wrestling / Video Reviews
Leighty’s Retro Review: NXT TakeOver: Respect
Image Credit: WWE
Loading...-Written: 02.27.26
-Source: Peacock
-Run Time: 2:12:37
-At the last special, The Dusty Classic was announced and we get the semis and Finals on this show. Here is the rundown of the entire tournament to this point. Check out some of the names in this field. Props for doing a full 16 team field instead of going to eight.
-First Round: Enzo and Cass over Angelo Dawkin and Sawyer Fulton; Balor and Joe over The Lucha Dragons (Kalisto and Sin Cara); Gotch and English over Blake and Murphy; The Mechanics Elias Samson and Tucker Knight; Hype Bros (Ryder and Mojo) over Alexander Wolfe and Noah Kekoa; Jordan and Gable over Neville and Solomon Crowe; Corbin and Rhyno over The Ascension; Gargano and Ciampa over Breeze and Dempsey
-Second Round: Balor and Joe over Enzo and Cass; Mechanics over Vaudevillains; American Alpha over Hype Bros; Corbin and Rhyno over DIY
-Announce Team: Rich Brennan, Corey Graves, and Byron Saxton
-Oct. 7, 2015
-Full Sail University, Orlando, FL
Dusty Classic: Semi-Finals: Samoa Joe and Finn Balor vs. The Mechanics (Scott Dawson and Dash Wilder)
-It’s our first look on these specials at the future Revival/FTR. Can you imagine the look Vince would have gave them if they came up to the Main Roster at The Mechanics? They have the Revival theme here and it still SLAPS. WE GO HARD! Wilder knocks Balor off the apron to start, so Joe destroys him in the corner with strikes. Charge misses as Dawson moves Wilder out of the corner. The Mechanics work Joe over in the corner and then tag in and out to deliver old school strikes. Joe avoids a charge and hits an enziguiri. Dawson in and so is Balor. He hits a step-up enziguiri on Wilder to knock him off the apron. Seems fair since Wilder did it to Balor first. Dropkick sends Dawson to the floor and Finn goes flying over the top with a senton onto both men. No wonder they don’t like flips. Balor up top, but Wilder distracts him and Dawson clips the knee. Blood in the water for The Mechanics as they go to work on the damaged knee, and I mean GO TO WORK. The bad knee gets rammed into the ring post and a second time. The crowd is way into this as they try to rally our NXT Champion. Brennan notes Dawson and Wilder are very mechanical in nature. Does that count as a “Roll Credits” if this was Cinema Sins? Balor is able to kick Dawson away, and crawls for the tag, but Wilder pulls Joe off the apron. Joe argues with the ref, so The Mechanics hit a sweet Demolition Decapitation for two. Balor avoids a charge and launches Dawson shoulder first into the buckle. Wilder immediately goes to the floor and rolls his partner back in to make a tag. Brilliant! He cuts off the tag, but just delays the inevitable as Balor gets free and the hot tag is made to Joe. He goes crazy with strikes and hits a powerslam for two. Elbow misses, but Wilder gets caught with the STO. Muscle Buster is teased, but Balor wants the tag. Oh Finn! Joe hits The Muscle Buster and Coup de Grace finishes at 9:03.
