Thursday, April 8th 2021
WWE Performance Center
Orlando, Florida
Follow me on Twitter: @WorkTheNetwork2
Poppy is here to perform to kick off the show. To each their own, but this one is not for me.
Ladder Match For The NXT Cruiserweight Championship
Santos Escobar vs. Jordan Devlin
They have a little bit of a flat start to the match, where they kind of feel like they didn't know what they wanted to do. Devlin hits a springboard moonsault to the outside. Devlin baits Escobar into attempting a baseball slide into the ladder, but moves it out of the way and nails him with it. Escobar is able to reverse an Irish whip and throw Devlin into the ladder and to the outside. Escobar hits a running double knees and then goes in the ring to set up the ladder. Devlin interrupts, but then ends up getting a ladder jabbed into his ladder from a low dropkick. Escobar slaps Devlin, so he retaliates by throwing him face-first into a ladder. They kind of feel like they are either holding back or working at a slower speed for whatever reason. Devlin is the first to get his fingers on the titles, but Escobar is there. Devlin on the way down hits a DDT on his way down. Escobar hits a suicide dive into Devlin into the ladder. They start trading blows and Escobar nails a high knee. Escobar hits the Spanish Fly, but Devlin hits a spinning cutter. Devlin goes to the top of the ladder and hits a huge moonsault. That was definitely the highlight of the match so far. Devlin is climbing the ladder, but out comes Legado Del Fantasmo and they toss him off the ladder and to the floor. Escobar takes his time because it's wrestling and that's what you do, which allows Devlin to throw a ladder at him and slow him down. He sets up a ladder next to him and they battle halfway up. Devlin hits a Spanish Fly off the ladder and both men are down. Devlin again begins to climb and naturally Escobar is there for the battle. Escobar pushes him off the ladder and through another ladder in the corner. Escobar grabs the titles for the victory. I don't know if it was just me, but this one just did not work for me. It felt slow and plodding. I would have rather seen a few of these minutes go somewhere else on the card.
Match Rating: **1/4
We get a MSK interview backstage and they talk about Killian Dain and Drake Maverick being the new #1 contenders. They have a pretty likable goofiness to them.
NXT Women's Tag Team Championship Match
Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell vs. Ember Moon & Shotzi Blackheart
It's always good to see LeRae on the card. The Way is able to withstand an early blast from Shotzi and cut the ring in half early on. Shotzi hits an enzuigiri and makes the hot tag to Moon, who hits a spinning forearm on LeRae. The Way goes for a double superplex, but Shotzi makes the save and we get a tower of doom spot that gets ruined by the camera angle. Indi hits a sitdown powerbomb for a nearfall. Moon tags in Shotzi and she hits a top rope crossbody on both opponents. Shotzi kind of hits a suicide dive on both LeRae and Indi, but it looks as if she missed the mark a little. Moon hits a somersault dive off the top rope for good measure. Moon hits a double Eclipse off the top rope and Shotzi hits a top rope senton for the victory. This was pretty good, but felt a little bit more like a TV match rather than a TakeOver match.
Match Rating: **3/4
NXT North American Championship Match
Bronson Reed vs. Johnny Gargano
Reed turns a headscissor into a cartwheel and I already love this match. Reed catches Gargano on his shoulders, but Gargano rakes his eyes and shoves him into the announcer table. Reed catches Gargano and hits a powerslam. Reed goes for a vertical suplex, but Gargano knees him. Reed still holds him up and hits a Jagged Edge for a 2 count. Reed tries to suplex Gargano back into the ring, but Gargano trips him up on the turnbuckles and hits a Backstabber off the second rope. Reed counters Gargano's offense and hits a vertical suplex. Gargano is able to hit a reverse rana and goes for the Gargano Escape. Reed gets out and Reed ends up hitting a Razor's Edge into a toss into the ring. Reed misses the Tsunami and Gargano hits a superkick for a 2 count. I'm not sure I love Gargano recovering so quickly from that Razor's Edge. Reed goes up top again, but Theory distracts him and Gargano crotches Reed. Gargano goes for a top rope rana, but Reed hold on. Reed hits a move, but I'm not sure what it was because you CAN'T REWIND ON PEACOCK. Anyway, Reed goes after Austin Theory and ends up hitting a dive on him. Gargano goes for One Final Beat, but Reed counters it and gets another nearfall. Gargano hits a couple of superkicks, but Reed returns the favor and climbs the turnbuckle. He goes for a moonsault, but Gargano moves and then hits One Final Beat. He hits a second one and that's all for Reed. This was a solid match, but didn't have the classic Gargano storytelling that we usually get at a TakeOver. Good match, but also disappointing.
