Leighty’s Retro Review: NXT TakeOver: Unstoppable

-Written: 02.11.26
-Source: Peacock
-Run Time: 1:58:40

-Announce Team: Rich Brennan, Corey Graves, Byron Saxton
-NXT Arena, Full Sail University, Orlando, FL
-May 20, 2015

#1 Contender’s Match: Tyler Breeze vs. Finn Balor

-As Breeze makes his entrance we see fan footage outside of Hideo Itami laying on the ground. KO walks by and says, “that’s a shame.” Finn’s Demon look is a dragon this time and it gets a “holy shit,” chant from the crowd. “That was awesome” chant follows. Hideo was supposed to be in this match as well, but the injury in the attack in the parking lot took him out. Breeze controls early with a side headlock, but gets shoved off. He connects with a shoulder block for a one count and back to the side headlock. The pace picks up again and Balor gets a dropkick. He goes for a dive to the floor, but Breeze rushes back into the ring. Balor fires off a loud chop in the corner and sends Breeze head first into the corner. Breeze avoids a clothesline and hits a springboard dropkick that sends Balor to the floor. He stomps Balor in the corner and cuts off a comeback with a swinging neckbreaker for two. Breeze back to the reverse chinlock as the crowd tries to rally Balor. Sunset flip but Balor rolls through and hits a basement dropkick. Balor with a running chop in the corner and another basement dropkick. Breeze to the floor, but Balor follows and jumps off the apron with a double stomp to the back. He heads up, but Breeze rolls away. Balor drops down and fires off another chop. Head kick (kind of) in the corner gets two for Balor. Balor hooks a Dragon Sleeper, but Breeze reverses and lands an elbow. Balor back with a sling blade! Super Model Kick from Breeze gets a two count. Breeze unties the top buckle in the corner, but leaves the cover. He goes to the opposite corner and stomps Balor down. He misses The Beauty Shot, but avoids a double stomp and gets a roll-up for two. Breeze nearly goes into the now exposed steel, but stops in time. Balor with a roll-up for two, but Breeze kicks out and Balor goes into the exposed buckle. Beauty Shot hits for two and Breeze throws a temper tantrum over the count. Breeze walks up the ramp, looking for Balor, but he comes out with a flying forearm. Balor climbs the stage and the crowd chants “please don’t die.” Balor comes off with a cross-body and there’s an NXT chant. They both head back into the ring and Balor hits the shotgun dropkick into the corner. Coupe De Grace finishes at 11:04.

Winner: Finn Balor via pin at 11:04
-Started slow but those last 3-4 minutes were rather awesome. Balor winning was an easy call as the man just needs to be the top guy in the brand at this point. ***1/2

-Kevin Owens is watching backstage on a television and doesn’t seem thrilled with the idea of facing Balor.

-Stephanie McMahon is sitting front row with The Mountain from Game of Thrones!

-Hype video for the greatness of NXT.

Emma and Dana Brooke vs. Charlotte and Bayley

-Dana is fresh off arriving in NXT and I barely remember him in the brand as she seemed to be on the Main Roster rather quickly. Bayley catapults Dana into a clothesline from Charlotte. Chop from Bayley, but the tag is made to Emma. These two have had issues and Emma bails to the floor to force Bayley to chase. Bayley hits a dropkick through the ropes in the corner and sends Emma back into the ring. Bayley heads up, but Dana distracts and that lets Emma yank Bayley off the ropes. Neck crank from Emma! Tag to Dana and she stomps Bayley down in the corner. Quick tags in and out by Emma and Dana as they trade off stomping Bayley down in the corner. Emma lands a right hand and plays to the crowd before antagonizing Charlotte. The delay lets Bayley hit a suplex and hot tag is made to Charlotte. Chops for Dana! Running big boot! Emma takes a knee to the ribs and is pitched to the floor. Dana from behind but Charlotte cartwheels away from a double clothesline and ends up hitting a double DDT. She kips up to pop the crowd and then gets a two count on Emma. Charge in the corner, but Emma gets an elbow up. She comes off the top with a cross-body, but Charlotte rolls through and gets a Figure Four into the Figure Eight. Dana in to break, but Bayley takes her out with a Bayley-to-Belly. Natural Selection finishes Emma at 6:51.

