NXT TAKEOVER NEW YORK REPORT 4/5: Full results and match analysis for Gargano vs. Cole, Baszler vs. Belair vs. Shirai vs. Sane, War Raiders vs. Black & Ricochet, Dunne vs. Walter, Dream vs. Riddle

NXT TAKEOVER NEW YORK REPORT
APRIL 5, 2019
NEW YORK CITY, NY. AT THE BARCLAY CENTER
AIRED LIVE ON WWE NETWORK

War Raiders come out first, with a small entourage of people dressed like Vikings to walk them down to the ring.

1. NXT Tag Team Champions WAR RAIDERS (HANSON & ROWE) vs. ALEISTER BLACK & RICOCHET – Tag Team Championship Match

Rowe and Black start with a lockup. Black surprisingly is able to stand against Rowe, then shift to a headlock. Rowe actually goes toe-to-toe with Black on the mat. Rowe takes Black down, then almost punches his lights out, then holds back and lets Black recover. A waistlock takedown from Rowe. Rowe on his knees, Black moves to kicks his head off, then pulls the kick and lets the foot rest against Rowe’s head. Rowe offers a fist bump, Black takes it, they back to their corners and tag out. Ricochet tries a shoulder block. Head scissors takedown, then a kip up into a dropkick sends Hanson flying. Rowe and Black in. Rowe gets sent outside, Black does his moonsault into the sit, Ricochet sits next to him to own the ring. War Raiders come in, and manage to flip over Black and Ricochet. A full brawl breaks out with Black and Ricochet getting the upper hand. Hanson turns it around by himself and tags Rowe in, who body slams Hanson onto Ricochet. Rowe slows things down with an armbar on Black, then takes Black to the corner to tag Hanson in.

Rowe wants to body slam Hanson onto Black, Black recovers, punches Rowe who ends up body slamming Hanson onto the mat. Tag to Ricochet who goes nuts on Rowe. Standing shooting star press gets Ricochet two. Ricochet actually tries to put Rowe in an abdominal stretch. Tag to Black. Clothesline gives Black only one. The crowd starts going nuts for something but I am not sure what. A “you deserve it” chant which makes no sense. Rowe gets sent to the corner but elbows Ricochet off. Rowe takes a legsweep, rollup for two. Rowe with a sick knee to Black, double tag. Back drop sends Ricochet to the moon, then a low crossbody. Hanson throws Black to the corner, then lands a series of corner splashes to Black and Ricochet.

Ricochet catches Hanson on a crossbody attempt, then hits a fallaway slam in what is one of the most unlikely spots I could imagine happening tonight. Double tag. Rowe and Black are hobbling and trade strikes. Rowe gets most of the boos. Black catches a knee strike, roundhouse to the head, Rowe counters a splash with a knee, Black with a knee, then a German suplex into a cover for a nearfall. Double tag. Ricochet and Hanson practically dance with each other, Hanson ducks the handspring back elbow then hits one of his own for two-and-a-half. Hanson thinks moonsault from the top but takes too long and Ricochet knocks him down. Ricochet gets caught, tag to Rowe, Rowe hits a leaping knee then slams Hanson onto him, then they hit a springboard Hart Attack, they both pile on for the cover, Black nails a top rope double stomp to break the cover up.

Black is the first to recover, but takes a knee from Hanson. Rowe pops Black up, he transitions to double knees on Hanson, clears Rowe out, leaps onto Hanson ringside, Rowe with a suicide dive to Black, Ricochet with a corkscrew dive to Rowe, Hanson tot he top and a cannonball onto the mess of people ringside. Rowe and Ricochet, the legal men, come to life at the very last moment to prevent a double countout. Ricochet and Rowe trade strikes now. They are both super wobbly. Ricochet escapes a STO, superkick, tag to Black who has knees and boots for Rowe and Hanson. Rowe fires up, Black Mass, tag to Ricochet, 630, Ricochet bounces three feet in the air, cover. Black tries to block Hanson, Hanson shoves Black onto Ricochet to end the cover at the last possible moment. Ricochet wants another 630, Rowe rolls under, then Hanson ducks a moonsault from Black to the outside. Rowe gets rolled in, Hanson takes a tag, eats a superkick from Ricochet. Ricochet takes a double team, Hanson with a suicide dive to Black. Ricochet is set up for the Fallout which ends it.

