NXT TakeOver Brooklyn

[donsem43]

BTW. Is Kana signed? She might end up killing Eva Marie

 

Well, her last show before taking a "sabbatical" is Sept 15. She didn't say why she was taking a "sabbatical" so if they showed her on TV, (Don't have the network so didn't watch) it's natural to assume that she's signed. There's no reason to show her because she's nowhere near the name of someone like Liger.

[Mad Dog]

I can't stress enough how making this show look different felt so fresh. Darkening the crowd so the attention is on the match. Different feel to the entrances. Not everything lit up like a Christmas tree. Have a feeling Dunn wasn't involved?

I might be crazy but it felt like I was watching an episode of Nitro at a few points in the show.

[Cox]

That was a good show. Really pissed that my comps wound up falling through as I'd have loved to have gone to this, but I guess I'll have to wait until another time.

 

Opening match was great for the spectacle of seeing Jushin Liger in a WWE ring, but Tyler Breeze did a great job too. Fun opener.

 

Tag title match was some good tag team wrestling. Gotch feeding off of the hot tag was really great, almost Robert Gibsonesque. The Vaudevillains gimmick is really good, and Alexa's heel second work at ringside was really good too.

 

I liked the Apollo Crews debut. They were never going to have him run through Dillinger, but he got to show off what makes him great and I didn't feel like this overextended its welcome. I think Crews is going to be a star in WWE, as his look, size, and athleticism will help him go far here.

 

When did Samoa Joe get so shitty? He looked like he was wrestling underwater in that match. He's never been the most in shape guy or anything, but he was sucking wind early and everything he did just looked slow and loose. It was really sad for me since I used to really dig the guy back when he was the best guy in the world, but he looked a ways away from that guy tonight. The match wasn't bad or anything, but Joe did not look good at all, I thought.

 

The women's title match was excellent. Great match and a great finish. Not more else that needs to be said here. If Sasha can get a few good PPV and Raw matches, she might have a real case for Most Outstanding Wrestler in this year's WON Awards. She's that good. As it is, I suspect she's going to have two matches finishing high in the balloting for Match of the Year.

 

Main event was a good WWE style ladder match. I've enjoyed both of these guys more in NXT than I did before they started here, which is something of a testament to WWE style, I think. Not sure where else Balor goes in NXT since all of their top guys are babyfaces at the moment. Feels like somebody needs to turn, or maybe they need to put some more momentum behind Tyler Breeze.

 

Overall, a fun show. I suspect this will wind up being a better show than SummerSlam.

[donsem43]

 

On a show full of interesting happenings.......Gedo being backstage at the show instead of ROH is the most interesting especially after the ROH/NJPW co-promotional deal was announced.

 

Wow. And they announced a lot of dates yesterday on the ROH show to prove that relationship is stronger than ever. Very interesting indeed.

 

 

If you were New Japan, wouldn't you want to send your young guys to the performance center.

[JerryvonKramer]

Much better match than the main event

Main event was a good WWE style ladder match

Not trying to be an asshole, but this is exactly what I was talking about around the time Will was calling me an idiot.

[artDDP]

This was a fun show but completely forgettable until the women's match. Bayley and Sasha had a legitimate MOTYC. Owens vs. Balor seemed like a WCW PPV main event from 2001; good but not great.

 

What makes the NXT product stand out is so much of it is organic rather than over-produced, buzzword-heavy, and scripted. Also, a wrestling program in 2015 without a few dozen video packages and commercials between every match is a breath of fresh air.

[Coffey]

A show that featured Triple H, Stephanie McMahon, Kevin Nash, Scott Hall & X-Pac all getting some camera time & it's being universally praised in 2015.

 

Granted none of them were working on the card & just made random cameos for the most part but still. No one would have guessed that.

[Timbo Slice]

Points, points, and more points. But not Parv Points.

 

Opener was great. Liger was incredibly amped and they worked a nice match around the signature spots as Will said. Liger mocking Breeze is #1 and the best.

 

Tag match was really well done, thought that tossing neck breaker should have gotten a save, but other than that, it was great. Still think it should have been Enzo & Cass here, but Vaudevillains are so great it's hard to be mad.

 

Crews had a good debut, but the layout wasn't great at all. I feel like he was told to tone it down a bit and only show flashes, because if he gets in there with someone who can go, I feel like it would have been much better off. Still was a good match, though, and there were plenty of impressive spots, including the finish.

 

I'm on the short list liking Corbin/Joe. They worked a slugfest and although Corbin's offense isn't great, they had some really awesome moments, and I did like the strike exchange at the end. Wonder what Joe does now going forward, as he doesn't have much to do in NXT unless they put him with Balor, which would be a bit odd.