Winners: Charlotte and Bayley via pin at 6:51
-Standard tag match with the hot NXT crowd. This was fine. **1/2

-We go back to RAW three weeks ago, where Sami showed up to challenge John Cena for the US Title and separates his shoulder before the match. He finishes though and is not healthy for tonight’s match.

-They show some of the new signees of the Performance Center in the front row and let’s see: The IIconics, and Apollo Crews I recognize. The crowd pops huge for Crews, was known as Uhaa Nation.

Rhyno vs. Baron Corbin

-We needed a HOSS FIGHT! The crowd wants to see a Gore and lets Corbin know that Rhyno’s going to kill him. Rhyno gets a running shoulder tackle and Corbin is annoyed he was knocked off his feet. Rhyno avoids a right hand and throws Corbin to the floor. Back in, a clothesline sends Corbin back over the top and to the floor. They brawl on the floor before heading back into the ring. Rhyno lands a right hand as we get a dueling chant from the crowd. This crowd is great as they are just non-stop enthusiasm. Rhyno gets shoved to the floor as the crowd now lets us know that “Corbin Sucks.” Hard whip to the corner and Corbin soaks in the boos. Another hard whip gets a two count. Corbin misses a charge in the corner but he eats a few punches and throws Rhyno back into the corner. He goes crazy with strikes and has to be pulled away by the ref. He slams Rhyno down hair and hits the Boss Man slide out of the right to hit a right hand deal. That gets two! Rhyno blocks a whip to the corner and they end up colliding to leave both men down. The ref gets to eight, but both men are up. The trade blows and Rhyno wins the exchange. Heavy clothesline and another! Running shoulder tackle in the corner. Corbin head-butts out of a suplex and goes back to throwing right hands. Rhyno with a spinebuster for two. Rhyno hits a belly-to-belly suplex and preps for THE GORE. Corbin catches Rhyno coming in with a clothesline and End of Days gets the pin at 7:12.

Winner: Baron Corbin via pin at 7:12
-This was a fine HOSS FIGHT and have Corbin a name to beat. No complaints as it did what it needed. **

-Back to RAW as Kevin Owens showed up on RAW, sporting the NXT Title, and hits John Cena with a pop-up powerbomb. AWESOME! Owens steps on Cena’s US Title and gives him a “you can’t see me.” Again, AWESOME!

-Kevin is interviewed backstage and mentions he had three successful NXT Title defenses last week and then dropped Cena, where he stood on RAW. KO’s issue is Cena is taking credit for Sami’s injury, when he is the one that caused it. KO tells Sami to stay home or this will be the last time anyone can see (peek-a-boo gesture) him.

NXT Tag Titles: Blake (c) and Murphy (c) vs. Enzo Amore and Colin Cassidy (w/ Carmella)

-Graves notes he is found of Carmella. Heh! Ten years later we know where that went. The crowd really likes Cass and Enzo. Cass kind of butchers his SAWFT spiel as he just seems so fired up. I feel bad for anyone with a history of seizures who sits through that Blake and Murphy entrance. We see Blake and Murphy attack Enzo and Cass two weeks ago and a young FTR were in the ring waiting on a match. We will get to them soon! Mechanics back then. Enzo and Blake start this one out and Enzo uses his speed to avoid. He gets a roll-up and then a cross-body for two. Standing dropkick and it’s a nice one! Another two count. Murphy gets the tag, but Enzo runs to tag Colin and Murphy isn’t sure what to do with the big man. He throws a chop and Cass just stares him down. Another one and Cass stalks Murphy to the corner. He tries a Tornado DDT, but Cass throws him across the ring. Heavy right hand gets a two count. Back to Enzo and he hits an assisted splash in the corner. Enzo off the top with a cross-body for two. He heads up on the apron and knocks Blake down. Shoulder to Murphy, but Blake grabs the leg and that lets Murphy hit a clothesline that sends Enzo to the floor. Backbreaker from Blake as Enzo took that one kind of rigid and just flopped over. Back to Murphy as they are using the formula The Horsemen used against Sullivan and The Giant in 1996: KEEP THE BIG MAN OUT OF THE RING. Murphy misses a charge in the corner and goes shoulder first into the post. Tag to Blake and he cuts off a tag being made to Cass. Abdominal Stretch, which Enzo counters into a roll-up for one. Tag to Murphy and he knocks Cass off the apron. Powerbomb/Back Stabber Combo gets two! Waste of a finisher there as that looked sweet! Enzo is a limp rag as he gets placed on the top rope. Murphy goes for a superplex, but Enzo holds onto the ropes and punches Murphy down. Enzo comes off the top and hits a sick DDT to pop the crowd. Credit to Murphy for selling the crap out of that one. Tag made to Cass and he starts rolling. Big Boot to Blake and one to Murphy, that sends him to the floor. Empire Elbow gets two as Murphy rushes back in for the save. Cass runs through a double clothesline and hits Murphy with one. Sidewalk slam to Blake! Cass carries Enzo to the top rope, but Alexa Bliss is out and attacks Carmella. Cass goes to check and Murphy hits a superkick to take him out. Bliss shoves Enzo off the top rope behind the ref’s back and Blake covers for the pin at 8:56 to a chorus of boos.