Winners: Finn Balor and Samoa Joe via pin at 9:03
-Fun match and you know given 5-7 more minutes they would have torn the house down, but The Mechanics weren’t seen at that level yet. Balor wanting back in when Joe had things under control won’t comeback to haunt him I am sure. ***1/4
Dusty Classic: Semi-Finals: Jason Jordan and Chad Gable vs. Rhyno and Baron Corbin
-Rhyno and Corbin are partners that don’t really like each other, but came together to try to win this tournament. Corbin starts with Jordan and Jordan shows off his athleticism. Corbin shows off his power as he gets a running shoulder tackle for two. Back elbow from Corbin and tag to Rhyno. Jordan shoots in and gets a take down for one. Gable tags in and comes in with a sunset flip for one. The crowd really loves Gable. They start singing his name like Kurt Angle’s theme. Somehow, Jordan was the one they picked to be Angle’s son. I mean, I know why, but still. They had Gable right there! Gable goes to work on the arm and brings on Jordan, who comes off the top with a double ax to the arm. Back to Gable and we get a sweet double Northern Lights Suplex with Gable getting the two count. Gable gets an armbar on the apron, but gets knocked off and gets caught with a knee to the face as he rushed back in. Corbin mauls Gable on the floor as he runs him into the apron, and chokes on the bottom rope. Right hand from Corbin gets a one count. Tag back to Rhyno, who hits a running boot to the stomach. Rhyno slugs Gable down and back to Corbin. He and Rhyno continue to tag in and out as they work over Gable while the crowd keeps chanting for him to make a comeback. Rhyno heads up top, but misses a Man Beast Splash. Hot Tag to Jordan and Corbin gets the tag as well. Jordan runs wild with dropkicks and runs Corbin into the corner. Rhyno gets dumped to the floor. Suplex for Jordan and he pulls down the straps, so yeah, I can see why they went with him as Angle’s son as well. Gable in and gets caught with End of Days. But Jordan makes the save. Rhyno in with a nice belly-to-belly suplex on Jordan. Gable with Chaos Theory, but Rhyno makes the save. GOAR from Rhyno to Jordan and they end up on the floor. The crowd is fully behind Gable, but he counters a head scissors into End of Days for the pin at 10:27.
Winners: Rhyno and Baron Corbin via pin at 10:27
-This played to the tag formula with a hot crowd and like always it worked. What bumped this up was that finishing sequence from the hot tag to the end. Not as good as the first Tag Match, but it’s close. ***
-Asuka video package!
Dana Brooke (w/ Emma) vs. Asuka
-The crowd is already letting Dana know that Asuka’s going to kill her. Big pop for Asuka as she makes her way out. This is her in ring debut for NXT and yeah, Dana is toast here. Asuka offers a handshake and Dana pushes her away. Well, we all have choices to make. Asuka immediately gains arm control. Dana reverses, so Asuka rolls and gets a hammerlock. Dana tries to roll, but Asuka stays with her. Dana lands a back elbow and pats Asuka on the head. Again, choices! Slap to the face from Dana and the crowd lets Dana know she messed up. Asuka just smiles and then fires off strikes. Hip Attack! She mocks Dana’s pose and flexes. Elbow from Asuka, but Dana fires back. She charges and Asuka catches the arm and works on the mat for an armbar as the crowd wants Dana to tap. Kicks from Asuka and Dana bails to the floor. Emma grabs Asuka’s leg and that lets Dana drop Asuka throat first on the middle rope. Knee drop gets two from Dana. Clothesline follows and Dana hooks a body scissors. Asuka easily escapes and gets a knee-bar into an ankle lock. German Suplex! Asuka runs into a knee, but gets a jumping armbar. Dana rolls out so Asuka just goes with it and gets a modified chicken wing. Asuka lands a head kick and Emma eats a spinning back fist. Sliding knee from Asuka! Asuka-Lock and Dana taps at 5:32.
Winner: Asuka via pin at 5:32
-Great debut as she was over with the crowd and dominated the match outside the brief period where Emma helped Dana. **1/2
-Dana makes the mistake of going after Asuka after the match and gets caught with a head kick. Emma just cowers on the floor and Asuka walks by here, satisfied with what she has done tonight.
-Finn is being checked out by trainers backstage.
-Nia Jax vignette. She debuts next week!
