Cole falls on Ricochet for a near fall. “MAMA MIA” chants as both men are down. Ricochet is on his knees and unsure of where he is. Cole wants the Last Shot to the back of the head, but Ricochet ducks and hits a reverse rana. Ricochet struggles but climbs to the top. Cole rolls across the ring to avoid the 630. With Cole on the apron, Ricochet runs over and snaps a leaping rana that sends Cole to the floor. Ricochet goes up and nails the 630 to win the title.

Winner: Ricochet in 15:17ish (stopwatch issues)

Great match. They didn’t go overboard, but told a good story filled with strong action. Cole having the 630 scouted only for Ricochet to find another way to bust out something new and set it up anyway was cool. [****]

Kevin Owens and Mark Henry are shown sitting together in the front row.

NXT Women’s Championship: Shayna Baszler [c] vs. Kairi Sane

Ronda Rousey and the other Horsewomen are in the front row. Sane and Shayna fight for position, with neither gaining a clear advantage. Sane applies a leg lock, Shayna wrenches it into her own, and Sane gets the ropes. Sane avoids a gutwrench suplex and pulls her into a pin for two. Stretch Muffler attempt is shoved away by Shayna, who kind of laughs it off. They go forehead to forehead and start throwing forearms. Headscissors take down by Sane, who baseball slides Shayna to the outside. She comes off the apron with a forearm. Inside, Shayna takes out Sane’s leg and stomps on it at a brutal angle. Shayna kicks away at her leg a few times. Sane pulls down the rope and Shayna goes to the apron. Forearms by Sane. She misses a spear and eats a kick. Shayna pulls her leg down on the middle rope. Shayna begins to twist at Sane’s leg in awful looking ways. With Sane’s toes pointed to the mat, Shayna stomps on her foot. Sane fires up and screams at Shayna. She eats some shots but slaps her a few times. Sane fires off strikes, sending Shayna reeling. Spinning back first and rolling neckbreakers by Sane. Sane walks the plank, but limps along the way. Sliding D still connects. With her leg hurt, she covers for two there, rather than go straight for the elbow. She goes up, only for Shayna to stop her with a super gutwrench suplex. Sane gets in some shots, but Shayna comes back with a pump knee for two. Sane slips free of the Kirifuda Driver and nails the Interceptor. Middle rope Insane Elbow to Shayna’s back. She wants to hit it from the top but Shayna rolls outside. Sane still leaps off with a cross body. She sends Shayna inside and hits the Insane Elbow, yet it only gets a near fall. Sane applies the Anchor, but Shayna slips free and turns it into the Kirifuda Clutch! Sane fights to the ropes but Shayna traps her legs and squeezes tightly. Just as she’s fading, Sane grabs the ropes. Heel hook applies by Shayna. However, Sane counters into the Anchor. Before she can fully apply it, Shayna reaches the ropes. Sane then puts the move on while Shayna’s in the ropes. She breaks just before the count of five. Alabama Slam by Sane. She goes up top again, but Shayna gets her feet up on the Insane Elbow. Kirifuda Clutch locked in, only for Sane to roll over into a pin and win.

Winner: Kairi Sane in 13:34

I really liked that. They told a strong story, based on their history and Shayna being dominant. Kairi was a top notch underdog and the finishing stretch was great. I do question taking the title off Shayna and moving it to the less interesting Kairi, though. [****]

An NXT UK commercial airs.

