NXT Takeover: Rival

Legacy Review

NXT Takeover: Rival

February 11, 2015 from Full Sail University in Winter Park, FL

Commentary: Rich Brennan, Corey Graves and Jason "A-Train Lord Tensai Giant Bernard Matt Bloom" Albert

Hideo Itami def Tyler Breeze in 8:15- This is a rematch of the first round of the #1 Contender's tournament, which Itami won. The match, not the tournament. Breeze attacked him in the locker room after Itami lost to Balor in the semis, pissed that Itami took his shot and then lost. A "fan" jumps the rail and jumps on Breeze during his entrance. I'm sure she was a plant but I can't exactly place who it is. This is the debut of Breeze's personalized selfie stick. Also, I feel dirty typing out "selfie stick" completely unironically. Send this Gen X'er some help. Itami charges and Breeze dodges until he can get a shot in. Corner shot trade off. Breeze ducks kicks. Itami gets a knee to the gut and a PK. Breeze rolls out. More kicks with Breeze super selling. Itami sets up the corner dropkick but Breeze rolls away before takeoff. Breeze pulls Itami down from the floor and gives his knee an apron shot. More knee work follows, including posting the knee. Post wraparound figure four! Back in Breeze puts on a modified cloverleaf. Itami gets to the ropes. Breeze hits the ropes. Itami grabs him and lifts him up for the GTS! The crowd instantly goes nuts! Breeze fights free and gets a roll up for 2. And another GTS tease goes nowhere. They really hurt Itami by taking that away from him, they should have just said screw Punk, it's Itami's move, let him do it. Superkick! Itami kicks out! Breeze goes into slow beatdown mode and Itami bushidos up. Rapid fire combo. Chest kicks. Lots and lots of stiff chest kicks. Corner dropkick. Psycho knee! That gets the pin! Itami sells the knee some more after the bell. Decent enough opener, with Itami continuing to get his sea legs after a slow NXT start and Breeze playing his role perfectly. Between this and the next Takeover Itami would win a tournament at Axxess to get a spot in the Andre Battle Royale at Wrestlemania. Unfortunately it was all downhill after that as the injury bug soon hit. ***

 

No DQ Match: Baron Corbin def Bull Dempsey in 4:12- Another tournament first round rematch, where Corbin defeated Dempsey in under two minutes to give him his first loss. These guys have been feuding since their "there's only room for one monster here" staredown at the last Takeover. Corbin charges down the ramp on his entrance and it's on. After a little beating Dempsey gets a reversal on the floor and suplexes Corbin on the ramp, then posts Corbin. Dempsey checks under the ring, but doesn't pull anything out. OK then. There's only one side of the ring that has a ring skirt instead of a video board, kind of hard to get lost. The crowd boos him not getting any weapons. Back in Corbin gets a counter spinebuster for 2. He hits a Cactus Clothesline that Dempsey completely fucks up, taking about 3 tries to get over the top rope. Light "You fucked up" and "Botchamania" chants from Full Sail. They go back in and Dempsey hits the headbutt off the top for 2. Corbin gets thrown into the stairs. Dempsey gets a chair. Corbin grabs Dempsey before he can use it, hits End of Days, and it's over. So much for the no DQ stip. All tease no fulfillment. The match was probably twice as long as it should have been. Corbin was still pretty green, and frankly Dempsey was always crap, as their career trajectories after would show. After this Dempsey would go into an angle where he was always eating junk food backstage, turning face and bringing in the "BullFit" gimmick. I'll let you figure out the pun on that one. After still showing little progress in the ring he was released in early '16, and apart from a short ROH run has pretty much been relegated to working in low level indies. *

Ad for the WWE Network's new "free month" campaign. Oh yeah, I remember that. Went on for years while us day one subscribers got nothing. Guess we were the ones that let them afford free months for the casuals. They also advertise the new PPV Fastlane, the "last stop" before Wrestlemania. That always bugged me. Fastlane is the last stop? If it's the last stop it should be called Roadblock or Rest Stop or something. The tagline should have been something like "the road to Wrestlemania accelerates". Much better.

