Rate NXT Takeover XXV

[Rosie]

Let us know what you think outta 10.

Spoiler

Matt Riddle vs Roderick Strong

Matt Riddle won via Pinfall against Strong

NXT Tag Team Championship Ladder Four Way

The Street Profits win and become the NEW NXT Tag Team Champions with all dat Swag

NXT North American Championship

The Velveteen Dream Retains against Tyler Breeze by Pinfall

NXT Women's Championship

Shayna Bayzler retains against Io Sharai by Submission

NXT Championship

Adam Cole BAY BAY defeats Johnny Gargano by Pinfall to win the NXT Championship

 

[Jay-Ashley]

Matt Riddle vs Roderick Strong: This was a good opening match. Matt really showed his skill and Strong was great on offense. It had a lot of good spots in it, and Matt winning was the good call.

NXT Tag Team Championship Ladder Four Way: This was a good match. All the teams functioned right together, the Jaxson, formerly Gunner, coming in and wrecking house was good then, of course, everyone joined to defeat him was cool, and the Street Profits winning was the right choice

NXT North American Championship: Oh man, this match was good. We got to see a more aggressive side of Breeze that worked well and had me cheering for him. I mean, to me this was just a good match overall

NXT Women's Championship: Where do I begin with this match? The first thing I would like to say is that I like how Io started out strong for a couple of seconds and then Shayna just began dominating and just made Io look not as strong. Second thing, it is apparent that Shayna is gonna be like Triple H being his "Reign of Terror" as it has been dubbed and hardly anyone will get or win the belt. Third thing, why the hell build Io up and make her seem weak in a way? That is just dumb on all levels. Also, the fact they are going to build to a No DQ match so Io can win by using weapons is really fucking dumb as well. I mean, she did use Kendo Sticks in Stardom, but it was a last resort in a way. Overall this match disappointed me.

NXT Championship: This match could have been good, but due to the ending it failed. The overall match was solid, but the fact Gargano dropped the belt with two or so months after finally winning it is just the wrong choice and dumb.

Overall, I gave this Takeover my lost score for one of them. I gave it a 6 because it let me down hard with the last two matches and it is like what Beavie said in our discussion about this I feel let down because we have a good Takeover, not a great one like normal, just a good one.

 

[Rosie]

I will save the Beav Meltzer scale for another time, but yeah, I was not exactly blown out of the water by a country mile. However, it was still overall very enjoyable. It was good, but maybe I was disappointed considering I usually am freaking out at the end of Takeovers. The opener was very solid with a good story of Roddy targetting the back, then we had a great ladder match which all four teams had moments of brilliance with a feel-good win. Tyler vs Dream, very good, but I guess the ending also left me a bit, meh since Breeze really made me believe in him by the end. Then the Women's match kinda had a dip. It wasn't bad, but I guess I wasn't blown away. Shayna as champ, she's talented, but I am getting a bit tired of it on top since she's been champ a long time and unlike Asuka, there wasn't a big streak attached. Then the brawl at the end I think was a bit much.

Finally, the main event, I felt didn't match their last match. Still really really good, but I guess the ending left me a bit... neutral.

I'm giving it a 7.5/10. I think this Takeover was a bit of a weird place. Since it was not built around a major WWE PPV's weekend, I nearly forgot that it was this weekend and I feel as though this is meant to be more of a bridge to Takeover: Canada/Toronto II before Summerslam. Still was a good way to relax on a Saturday night and I suggest watching the Ladder match and the main event.

Oh, I BLAME STEPHANIE MCMAHON! SHE WAS IN THE CROWD! MADE ADAM COLE'S BAY BAY, BRITT BAKER VERY ANGRY, AND MADE ME SICK TO MY STOMACH!

 

[SWL]

now that TakeOvers have set such a high standard for themselves, it's going to get harder and harder to top prior ones. I enjoyed this one, it just wasn't able to top the last one which puts a bit of a damper on it.

I was really rooting for Breeze/Dream but it didn't have that certain something. Transitions between moves were slow and not as flashy as they tend to me on TakeOvers, they didn't make me believe that Breeze was gonna win for 1 second, and who could forget that weird count out ending.. Tyler does know that he can break the count by just rolling in and out of the ring, right? Or are we supposed to believe that he legitimately hasn't had a match for so long that he forgot the rules? I don't know, fell a bit flat. Apparently, Breeze is gonna stick around in NXT for a while, so this could be his 2014 Tyson Kidd run where he's more of a supporting role rather than an actual contender.

