Rate NXT TakeOver: London

[Prince Bálor]

You know the drill. Vote above and give your thoughts below!

Results:

Asuka defeated Emma with a Spin Kick.

Dash & Dawson (c) defeated Enzo Amore & Colin Cassady via Shatter Machine to retain the NXT Tag Team Championships.

Baron Corbin defeated Apollo Crews via the End of Days.

Bayley (c) defeated Nia Jax via Guillotine Choke to retain the NXT Women's Championship.

Finn Bálor (c) defeated Samoa Joe via Coup de Grâce to retain the NXT Championship.

In-depth results: WrestleZone

 

[WarMachine1]

Disappointing.

While there were good matches, the show overall was, in my opinion, bad. And going by NXT standards, that's shocking. What killed it for me was some of the questionable booking decisions that were made, them putting both Jax vs Bayley and Joe vs Balor on the card when the plan was for those two matches to tell the same basic, unoriginal and done to death story of the underdog having all the odds stacked against them and overcoming them, Jordan and Gable not being on the card despite being without a doubt the hottest thing going in the tag division let alone the entire men's division, and them not throwing in a Sami Zayn match when they easily could have.

Disgruntled.

 

[Mr. Roman Empire]

Im not a frequent NXT watcher but I'm watching this right now and its pretty pretty boring. I think Asuka is pretty awesome but her match was like 20 minutes, which is entirely too long for an opening match in my opinion. I don't like either of these tag teams. I really don't like Enzo Amore. Stereotypical hyped up sleazy douchebag Jersey swag is an awful character. Now onto Crews vs Corbin...

 

[Mr. Roman Empire]

Just got done watching the rest. It seemed like Baron Corbin, Nia Jax, and Samoa Joe dominated too much of their matches, rather than it being a fair trade off of offense and defense. In the last moment Bayley and Finn pulled out victories. But Apollo got pretty much wrecked the entire time. I thought the ending in Bayleys match was stupid, how she repeated that submission 3 times. Joe vs Finn was definitely the best match, but Joe definitely carried it. The only thing I liked that Finn did was that running swanton flip out of the ring to Joe.

3/10

 

[Leo C]

Freaking amazing. Loved it. No bad match at all, Bayley vs Nia totally overdelivered. The crowd made the entire show even better. Main event was awesome.

 

[Snowman1]

Voted a 7/10 and actually remembered to put my vote up there! :yay:

I wrote and wrote and wrote and it wound up being 10 paragraphs long - as usual - so think I'll spare you guys. Just know that I agree with both your gripes and your positives.

 

[Majour]

7/10
The booking was very safe. Wanted to see Cass and Enzo take the titles, but we still got a decent match.
Jax vs Bayley was disappointing.

Overall I did enjoy the show though. Plus we got Zayn vs Dillinger as a dark match.

 

[Snowman1]

7/10
The booking was very safe. Wanted to see Cass and Enzo take the titles, but we still got a decent match.
Jax vs Bayley was disappointing.

Overall I did enjoy the show though. Plus we got Zayn vs Dillinger as a dark match.

You guys and gals out there in that crowd kicked ass out there. One of the best wrestling crowds I've ever heard, yo.

 

[Majour]

You guys and gals out there in that crowd kicked ass out there. One of the best wrestling crowds I've ever heard, yo.

The chants were pretty fun, if not heavily influenced by football.
And there were two guys dressed as Bayley's inflatable waving arm things.

 

[Jacob Fox]

8/10

First, this is what a wrestling crowd should be like. The crowd itself elevated this match up a point for me.

Asuka vs Emma ***1/2. I was thinking it was a solid three star match but the ending made me give it an extra half star...they just threw so much in trying to make it seem that Asuka was going to get screwed over and she didn't. Great match.

Enzo and Cas vs Dash and Dawson **** This gets extra points by not following the typical two tag team pattern. Generally the faces get a smaller flurry at the beginning before the heels get control but Enzo and Cas were dominate for a LONG time before Dash and Dawson got the upper hand... several times it seemed like Dash and Dawson were going to take the advantage only to be stopped... I liked that a lot. I also LOVED how the referee was consistent on the tags... when he sent eithe Dash or Dawson (I don't recall which) back out because he hadnt seen a tag.. hadn't seen that happen to a heel team since the NWA days of long ago. This was really the best one team on one team I have seen in a while but Enzo and Cas should have won... completely wrong outcome and this is coming from someone who likes both teams really well.

Baron Corbin vs Apollos Crews. ** This was the bathroom match for me. I don't really like either guy too much. The best part was Corbin telling Crews he should have stayed in Ring of Honor (I don't actually think Crews ever was in ROH) but it was interesting to hear Corbin say it to him.

THe ASuka/Nia Jax tease was great... I like both women and that will be an awesome match when it happens... And can't wait to see Asuka knock that smug look off Nia's face.

Nia Jax vs Bayley. ***** HOLY FUCKING SHIT!!!!!!! This was the match of the night for me... This is what pro wrestling is. You have two wrestlers who tell a story and they both tell the story so effectively on both ends that you get lost in the match, disbelief is not completely suspended...it's thrown out the window and you believe what you are watching is real...that is what pro wrestling is! This is what I am writing my new article on too...oh hell... David vs Goliath... and David made that Goliath bitch TAP OUT!!!! WOW! Who would have thought that such a one sided match would end up being so good???? I was actually cheering for Bayely during the headlock.... and totally marked out when she won. That was such a good fucking match! Also how much do I love a crowd that chants "Bayley's gonna hug you!"