 

NXT Tag Team Championship: Blake & Murphy (c) def The Lucha Dragons in 7:34- The seemingly thrown together team of Wesley Blake and Buddy Murphy (now Buddy Matthews in AEW and NJPW Strong) upset the Dragons for the titles on weekly TV in January, and this is the Dragons' rematch. They pull off the trampoline entrance with no errors. Sadly we can't say the same about the match. Blake and Murphy's entrance is something else, and it's only about 75% of what it will be later in their reign. They don't have heel Alexa Bliss with them yet, she comes later to give more life to what likely would have been a transitional title run and became the breakout star of the group. Murphy and Cara start. B&M do a double leapfrog and Cara dropkicks them both. Cara springboard back elbow. He goes for a flying headscissors and either screws it up or Blake was supposed to block it. It came off weird. Kalisto blocks a double team. He goes to leap off the second rope and badly slips off, then recovers for a plancha. That's the problem with lucha, you can get some spectacular moves but the odds are also much higher for some spectacular botches. Cara gets a victory roll off the top for 2. There's an awkward pause and both sides tag. Kalisto rolls through some botchless lucha. Dragons double kick and double team wheelbarrow slam for 2. B&M blind tag and hit Cara with a double team lift up neckbreaker. After a minute of peril Cara escapes and tags. Kalisto springboard corkscrew crossbody. He plants Murphy with a headscissors DDT, then sets up for the Salido del Sol. Murphy blocks it. Kalisto turns a suplex into a headscissors for 2 and they roll through some near fall tradeoffs that end with both sides making a save at the same time. Tags. A Cara crossbody is reversed for 2. Cara small package for 2. Cara and Murphy go through their own counter near falls. Cara one arm powerbomb on Murphy for 2. B&M get another blind tag, hit a brainbuster/big splash combo and get the pin. A lot of flash but very little substance. All those near falls tradeoffs the second half of the match were completely flat. I know I'm a broken record, but I promise, the tag division *will* get better. Honestly it's taking longer than I remembered, but it will happen. The Dragons were on their way to the main roster, making their full time debut on the Raw after WM. *3/4

During B&M's celebration the broadcast is hacked with the message "The Takeover Isn't Over" and "Next Week". This had been happening on weekly TV for a bit and led to the debut of Solomon Crowe, AKA Sami Callihan. I'll put him this way- the broadcast hacks were by far the most interesting thing about his NXT run. After that we get some highlights from each match in the #1 Contender's Tournament.

 

NXT Championship #1 Contender's Tournament Final: Finn Balor def Adrian Neville in 13:34- As previously mentioned Balor defeated Itami in the semifinals, while Neville took down Corbin to give Corbin his first official NXT loss. Once again for Takeover Balor brings the Demon, and again the entrance is spectacular. I particularly like how he attacks the cameras as he's crawling down the ramp. Balor charges but Neville grabs a headlock for a bit more of a basic start. Balor hits a shoulderblock and reset. Neville gets a sunset flip. Balor rolls through it and hits a basement dropkick! Neville rolls out. Balor loads up a dive but Neville jumps in and cuts him off. Speed run ending with a Balor dropkick. Neville rolls out again. Another dive attempt is cut off. Neville springboard shotgun dropkick for 2! Neville goes back to the headlock for a bit and does a little choking in the corner as he continues his subtle heelishness. Balor corner dodge and chop. He tries a springboard from the apron but Neville cuts him off in midair with a dropkick! Delayed suplex for 2 and Neville grounds Balor again. Corner whip, reversal, Neville gets a boot up, hops to the second rope, and Balor kicks him down to the floor. The tope con hilo hits this time! Neville retreats through the ring to the other side. Balor stalks him around the ring, then charges with a running shotgun dropkick that sends Neville into the barricade! Back in Balor hits the double stop off the top to the back of a standing Neville's head! Neville kicks out! Balor sets up for Bloody Sunday but Neville gets free. Kicks and chops from Neville. Balor dodges and hits a pele kick. Neville gives him a superkick before going down! Both guys are down. When they get up Neville waistlocks, and after a couple of attempts hits a German suplex. A second one with a bridge for 2. He sets Balor up in the corner, but instead of the Red Arrow he goes to the second rope and hits Balor with a huge corkscrew splash. Balor kicks out! Long 2 count there. Neville charging corner uppercut. Balor slingblade! Huge clothesline with a Neville 360 sell. Bloody Sunday hits! Neville kicks out! Balor drags him to the corner. Neville gets up and grabs Balor's foot. Enzuguri! Neville slams Balor in the target zone. Red Arrow! Balor got his knees up and cradles Neville! Neville JUST kicks out! Man, the crowd went nuts on that one. Really that should have been the finish, but even in NXT WWE loves their finishers. John WOOOOOOOOO dropkick. Coupe de Gracie! That ends it! Fantastic match, with no small amount of NJPW junior style working its way in. They handshake after the bell and there's a small "Thank you Neville" chant. As would become NXT tradition, Neville put over the incoming star before making his move up to the main roster. His debut was on the Raw after WM, already bereft of his first name and now just Neville. He'd float around the midcard for a while with zero traction, win the Cruiserweight title a couple of times after it was brought back in the Cruiserweight Classic, turn heel and become more PAC like during those reigns (within the bounds of TV-PG), then famously walk out of a Raw in October '17 and sit out the rest of his contract before finally being released in August '18. Later in 2019 he'd be one of the very first signees to the new All Elite Wrestling. ****1/4

