NXT Takeover: R Evolution

Legacy Review

NXT Takeover: R Evolution

December 11, 2014 from Full Sail University in Winter Park, FL

Commentary: Rich Brennan (damn I'd forgotten all about him, doesn't say much), Alex Riley and Corey Graves in his commentary debut

 

Kevin Owens def CJ Parker in 3:14- Owens is making his big NXT debut tonight. Formerly known as Kevin Steen, he was a major star in Ring of Honor for years and one of the biggest names in indy wrestling, and one of many guys that would come in over the next few years that we never thought we'd see in WWE. And now he's a mainstay. Owens' music gets no reaction as no one knew it was his yet. Huge pop when his tron comes up though. As soon as the bell rings Owens charges Parker with corner clotheslines! Cannonball! Parker rolls to the floor. Owens destroys his sign! TOPE CON HILO FROM OWENS! "Holy shit" chant from Full Sail for that. The ref separates them in the corner, giving Parker an opening for a high kick. After a little Parker offense Owens dodges a senton. Parker hits a palm strike that legit breaks Owens' nose. His face is covered in blood in no time at all. Parker hits jumping knees in the corner but Owens pops straight out with a clothesline. Pumphandle neckbreaker. Pop up powerbomb! Good night Parker. As perfect a squash debut as you can ask for. With Owens' persona getting his nose busted and blood everywhere only made it better. Parker would hang around a few more months before accepting he wasn't going anywhere in NXT, asked for and was granted his release. Later in 2015 he'd move to New Japan as Juice Robinson and revitalize his career. **1/4

I mentioned back in my ArRival review that there was a single signing that turned me into a weekly NXT viewer. Kevin Steen/Owens was that signing. Long one of my favorites from the indy scene, once he was on board, so was I every single week. I even still have the original KO duct tape logo shirt.

Graves announces in the commentary stand up that his wrestling career has been put "on hold" due to concussion issues and he will be on commentary permanently from now on.

 

NXT Tag Team Championship: The Lucha Dragons (c) def The Vaudvillains in 6:40- "Gather 'round, everyone, and witness the debonair devastation of such exquisite sophistication! Aiden English! Simon Gotch! The Vaaaaaaaaaaaauuuuuuuuuuuuuuudvillains!" The Vaudvillains are definitely on the list of NXT gimmicks I absolutely loved even though I knew they'd go nowhere on the main roster. Full Sail also loved them even though they're heels, it's a 50/50 crowd at best for this one. The Dragons do the old Sin Cara trampoline entrance. Without messing it up, unlike the original Sin Cara. Gotch and Cara start. Cara quickly goes into lucha springboard mode. He does a double takedown that sends English to the floor and the Dragons hit a double team wheelbarrow slam on Gotch. Cara dropkick and Michinoku driver for 2. Gotch gets a blind tag on a backslide attempt. English pulls Cara out all the way onto the ramp. "That was manly!" chant. Heel double teams for near falls. "Put your dukes up!" chant from Full Sail. Like I said, they loved the Vaudvillains. Gotch crucifix for 2. Cara hits a back elbow but English cuts the tag off. Cara tries some flippydo but the tag is cut off again. Gotch hits a back suplex. Cara fights out of the heel corner, flips over Gotch and gets the hot tag. Kalisto breaks out the lucha goodness. Cara hits a crossbody off the top and we have a donnybrook. The Dragons double backdrop Gotch over the top rope onto English on the floor. They dial up the double dive. English pushes Gotch out of the way and takes all of it! That's friendship. And good strategery. Gotch grabs Kalisto and throws him back in the ring. He lifts Kalisto up, but Kalisto turns it into the Salido del Sol! That gets the pin to retain. Another underwhelming NXT tag title match. It'll get better soon, I promise. *3/4

 