Finn Balor vs Samoa Joe ***1/2 This was a pretty good match. I definitely enjoyed it even though a certain someone spoiled the ending for me An excellent back and forth match that just really worked. As an avid Ripperologist, I have to be happy with Balor coming in as the Ripper.

All in all, I thought this was great event marred by only one bad match. In addition, we get the best one on one tag match I have seen in YEARS and the best story telling match I have seen in much longer by Nia Jax and Bayley. Easily an 8/10.

 

[Leo C]

The crowd really helped, but I could've done without soccer chants. It's bad enough I have to deal with soccer shit whenever I turn on the TV or whenever I talk to someone I don't know very well, but these wankers just had to bring it to NXT. At least they customized it, although I had no idea what they were saying for most of it.

The opener was great. I love how they teased every screwy finish in the end for Asuka to overcome it all and knock Emma out with a kick. Asuka is awesome, those Shibata backhands help also.
Tag match was fun, although it is kinda lame for the babyfaces to PROMISE to win the tag belts and lose kinda clean. I guess HHH figured the Jersey boys are always gonna be over so you can book them like geeks, but still.
Corbin/Apollo may have been the weakest match, but still wasn't bad. I rolled laughing when Corbin told Apollo he should've stayed in ROH. The fact he named ROH when Crews wasn't even working there only makes his "indy hater" gimmick so much more perfect, because he assumes ROH is the only one there/everybody worked in the same place. Amazing.
Nia vs Bayley, damn. All I can say is that I was immersed in the match so much. I wasn't thinking about how many snowflakes I'd give the match or which result would be a better booking decision, I was like GO BAYLEY YEAHH! so I think they did their job very, very well. Props to both, especially Nia considering it was her first big match and all, and the finish was great. Very realistic. She tried and tried with the guillotine, and it worked! Love when matches end with non finishers. Loved this.
Main event was awesome. Joe didn't even start stiffing him as I expected, but it was great. MOTN for me.

NXT is quite the thing. When I looked at the card the other day, I was in fact wondering if they could deliver. I figured, you know, I don't remember any great Emma matches besides that Paige one, Enzo and Cass are really over, but haven't seen much besides that... Corbin is Corbin, Nia is green... I really only looked at the ME as if it would certainly be a great match and they proved me wrong. NXT is AWESOME.

 

[Prince Bálor]

Prince Bálor's NXT Journey
Destination: NXT TakeOver: London
Date: 12/16/15

​

- Asuka vs Emma was a pretty darn good show opener. ***½
I enjoyed the hell out of this, but my only gripe is that the match ending was a bit overbooked. I could've done without it. But, the silent killer Asuka overcame the odds and drilled Emma with that Spin Kick and won anyways.

- The Mechanics vs Enzo Amore & Colin Cassady was good. ***¼
Jacob "Rainmaker" Fox said it best, there ain't much I'd like to add, besides the right team won. I love Enzo and Cass, but the trigger should've been pulled on 'em a long time ago. They'll stay over this way anyhow, so all's good for everyone involved. I also have to mention I am really, really diggin' The Mechanics. Nothing's pretty about their offense, but it's simple and effective. I hope they continue to destroy everyone, so the moment The World's Greatest Tag Team dethrone 'em (at the next TakeOver special, I assume) will be awesome.

- Baron Corbin vs Apollo Crews was decent, but nothing to write home about. **
This was the weakest match of the night for me and it has nothing to do with the fact that I don't like Corbin, it's just that the match was sort of... There. Corbin won via the End of Days and that win pits him against The Demon, which is a fight he'll lose, I reckon. I have to admit, though, I chuckled a bit when Corbin yelled at Crews that he should've stayed in ROH.

- Bayley vs Nia Jax was great! ****
Bayley pulled a Tanahashi here, as she evoked emotion and told a great in-ring story. David vs Goliath is a dynamic that has been done to death, but if done properly, it can be really entertaining! And that's exactly what this match was. Bayley tapping Nia out in the end was such a feel-good moment. Also, this one reminded me of those good/great Tanahashi vs Bad Luck Fale matches.

- Finn Bálor vs. Samoa Joe was a very good ME! ***¾
First off, Finn's entrance was awesome as usual. Loved it! Now... The first half of the match lacked a little oomph, if you will, but everything else in between and especially the homestretch, was great! Had this match featured a little more drama and if it had more of a grudge match feel to it, it would've been excellent. I'm not complaining, though, as this was a good showing for both men. Plus, this was the best Samoa Joe match since joining NXT (along with that Ciampa match). Aaand, Bálor is here to stay as the NXT champ for a good while and I'm looking forward to it!

OVERALL THOUGHTS: NXT TakeOver delivers again! This was a great show and the insane crowd helped a lot. I enjoyed it! 8/10

 

[Aids Johnson]

The chants were pretty fun, if not heavily influenced by football.
And there were two guys dressed as Bayley's inflatable waving arm things.

Soccer.

 

[Majour]

Soccer.

Incorrect.

 

[Pop Tatari]

That women's title match was awful. Much better ways of telling that story in a engaging way. Thought baley was garbage in shimmer and she is still that. The other lady was worse.

Main event was alright, nothing special. Joe looked in decent form,his crossface looked a bit shit but it might be wwe telling hi to do it like that. Hated the crowd