WrestleWatch: NXT Takeover XXX

Don't get too excited, you pervs, the XXX is Roman numerals, I'm not reviewing a wrestling porno. Back in the present day with WrestleWatch for the first time since WrestleMania!

As far as wrestling goes, it's been a weird 4-5 months. Hell, it's been weird in general life. Coronavirus, or COVID, has forced us all to adjust and get used to a "new normal". All about that social distancing, wearing masks etc. I'm back at work and feeling mostly good, the biggest change has been copious amounts of hand sanitiser for everyone! But this has been a good month for me. I worked 15 days between July 2019-July 2020. In August 2020, I've worked 13 days (with the potential to add one more on Monday. Taking today off because there's definitely some pain happening at the moment). Talk about progress!

So, back to the wrestling. COVID has forced some major changes to the presentation of pro wrestling worldwide. I thought that we might finally get something of an off-season for wrestlers, I mean, a worldwide pandemic seems as good a reason as any to take some time off. But Vince gonna Vince, and he ploughed ahead with Mania on an empty Performance Centre set, and followed it up by producing Raw, Smackdown and NXT the same way for months. Eventually, NXT trainees were brought in as a rent a crowd, but the lack of authenticity meant it wasn't much better than the deathly silence of no crowd at all. So I generally haven't watched the weekly product. I've caught the PPVs, chock filled with cinematic matches and stunt booking that quite literally wasn't worth writing home about. The best of the bunch was actually NXT Takeover- In Your House. It had the novelty of dusting off the mid-1990s retro theme, but asides from that, was a refreshingly straight-forward quality wrestling show, with a more invested rent a crowd bringing more life to proceedings. So with that, I decided to not only watch, but WrestleWatch (TM) NXT Takeover XXX.

To kick the show off, we get a nice quick video montage of some of the big moments in NXT history. It weirdly includes former NFL punter/Kick-Off Show analyst Pat McAfee, because he has a match on this Takeover. Not against any old scrub, either, but Adam Cole... bay-bay.

The set isn't extravagant, but very cool and fitting for the occasion... it appears they've dusted off the set pieces for WrestleMania 30, 3 LED screens, each in the shape of a X. I'm 95% sure they did a similar thing for the special Great American Bash episodes of NXT a few weeks back, dragging out the old banners from the mid-2000s WWE PPVs and slapping NXT logos on them.

The commentary team is Vic Joseph, Beth Pheonix and making a one-shot return, the Saviour of Misbehaviour, Corey Graves! NXT Graves was best Graves, and he sounds truly energised and excited to be there. Vic is replacing Mauro Ranallo, who in the COVID era has been doing his commentary work from home in post-production apparently, but this is a live show. Only Joseph and Graves are shown at the desk, so perhaps Beth is commentating from a separate table? She does have young daughters, so I can understand taking precautions.

My musings about production aside, let's get to the show!

Match 1: Finn Balor def. Timothy Thatcher (at 13:32)

Thoughts: Balor still feels too big for NXT. In the sense of being a big star, size-wise he fits in perfectly. He was moved back to the yellow brand when NXT went to the USA Network, presumably to add some star power. But he's been putting in some serious work, stealing the show last Takeover with Damien Priest. NXT is the only show I've been watching weekly, but I think I blinked and missed why these two are wrestling. Balor lost a Ladder Match qualifier to Velveteen Dream... did Thatcher get involved there? I'm drawing a blank. Anyway, this is a really good, really technical wrestling exhibition. Thatcher is a bit of an acquired taste, but he sells his submission hold-oriented style with great intensity. Balor shows his veteran chops by holding his own in every scenario Thatcher puts him. Thatcher does cause significant damage to Balor's knee with his targeted submission attempts. Balor- who isn't a babyface here but certainly the default against Tim's dickish ways- rallies nicely with a fiery comeback, culminating in the Coup De Grace. Or does it? Balor hobbles significantly after delivering his trademark double foot stomp. giving Thatcher time to recover, and he certainly couldn't hit the move with his usual gusto. So Balor follows up with the 1916/Bloody Sunday to pick up the win. Not a match stacked with high spots and finisher kickouts, but instead a masterclass in intensity and psychology. Very nicely done. (***1/2)

And ohhhh shit. Here we go. The main reason I was tuning into this Takeover. Keith Lee was the North American Champion. After defeating Adam Cole at the Bash to become a double champ, he gave up the secondary belt to give opportunities to others. What a guy. NXT GM William Regal ordered that a new champion would be crowned in a Ladder Match!

