Yet Another Late WWE Recap: NXT Takeover Brooklyn & Summerslam

THIS IS SO LATE I’M SORRY. Nevertheless I vowed to document my opinions of every NXT and WWE PPV no matter how short the recap is! I’m writing this minutes before Hell In A Cell begins so this’ll be super short. I’m talking like a couple sentences apiece.

The Undisputed Era (Champs) vs. Moustache Mountain – NXT Tag Team Championship

This was a great start to the PPV, their first match together was awesome, and this was no different. Tyler Bate was the notable star of the match and I loved the reversed bit where Trent Seven ALMOST threw in the towel for Tyler Bate (similar to how Bate did to Seven a few months ago). Side note: I LOVED that the War Raiders came out at the end, I can’t wait to see them go against the Undisputed Era! The Undisputed Era retains via pinfall 8.75/10.

EC3 vs. Velveteen Dream

The NXT Roster is so stacked, it’s almost impossible to have a bad card. EC3 and Velveteen Dream really brought it tonight. EC3 is great but you can’t top Velveteen Dream he’s one of the most exciting wrestlers WWE has. The “Call Me Up Vince” pants were absolutely incredible. I feel like it’s been ages since we’ve seen The Dream win so it was nice to see him come out on top. Velveteen Dream wins via pinfall 9/10.

Adam Cole vs. Ricochet – North American Championship

This was the best match of the night. I know I’m just as shocked as you are. Anything either of these two touches turns to gold. This match had so many nearly falls and incredible moments of athleticism, I was on the edge of my seat the entire match. The highlight of the match for me though was that we have a new North American Champion in Ricochet! Ricochet wins the North American Championship via pinfall 9.5/10.

Shayna Baszler (Champ) vs. Kairi Sane – NXT Women’s Championship

This was the best women’s championship match in NXT in a long time. Shayna Baszler has been slowly growing on my as time has gone by but I’m SO glad that she lost the belt. The women’s division has been so boring as of late because it didn’t seem like anyone could beat Baszler and I was pleasantly surprised to see Sane managed to sneak the win! Kairi Sane wins the NXT Women’s Championship via pinfall 8/10.

Tomasso Ciampa vs. Johnny Gargano – Last Man Standing Match

These two have had two masterpiece matches, but this one didn’t QUITE live up to the same potential as them. It wasn’t bad by any means don’t get me wrong, but something was slightly off about it. It wasn’t as insane as their second encounter, but then again I didn’t think it was possible to get any more extreme. I thought the end of the match was a little silly. Johnny Gargano looked like an idiot, but I guess that’s kind of what the story has been. Gargano has given into the darkness! How much longer can these two possibly feud!? I hope it isn’t losing gas. Ciampa is the last man standing 8.5/10.

Final Score: Awesome PPV! I wish the Ciampa & Gargano match was better but it was still pretty solid! 8.75/10

Summerslam

Rusev & Lana vs. Andrade Cien Almas & Zelina Vega 

This was a weird mixed tag match. It wasn’t all that mixed! Rusev and Almas fought the first half of the match, then there was a single tag and Lana and Zelina fought the rest of it. Rusev and Almas were pretty decent, and I’m glad to see Lana get a little better with each match. Zelina didn’t really get to do much of anything but she still got the win for her and Almas. Pretty forgettable match, but not “bad.” Rusev and Almas are better than the preshow. Zelina Vega & Almas win via pinfall 7/10.

Cedric Alexander (Champ) vs. Drew Gulak – Cruiserweight Championship

I’m so happy to see Gulak get a title opportunity! It’s a shame he didn’t have a PowerPoint presentation with him and that he didn’t win but man Gulak got a title shot! Cedric Alexander though is absolutely incredible and he proved that once again tonight. I’m not sure who is going to end up taking that title from Alexander. Also, will any of these guys get to go on the main roster or even NXT? Basically can they go on a show where people will watch them? Cedric Alexander retains via pinfall 8.5/10.

The B Team (Champs) vs. The Revival – RAW Tag Team Championship

When oh when will The Revival get to be taken seriously!? Honestly I’ve seen a lot of superstars come up to the main roster and get cast aside but I haven’t seen anyone get robbed this badly since the Ascension. It would be nice to see The Revival win the tag team championship someday but honestly I don’t think it’ll happen anytime soon. This was a pretty solid match though. The B Team retains via pinfall 7.75/10.