Tyler Breeze vs. Apollo Crews
-Crews is undefeated at this point in his young NXT run. Breeze with a side headlock, but Crews shoves him off and hits a shoulder tackle. Dropkick from Crews and Breeze bails to the floor. Back in the ring Crews with a delayed vertical suplex that would make The Bulldog smile. Crews gets a two count, but Breeze catches him with a back elbow. Crews goes to float over in the corner, but Breeze drops down and tries for a roll-up. Crews blocks, so Breeze adjusts and ends up dumping Crews to the floor. They brawl in the aisle and Crews gets tossed back first into the ring apron and takes a pretty sweet bump. That gets two for Breeze back in the ring. Breeze drops elbows and sends Crews into the corner and gets another two count. The crowd starts a dueling chant as Breeze hooks a reverse chinlock. Breeze with a modified Back Stabber for two. Breeze up top but Crews loads him with a Gorilla Press. Breeze slides out and gets a sharpshooter. Crews crawls to the ropes to force a break and Breeze makes sure to hold until the four count. Breeze argues with the ref, which lets Crews fire up with a leaping clothesline. Breeze throws forearms to the back in the corner and goes to the mounted punches in the corner. Crew brings him out, but Breeze gets a rana and goes to throwing right hands. He runs into an enziguiri and both men are down. Crews gets dumped to the apron, but flips back in and gets caught with a Super Model Kick for two. Breeze up top, but Crews catches him with a powerslam on the way down for two. Gorilla Press, but Breeze blocks the standing moonsault. Crews lands a shot and now goes for the standing moonsault, but Breeze gets the knees up and gets a two count. Running forearms from Breeze, but Crews runs out of the corner with a bog boot. He deadlifts Breeze off the mat and hits a spinning powerbomb for the pin at 9:44.
Winner: Apollo Crews via pin at 9:44
-Breeze looked better than Crews here as they had Crews selling a lot. It tuned into a good match, but I was waiting for Crews back to give out on the Gorilla Press, but it didn’t happen. Hard work by both men. ***
Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic: Finals: Samoa Joe and Finn Balor vs. Baron Corbin and Rhyno
-Eden Stiles (Brandi Rhodes) gets to do the intros in a nice touch. Balor is coming into this one banged up and yet, starts the match, which Corey notes is dumb. Rhyno starts for his team and both guys are cautious to start which draws a few boos from some in the crowd. Corbin tags in as nothing of note has happened. Corbin shoots in for the bad leg, but Finna is protecting it. Corbin gets a boot to the knee, but Balor lands a dropkick and tag to Joe. He throws jabs and crazy fists in the corner. CHOP to the back, the front, and then Joe drops a knee for a one count. Joe goes back to the jabs, but runs into a Choke Bomb for two. Ground and Pound for Corbin gets two. Rhyno back in and he throws forearms to the ribs and chops in the corner. Rhyno with a splash in the corner followed by a belly-to-belly suplex for two. Corbin back in and gets a two count. We get a few people in the crowd yelling, “boring.” It is a little slow, I will say. Corbin with a clothesline in the corner followed by a running boot. Corbin corners Joe, but gets caught with an enziguiri. Tag made to Balor and it doesn’t get a pop like you would expect. Dropkick to Rhyno! He floats over on Corbin, which damages the knee. Corbin with a running boot. Balor back with a kick and heads to the apron, but Rhyno clips the knee. Corbin smells blood and wraps the damaged knee around the ring post not once, not twice, but thrice. Balor fights out of the corner, but gets caught with a rotating sidewalk slam for two. Corbin with punch after punch to Balor and he soaks in the boos from the crowd. Balor gets a burst of energy and hits a Sling Blade. Tags on both sides and Joe is running wild. Atomic drop to Rhyno, Denton follows and the STO to Corbin. Rhyno with a GOAR, but Balor saves. DDT to Corbin and he gets dumped to the floor. Rhyno knocks Balor off the apron. Joe with a Muscle Buster and Finn off the top with the Coup de Graces for the pin at 10:57.