But that's not all. One of the participants is one of my boys, my homies! ...Well, not really, but I saw him wrestle live a couple of times and bought his merch... formerly known as Jonah Rock, the King of Monsters, it's Australia's own... the Thicc Boi, Bronson Reed! And there's some other dudes in the match, including one creepy fuck who has been proven to be chatting up children and for some reason was brought back to TV. Anyway...

Match 2: NXT North American Championship- Ladder Match- Damien Priest def. Johnny Gargano, Bronson Reed, Cameron Grimes and Velveteen Dream (at 21:24)

Thoughts: This might have been the most exciting match of the COVID era. It would have fit in without alteration on any other Takeover with 15,000 fans in the building. There was one spot where Velveteen got launched off a ladder, out of the ring and into where a crowd would normally be. I can just hear Joey Styles now, "it's take a pedo home night here in Orlando!" But this match was full of insane spots, not all of them landed perfectly- like Gargano attempting to sunset flip bomb Grimes off a ladder onto another ladder- but the rough moments actually added to the drama. I was rooting for Bronson to get the big victory, but he still got plenty of shine, with new music, awesome attire in a tribute to the legendary Bam Bam Bigelow, and a huge spot where he did a big splash off a ladder onto Johnny Gargano- with Gargano's wife Candice LeRae on his back! Mental! Priest ended up taking the title, which I'm actually cool with after his awesome match with Balor at In Your House. (****1/2)

Post-match, McKenzie Mitchell tries to get a word with the new NXT North American Champion, Damien Priest, as he loads his stuff into his car. He blows her off and jumps into a nearby hot tub... just a random hot tub sitting near a car park... cool. Two girls in bikinis are waiting for him with a little bit of the bubbly. One is frequent NXT extra Brandi Lauren, who has wrestled in EVOLVE and is dating Joey Janela. Seriously, how does he get such gorgeous women? Triple H gets the patented point pose picture with Priest.... while he's still chilling in the hot tub. LOST MY SHIT.

Up next is a wild bit of booking. Adam Cole and Pat McAfee started a feud up after Cole appeared on McAfee's talk show, and after Pat started teasing Cole for his size and not being able to do things on his own without the Undisputed Era, the leader of the UE lost his shit. Throwing several curse words in the analyst's direction, many initially thought this was a shoot, but it turned out WWE relaxed their PG boundaries a little for this one to add to the realism. McAfee appeared on NXT the following week and got into a more physical altercation with Cole, hitting him with a Punt. McAfee is a former NFL great, but he's never had a proper pro wrestling match... and he's on a Takeover with one of the brand's biggest stars ever? Wow.

Match 3: Adam Cole def. Pat McAfee (at 16:12)

Thoughts: Pat McAfee is an absolute natural. He has such a cocky, overbearing personality that he actually played the heel against one of the most prolific heels in NXT history (although Cole has always had the "smart mark" pop). He cut a pre-match promo to further cement his heel status, before strutting out with his NFL posse. A big tick for McAfee on the personality/charisma side of things. But how would he do as far as the actual wrestling side of pro wrestling goes? Pretty fucking great in all honesty. The story was, Cole had a monumental experience advantage, but Pat had the size and strength, as well as a legitimate athletic background in his own right. So both men were kinda overconfident and underestimating each other, leading to opportunities for either to get on offense. McAfee dazzled in the early stage with a huge flip dive to the outside, using both the Undisputed Era and his NFL buddies as a crash pad, but it was still an insane bit of athleticism. This continued down the stretch in an amazing spot where Cole and McAfee were battling on the top rope, Cole pushed him... and the fucker did a perfect backflip, landed on his feet, leapt back to the top rope like Shelton Benjamin in 2005, and nailed a massive superplex for a close near fall. Dude! Shortly after, McAfee nailed the Punt, but the longest reigning NXT champ found the resolve to kick out. McAfee went up top again, but this time jumped into a superkick. A furious Cole lined his rival up for the Last Shot... but changed his mind. Cole with the beautiful Panama Sunrise for the victory. Fantastic! Best debut match ever? It's gotta be either Pat McAfee or Ronda Rousey. Seriously. (****)