NXT Championship Last Man Standing Match: Tommaso Ciampa [c] vs. Johnny Gargano

Johnny jumps Ciampa during his introduction. He fires off shots until Ciampa knees him. Lou Thez Press by Johnny, who takes Ciampa to the corner and fires off more punches.Ciampa wants a double underhook move but Johnny slips out and sends him outside. Ciampa shoves him back into the steel steps. They trade shots and Johnny starts throwing Ciampa into each guardrail. Left hands by Johnny, sending Ciampa reeling. Johnny exposes the concrete outside, but Ciampa fights him off. He wants the DDT off the guardrail, but Johnny gets free and sends him into the ring post. Somersault senton off the apron by Johnny. Johnny then throws him over the announce table and into the commentators. Their fight on the table leads to Ciampa hitting the Air Raid Crash off one table and through another. When it’s clear the count would get beaten, Ciampa sends Johnny inside and gets a chair. Johnny knocks it away but eats a boot when he reaches for it. Stomps in the corner by the champ, punctuated by a running knee. Another one by Ciampa. He places a chair in front of Johnny’s face for a third, but Johnny throws it at his knee. Johnny hits him in the ribs and back with the chair. Ciampa counters the Lawn Dart into a sleeper hold. When they go down, he uses the ropes for leverage. He lets go and Johnny beats the ten count, only to get put back in the hold. He sits on the top and tries to lift Gargano with it, only to have it countered into the Lawn Dart into a chair! That’s not enough, so Johnny sets up a table outside. He then puts another one on top of that, but does so upside down so the legs stick out. Ciampa blocks a suplex onto them and hits a German inside. He adds two more and hits a knee strike with the brace. Chair shot to the ribs and one to the back. Project Ciampa connects and he hits it a second and third. Ciampa sits on the chair as the referee counts down Johnny. Gargano beats the count and they trade blows in the middle of the ring. Roll through kick by Johnny. Johnny gets sent to the apron, but Ciampa stops the slingshot spear with a knee. Johnny comes back with a rana but eats a German. he pops up with a kick and hits one of his own. They begin trading shots again. Kick by Johnny, knee from Ciampa, superkick by Johnny and a clothesline puts both men on the mat. Ciampa goes outside and eats a kick from the apron. Ciampa avoids a somersault senton and Johnny crashes on his back. Ciampa hits the Fairytale Ending on the steps. Johnny beats the count. Ciampa unhooks the ring mat the way he did in Chicago. He smashes Johnny’s head into the steps. As Ciampa finishes exposing the ring, Johnny blinds him with a fire extinguisher. Johnny has the crutch and hits Ciampa in the stomach and back. Johnny nearly gets caught in the DDT he lost to last time. He fights off but nearly falls through the two tables. Ciampa says bye bye but eats a kick. Johnny nails the DDT onto the exposed wood that beat him in Chicago. “You deserve it” chants. Ciampa only beats the count at nine because he rolls outside. Tope suicida by Gargano. Another tope suicida on the opposite side. Johnny misses a superkick and catches a member of the production crew. Ciampa smashes Johnny’s face into a monitor, then runs a chair into Johnny’s face with his knee. He buries Johnny under the ring bell, chairs, a box, the downed crew member, and guardrail pieces. Johnny fights out and gets to his feet. Ciampa brings out handcuffs but Johnny gets free and pulls him into the ring post. Inside, he has the cuffs and tries to trap CIampa. Ciampa elbows out and wants the Air Raid Crash through the two tables. Johnny fights out and tries a move, but Ciampa gets free. Ciampa tries again and Johnny slips inside the ring. He fires off shots. He waves bye and nails a superkick, sending Ciampa through both tables. Ciampa uses the crutch to get up and beat the count. Johnny can’t believe it. Using the crutch, Ciampa backs up the ramp. Johnny follows and kicks the crutch away. He beats on him and throws him into the stage, the same way Ciampa did in Chicago last year. Gargano Escape is on and Ciampa taps out but it doesn’t matter. Johnny handcuffs him to part of the stage and bashes his head into it. Superkick by Johnny. Ciampa apologizes but Johnny doesn’t wanna hear it. The referee counts Ciampa down as he’s seated. Johnny signals for the superkick again and Ciampa gets up to break the count. He goes back down to his knees and Johnny reconsiders more attack. He decides to do it and exposes the knee. Johnny hits the running knee, but his momentum takes him over into a bunch of speakers and onto at able. Both men are down. Ciampa slides off the stage onto his feet and Johnny can’t beat the count.

Winner: Tommaso Ciampa in 33:38

Not quite as good as their previous two matches, but both were all time greats. They paid attention to detail and told another wonderful story. They’ve had three similar gimmicks to work with, yet always deliver something fresh. The creative finish went a long way and was perfect. [****1/2]

Commentary says Gargano may have dislocated his knee.

Referees check on Johnny as Ciampa poses with the title.