Winner and Dusty Tag Team Tournament Champions: Samoa Joe and Finn Balor via pin at 10:57
-I would call this the weakest of the three tag matches on the show. Still a solid match, but I like the other two better. Balor and Joe winning was the right call as the two faces celebrating with Dusty’s Family made more sense. **3/4
-The Dusty Cup (great looking trophy) is brought into the ring by Dustin, Cody, Michelle (Dusty’s wife) and Teil (Dusty’s daughter). Cody gets to talk and you can tell he is emotional. He says they can’t run from what happened to The Dream, but they can remember and respect (end credits). He notes Dusty was the Oak of NXT, but to him he was dad. Dusty’s wife looks genuinely touched as Finn makes sure to put an arm around her. Cody says that tonight “we are all Rhodes.” The crowd starts a Rhodes chant and we get Dusty’s AWESOME MUSIC. COMMON MAN! Finn and Joe looked touched to be able to hold the trophy and we get posting and pictures. Great stuff!
-Video package on the history between Sasha and Bayley. They torn the house down at Brooklyn and now the rematch.
-Charlotte, Becky, Lita, and Stephanie McMahon are in the front row. Just crazy
30 Minute Iron (Wo)Man Match: NXT Women’s Championship: Bayley (c) vs. Sasha Banks
-This is the first NXT/WWE PLE/PPV/Network Special to have the women close the show. The crowd chants “Main Event,” and you can tell it got Sasha a little emotional. “Women’s Wrestling,” chant next and I can’t begin to imagine what these two were feeling. “This is Awesome” and “You Deserve,” up next as they just kind of wait for the crowd. “NXT” chant and I think we are good now. Lockup and they battle for position. Commentary notes that Bayley is wearing red and gold as a nod to Iron Man. Cool! Dueling chant as they continue to jockey for position. Sasha gets the first knock down and gets a one count. Crucifix for own. Roll-up for one as she is trying to get a quick one for the lead. Smart! Bayley ducks a clothesline and gets a shoulder tackle for one. She goes for another cover and then a roll-up for one as she is also looking for a quick pin. Backslide from Bayley, but Sasha escapes and gets a small package for two. Jackknife cover from Bayley for one. Roll-up by Sasha gets two. Back to Bayley rolling into a pin for one and then another. Dropkick from Sasha. Bayley regroups in the corner and charges out. She gets a throw and another and Sasha nearly breaks her neck as she lands on her head. Ouch! Sasha ducks a clothesline and gets a head scissors, but is selling the side of her neck. Sasha scales the ropes and comes off with an arm-drag to send Bayley across the ring. Banks Statement is blocked and The Bailey-to-Belly is also blocked. We get a replay of Sasha landing on her neck and that had to suck. For some reason Bayley pulls Sasha up and offers a hug (it’s her thing) and Sasha yanks her down by the hair. Bayley should have seen that coming. That seemed to annoy her though as she runs through a series of moves that sends Sasha to the floor. Bayley gets a dropkick on the floor through the ring post and another one. Cool! Bulldog by Bayley back in the ring gets a two count. Sasha gets a trip and goes for a roll-up but gets caught using the ropes. The ref nearly gets bumped by Sasha, but she has the ref blocked and thumbs Bayley in the eyes. A roll up gets our first pin with 21:28 left. Sasha 1-0!
-Bayley blocks being sent into the corner and runs Sasha head first into the buckle repeatedly, but Sasha battles back and sends Bayley head first into the middle buckle. Sasha misses the double knees in the corner and Bayley gets a modified Snake Eyes. She yanks Sasha out of the corner, but she lands on her feet and hits forearm. She gets caught with a Bayley-to-Belly and we are tied with 19:09 left. Tied 1-1!