 

Fatal 4 Horsewomen Match for the NXT Women's Championship: Sasha Banks def Charlotte (c), Bayley and Becky Lynch in 11:54- That's not the actual name of the match, I just couldn't resist. The group wasn't being acknowledged on air yet. This is right in the middle of the 4 Horsewomen's dominance of the NXT women's title scene, and here they all are in one match. It's Lynch's Takeover debut, the last of the four to make it. She turned on Banks a few weeks prior to get included in the match. Zero reaction for Lynch from the crowd. Back then she certainly felt like an add-on to the established feud the other three had. The bell rings and we're right into it four way style. Banks and Lynch put the immediate past aside and work together again. Charlotte gives them a double clothesline. Bayley sneaks in and rolls Charlotte up for 2. "Bayley's gonna hug you!" Banks and Lynch get Charlotte onto the floor and throw her into one of the apron video boards, shorting it out. After that they gang up on Bayley. Bayley gets thrown back into the turnbuckle. Both Banks and Lynch try to pin Bayley at the same time. The ref says that's not how the Force works and there goes that alliance. Lynch attacks Banks, tosses her out and hits a series of legdrops on Bayley. Dragon screw leg whip on Bayley! Lynch hooks in a reverse figure four. Banks breaks it up. Lynch dodges the Banks corner double knee and hits a missile dropkick. Charlotte gets back in and works over both Banks and Lynch with neckbreakers for everyone. Banks/Charlotte slugfest. Banks dodges and Charlotte spears Lynch! Charlotte wheelbarrows Banks, but Bayley comes in and uses it to give Banks a codebreaker! A Charlotte big boot sends Bayley back to the floor. Banks dodges another spear and Charlotte posts her shoulder. She pulls Lynch in, sets her up on the bottom rope underneath Charlotte, and goes right through them both with the corner double knee! Banks covers both for 2 and screams in frustration when she can't get a pin on either. Bayley's back in with a suplex on Charlotte. She corners Charlotte with back elbows. The crowd's starting to get into it. Bayley sets Charlotte on the top rope and gives her a hurricanrana! Bayley to belly! Cover! Lynch pulls Bayley off and drags her all the way to the floor. Bayley baseball slide through the corner on Lynch! Banks plancha on both of them! "Women's wrestling!" chant. Charlotte planchas all three of them! Charlotte and Becky are the first ones back in. Becksploder! Cover for 2. European uppercuts from Lynch. She sets Charlotte up top. Bayley runs in and German suplexes Lynch! SUPER BAYLEY TO BELLY ON CHARLOTTE! The crowd goes crazy! Cover! Banks pulls Bayley off! She covers! Charlotte kicks out! Banks hooks on the Banks Statement! She gets up to kick Lynch and Bayley back to the floor and hooks it on again. Charlotte crawls toward the rope but Banks really cranks her back. She changes gears and wraps Charlotte in a crucifix! That gets the shock pin and the title in what has to be an upset! Charlotte's title reign ends at 258 days. Pretty good pop for the surprise result, plus Banks had a lot of fans in Full Sail despite being the only clear heel of the four. She tries to stay in character but is clearly very emotional. Anyone that's seen behind the scenes footage from this time knows Banks could fall into bawling tears at the drop of a hat. Charlotte offers a handshake. Banks gives her a quick hug, then they shove each other to try to stay in character but aren't fooling anyone. Really nice moment. Another fantastic NXT women's title match, but it didn't quite have enough to hit that next level for me. In her first major performance Lynch looked like she belonged no matter how little the crowd cared about her. ***3/4

Promo for Wrestlemania 31, 46 days away. Hey, maybe now he's in charge Triple H will bring the numbers back to Wrestlemania. I hope so. Taking them away never made any sense to me. "Hey, which Wrestlemania is that?" "Wrestlemania." "Yeah, but which one?" "I don't know, it just says Wrestlemania." After that is the video package for the Owens/Zayn feud. Unlike the women's match, which was a video package for the sake of a video package and could just as well have been done with some prematch promos, this was a great look inside Owens' debut and turn, with a hint of the extensive real life and non-WWE history between the two. To my knowledge this was really the first time any part of WWE had used someone's pre-WWE feud history as part of a current feud, excluding WCW and ECW guys after those companies were bought by WWE.

