Loss Posted March 16, 2015 Report Share Posted March 16, 2015 I really loved the heel stalling from Owens that kicked this match off. This was very similar to the Cena-Rusev match as far as layout, at least before Sami's head bump, although Zayn is much easier to get behind at this point and shows great aggression. He really should be at worst one of the top three or four guys on the main roster. Owens was good here, but I think Zayn's selling, offense and commitment to his character was top notch. It was a great performance from him. I like how Owens can use his highspots in a way that doesn't take away from him as a heel. I thought this was really great booking and losing the title without losing the match was a great way to get both guys over stronger than they were coming in. Best match of the month for me at this point. ****1/2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benjaminkicks Posted March 16, 2015 Report Share Posted March 16, 2015 Sami Zayn vs. Kevin Owens How fucking good are these two guys? Seriously, I think Sami and Keving are, respectively, the best babyface in the company right now, and the best heel. And in their hands they turn this match, this good, great match into a Shakespearean tragedy. If Sami's win at R-Evolution was him blowing up the Death Star at the end of a New Hope, this was The Empire Stikes Back. It was sheer brutality at every turn. Owens has surpassed the status of heel, and now he's a straight up villain. I love how keeps insisting that this is all business, and it's just for the title, and then he unleashes the systematic destruction of Sami Zayn right before our eyes. I've seen some comparisons to Cena/Lesnar at SummerSlam, and while I think that's fair, the key difference here is the difference between Sami Zayn and John Cena. How much did we love seeing Cena getting killed by Lesnar? And how uncomfortable was seeing Zayn take a similar ass beating? I wanted Zayn to win here as much as I did at R-Evolution, but it didn't matter. Owens is here to kill our darlings, and, despite his assurance that it wasn't personal, he fucking enjoyed doing it. ****1/2 (4.5) stars Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dawho5 Posted June 4, 2015 Report Share Posted June 4, 2015 I loved this match. Owens was spot with the early stalling leading into the violent, brutal beatdown. Sami is a ridiculously good babyface and it does get uncomfortable to watch near the end. The hope spots and comeback nearfalls are great as well. Owens makes Sami's offense look really good like a heel is supposed to do. Sami comes off great, eating the early beatdown and coming back strong before banging his head on the dive. Owens deciding to powerbomb Zayn until the ref stops the match is a brilliant bit of booking. Sami can say he never lost his title and Owens can say he destroyed Zayn without either being a liar. From the moment Owens powerbombed Zayn at R-Evolution I was impressed by how the WWE turned Owens into a heel and Owens played it. Stabbing the most over babyface in the back right after his big moment and never looking back will always get a heel reaction. It's really simple, but for whatever reason there seems to be a need to make things more complex in the WWE's booking. Great match and great work throughout the feud so far by everyone involved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supersonic Posted March 6, 2016 Report Share Posted March 6, 2016 Quality storytelling here obviously influenced by John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar at SummerSlam 2014. After getting corner punches, Owens drops Zayn face-first on the turbuckle and dominates his archnemesis. It is a destruction with Owens busting out all kinds of shit and displaying an attitude that contradicts his claim that this is merely about business and being champion. All of Zayn's hope spots the first half of the match are for naught as Owens constantly cuts him off. Zayn does manage to make a comeback in the second half of the match, selling his beating and thus having to dig down deep to maintain the heat, including a brawl on the outside. But a blow to the face as well as his head hitting the steel entrance ramp caused him to get woozy. This made him lose his balance and footing on a Yakuza kick attempt, so he went for it again but Owens knew it was coming. After numerous powerbombs and medical staff trying to help Zayn, the ref calls the match off, Zayn's reign coming to a screeching halt to his archnemesis due to TKO ref stoppage. Owens is great posing over Zayn's carcass. I want a rematch at WrestleMania 32 dammit. ***1/2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RingoPlaysDrums Posted April 9, 2022 Report Share Posted April 9, 2022 I remember watching this at the time and really liking it whilst some were disappointed, particularly with the finish. Now that the yellow & black era of NXT is over I'm going through the Takeovers from the beginning. This one definitely held up. I remember somebody criticising it in a review for being two one sided and that's stuck with me, so I was struck by the extent of Zayn's comeback. He gets quite a bit in! The finish is so well done. GREAT idea to go this route. Got KO over huge as champion and keeps Zayn hot in his underdog babyface role. Great match. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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