Winners and Still NXT Tag Team Champions: Blake and Murphy via pin at 8:56
-Solid match with great crowd heat. The crowd really wanted Enzo and Cass to win the Tag Titles here, so it made the Alexa interference mean more. It’s nice when the more savvy NXT crowd gets heated at something. **1/2

-Eva Marie is in the crowd and gets a mix of boos and cheers. Mostly cheers though.

-Video package on Sasha/Becky. Things started as Becky forming at alliance with Sasha and it crumbling as they realized only one could be Champion.

NXT Women’s Championship: Sasha Banks (c) vs. Becky Lynch

-This is the debut of Becky’s Steampunk Era! Lockup and we get the crowd chanting for NXT. Becky with a hammerlock but Sasha elbows her way out. Trip by Becky and she gets a crucifix for a two count. They trade counters into pins for two and then fight over a backslide. Becky gets another roll-up for two and then goes after the arm. Sasha pulls Becky down by the hair and gets a two count. Becky with a Flapjack and goes for the arm-bar, but Sasha scurries for the safety of the bottom rope. Becky with an armdrag, but Sasha backs her into a corner and unloads with a right hand. She misses a charge and Becky springs off the middle ropes and hits a kick to the chest. They fight on the apron and Sasha yanks Becky down by the arm and she splats face first on the apron. Ouch! Sasha gets a two count back in the ring. Sasha ties Becky up in the ropes and pulls on the arm. She then plays to the crowd and mocks Becky’s entrance. Nice! Becky gets a small package for two, but Sasha hits a modified neckbreaker for two. Straitjacket Choke from Sasha into a Back Stabber. Again, nice! She buries a boot in the back and continues to yank back on the straitjacket hold. Becky gets an elbow up on the corner, but doesn’t have much behind it. Sasha ties Becky up in the corner and drops her weight down on the arm. That gets a two count after a bit of a struggle to get the pin. Sasha shows a vicious side as she bends Becky’s arm behind her back and stands on it for good measure. Even the crowd had to wince on that one. This is great! The crowd starts a “Sasha’s gonna kill you,” chant because that’s how vicious she is being here. She bites at Becky’s hand as she tries to push off. That’s great! Becky powers up and carries Sasha around the ring in a spot that Backlund and Bulldog liked to do and drops Sasha to force a break. “This is wrestling,” chant. No kidding! Becky mounts a comeback and runs wild with one good arm. Sasha sends her to the apron, but Becky runs her into the buckle and comes off the top with a missile dropkick for two. Sasha escapes arm control and sends Becky across the ring with a whip. Sasha follows with a Meteora and another for a two count. Sasha grabs Becky by the face and talks some trash before slapping her. Becky responds and they start countering moves until it ends with them brawling on the floor. Sasha gets sent shoulder first into the post and both make it back into the ring. Hammerlock Suplex from Becky. Nice! Becky goes for the armbar, but Sasha fights it off, so Becky just dumps her on her head with a suplex for two. “Suplex City,” chant! Becky with a snap suplex, but rolls through and hooks the armbar as the crowd starts to freak out. Sasha fights to the ropes and just reaches, which forces a break. “This is awesome,” chant! I agree! Becky rushes in and Sasha dumps her to the floor. Suicide Dive from Sasha, but Becky kind of catches her and runs her back first into the steps. That was a little awkward, but worked okay. Becky struggles to get to the middle rope, but Sasha jumps up and brings her down by the arm and hooks The Bank Statement. Becky has to tap at 15:29. Awesome!