 

Women's title match was the best women's match in WWE history. I know people will complain about the hand work getting blown off, but it's a nitpicky thing to say the very least. Banks is top flight and Bayley is too. Banks feels like no worse than a Top 10 worker in the world right now, and I'll hear arguments all the way up to #1. No grading curve here. It's a Top 5 match of the year and I might even have it Top 3. That finish was the finish of the year, and I heard at first it was a Victory Star Drop, but the fucking '97 BOSJ reverse rana into the Bayley-to-Belly works too.

 

Really liked the ladder match because Owens made sure it was different and smartly worked, letting Balor have all his big moments. In a lot of ways, it's my favorite Owens performance of the year and makes me think all those times he won "Best Brawler" wasn't necessarily the worst thing in the world.

 

Gedo being backstage at NXT isn't THAT big of a deal considering Tiger Hattori has been the main NJPW US ambassador for three decades and he's present at the ROH shows all the time. If anything, he's probably going back to the boys and saying what NXT has is something worth exploring, along with reporting to Nak and Okada that maybe, just maybe, it's worth a chance for them to look NXT's way at some point. If the Okada speaking English stuff holds up and he can actually cut a promo, I would not be surprised to see him jump ship within a year considering he's been on WWE's radar for nearly two years, especially if they don't finally put him over Tanahashi at the Dome.

 

Show of the year, without a doubt. Everything was presented well and was paid off, and even with so many guys getting the call to the main roster, it seems like NXT isn't gonna lose much steam, especially if they re-tool with some of the names bandied about on a full-time basis. It's crazy to think they're running those tours in the UK, but it's gonna draw big there with Balor on top, and they can always fly Neville out, too. Just a tremendous show, and SummerSlam won't touch this.

[Johnny Sorrow]

Best fucking show in a long time. Fucking awesome.

[MJH]

The women's match was good but great let alone MOTY? It had some good spots and was pretty well laid out (although I'd have given Bayley more of a comeback segueing into the hand-section), and there's no question these girls are better than what we've seen women do in the WWE since Aja made Vince shit himself, but that doesn't change the fact that a good percentage of the spots were rough around the edges (and Bayley nearly broke her neck as a result of one). Sasha telegraphed the hope spots so badly: when her strikes were to be countered she'd pronounce the pull back and everyone and their mother saw the kick coming from the trash talk; that's just loose, sloppy work. There are plenty of guys who we'd pounce on for being up off Bayley's failed hurricanrana bump as quickly as she was, ditto Sasha popping up off the reverse one even if it was to feed into the finish (which further highlights the point made a few days ago about finishers in WWE). Again, a good match, I enjoyed it a lot, but there's such obvious room for improvement.

[BillThompson]

The women's match was good but great let alone MOTY? It had some good spots and was pretty well laid out (although I'd have given Bayley more of a comeback segueing into the hand-section), and there's no question these girls are better than what we've seen women do in the WWE since Aja made Vince shit himself, but that doesn't change the fact that a good percentage of the spots were rough around the edges (and Bayley nearly broke her neck as a result of one). Sasha telegraphed the hope spots so badly: when her strikes were to be countered she'd pronounce the pull back and everyone and their mother saw the kick coming from the trash talk; that's just loose, sloppy work. There are plenty of guys who we'd pounce on for being up off Bayley's failed hurricanrana bump as quickly as she was, ditto Sasha popping up off the reverse one even if it was to feed into the finish (which further highlights the point made a few days ago about finishers in WWE). Again, a good match, I enjoyed it a lot, but there's such obvious room for improvement.

 

And, I disagree with everything you said. There was no rough around the edges, there was two professionals being really great at their craft and delivering a great match as a result.

[Dylan Waco]

I had every intention of doing the reaction show last night, but we had people over at my parents, and I was tired so I had to bow out.

 

As a whole I thought the show was very good, maybe even great, but not quite at the Show of the Year level. Having said that, for a first time effort in a big building, I don't think you can view the show as anything other than a great success for NXT.

 

There was nothing on the show I thought was bad other than the HHH opening monologue which I found creepy and completely out of synch with how I view NXT. Beyond that the show either gave me what I expected, or over delivered, in every segment/match.

 

I actually think the biggest success of Takeover was that it had a real variety show feel. We got a Liger greatest hits match, a solid tag match with a title switch and a great feel good moment (Blue Pants), a fun enough debut from a flashy guy, a clean Joe win in a hoss fight, and then the two big title matches to close the show.

 

Balor v. Owens exceeded my expectations. Not a blowaway great match, but I feared it would be middling. There was no way they were going to follow the match that preceded it, but they still delivered. Balor still does little things that irk me, and I may never really buy Owens as a great worker, but the match felt like two guys who were in their element.