Baron Corbin def Tye Dillinger in :41- Corbin's original entrance was so cool. I miss that Corbin. Dillinger, AKA Shawn Spears, is completely generic and doesn't have the Perfect 10 gimmick yet. Since his debut at the last Takeover Corbin has been doing the Ultimate Warrior path of winning one short squash match after another, only as a heel. Full Sail, being the glorious mad fans that they are, has taken to counting out the seconds for all of Corbin's matches because they're all so short. Dillinger tries with some token offense. When the crowd's at about 20 Corbin hits him with snake eyes. Big boot. The camera finds Bull Dempsey, another guy getting a monster heel push, at ringside which messes up the crowd's count. End of Days and it's over. After the match Corbin and Dempsey stare down. There's only room for one monster in this here town. NR

Shot of Sami Zayn sitting down and quietly mentally preparing in the locker room. As the camera pans we see his well known real life best friend and in ring bitter rival Kevin Owens staring at him from across the room. I'm sure he's just quietly sending Zayn good vibes, right? Right?

 

Finn Balor and Hideo Itami def The Ascension in 11:38- Balor, the former Prince Devitt, a huge star in New Japan where he was one of the founders and first leader of Bullet Club, signed with NXT back in the spring but didn't make his debut until October due to visa issues. This feud started at the last Takeover when the Ascension attacked Itami during his debut. Balor was added in after to give him a partner. During the build Balor promised that he'd bring something at Takeover the Ascension had never seen before. He wasn't kidding. This, ladies and gentlemen, is the legendary NXT debut of The Demon. With full entrance. I can't stress enough how unique this was at the time, no one had seen anything like this before. He'd used the Demon in New Japan before but this was a whole new level of presentation, and before Kevin Dunn got a hold of it on the main roster and made it a shell of what it was. Social media exploded almost immediately with reaction and clips. The entrance gets a "holy shit" chant from the crowd. The *entrance*! You can't get any more star making than this. After the cool down from the entrance all four guys jump in to brawl before the bell. "That was awesome" chant from the crowd for the Demon entrance. Balor and Itami hit double corner dropkicks. The Ascension powder as Full Sail gives us a "marking out" chant. Reset with Itami and Viktor and now the bell rings. Viktor 360 sells a one foot dropkick. Balor hits running corner chops and a dropkick on Konnor. Itami lets loose until Konnor hits him with a flapjack. Ascension double tackle for 2. Itami slips out of a slam and hits a spin kick, but is cut off from tagging. Crazy rapid fire machine gun stomps from Viktor. Konnor hits the YA stomps in the corner. A few more minutes of face in peril follows with the Ascension's offense not being much more interesting than before, but Itami keeps things moving by constantly fighting every step of the way. Konnor avalanche for 2. Itami gets an armdrag, dives, but still can't get the tag. He dodges a charge and Viktor posts his shoulder. Then Itami dumps Konnor to the floor. But just before he can tag Konnor pulls Balor off the apron. Itami fights out of the corner and dives across the ring again. The Ascension try to distract the ref but he sees the tag to Balor! Forearms. Launch dropkick. Slingblade! Viktor hits a back elbow and jumps to the second rope. Balor kicks him off and down to the floor. Balor tope con hilo! He sets up for the Coupe de Grace but Viktor dodges it. Bloody Sunday hits! Konnor breaks the pin up! Itami tackles Konnor out of the ring! Viktor hits Balor with an uppercut and clothesline. Itami breaks the pin up. He sets up for the GTS and the crowd goes ballistic! Konnor breaks it up and gets booed out of the building. The Ascension set up for Fall of Man. Itami pulls Konnor out of the ring. Balor pele kick. Itami hits Konnor with the psycho knee! Double Coupe de Grace, and that gets the pin! Good basic tag formula leading to a very hot finish, with Balor and Itami dragging the Ascension to a good match. Both Balor and Itami looked great, but it can definitely be argued this was another step in the run of bad luck for Itami in his NXT run as he was completely overshadowed by the huge Demon Balor debut. The Ascension moved to the main roster later the same month, doing absolutely nothing of note before being released in 2019. ***1/2

 

