Tonight is NXT TakeOver: Philadelphia, NXT’s first big event of 2018. The card is stacked from top to bottom, from Velveteen Dream facing Kassius Ohno in an exhibition match to the main event of Johnny Gargano challenging Andrade “Cien” Almas for the NXT Championship.
On the TakeOver Kickoff Show, the winners of the NXT Year-End Awards for 2017 were announced and the winners are listed below.
NXT TakeOver of the Year
- War Games (beating San Antoni, Orlando, Brooklyn III, and Chicago)
NXT Female Competitor of the Year
- Asuka (beating Ember Moon, Nikki Cross, Ruby Riott, Peyton Royce, and Billie Kay)
NXT Male Competitor of the Year
- Aleister Black (beating Bobby Roode, Drew McIntyre, Andrade “Cien” Almas, and Roderick Strong)
Overall NXT Competitor of the Year
- Aleister Black (beating all male and female nominees)
NXT Tag Team of the Year
- SAnitY (beating the Authors of Pain, The Revival, #DIY, and the Undisputed ERA)
Future Star of NXT
- Cezar Bononi (beating Street Profits, Heavy Machinery, Shayna Baszler, Kairi Sane, Fabian Aichner, Lio Rush, Bianca Belair, and Lacey Evans)
Match of the Year
- Tyler Bate (c) vs. Pete Dunne – WWE United Kingdom Championship at NXT TakeOver: Chicago
Rivalry of the Year
- Aleister Black vs. Velveteen Dream
Bobby Fish & Kyle O’Reilly (c) vs. The Authors of Pain (w/Paul Ellering) – NXT Tag Team Championships
This is not only a match for the NXT Tag Team Championships, but it is a clash of different NXT eras. The Authors of Pain were undefeated for almost two years before losing the titles to SAnitY a few months ago. Bobby Fish and Kyle O’Reilly would end up defeating SAnitY for the gold, but they have yet to face Akam and Rezar in a standard tag team match.
To earn this opportunity, The Authors of Pain defeated the Street Profits two weeks ago. If they win tonight, they will be the second team to have held the NXT Tag Team Championships twice (the other team being the Revival).
Akam tweaks his knee early on in the match and it plays into the finish. He and Rezar attempt the Super Collider and Akam loses his balance, leading to O’Reilly countering with a hurricanrana. Akam is sent into his own partner and O’Reilly rolls him up for the win. Winners, and STILL NXT Tag Team Champions: Bobby Fish & Kyle O’Reilly
Predicted Winners: Bobby Fish & Kyle O’Reilly (1/1)
Kassius Ohno vs. Velveteen Dream
This match was only made a few days ago, so there is not a ton of drama heading into this bout. Before TakeOver: Philadephia started, however, Velveteen Dream guaranteed that he will knock out Kassius Ohno (“The Knockout Artist”) in 30 seconds or less. Ohno should not be taken that lightly. He is a 19-year veteran who is one of the hardest-hitting Superstars in WWE and who WWE recently called a “wrestling genius.”
After hitting Ohno with a Death Valley Driver, Dream climbs past the top turnbuckle and onto the ring post. Dream leaps off of the post to jump halfway across the ring and to finish Ohno off with the Purple Rainmaker. Winner: Velveteen Dream
Predicted Winner: Velveteen Dream (2/2)
Ember Moon (c) vs. Shayna Baszler – NXT Women’s Championship
After months of chasing down the NXT Women’s Championship, Ember Moon finally captured the title by defeating Nikki Cross, Peyton Royce, and Kairi Sane in a Fatal Four-Way match at TakeOver: War Games. Since then, Shayna Baszler debuted on NXT and has been purposely hurting every woman she has come across. This drew out Moon who decided to put her title on the line just so Baszler would agree to a fight with her.
Baszler locks in an armbar for about five minutes and Moon repeatedly fails to break the hold. She finally manages to shift the leverage, folding Baszler’s legs over herself, turning an almost certain loss into an inescapable pinfall. Winner, and STILL NXT Women’s Champion: Ember Moon
While Moon is being escorted to the back by officials, Baszlers rushes from behind and locks in a rear naked choke on the champion.
Predicted Winner: Ember Moon (3/3)
Aleister Black vs. Adam Cole – Extreme Rules Match
A few weeks ago, Aleister Black defeated Adam Cole on his way to compete in an NXT Championship #1 Contender’s Match. During that Fatal Four-Way match, it seemed like Black had the victory in his grasp when Cole and the rest of the Undisputed ERA assaulted him and prevented him from winning the match. Their rivalry was getting more and more tense to the point where he decided to make it an Extreme Rules match. Since TakeOver is in the home city of ECW, it is very appropriate.
As expected, Bobby Fish and Kyle O’Reilly interfere to assault Aleister Black. However, SAnitY uses this time to take care of some unfinished business and they attack the NXT Tag Team Champions. After a ton of chaos, Cole looks to finish Black off with a steel chair but Black counters with the Black Mass to score the win. Winner: Aleister Black
Predicted Winner: Adam Cole (3/4)
Andrade “Cien” Almas (c) (w/Zelina Vega) vs. Johnny Gargano – NXT Championship
Thanks to an injury to Velveteen Dream, Johnny Gargano was placed in the NXT Championship #1 Contender’s tournament and he ended up winning the Fatal Four-Way finals. Gargano then successfully defended this opportunity this week against the Velveteen Dream and looks to win the title and silence his doubters.
Every time Gargano starts fighting back, Zelina Vega interferes to prevent him from capitalizing. On Vega’s final attempt, she was chased out of the arena by Gargano’s wife (and recent NXT signee) Candice LeRae. With Vega gone from ringside, Almas barely escapes the Gargano Escape and uses the ring post to essentially concuss Johnny Wrestling. Almas then drapes Gargano across the top rope and spikes his head first to finish him off with the Hammerlock DDT. Winner, and STILL NXT Champion: Andrade “Cien” Almas
While Gargano is escorted to the entrance ramp by LeRae, he turns around to look at the crowd. As his back is turned, Tommaso Ciampa returns strike his former friend across the back with one of his crutches. The show fades to black as Gargano is being attended to.
Predicted Winner: Andrade “Cien” Almas (4/5)
