NXT Take Over: Philadelphia Results

During the preshow, we found the winners of the 2017 NXT Awards. The results are listed below:

Overall Competitor of the Year - Asuka
Rivalry Of The Year - Velveteen Dream Vs Aleister Black
Male Competitor of the Year - Aleister Black
Breakout Star Of The Year - Aleister Black
Female Competitor of the Year - Asuka
Tag Team Of The Year - Sanity
Match Of The Year - Tyler Bate Vs Pete Dunne
Future Star Of NXT - Cezar Bononi
Takeover Of The Year - War Games

We go to the main show where we see Paul Heyman doing the voice over intro. This is a smart move, since the event takes place in Philadelphia and he is really well known there. We then find out Mauro Ranollo and Percy Watson will be doing the commentary for this show instead of Nigel, as he under the weather for the evening.


NXT Tag Team Title Match

Undisputed Era Vs Authors Of Pain With Paul Ellering

Undisputed Era Win Via Rollup On Akam By Kyle O Reilly & Retains NXT Tag Team Titles

Rate: 3 Stars

Review:  This was the proper match to kick off the show, with AOP dominating the first part of the match and then Undisputed Era taking apart the right leg of Akam. This match could of been the Swan Song for AOP and they did their part to make Reddragon look good. The finish was the best part of the match and so creative. AOP uses the Super Collider, but then we see O’Reilly push Akam into Rezar- knocking him out of the ring. AOP lost, but looked very strong. I feel as though they don’t even need those titles and really should do a feud with War Machine before leaving to dominate either Raw or Smackdown.

Hanson and Ray Rowe are in the crowd as they were just signed by WWE together, also collectively known as War Machine. They will be debuting in NXT very soon.


2. Singles Match

Velveteen Dream Vs Kassius Ohno

Velveteen Dream Wins Via Purple Rainmaker

Rate: 3.5  Stars

Review: This match felt just thrown together, but like a masterpiece at the same time.  Dream has turned into one of the best storytellers in NXT and really told a great story full of strikes with Ohno. It’s hard to believe Dream has only been wrestling for three years and is having these incredible matches with guys like Ohno. He even had that amazing match with Black in 2017. The right guy won, as Ohno really has nothing to do in NXT and I do not understand why he is still even in NXT. He can do much more on the main roster. Great match with great psychology and even though a few mishaps ended it, the show was still pleasant to watch.


3.  NXT Women’s Title Match

Ember Moon Vs Shayna Baszler

Ember Moon Wins Via Rollup & Retains NXT Women’s Title

Rate: 2.5   Stars

Post Match: As Ember Moon is being helped to the back, Baszler snaps, runs up behind Moon, and chokes her out.

Review: Now this match got a lot of backlash on social media, but what did everyone expect? We all knew Shayna was green, but she was believable and that is what this match was. A MMA badass vs an underdog who resembles what NXT is about, and I bought every minute of it. This match will help the development of Shayna and gives Moon a big win that she needed to make her reign mean something. The submission sequence near the end was one of the most brilliant things I’ve seen. Even including the Eclipse was smart and the finish was so well done, both women deserve respect for it.

We now see another new signing in the crowd- Trevor Mann, who is also known as Ricochet, will be coming to NXT very soon.


4. Extreme Rules Match

Aleister Black Vs Adam Cole

Aleister Black Wins Via Black Mass

Rate: 4.5 Stars

Review: Well, it did not take NXT long to get a 5 star match in 2018. This match had a great story and a great form of hype to live up to. This match also had some great creative spots that won't hurt sponsorship and won’t make the fans mad. The Electric Chair on a ladder spot was incredible. We saw Cole Superkick Black, knocking him through two tables. We then see Reddragon come out and attack Black only to see the return of Sanity, which was a great little bonus that makes sense. Black should be in the line for the next NXT Title shot, because he is the most over guy in NXT. I'd love to see him carry that strap with matches like these.

Ethan Carter III, who was known as Derrick Bateman, has returned home to NXT having spotting him in the crowd.



5. NXT Title Match

Andrade “Cien” Almas With Salina Vega Vs Johnny Gargano

Andrade Almas Wins Via Top Rope Hammerlock DDT & Retains NXT Title

Post Match: As Gargano is getting a standing ovation, Ciampa returns and attacks him from behind with is own crutch. As Gargano falls in front of his wife, Ciampa has a blank stare.

Rate: 5 Stars


Review: This match is the greatest match to take place under the WWE umbrella in the last fifteen years and I will argue that to the last day of my life. We got to see Candice Larae attack Vega and they really sold the fact that Gargano and Candace are married. They also really built Johnny as a great underdog and these fans just wanted him to win so much. He gave the performance of a lifetime, but don’t sell Almas short- he really showed why him being champion was a smart move. After the match, Gargano gets his standing ovation with his wife, and seeing Ciampa return was a great thing to add to the story. Another small detail I wanted to add is that Andrade Almas, who was known a luchadore in CMLL as La Sombra, brought his mask back for one match. So kudos to WWE for letting that small thing be possible even if it was for one entrance.



Show Grade: A+