Winner and Still NXT Women’s Champion: Sasha Banks via pin at 15:29
-This might be my favorite NXT match of any show up to this point as they killed it here. I loved the aggressiveness of Banks and Becky had to match. Both women were going crazy after the arm and Becky made one mistake that cost her. This was Becky’s coming out party and continued Sasha’s reign. I loved all of this! ****1/2

-KO/Sami video package! There have a been a lot of those over the years. Adding to this one is Sami is coming in injured after showing up on RAW and facing John Cena.

NXT Championship: Kevin Owens (c) vs. Sami Zayn

-KO comes out wearing a John Cena, US Champion, shirt as he is coming off showing up on RAW and laying Cena out with a powerbomb. KO is sent to take on Cena at Elimination Chamber, but has this match first. Just like their last match, KO immediately bails to the floor to play mind games. Will Sami fall for them this time? The crowd lets us know that John Cena sucks. Sami follows and attacks KO from behind. They brawl on the floor and back into the ring. Clothesline sends KO over the top and back to the floor. Sami chases and KO goes for the apron powerbomb, but Sami backdrops out. Byron: “This is a fight between two people that don’t like each other.” Those are the best kind of matches! They go back in the ring for a few seconds only to end up on the floor again. KO gets sent into one set of ring stairs and then the other as I guess it’s only fair. KO keeps trying to get away, but can’t create space as Sami is just a tad angry. KO gets sent into the front row and Sami follows. They brawl through the crowd and KO nearly gets a powerbomb on the concrete, but Sami uses the railing for the bleachers to save his life. KO takes a backdrop over the railing and back to the floor by the ring. The crowd is just having a blast watching these two kill each other. Back in the ring we get a actual pin attempt as Sami hits a Blue Thunder Bomb for two. KO tries to run again and starts firing off elbows, but Sami catches him with a half and half suplex for two. Match is only five minutes long as they have beaten the stuffing out of each other. KO counters a Torando DDT with a backbreaker. Cannonball is avoided and Sami hits an Exploder Suplex. Helluva Kick, but KO rolls to the floor. Smart! Sami rolls out instead of diving like last time, which cost him. He charges at KO and GETS MURDERED WITH A POP-UP POWERBOMB ON THE APRON. That draws the appropriate response from the crowd. The ref isn’t even counting as he is out to check on Sami, along with another ref. KO didn’t hear no bell, so starts firing away with right hands, We have four refs and a trainer out to check on Sami as the crowd wants them fight. Again, I didn’t hear no bell, so let them go or call the match. Sami took the powerbomb at around 7:30 just to give an idea of where the match portion kind of ended. KO sends Sami into the steps as the refs keep telling him it is over. Ring the bell then! Back in the ring and here’s William Regal. He gets in KO’s face and that backs KO off for a second. Regal grabs KO by the face to get him away, so KO head-butts him to freak out the crowd. He screams at the time keeper and grabs a steel chair. The refs bail and KO uses a chair as we hear some music and it’s the NXT debut of SAMOA JOE! I lost my mind watching this live back in the day. The crowd is going batshit crazy as it’s on now! It still makes me smile to see Joe make this debut. “Joe’s Gonna Kill You,” chant from the crowd. KO and Joe gets face-to-face and it’s a “Holy Shit,” chant. Yep! KO is the Champion and doesn’t need ti prove anything else, so he walks.

No Contest at 7:30 (I think)
-The match ran about 7:30 before the refs came down to check on Sami and we got all the post match stuff with Regal and then the debuting Samoa Joe. The actual match was all out action and a heck of a brawl. Not sure, why we didn’t get a finish as KO winning by ref stoppage would have worked. ***1/2

-KO is back out to stare at Joe some more, but says not tonight and leaves.

-Thanks for reading!

8.0

The final score: review Very Good

The 411

A really good show as expected but kind of on the lower end of NXT Specials, which shows how insane these shows typically are. Sasha/Becky was fantastic and we had a couple other really good matches. KO/Sami was something different and I credit them for it as KO just destroyed him. Joe's debut was well done and at the time it was crazy seeing him on any TV associated with WWE. NXT can do no wrong at this point as they keep pumping out high quality shows.