SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)...
NXT LIVE EVENT
AUGUST 16, 2018
LOWELL, MASS. AT MEMORIAL AUDITORIUM
REPORT BY JON-MICHAEL ELDER, PWTORCH CORRESPONDENT
If you attend a live event, please send results in the format of the following report to pwtorch@pwtorch.com. Thanks!
The lower bowl is 100 percent packed and the upper deck is over 90 percent full, which is a better showing than the crowd at the last NXT event here and twice the crowd that this venue had for last winter’s 205 live tour.
(1) War Raiders (Rowe & Hanson) defeated Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch. Both Hanson and Lorcan got huge reactions because they are both locals. The crowd really enjoyed the match.
(2) Bianca Belair defeated Deonna Purazzo. Belair played up the heelish tendancies. The crowd was full of Marty Scurll remarks for Purazzo who also did a bit of Scurll’s handstand maneuver. Purazzo was last here during the ROH/NJPW War of Worlds so the crowd was really behind her.
(3) Lars Sullivan defeated Danny Burch after Burch made an open call out.
(4) Adam Cole defeated EC3 to retain the North American Championship. Before the match was underway EC3 kept throwing Cole’s shirt into the crowd, but three fans, including a four year old kid, all threw the shirt back into the ring each time. The place went nuts. Cole drew great heat and EC3 was really over. (EC3 just did an appearance and autograph signing last Monday at a Lowell Spinners game, our local Boston Red Sox affiliated minor league team, for some good p.r.)
(5) Undisputed Era (Kyle O’Reilly & Roderick Strong) beat Moustache Mountain (Trent Seven & Tyler Bate) to retain the NXT Tag Team Championship. The match was excellent and garnered multiple “This is awesome!” chants.
Intermission.
(6) Pete Dunne pinned Velveteen Dream to retain the United Kingdom Championship. Super hard-hitting and the crowd was very divided. More NXT and “This is Awesome!” chants. Dream stayed in the ring to soak in the appreciation from the crowd.
Tomasso Ciampa issued an open challenge to anyone in the locker room for later tonight.
(7) Dakota Kai & Kairi Sane defeated Lacey Evans & Shayna Baysler. The crowd was really buying into Evans heel tactics.
Ciampa entered the ring to thunderous boos to see who answered his open challenge. It was announced that his challenger hails from Boston, Mass. and the crowd erupted. Then entered newly ethnicized Donovan Dijakovic.
(8) Tomasso Ciampa pinned Donovan Dijacovic. Ciampa began with a bunch of tedious chokeholds just to anger the fans. There were a vocal minority of fans rooting for him though. Some close calls, but ultimately… Ciampa won via pinfall. Afterwards he offered a handshake to Dijakovic. But Ciampa left the ring only to return and attack him.
Then Gargano came out, followed by Danny Burch, Oney Lorcan, and The War Raiders as Ciampa tried to get away. He made it back to the ring and they all gave him a beat down.
Gargano addressed the crowd about Takeover and then highlighted Lorcan, Hanson, and Dijakovic as the local talent who all got a standing ovation. Hanson said, “Lowell, it’s good to be home.” Then then recounted attending a WWE show in this same building 20 years prior and saw Chyna beat up Scotty 2 Hotty. Then the local wrestlers had the crowd join in with a rendition of Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline,” which they play during the 8th inning of every Red Sox game.
Following that, they all took time to take pictures and sign autographs for everyone who made their way close to the barriers. We were lucky enough to get pics with Gargano and Lorcan, who were each very nice to my son.
FINAL NOTES: A really fun show. The main event was great. Pete Dunne was excellent. Adam Cole continues to be a huge attraction. Each match was enjoyable. No lull points. The crowd seemed happily surprised with each match considering there was no announcements regarding tonights lineup so we werent exactly sure what to expect.
If you attend a live event, please send results in the format of the following report to pwtorch@pwtorch.com. Thanks!
NOW CHECK OUT THIS RECENT REPORT: 8/11 WWE in Greenville, N.C.: Rusev & Lana vs. Andrade & Zelina, Asuka vs. Carmella, Bludgeon Brothers vs. Anderson & Gallows, New Day vs. The Bar, Nakamura vs. Hardy
Excellent report, Jon Michael!