 

On first and second watch Bayley v. Sasha is my match of the year. I just can't think of any match this year that better combined the macro and the micro, delivered on the big time spectacle and the nuance, and made the most on delivering on a big moment. I will be the first to grant that I may be missing something, but every other match I can think of has at least one moment that I thought was decidedly worse than anything in this (Ibushi's stupid ass pop up right before the finish v. Nakamura) or didn't quite deliver the ending that I wanted and/or thought fit the story (Reigns v. Lesnar leading to the Rollins cash-in, which I didn't hate but...). I really loved just about everything in the match from Sasha's heeling and mannerisms, to the build to the big spots, to the pacing, to the wild feel that a lot of the bigger spots had, to the arm work, and yes to the arm selling. I know some people thought Bayley's selling was poor and I think that's insane. I'm not going to sit here and say it was an all time great performance in that regard, but she wore the damage, she tried to change her attack at least in the initial, the Bank Statement counter failed in part because of her hand (or at least that's how I saw it), and I even read in a story that may not have been intended with Sasha losing in part because she didn't stay on the injured wing. I'm not saying it was the perfect match, but I thought it was an outstanding performance from Sasha who is no worse than top five in the world, and a fine effort from Bayley who I feel much more comfortable about in that top spot now than I did coming in.

[Matt D]

The idea with Sasha falling off the ropes was that she got too cocky/showy in front of the big crowd when if she just stuck to something more fundamental she would have been fine and probably won the match? Is that a stretch of a reading there? I'm still a little iffy on those two bits of layout (though not necessarily execution - I just don't think Bayley should have been in the position to have to portray being unable to hold on to the bank statement seconds after her hand had been stomped on repeatedly in the first place. It's not on her), even on a rewatch. The flip side is that there's no match in a year and a half that's provided as emotional a moment and I'm not sure I've seen a better match this year. I've zero problem with the finish, btw. That sort of bump could believably pop Sasha back up in my mind and the CHARGING belly to belly just had so much oomph behind it as a moment.

[WingedEagle]

The women's match was good but great let alone MOTY? It had some good spots and was pretty well laid out (although I'd have given Bayley more of a comeback segueing into the hand-section), and there's no question these girls are better than what we've seen women do in the WWE since Aja made Vince shit himself, but that doesn't change the fact that a good percentage of the spots were rough around the edges (and Bayley nearly broke her neck as a result of one). Sasha telegraphed the hope spots so badly: when her strikes were to be countered she'd pronounce the pull back and everyone and their mother saw the kick coming from the trash talk; that's just loose, sloppy work. There are plenty of guys who we'd pounce on for being up off Bayley's failed hurricanrana bump as quickly as she was, ditto Sasha popping up off the reverse one even if it was to feed into the finish (which further highlights the point made a few days ago about finishers in WWE). Again, a good match, I enjoyed it a lot, but there's such obvious room for improvement.

 

Everything he just said. It was a good match with a really great payoff and post-match. But there are better matches most weeks.

[Grimmas]

The women's match was good but great let alone MOTY? It had some good spots and was pretty well laid out (although I'd have given Bayley more of a comeback segueing into the hand-section), and there's no question these girls are better than what we've seen women do in the WWE since Aja made Vince shit himself, but that doesn't change the fact that a good percentage of the spots were rough around the edges (and Bayley nearly broke her neck as a result of one). Sasha telegraphed the hope spots so badly: when her strikes were to be countered she'd pronounce the pull back and everyone and their mother saw the kick coming from the trash talk; that's just loose, sloppy work. There are plenty of guys who we'd pounce on for being up off Bayley's failed hurricanrana bump as quickly as she was, ditto Sasha popping up off the reverse one even if it was to feed into the finish (which further highlights the point made a few days ago about finishers in WWE). Again, a good match, I enjoyed it a lot, but there's such obvious room for improvement.

I completely disagree and it's my match of the year!

 

How is telegraphing hope spots bad work? Yes we know Bayley will counter when Sasha is cocky. How is that bad? When I saw Sasha doing her trash talking I said to myself I hope Bayley kicks her ass right now and she did. That is perfect wrestling.

 

As for the two big bumps. The first one and Bayley jumping up is that she missed a move. She wasn't hit with anything. It didn't feel out of place at all.

 

As for the finish I felt the impact bumped her up.

 

Great storytelling though, Bayley misses the big corner move once and when she tries again she does a different variation. The hand stuff was some of the best in wrestling in years. From Bayley using her other hand to strike to the selling, to the variations on the beat down by Sasha.

 

The other thing about the match to make it great as the emotion. Sure it was smartly worked and had great spots and an awesome story. However, the fact it was a classic under dog babyface story with the crowd so into it and such a huge moment with the babyface finally winning only helps it.