Match 4: NXT Women's Championship- Io Shirai def. Dakota Kai (at 17:13)

Thoughts: Dakota Kai got to shine in defeat. I honestly thought it would be a bit of a one-sided run-through with the champ retaining, but the amount of offense Kai got shows that the powers that be in NXT really believe in her. Working the arm, submission attempts, vicious kicks... it was a horrible looking beating that really made Shirai look sympathetic before mounting the comeback. Great fire from Shirai as the adrenilane kicked in and she started flying around the place. Big time moonsault to the outside wipes out Kai and her bodyguard, Raquel Gonzalez- looked like Io's knees smashed right into Raquel's head- ouch! Another moonsault in the ring sees the Genius of the Skies retain her championship. (****)

Post-match, a bitter Kai and Gonzalez beat down Shirai. Rhea Ripley- who has dyed her hair Super Saiyan blonde- runs down to make the save. Big staredown with fellow powerhouse Raquel Gonzalez. Intriguing...

Match 5: NXT Championship- Karrion Kross def. Keith Lee (at 21:51)

Thoughts: First of all, Karrion Kross has maybe the coolest entrance in all of WWE. The music, the lights, the smoke, the special Takeover flame pyro... and the Smokeshow. Scarlett. They've tried to tone down her sexiness a little from her days in Impact, but it's impossible to hide that level of hot. Ahem. Anyway. The match. Not your typical Takeover main event. Not a big spotfest, no huge moves or endless finisher kickouts... which honestly was a nice change of pace. I've mentioned in the past how I hated most of the Cole vs. Gargano rivalry (besides 3 Stages of Hell). They jumped the shark with video game style wrestling and it really wasn't for me. Kross vs. Lee was a clash of titans, where Kross often looked the better of Lee- in line with the rest of his NXT booking to this point- he completely routed Tommaso Ciampa at In Your House. Lee continued to show heart though. A memorable moment was a huge lariat that turned the tides back in the favour of the champ... but it also caused a legitimate separated shoulder to Kross. Nevertheless, the battle raged on. Lee hit his Spirit Bomb for a very close near fall. Karrion had the Kross Jacket submission locked in but Lee managed to escape. Finally, it ends when Kross hits an elevated Doomsday Saito from the second rope, getting a clean victory and his first taste of NXT gold. More flame pyro to end the show with an incredible visual. "Doomsday is here!" declares Vic Joseph. (***1/4)

As I write this, I've just finished watching the NXT episode following this Takeover. The show kicks off with new champ Kross, alongside Scarlett, and his arm is in a sling. The shoulder injury suffered in his title win was too severe, and Kross has to immediately vacate the title. Terrible break for Karrion Kross, no pun intended. He's had a very strong push and held up his end of the bargain all the way. Based on Finn Balor suffering a similar injury at Summerslam a few years back and his return time, we may not see Kross again until after Mania next year. Horrible.

So this necessitates a plan change, and next week on NXT TV, it's a Fatal 4 Way for the NXT Championship- Adam Cole vs. FInn Balor vs. Johnny Gargano vs. Tommaso Ciampa. Not just any Fatal 4 Way, but a 60 Minute Iron Man Match. Feels like a match straight out of WWE 2K, I hope they show a little restraint in the actual execution. As Maffew from Botchamania said the other day, we don't need people kicking out of top rope Fuckinators.

Overall Thoughts

NXT Takeover XXX was the strongest show we've had in the COVID era. It's the first time in watching these shows that I don't feel I need to grade on a curve given the circumstances- the NXT crew delivered a legitimately excellent wrestling show. My personal highlight was the ladder match and seeing Bronson Reed shine, and also I was incredibly impressed by the effort from Pat McAfee in his first match. Karrion Kross will definitely be a major star in NXT/WWE, but sadly, his injury puts a spanner in the works. Doomsday is still coming.

Overall Score: 8.5/10

Until next time, take care,

Mick