-Sasha regroups on the floor and Bayley tries the ring post dropkick again, but Sasha is ready. She catches Bayley and swings her into the steel steps. Nice! Back in the ring Sasha gets a two count. Sasha dumps Bayley to the floor and fires her back into the stairs and one more time just because. She then yells at Bayley’s family, sitting in the front row. Sasha is rolling as she gets a two count in the ring and then dumps Bayley to the floor again. She takes Bayley up the aisle and throws her into the LED Board. She then steals the bow off Izzy in the front row for MEGA HEAT and it’s awesome! IZZY IS CRYING! Oh man, I love wrestling! This crowd is pissed! Bayley gets counted out with 15:50 to go. Sasha 2-1!
-Bayley drags herself back to the ring and Sasha rolls her in for a two count. Sasha is loving the crowd being angry at her, so she mocks Bayley. The crowd starts a loud Bayley chant, so The Boss talks smack in the corner. Bayley tries a kick for her back, but gets caught and Sasha gets a backbreaker for two. Walls of Banks by Sasha and she stomps Bayley’s head for extra effect. She goes for it again, but Bayley snaps off a pin and hooks the legs to tie it up with 12:33 to go. Tied 2-2!
-Sasha is annoyed she got caught with a flash pin. The double knees in the corner miss again. Bayley lands a kick from the corner followed by a double axe and another and another. I think Bayley went for a Sling Blade, but it got kind of wonky, so she just covers and gets a two count. Series of running elbows in the corner and Bayley heads to the middle rope. She adjusts the ponytail and hits a back elbow for a two count. “Women’s Wrestling,” chant! Sasha gets hung in The Tree of Woe and Bayley drops an elbow for two. Bayley sets Sasha on the top rope as we have less than 10 minutes. Sasha slides out and Bayley is stuck in the Tree of Woe. Now the Double Knees connect, but only gets two. To The Tree of Woe again, but Bayley sits up and Sasha crashes, shoulder first into the post. Bayley smashes Sasha’s hand off the steps as payback for Brooklyn. Nice call back there! Bayley moves the stairs around, but takes too much time and Sasha lands a series of strikes, Bayley goes back to the hand and then launches herself off the steps with a clothesline. Nice! Sasha kicks off and Bayley crashes back first into the steps. The ref checks on both and tells them they have a ten count. Sasha rolls in and goes for a dive as she sees Bayley moving. Bayley catches her and hits a Bayley-to-Belly on the floor. “Iron Woman,” chant from the crowd. Both women are selling the effects of this match as they battle in the corner. Sasha kicks Bayley away, but can’t follow up. Bayley springs up to the middle ropes and hits a Super Bayley-to-Belly, but the cover accidentally put Sasha’s foot on the ropes, so no three count. Byron and Graves are split on whether a tie means a draw or OT. I was always in favor of a tie going to the Champion. That’s their advantage. Bayley with the Poison-Rana off the top, but Sasha kind lands on her feet and hits a Bayley-to-Belly to freak out the crowd. It only gets two, so Sasha hooks The Banks Statement with under 2 minutes to go. Bayley crawls for the ropes, but Sasha kicks off the ropes to get back to the middle of the ring. Banks can’t get the full grip though due to the damaged hand, which is a brilliant touch. Bayley goes after the bad hand to force a break. We have 30 seconds left as Sasha goes for the Banks Statement again, but Bayley rolls through into her own submission and Sasha gives up with 3 seconds to go. That ends it!
Winner and Still NXT Women’s Champion: Bayley 3-2 in 30:00
-This was awesome! Just crazy drama and Sasha making kids cry. They killed it and this was a suitably epic followup to their Brooklyn classic. There were callbacks to the match and I was almost rooting for the draw, but the damaged hand proved to be too much for Sasha. I loved this match, so why not? *****
-The NXT Roster is out on the stage and HHH looks emotional. Regal gives Sasha a bouquet of flowers and she is just BAWLING her eyes out. The crowd starts a “thank you Sasha” chant. HHH heads to the ring, gives Bayley a hug, and her a bouquet of flowers as well. She is also crying her eyes out. How can you not love pro-wrestling? “You deserve it,” chant from the crowd.
-Thanks for reading!
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