NXT Women's Championship: Charlotte (c) def Sasha Banks in 12:12- Another NXT 4 Horsewomen member makes her Takeover debut. Charlotte flipped back face after her feud with Bayley to take on uberheel Banks. The only Horsewomen member left to not wrestle on a Takeover, Becky Lynch, had been acting as Banks' flunky during this feud but is not in her corner tonight. Banks is wearing Charlotte's t-shirt with some slight alterations to mock her. They're jawing at each other before intros even start. Serious intensity here. More palpable intensity after the bell. Charlotte does a quick ripcord Thesz Press and beatdown! Buckle shot exchange with other shots mixed in. Man, they are laying into each other. This is STIFF. If you've only watched WWE women's wrestling the last few years you'll be surprised how stiff they're working each other. This is something that's been missing from women's matches lately. Chop exchange with Charlotte not surprisingly getting the advantage. They go outside and Charlotte gets run into the stairs. Sasha hits corner shoulderblocks and the corner double knee stomp. Dueling chants from another 50/50 crowd. Banks snap mare and she mocks the Flair strut. Charlotte rolls her up for 2 and hits a jawbreaker. Banks blocks a slam, Charlotte blocks a headscissors, and Banks straitjackets Charlotte's arms. She brings Charlotte down into a vertebraker, the usual setup for the Banks Statement, but instead puts Charlotte in a surfboard type position. Charlotte uses her massive strength advantage to get out. Banks grabs Charlotte hair and yanks her down head first into the mat, then puts on her mocking version of a Charlotte's figure four headlock. She's got her character work down so good. Charlotte lifts Banks up in an electric chair and drops her. Forearms and chops from Charlotte. She tries for a suplex. Banks slips out, but Charlotte counters the counter into a neckbreaker for 2. Charlotte charges. Banks dodges and dumps her to the floor. Banks tope suicida! Mamma mia! Roll in and cover for 2. Slugfest. They both hit the ropes and Charlotte hits a massive misdirection spear! Banks gets a boot up in the corner and drop toe holds Charlotte face first into the middle turnbuckle. Charlotte blocks a Banks Statement attempt. She goes for the figure four but Banks counters with a small package for 2. Banks neckbreaker for 2. Charlotte's kickouts start to frustrate her. Exploder suplex from Charlotte. She goes for the moonsault, Banks rolls, Charlotte lands on her feet and in one step hits Banks with a senton! Banks gets a foot on the rope. Banks runs Charlotte into the middle turnbuckle again. Charlotte blocks a superplex and drops Banks to the mat. Banks gets up again while Charlotte's still on the top rope. Super Natural Selection! No way Banks is getting up from that. What a match. Physical, intense, great character work. Sasha Banks has her breakout moment and Charlotte continued to look amazing. It's wonderful going back and watching the 4 Horsewomen work to make each other stars, and they're just getting started. ****1/4

Video package for the main event, focusing on Sami Zayn's continual failures in big matches. After losing a weekly TV title match against Neville he asks for one more shot, and puts his career on the line to up the ante.

 