NXT Championship: Kevin Owens def Sami Zayn (c) in 22:45- Very split crowd for the start of this with a lot of "Fight Owens Fight" chants. Huge big match feel. I remember watching this on the night and thinking how completely surreal it was to see these two guys together in a WWE ring. Not the last time that feeling will occur on a Takeover. Both guys stay in their corners after the bell, soaking in the atmosphere. They take a step toward each other.....and Owens steps out of the ring. Mega stall by Owens. After a couple of minutes Zayn has had enough and flies over the referee with a tope con hilo! Angry Zayn pounds away. Graves: "Zayn isn't angry, Owens made Zayn angry!". OK....what's the difference and your point? That's what bugs me about Graves, so often it sounds like he's arguing just for the sake of arguing, like a lot of those loudmouths on ESPN. While taking shots in the corner Owens lifts Zayn up and drops him face first on the top turnbuckle. Huge Owens corner clotheslines. Corner whip with an amazing super sell from Zayn. Mr. Perfect looked down from above and thought that might have been a bit too over the top. Big chop and cover from Owens for 2. Owens wins a forearm exchange. Basic body slam and Owens looks like he's just toying with Zayn right now. Zayn tries to come back but Owens literally runs him over. Kick wham suplex lift and Owens drops Zayn gut first over the top rope. Zayn fights out of a chinlock but is cut off again with a back suplex. Owens tosses Zayn to the floor and gives him some good old fashioned Ric Flair chops against the guardrail. The floor beatdown continues to a light "Kill Owens Kill" chant. Back in Owens hits a gutbuster and senton. Zayn tries to slap himself back into it. He jawbreakers out of another chinlock but it barely fazes Owens. Commentary starts to compare this match to Brock Lesnar destroying John Cena at the previous year's Summerslam. Oh man, how I loved that match. Watching it live was almost cathartic. Owens continues to play. Zayn gets momentum with some clotheslines! He clotheslines Owens 360 to the floor. Stair shot for Owens. Owens tries to roll Zayn back in the ring, but Zayn rolls right through and charges in with another clothesline. Back in he walks into an Owens back elbow. Zayn ducks a clothesline and hits a blue thunder bomb for 2! Corner charge but Zayn runs right into an Owens superkick. Cannonball! Cover for 2. Pumphandle neckbreaker for 2. Owens goes for a powerbomb, but Zayn adjusts midair and hits him with a dropkick! Half nelson suplex for 2. Owens rolls onto the apron. Zayn gives him a buckle shot. Owens grabs Zayn and gives him a stunner/cutter like move over the top rope! Owens goes up top. Zayn pops up and tries for a superplex. Owens fights him off. Senton off the top! Zayn gets his knees up! Corner exploder! Zayn sets up the Helluva kick but Owens rolls to the floor. Zayn follows. Owens goes for the apron powerbomb again! Zayn lands feet first on the apron! Springboard moonsault! Zayn's head hit the ramp on the way down and he's clearly dazed. He gets up but is very wobblelegged. He manages to stagger to the corner. Owens is set up and he goes for the Helluva kick again, but can't hold his balance. He tries again, and runs into the pop up powerbomb! Cover! Zayn kicks out! That sets Owens off and he goes into full on no ha ha's beatdown mode. Zayn's clearly not right. A ringside doctor comes up to look at him. Owens gives no shits and powerbombs him again. A third powerbomb! Two hand cover. Zayn barely lifts a shoulder off the mat in time! Two trainers get in the ring to check on him. Owens still gives no shits. A fourth powerbomb! A fifth! He goes for another but the ref physically drags him into the corner, and calls for the bell! The crowd is confused. The ref lifts Owens' hand and hands him the belt! Owens wins by ref stoppage, a finish you'll see every once in a while in New Japan but never in WWE. He still gets a pop, but not as big a one as the start of the match. Watching this live I remember how weird I thought this was, and the immediate online reaction was full of confusion as well. Over time this has aged pretty well, but the match likely would have been better served with a "proper" ending. It was smart in one way, in that it got a lot of the crowd that was cheering Owens to turn on him by match's end. ****

OVERALL SHOW THOUGHTS- A rough first half but a great second half with all the big matches delivering. Takeover continues to build its reputation as something special and must see every time out. For some reason the normally boisterous Full Sail crowd really didn't get going until about halfway through the women's match.

OVERALL SHOW GRADE: B+