Highlights of the night were the ladder match and the main event. No, Cole/Gargano wasn't better than their last one, but just because it wasn't as good as the last one, doesn't mean it wasn't great. I, for one, am quite elated by the fact that Cole finally got to win the NXT title because he's great and Gargano's more of a chaser than a champion anyways. It perfectly plays into what Ciampa said on the panel, which is that Gargano's not focused enough. Johnny boy was riding the wave of finally being champion but he lost track of what's really important, keeping it. They still made him look OP as fuck though lmao, dude kicks out of literally everything. 7/10

 

[Crash]

I also give this a solid 7/10, not the best TakeOver but still a great wrestling show.

 

[Jacob Fox]

Just finally got to see it. I regret not seeing live. But it was a good show, and I liked most of it. I ended up giving it a 9 just because the women's match wasn't really that entertaining for me. It started slowly and I had no investment in it. But, it was still a good match.

That Matt Riddle.. he looked like he was about to lose his tights about five times in the match. I bet ya anything he does that in purpose. He probably is one of those guys who eventually wants a wardrobe malfunction because he likes people looking.

Ladder match was AMAZING. But I have Adam Cole as the NXT Champion and there is no better way to end an NXT show than that. That almost made me happy enough to raise the show to a 10, but I couldn't. I just don't like Bazler and she doesn't deserve to be holding that belt. She is a minor talent.

 

[Jay-Ashley]

I just don't like Bazler and she doesn't deserve to be holding that belt. She is a minor talent.

I know, I criticized Baszler in my review, but she has talent. I mean, she was trained by Billy Robinson for Christ sake, but my problem is that they are booking her like how Triple H booked himself, basically, in The Reign of Terror, and it is showing that Io can only defeat her by using weapons, which is utter shite. They had a couple of matches in Japan and I thought they were going to copy that in a way, but nah. The match was good, but Shayna looked too strong and Io looked mediocre. Plus, if a triple threat happens like rumours say Candance will be throw in and Io will play second fiddle to her. I would say more, but then it would turn into a classic Seto thinks WWE can't book Japanese wrestlers right rant.

 

[Snowman1]

Well, I'd give it a 8/10 and explain, but it's Takeover. These are always an absolute blast. Takeover/10

Can't agree with the NXT title change at all and...kinda happy Baszler went over, but this definitely felt like the right time for a new era. She's great, but Io...

 

[Grievous 3D]

Okay so I have watched the first 3 matches of this TakeOver...& I really can be bothered
watching the others. I think I've reached the wall with NXT...as sad as that is to say.

Basically I had the results of this show spoiled for me...and...I'm just going to say it...

NXT has lost too much talent too quickly & many of my favorite NXT stars are now
on the main roster, being used in mostly pointless ways.

The matches I watched...well...

I actually can't stand Matt Riddle...like he maybe the first NXT star I actually loathe...
& I believe Roderick Strong deserves better.

The Tag Team Title Ladder match was...good I guess...& I'm glad the Street Profits
won...but again...I find the Forgotten Sons a second rate SAni†Y at best & boring at
worst...and Lorcan & Burch are quality workers...but they just seem so generic.

The Dream/Breeze match was actually REALLY good even if it felt like a main roster
match in places...but again this match was only booked because another NXT star
was injured. I forget who it was...I think it was that really tall European guy...I think?

Shockingly I don't know his name...but again...a lack of recognizable talent will do that.

And I honestly can't be bothered to watch Baszler/Shirai because I'm sick of watching
Shayna choke everyone out. Why wasn't Shayna drafted to the main roster to fight
Becky instead of Lacey Evans? At this point she is having an adverse effect on the
NXT women's division which I'd like to point out is as shallow as a kiddie pool at
this point in time.

And...I just don't understand why they have once again gave Johnny Gargano a
title belt...only to take it away in less than 60 days. Look...Adam Cole is awesome...
I admit that. I didn't "GET" him when he first arrived in NXT but now I understand
why so many rate him so highly. He is an amazing worker & could be the next
Shawn Michaels if booked right...but why are we putting the NXT title on him
now? Gargano FINALLY won the bloody thing after what feels like 10 shots at
it including multiple failed attempts on TakeOver shows...& we now put it on
Adam Cole?

Why?

Why now?

FUCKING WHY?!

They surely can't be moving Gargano to the main roster? That would be
completely pointless at this time not to mention that the NXT talent pool
hasn't looked this shallow in years.

Look...I'm sure the final two matches were good...but after having the results
spoiled for me...and being unhappy with those results...I just can't be bothered
to watch the rest of it.

I hate to admit it...but I think its going to take a long time for NXT to rebuild
itself after so much of its talent being drafted so quickly...for pointless reasons.

I'm not trying to sh!t on everything WWE because of the AEW & you guys know
I usually love these TakeOver shows...but for now...I just find NXT severely
lacking.