Tonight is the second NXT TakeOver special to head to the Barclay Center in Brooklyn, NY, and it has a ton of hype to live up to. This hype is just considering the card: Nakamura/Joe, Asuka/Bayley, The Revival/Gargano and Ciampa, and two big debuts. Even if tonight’s show is a disappointment, it is sure to be nothing short of great.
No Way Jose vs. Austin Aries
To start off the show with a bunch of fun, No Way Jose gets a bunch of fans from ringside together to conga around the ring. This type of fun that Jose likes to have is exactly what cost him an ally in Austin Aries. Aries and Jose were dancing all over Full Sail University, and Aries decided to hit Jose with a cheap shot. Unfortunately for Austin Aries, this brought out a vicious side of No Way Jose that most people did not expect him to have.
This is the first “big match” of No Way Jose’s career, which could give him a disadvantage considering that Austin Aries is a seasoned veteran in the squared circle. Another issue for Jose is that most of his matches are only a couple minutes long, while Aries has wrestled dozens of matches over 20 minutes long.
No Way Jose kept trying to hit the spinning Full Nelson Slam, but Aries countered every attempt. Aries then hits a sunset flip powerbomb from the top turnbuckle, then immediately locks in the Last Chancery to submit No Way Jose. Winner (via submission): Austin Aries
Aries looks to continue the assault on Jose, when Hideo Itami makes his way to the ring. Aries starts hitting Itami, then Itami fires back and hits Aries with the Go to Sleep, taking back the move that he invented (known in the WWE Universe thanks to CM Punk).
Predicted Winner: Austin Aries (1/1)
Billie Kay vs. Ember Moon
Tonight is the debut of Ember Moon, who appears in front of the NXT Universe for the first time. Right out of the gate she impresses with an impressive amount of agility and ring presence. Billie Kay is a great first opponent for Ember Moon, since Kay has shown that she can hold her own in the ring. Billie Kay debuted on NXT about a month ago and walks into Brooklyn undefeated.
Ember Moon launches from the top rope and hits a very impressive stunner on Kay to end an amazing debut. Winner: Ember Moon
Predicted Winner: Ember Moon (2/2)
Bobby Roode vs. Andrade “Cien” Almas
This is the second match in a row where an undefeated NXT Superstar faces a debuting wrestler. Bobby Roode (along with Corey Graves) believes he will singlehandedly elevate NXT to the next level. However, he has Andrade “Cien” Almas in his way. Almas has been undefeated since his debut at NXT TakeOver: The End that started a great series of matches with Tye Dillinger.
Almas gives a great showing with several impressive lucha lubre moves, but Roode is able to top Almas’s hig impact move set. Roode hits the Glorious Bomb (essentially a pumphandle slam) on Almas to pick up the win in his glorious debut. Winner: Bobby Roode
Predicted Winner: Bobby Roode (3/3)
The Revival (c) vs. Johnny Gargano & Tommaso Ciampa – NXT Tag Team Championship
A few days before NXT TakeOver: The End (where The Revival would go on to reclaim the NXT Tag Team Championship), Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa defeated Scott Dawson and Dash Wilder in an exhibition tag team match. Since The Revival would win the belts a couple days later and American Alpha would move to SmackDown, Gargano and Ciampa find themselves in the #1 Contender’s spot.
Gargano and Ciampa get so close so many times, but Scott Dawson’s ring awareness and tenacity save the match on several occasions. After focusing on Gargano’s knee, Dawson locks in the reverse figure four leg lock and forces Johnny Wrestling to tap out. Winners, and STILL NXT Tag Team Champions: The Revival
Predicted Winners: Johnny Gargano & Tommaso Ciampa (3/4)
Asuka (c) vs. Bayley – NXT Women’s Championship
This match could very well be the best women’s match of the year, beating out the triple threat WWE Women’s Championship match at WrestleMania 32. Bayley needs to come back stronger and more ready than ever to reclaim the NXT Women’s Championship and defeat the woman who took it from her, Asuka.
Bayley manages to keep escaping the Asuka Lock, but Asuka hits several kicks to the head of Bayley to get the pinfall. Winner, and STILL NXT Women’s Champion: Asuka
Predicted Winner: Asuka (4/5)
Samoa Joe (c) vs. Shinsuke Nakamura – NXT Championship
This has been months in the making. Nakamura had an amazing debut, competing in what could very well be the “Match of the Year” against Sami Zayn, defeating half of the NXT locker room, and winning two more huge matches against Austin Aries and Finn Balor. William Regal decided that this has earned Nakamura a title shot, while Samoa Joe believes that is not the case.
Samoa Joe kicks out of Nakamura’s first Kinshasa, but The King of Strong Style hits a second to seal the deal and become the new NXT Champion. Winner, and NEW NXT Champion: Shinsuke Nakamura
Predicted Winner: Samoa Joe (4/6)