Seth Rollins vs. Dolph Ziggler (Champ) – Intercontinental Championship

This match was a big step up for these two from their Extreme Rules match. That match wasn’t bad, this one was just way better. These two have a fighting style that go together so incredibly well. This had lots of great spots, Dean Ambrose and Drew McIntyre on the outside added a great element to the whole event. Best part of it though? Rollins wins! Rollins wins the Intercontinental Championship via pinfall 9/10.

The New Day vs. The Bludgeon Brothers (Champs) – Smackdown Tag Team Championship

Although I’m not usually a fan of PPV matches ending in a disqualification, this one wasn’t bad. The New Day are simply an excellent tag team and the Bludgeon Brothers got to beat the hell out of them pretty good. It’s a shame that after this, Rowan got injured causing them to give up the title early. The New Day win via DQ 7.5/10.

Braun Strowman vs. Kevin Owens 

The stipulation was if Strowman lost in any way he lost the Money In The Bank contract. This was hardly even a match though as Strowman totally destroyed him. What’s the point of this “feud?” Is it even a feud? A feud usually has two sides fighting but it has basically only been Strowman destroying Owens so far. Poor Owens just gets getting wrecked for the sake of a lousy storyline. These two still deserve better. Strowman wins via pinfall 6.5/10.

Charlotte Flair vs. Becky Lynch vs. Carmella (Champ) – Smackdown Women’s Championship

The ladies pulled through tonight, yes even Carmella! I think we can all say we saw the ending coming from a mile away. As much as we wanted to see Becky Lynch win tonight, we all knew that Charlotte’s sudden appearance wouldn’t be for nothing. Charlotte swooped in at the end and stole the win from Becky… but then we got a Becky Lynch heel turn!  These two could have an excellent feud together! Charlotte Flair wins the Smackdown Women’s Championship via pinfall 8.5/10.

Samoa Joe vs. AJ Styles (Champ) – WWE World Heavyweight Championship

Like I said earlier, I don’t usually like matches that end in disqualifications but this was actually amazing. The storyline was a little goofy up until this fight. Samoa Joe told AJ that he never wanted a family it was such a soap opera. Then the fight happened and Samoa Joe told AJ’s wife Wendy that he’d be her daddy. Then AJ lost it and beat the hell out of Samoa Joe, covering himself in blood and getting himself disqualified. Then he went to hug his wife and daughter and his daughter was visibly scared and crying. What a moment! The story went 0 to 100mph real fast! Samoa Joe wins via DQ 9/10.

The Miz vs. Daniel Bryan

The match I have wanted since the moment I heard Daniel Bryan was cleared to fight was finally here! It may not have been the masterpiece I wanted it to be, but it was still immensely entertaining because this feud has felt real and personal since that fated interview oh so long ago. This fight ended exactly how I thought it would; Miz cheated with Maryse’s help and ended up pinning Daniel Bryan. Can’t wait to see what happens in this feud next! The Miz wins via pinfall 8.5/10.

Finn Balor vs. Baron Corbin

Why did we get another one of these? Why are these two still feuding? It just feels so random! That all being said, I thoroughly enjoyed seeing this match and you know why? Because we got THE DEMON KING BACK!!! It has been far too long since we saw him and I think he’s Finn’s best incarnation. The matches just always seem to be better. This match was totally one sided, but you can’t complain about that when it’s The Demon King Finn Balor. I hope we get to see him again soon because he always makes the show better! Balor wins via pinfall 8.75/10.

Shinsuke Nakamura (Champ) vs. Jeff Hardy – United States Championship Match

Ah yes, the match we should’ve gotten at Extreme Rules! Definitely still not bitter about that… OK maybe I am. Anyways this match was kind of a snore. These two are so talented, but the match just never became anything special. It felt like a match you’d see on Smackdown. Then of course Randy Orton came out and………………….. did nothing? Not sure what’s going on with this. Nakamura retains via pinfall 6.5/10.

Ronda Rousey vs. Alexa Bliss (Champ) – RAW Women’s Championship

Everyone watching knew what was going to happen. Ronda was going to obliterate poor Alexa Bliss and boy did she. It was barely even a fight because Ronda just absolutely decimated Alexa and ended the whole thing pretty fast. That arm bar does not look fun in the slightest. Ronda Rousey wins the RAW Women’s Championship via submission 6.75/10.

Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar (Champ) – WWE Universal Championship

IT IS FINALLY OVER!!! FINALLY BROCK LOST THE BELT! I DON’T EVEN CARE THAT ROMAN HAS IT THE BELT WILL FINALLY CONSISTENTLY BE ON RAW!!! MOST GLORIOUS INDEED!!! This match was fine. Roman Reigns wins the Universal Championship via pinfall 7.5/10

Final Thoughts: Overall a pretty mixed bag for Summerslam but I definitely enjoyed more of it than I disliked. Roman winning the title is all I ever really needed from this PPV. Final Score: 8/10

I foolishly decided to take an extra class this semester so I haven’t been able to keep up with my weekly posts, and I apologize. Once I get through this semester I’ll be more consistent with my posts!

NXT Takeover: Chicago Recap

I love NXT. The roster, the matches, and the storylines are everything that the main roster ought to be. Although NXT is technically the “developmental show” for WWE, I think it goes without saying that almost every weekend there’s an NXT Takeover and a main roster PPV, NXT Takeover is the better show. It’s Money In The Bank weekend, but Saturday night belongs to NXT! Here’s a recap of NXT Takeover Chicago II! Although I give a score for each individual match, it’s only my personal opinion, I’m definitely not a wrestling guru just a guy that loves wrestling!

The Undisputed Era (Champs) vs. Danny Burch and Oney Lorcan – NXT Tag Team Championships

When this feud first began I was disappointed that Pete Dunne didn’t seem to be playing a part in it. Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch hadn’t really made a name for themselves yet in NXT, but holy Hell did they bring it tonight! I’m definitely an Oney Lorcan guy now! Both him and Burch put on an incredible fight against the Undisputed Era who were represented by Kyle O’Reilly and Roderick Strong. Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch have a pretty sweet signature move and I love the fact that Danny Burch headbutts his opponents. That all being said, The Undisputed Era are one of the best tag teams in the world for a reason. As always they showed perfect synchronicity and having Adam Cole at ringside gave them an unfair advantage, but Lorcan and Burch put up a great fight. Lorcan took a nasty fall where he hit his back off ringside, and the moment he came back I was in disbelief. Though they were close to victory, the Undisputed Era came out on top. It was way more entertaining than I thought it’d be. Excellent opening fight! 9/10 The Undisputed Era wins via pinfall. 

Ricochet vs. Velveteen Dream

 

NXT Takeover: New Orleans gave us one of the greatest ladder matches in recent memory, and these two stars were a big part of that. They had many spots in that match that were absolutely incredible so these two feuding is a dream (puns) come true. The feud began with Velveteen telling Ricochet that anything he can do, the Dream can do better and that story played through the match. Velveteen Dream read Ricochet like a book and was his usual psychological self. Early in the match he began copying Ricochet and doing moves nobody had seen him do before (literally proving he can do anything Ricochet does), but whenever Ricochet starts flying he becomes unstoppable and an absolute blast to watch. Velveteen Dream hits Ricochet with the same Death Valley Bomb he used during the Takeover: New Orleans ladder match and even suplexes Ricochet off the top rope onto the floor which looked PAINFUL. Ricochet then got revenge and used the Death Valley Bomb on Velveteen dream and even mocked him with Velveteen’s signature pose. The ending was a series of 1-Ups from the two, Ricochet did a Shooting Star Press from halfway across the ring, Velveteen Dream attempted an elbow drop from the entire length of the ring, but then Ricochet ended the contest with an INSANE 630. Two amazing wrestlers proving why they’re some of the best in the world. It didn’t matter who won this one, we got the amazing show we were promised! 10/10. Ricochet wins via pinfall.

Shayna Baszler vs. Nikki Cross – NXT Women’s Championship

These two aren’t my favorites in the Women’s Division, but Shayna Baszler has grown on me as a champion. She’s definitely gotten better with time, and Nikki Cross does the “crazy” persona better than anyone I can think of. This match had a bit of humor with how Cross essentially wanted Baszler to beat the crap out of her. After the beginning though there wasn’t much to this match. None of the spots really stuck out, and the finisher where Baszler held Cross in the submission definitely dragged out longer than it should’ve. I didn’t have high expectations for this, and sadly I was right to think so. Definitely the low point of the night, but I’m still excited to see who will be the first genuine threat to Baszler. 6.5/10 Baszler wins via submission.