Title vs Career Match for the NXT Championship: Sami Zayn def Adrian Neville (c) in 23:18- Full Sail comes absolutely unglued for Zayn on his entrance. I mentioned last Takeover that Full Sail never loved anyone the way they loved Bayley, but Zayn is a very close second. Nothing but boos for Neville, who hasn't been a direct heel but is the guy standing in Zayn's way. That's all it takes. The atmosphere is amazing, easily the best of any NXT title match to date. Zayn gives Neville a cheeky wave while sitting in the corner during Neville's entrance. "Let's go Sami/Neville sucks" chants after the bell followed by a huge OLE chant. Both guys take a minute to soak the atmosphere in and let it breathe before jockeying for position. Waist takedown by Neville followed by a good series of basic mat counters and stalemate. Arm counters go into an almost chickenwing hold from Neville. Zayn works free, Neville flips out, and we stalemate again. After some corner counters they hit the jets. Zayn grabs Neville running and hits a tiltawhirl backbreaker. Neville rolls out to the disgust of the crowd. Zayn hits a springboard moonsault! Neville takes his time getting back in, taking the full count, but when he does Zayn hits him with a heel kick for 2. Neville forearm for 2. Basement dropkick to the back of Zayn's head for 2. Neville grabs a chinlock to slow things down a bit. Zayn armdrags out. Neville hits a European uppercut in the corner for 2. A series of kneedrops is followed by another chinlock. This is one of those instances where it's not stalling or time killing, it's letting the match breathe. Subtle but important difference. Neville missile dropkick off the second rope for 2. He starts kicking and slapping Zayn while Zayn is on his knees in a very arrogant way. Zayn slaps back and hits a clothesline! Dropkick. Neville rolls out again to break the momentum. Zayn loads up a dive. Neville pops back in and headscissors Zayn to the floor. Now Neville goes for a dive. Zayn gets back in and backdrops him down to the floor. Zayn tope con hilo hits! Great sequence there. Zayn crossbody off the top for 2. Neville slips out of a suplex, standing switches, Zayn hits a back elbow, hits the ropes, Neville cartwheels, Zayn catches his legs, lifts him on his shoulders, and turns him around into a blue thunder bomb for 2! Neville jawbreaker and running European uppercut. German suplex for 2. Zayn fights out of a powerbomb attempt, knucklelocks Neville and runs up the ropes, Neville counters with a spin kick and hits the sit out powerbomb for 2! More forearms from Neville. Zayn wants more! Slugfest. Zayn clothesline with a Neville 360 sell. Neville dodges the Helluva Kick. Zayn's down in the target zone. Neville goes up top as the crowd chants "NO!". Red Arrow! ZAYN GETS HIS KNEES UP! He hooks on the Koji Clutch! Neville just gets a foot on the rope! Zayn goes for the corner explo...no, Neville counters into a roll up for 2. Zayn's kickout sent Neville into the ref and the ref is down! Zayn checks on the ref while commentary screams at him for not pressing the advantage. Neville superkick! A poisonrana drops Zayn right on his head! Cover. Zayn kicks out! The crowd is going absolutely inzayn. A forearm exchange staggers both guys. Zayn ducks a kick and hits a German. Rolling Germans! Except the third one is an exploder that flips Neville completey over! Helluva...no, Neville rolls out. Oh the crowd really didn't like that. Zayn runs around and hits the corner dive tornado DDT! Helluva kick! But Neville pulled the ref into it and he's down again! "This ref sucks" chant from the crowd. Neville goes out and gets the belt. Zayn kicks him and cuts him off. Now Zayn looks down at the belt. The ref is still down and working very hard to not be able to see anything. Zayn picks the belt up. Thinks. Loads. Hesitates. No, he won't do it! Neville uses the distraction to roll Zayn up, and the ref is back. Zayn JUST kicks out! Corner exploder! HELLUVA KICK! Zayn wins! Full Sail University is going to need to build a new roof over this arena because the old one just got blown off. Unbelievable match. The best NXT title match to date. ****3/4

After the bell the locker room empties to come out and congratulate Zayn. Kevin Owens leads the charge and has a huge hug for his best friend. After that is a huge celebration reminiscent of Bret Hart's title win celebration at Wrestlemania 10. Pat Patterson is even out there. Neville is back up, and after a brief tense minute he and Zayn hug it out. One last handshake from Owens as the ring clears. Zayn celebrates some more by himself before going to leave. Owens is out again as the copyright graphic comes up and he and Zayn leave together arms over shoulders...............until Owens grabs Zayn's throat and drops him on the entrance ramp! Powerbomb onto the ring apron! Kill Steen Kill! He walks off as GM William Regal runs in looking pissed off. "Get some bloody help!". Zayn is still down as we fade to black. What a finish. So begins the Triple H tradition doing big angles at the end of Takeovers after the copyright graphic has already shown making everyone think the show was over.

OVERALL SHOW THOUGHTS: NXT ends their first year in the spotlight with easily the best Takeover to date, and the template of what Takeover will be in the future. Huge debuts for Owens and Demon Balor, Banks' coming out party, Zayn's emotional win in an incredible main event, and the massive heel turn to close the show. NXT was poised for a huge year of growth in 2015, in large part thanks to this show. On the other side, still works in progress: the tag division and commentary. They'd get there.

OVERALL SHOW GRADE: A-