[JerryvonKramer]

Think people are going way way overboard on this match and this show in general. Just my opinion. I understand excitement and enthusiasm for the product, but it seems like people getting carried away a la Meltzer with New Japan. I might rewatch women's match to see if I could justify giving it more than ****. Beyond that, the ladder match was about ***1/2 and the rest of the card 2-3. I don't really get the immense level of praise this show is getting. I watched Wrestlewar 92 last week. That was the sort of show to lose one's shit over, with three straight 4+ matches, and even that has a so so undercard, and I didn't think the undercard here was really anything above what I saw there.

 

Dunno, totally not with those heaping insane praise on this one. And I did enjoy it.

[Grimmas]

Think people are going way way overboard on this match and this show in general. Just my opinion. I understand excitement and enthusiasm for the product, but it seems like people getting carried away a la Meltzer with New Japan. I might rewatch women's match to see if I could justify giving it more than ****. Beyond that, the ladder match was about ***1/2 and the rest of the card 2-3. I don't really get the immense level of praise this show is getting. I watched Wrestlewar 92 last week. That was the sort of show to lose one's shit over, with three straight 4+ matches, and even that has a so so undercard, and I didn't think the undercard here was really anything above what I saw there.

 

Dunno, totally not with those heaping insane praise on this one. And I did enjoy it.

I would agree with your ratings for everything on the show, except the women's match which I have at **** 3/4

 

You watched WrestleWar and there was a LOT of filler. This match had little to no filler. Everything was either good or great. That's high praise.

 

Also for being show of the year, you forget that there isn't a lot of great shows this year. Plus the build up was pretty great and the moment of Bayley winning has been built to for years almost and was a huge moment.

[Quentin Skinner]

I have Banks/Bayley at ****1/2. Loved the action in the ring and Sasha turned in another fantastic performance, but the video package, crowd emotion, and the curtain call after with all the women was just awesome stuff. Seeing that as the (possible) symbolic end of that women's era in NXT made me feel like I was watching something much bigger when it was done. Those women in just a bit over a year turned that women's division in to a phenomenon and seemingly went out with a bang.

[JerryvonKramer]

Steven, I'd probably take Wrestemania over it, from what I've seen. But you know, I thought Brock vs Roman was a five star match and both Orton vs. Rollins and Cena vs Rusev were better than everything on this show beyond perhaps the women's match. And I was in the camp that found the clusterfuckery of Sting vs. HHH hilarious. But that's one better show I've seen from this year.

[hammerva]

Not sure how you can accurately describe the match when you had to ask people 2 or 3 hours before the show who Bayley was to begin with. Unless we have a new gimmick on this board. The history behind both of these really stresses the importance of the match.

[JerryvonKramer]

They did a pretty good job of explaining the context in that hype package. The hype packages on the show were very good in general.

[Grimmas]

Steven, I'd probably take Wrestemania over it, from what I've seen. But you know, I thought Brock vs Roman was a five star match and both Orton vs. Rollins and Cena vs Rusev were better than everything on this show beyond perhaps the women's match. And I was in the camp that found the clusterfuckery of Sting vs. HHH hilarious. But that's one better show I've seen from this year.

Fair enough, Mania could had been a better show. Although I HATED that Sting mess.

[Matt D]

They did a pretty good job of explaining the context in that hype package. The hype packages on the show were very good in general.

 

There's an element of time and investment here, Parv. Not just context but emotional connection that builds over time.

[Quentin Skinner]

The emotional connection and the way I was personally invested in the women and their story made this match special for me. Not everyone is gonna have the same view of it as I did, but for most people who've followed NXT and watched these women grow, this match represented many things.

[Parties]

One other thing that may be obvious from this thread and prior conversations: while it may have just been a Brooklyn thing (I don't think it was), there is definitely a vocal minority of fans who are watching NXT but aren't watching the main roster. Or if they are, they tune in for the 4-5 biggest PPVs of the year to see Lesnar and big matches. Call them "network" fans, call them indie geeks, whatever: there is a growing recognition from casual and semi-smarkish fans alike that NXT is in its own bio-dome, separate from what turns them off about the Vince-Dunn Express.

 

I don't want to overstate the point, but the idea that this is no longer developmental and is rather its own brand has taken hold in the eyes of consumers. It's become the best of both worlds: attend a genuinely fun wrestling show with great matches and wacky gimmicks, but do it in a 13,000 seat arena in your city, rather than having to bring your girlfriend or parent to the town dump to see a comparatively low-rent indie alongside 200 creeps. The value of this show in comparison to ROH cramming into a hovel like Terminal 5 two months earlier was night and day. Especially for those who'll happily buy a $30 ticket and a $30 t-shirt at Takeover, while ridiculing the idea of buying a $100 ticket to Summerslam. A show like last night garners loyalty and future sales from fans, at least in the short-term.