Match Rating: ***1/4
NXT Championship Match
Karrion Kross vs. Finn Balor
We get a feeling out process to start. Balor gets some of the more vicious lookin gslaps I have seen in and Kross isn't happy about it. Balor is able to avoid Kross in the corner though and Kross hits his shoulder on the post. Balor gets an arm bar on and continues to work on the arm/shoulder. Kross is able to hit a boot, but Balor fights off the comeback and hits an inverted DDT/elbow. Kross finally makes his comeback and hits a powerbomb for a 2 count. Balor again is able to swing the pendulum back in his direction and puts Kross in an abdominal stretch. Kross tosses him out, but runs into a Pele kick. Balor hits a running dropkick and goes up to the top rope. Balor hits the Coup de Grace, but Kross turns the pin attempt into a submission hold. Balor again is one step ahead. Again Kross battles back and hits a German suplex with a release. Kross hits a clubbing blow to the back of Balor and we have a new NXT Champion. I don't know what's up with tonight, but I am just not digging most of these matches tonight. It doesn't help that I'm not a very big fan of Kross's style, but still was hoping for something better than what we got here.
Match Rating: **1/2
Unsanctioned Match
Kyle O'Reilly vs. Adam Cole
I definitely need this one to meet my lofty expectations to save this show from the mediocre range. We get some brawling to start. O'Reilly sets Cole down in a chair and hits a couple of kicks, but Cole catches the third one. O'Reilly counters the Panama Sunrise for a back body drop. O'Reilly has Cole in a guillotine while sitting on the top rope, but Cole knocks him off and he hits the edge of the ring. Cole works on the neck and hits a neckbreaker on a chair. Cole hits his variation of a FU/neckbreaker and then starts taunting O'Reilly while he's down. This brings O'Reilly to his feet and he hits Cole with some knees. O'Reilly hits a back suplex onto a seated chair. He hits a running dropkick off the apron to Cole, who was sitting in the chair. O'Reilly brings out a chain from under the ring. O'Reilly wraps the chain around his leg for his kicks, but it doesn't work out that great, because it falls off. He goes to fix it and Cole puts him in the Figure Four. O'Reilly is able to reverse it, but Cole turns it back and then they both hit right hands on each other. Back on their feet O'Reilly runs off the ropes, but Cole holds up the chain and O'Reilly's neck goes right into it. Cole then uses the chain to hit a Backstabber. Cole hits a big seated shining wizard, but O'Reilly is able to kick out. Back on the outside, O'Reilly gets the guillotine in and then knocks him down with a kick. O'Reilly is about to use the steel steps, but has second thoughts. He's still able to fight off Cole and then starts cleaning off the announcer table. They battle up on the table and O'Reilly hits a brainbuster. Cole walks to the production area to recuperate and then blindsides O'Reilly with a TV. O'Reilly hits a big rebound clothesline and a brainbuster for another close call. O'Reilly puts on a triangle choke, but Cole breaks it after using the tire iron on O'Reilly's ribs. They are both seated in chairs in the middle of the ring and begin trading blows. Cole hits the huge superkick, but O'Reilly again kicks out. Cole then puts a chair around his neck and grabs another chair. The referee tries to get him to stop, so he clocks him. Cole hits Panama Sunrise, but that doesn't help when you knock out the referee. He tries to wake him up, but it's not working. O'Reilly puts Cole in the guillotine on the ramp, but Cole drives him to and then THROUGH the ramp. Cole then stomps through the side of the ramp and pulls out O'Reilly. Cole then hits a suplex onto a step. O'Reilly recovers and again wraps his leg with the chain and hits a top rope knee with Cole's head on a chair. They were going for the big, epic brawl along the lines of Gargano/Ciampa and they mostly delivered. I would argue that they could have shaved a little bit of time off there, but maybe that's just me being extremely tired. I also think this match really needed a full arena to really make it. They bring out the stretcher for Cole with O'Reilly watching over them. O'Reilly is then shown watching from the stage as we go off the air.
Match Rating: ***3/4
Well, I have pretty much loved every TakeOver there has been to date, but this one may be my least favorite. Some of these matches just didn't work that well for me. Karrion Kross is the worst NXT Champion since Robert Roode and while I completely understand why they put the strap on him, I'm just not personally a huge fan. The ladder match felt sluggish and kind of got the show off on the wrong foot. It was far from bad, but way below the expectations that I have when I watch a TakeOver.
Overall Rating: 68%
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