Last week on NXT: Takeover XXV happened. Matt Riddle picked up a very very hard fought victory over Roderick Strong. The Street Profits, on their first official Takeover, won the tag team championships in a very emotional victory over three other teams in a ladder match. Tyler Breeze proved just how misused he was on the main roster in a close match with Velveteen Dream that ended in a loss for Breeze. Shayna Baszler beat Io Shirai in a great bout that saw Io lose her shit after the match and destroy Shayna with a kendo stick. Adam Cole became the second ever NXT Triple Crown champion by winning the NXT Championship off of Johnny Gargano in a more than 5* match.
Cold Open
A recap of Takeover. Which is what happens on every Takeover Hangover.
Keith Lee vs. Kona Reeves
- When they added lyrics to Keith Lee’s music, they added a superstar quality to a man that is already a superstar. In 5 years, Matt Riddle and Keith Lee will be all over Wrestlemania and it’s gonna be a fun ride.
- Kona Reeves has so much potential as well. So many people hate this man for just existed. I don’t see him as a main event main roster wrestler, but damn it if he isn’t the guy that can defy the odds. Kona grows every week as a performer.
- “Oh Bask In His Glory” chant to start the match. Keith Lee looks calm and composed in front of the largest crowd he has ever wrestled in I believe.
- Keith Lee is able to manhandle Kona Reeves with ONE HAND.
- Keith doesn’t let go of his one handed grip on Kona for almost four straight minutes of the match. The dude makes the most basic offense entertaining, great fucking quality to have.
- Kona decides to just attack relentlessly and not give Lee a chance to fight back. It takes a lot of doing but Kona is able to get control. Dude loses focus and plays to the crowd, but he is able to stay in control. Kona applies a chinlock onto Keith Lee, which is a mistake. He gave Keith a chance to find his footing and display his strength. Reeves minded his mistake and started throwing strikes to the back of Lee’s head.
- The crowd is firmly behind Lee and after watching 205 Live, it’s amazing how much a crowd reaction helps a match.
- Keith Lee goes back to the well of holding Kona’s arm and that turns the tide of the match back in Lee’s favor. Keith does a leapfrog and a cross body to impress the crowd.
- Keith Lee is a One Piece fan, which is my favorite anime ever, so that bit of knowledge connects me to Keith more than before, which gets me further invested in him as a wrestler. Just thought I’d throw that in there.
- Keith Lee does a fireman’s carry into a powerslam for the win.
And I’m Like… Impressed as fuck. Keith Lee just exudes charisma, has strength, speed, and the facial expressions to boot. I am excited for Keith Lee’s future, if he is used right. Keith vs. Big E or Samoa Joe is the hoss fights I crave.
This dude is like vampire Roman Reigns.. That’s not his gimmick but that’s his vibe. I am intrigued as to what Damian evolves into. A Velveteen Dream feud would be very interesting.
Mia Yim vs. Bianca Belair
- This match is their third outing against each other. Both have a win over the other and this match may settle their great in ring feud. Reall love the chemistry with these two.
- Mia Yim and Bianca’s entrances are so much more powerful in an arena. I feel like the sound of Takeover’s is different than WWE arena shows. The music sounds better, the commentary is a bit quieter and not overpowering the entrance. They let the stars be stars. It’s the little things that make NXT seem like a better product. I’m so grateful for NXT you guys.
- How long do you think it takes Bianca to do her braid? I have a three year old daughter and it takes me a good five minutes just to get her hair in a ponytail. I can’t even do a braid, let alone a five foot braid. Shits wild.
- ” Let’s go Mia/EST” chants echo through the arena while both Bianca and Mia keep up a quick pace. Both women know they can beat the other and are wrestling with more confidence than ever before.
- NXT advertises on the lower third of the screen that the next two Takeovers are August 10th in Canada and November 23rd for War Games.
- Bianca gets control of the match and in between her moves she does disrespectful things to Mia, messing up the hair and slaps to the face type stuff.
- Bianca legit clowns on Mia. Sits on her back while dancing and taunting, Mia bides her time and is able to get a bit of offense on Bianca but Belair still has more fight than boast in her and this match is back to back and forth.
- Mia is selling her lower back and Bianca has zoned in on Yim’s back and continues to attack it. The one thing Mia has going for her is Bianca’s audacity to continually show off to the crowd and clown on Mia.
- Mia was able to throw Bianca face first into the steel aluminum steps and that may have made the match even.
- Bianca hits a NASTY German suplex on Yim who rotates to her stomach in mid air but almost lands directly on her neck. That shit was wild and made me pop out of my seat like a jump scare in a horror flick.
- Bianca remembers that Mia used Belairs braid as leverage to win the last match. So Belair ties her braid up, but that amount of time gave Mia the ability to recover and put Belair in a guillotine choke.
- There is a battle with Mia on the top rope and Bianca on the floor. Mia grabs Bianca’s arm and is able to hit Eat Defeat from the top rope. MIA is 2-1 against the formerly undefeated Bianca Belair. That was tremendous.
And I’m Like… That shit was significant. Mia cries after the three count as Mauro says she has to be in contention for Shayna Bazler’s NXT women’s championship. This feud, if over, was fantastic and was built around in-ring psychology which is what I am all about. Overall it was your typical Takeover:Hangover, good as hell.
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