Aleister Black (Champ) vs. Lars Sullivan – NXT Championship

Takeover continued with NXT Champion Aleister Black defending his belt against Diet Braun Strowman aka Lars Sullivan! Both of these guys always put on a hell of a show so my hopes were high for this one. Black came in hot and began a fast paced assault on Sullivan bringing the monster down fast, but Sullivan easily retaliated to gain the upper hand. The first big spot came when Sullivan climbed the top rope and body slammed Black. Black quickly put up his knee in defense but Sullivan’s massive size just crushed it. That injury played a role the rest of the match, but unlike most “injury stories” in matches, this one looked believably painful. Also, it’s amazing how Black can go from 0 to 100 in just a second. He’s so fast, and Sullivan is surprisingly quick for his size as well. It dragged on a little in the middle but the ending was phenomenal. Black hit Sullivan in the face with his knee then followed up with a Black Mass. Sullivan though shook it off and looked Black in the eye saying “I’m not finished yet.” To which Black yelled out a battle cry and hit Sullivan with another Black Mass to finish the beast off for good. A good, not great match with a very cool ending! Can’t wait to see who challenges the champ next! 8.5/10 Black wins via pinfall.

Johnny Gargano vs. Tommaso Ciampa – Chicago Street Fight 

Gargano vs. Ciampa at Takeover: New Orleans was one for the history books and the feud continued tonight in Chicago where it all began! In the first NXT Takeover: Chicago, Ciampa ended their tag team DIY and betrayed his best friend Gargano starting a blood feud that would last for months due to Ciampa’s injury. That time though only added to the heat between these two and has led to an absolutely amazing feud. Gargano was out for blood this time around leading William Regal to make their match a Chicago Street Fight so they could go all out. The match almost immediately went to the “streets” though with Gargano throwing Ciampa into the announce table (which wrecked poor Nigel McGuinness) and then into the stands. Ciampa though returned the favor with a trip to Suplex City for Gargano and a brutal spot where Ciampa put a chair around Gargano’s neck and threw him into the steel steps. Things started getting kinky though when Ciampa tried to handcuff Gargano, but Gargano defended himself and started whipping his old friend with his belt. Jokes aside, this match made excellent use of weapons and the “everything is legal” stipulation. The two just tore into each other and you really felt these two HATED each other. Things began spiraling further out of control when Ciampa ripped the ring apart exposing the wood underneath (something I have never seen before). Gargano luckily escaped that, but he didn’t escape the trash can lid to the face soon after. Ciampa then dragged Gargano to the entrance ramp and essentially reenacted the moment at the last Takeover Chicago where Ciampa initially turned heel. To rub salt into the wound though, Ciampa took Gargano’s wedding ring, spat on it, then threw it into the crowd. That gave Gargano a second wind which ended up with him putting Ciampa through a table. Ciampa was then getting put on a stretcher and you could see the insanity on Gargano’s face. Gargano snapped and took Ciampa from the medical staff, beat down the WWE staff and unleashed hell on Ciampa. Just when you thought Gargano was going to win, Ciampa somehow with his hands cuffed slammed Gargano head first into the exposed wood of the ring. Ciampa then got the pinfall and won what was a hellacious second chapter to this insane feud. The crowd was shocked and absolutely silent. Nobody could believe the way it ended. I don’t know how they managed to top the first match between these two, but they did. We all know Gargano vs. Ciampa III is coming, and I have NO IDEA how they’re going to top this! 10/10 Ciampa wins via pinfall. 

Final Thoughts 

This PPV was another amazing show WWE should be proud of. With exception to the Women’s Championship, every match was incredible! I wasn’t sure if anything could top Velveteen Dream and Ricochet’s match but then Ciampa vs. Gargano happened. Both were absolute show stealers and to be able to see both in the same night just goes to show how strong the NXT roster is. Gargano vs. Ciampa III will be a must see (whenever that may be) and I’d love to see Ricochet get a title shot in the near future whether it be the North American or NXT Championship Title. Also, I hope Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch don’t get completely overshadowed in the future because they really proved their worth tonight. And for the Women’s Division? I’d love to see someone like Kairi Zayn get a shot against Baszler or even to see Dakota Kai get some sweet revenge. Either way, the future for NXT continues to look as bright as ever! Final Score: 9/10