Winners: War Raiders at 18:39. Wow, that match was crazy good. A few too many spotfest moments, but the stunts from Hanson were much faster and smoother than we have seen before, and it was great to see Rowe start with chain wrestling. Black and Ricochet never looked undersized, and Rowe and Hanson never looked out-wrestled. Just an absolutely incredible match, and I can’t believe that Black and Ricochet have another match in two days. If you are going to have a face-face match, this is as good as it gets.

Post-match, there are handshakes and hugs all around, with Rowe and Black helping Ricochet to his feet. Hanson and Rowe put their titles on the mat and bow, Ricochet and Black return it.

A very emotional moment, Ricochet starts tearing up as they get a standing ovation from the crowd. Black and Ricochet hug mid-ring, then raise each other’s hands, and give a bow to all four sides of the ring.

Riddle comes out with a New York Yankees-themed outfit. Velveteen Dream has gone so far over the top with his entrance, he comes out to America the Beautiful, dressed like the Statue of Liberty, standing on a litter. He sits on a chair, then the litter is picked up by four men who carry him to the ring. Mauro Ranallo calls him “the American Meme” and that’s about right. What an aggressively arrogant entrance, Dream is beyond perfection. Dream rolls around in the ring with the title.

2. NXT North American Champion VELVETEEN DREAM vs. MATT RIDDLE – NXT North American Championship Match

The crowd seems to be mostly behind Dream, and a “Bro!” chant gets booed over. Riddle offers a fist bump, Dream wags his finger in Riddle’s face, then does the crane kick pose. They finally get to the action, with Riddle delivering sharp kicks to Dream’s legs. Dream goes to the corner, then offers a fist bump, then tries a single leg takedown, Riddle dodges and takes Dream down himself. Dream can’t escape an armbar until he makes it to the ropes. Dream looks extremely outclassed by Riddle. Dream backs up from a test of strength, then they get to it. Riddle with a monkey flip into an arm bar but Dream gets to the ropes. Dream attacks Riddle’s foot, then a series of quick covers. Dream rakes Riddle’s back. Riddle is furious, Dream shakes his hips, Riddle with a trio of gutwrench suplexes, the third with a hip shimmy of his own, but Dream slips out and hits a dropkick. Turnaround double axe handle from Dream, then another off the top put Riddle down. Springboard axe handle to Riddle’s arm, then he tries one to the outside, Riddle moves and hits a German suplex.

Riddle rolls Dream into the ring and lands chops. Strikes from Riddle then an exploder suplex, Dream rolls under a moonsault, Riddle lands on his feet, senton, running kick gets Riddle one. Riddle thinks Bromission, but Dream blocks it. Riddle transitions to an armbar, but Dream gets a foot on the ropes. Riddle kicks Dream’s face before breaking. Dream with a released German suplex, Riddle hits a knee to Dream, suplex for two-and-a-half. Senton from Riddle, cover for two. Dream is struggling for traction. Riddle looks for a hold on the mat, Dream rolls to the mat, Riddle smashes Dream’s face to the five count, drawing boos. This feels like a heel turn for Riddle. Dream with a sudden sleeper hold, but Riddle breaks out, monkey flip into a cover for two. Riddle with a triangle out of the corner, then gets Dream out of the corner, but Dream locks his hands. Dream deadlifts Riddle, tries a clothesline, Riddle nails Go To Sleep, cover for a nearfall. Riddle is literally foaming at the mouth.

Riddle kicks Dream point blank, then again and again. Riddle claims to be the “Bro that runs the show”. Dream gets determined and eats another kick, then more, Dream hulks up and does the Hogan poses, then unloads on Riddle. Big boot, body slam, running kick, clothesline puts Riddle outside. Dream with a top rope ace handle to the outside, rolls Riddle inside, Fameasser for a nearfall. Dream to the top, but Riddle counters with a knee. Codebreaker from Dream but Riddle kicks out at two-and-three-quarters. Dream goes to the top again, but then comes down to hit a knee, Riddle ducks, and puts on an ankle lock. Dream is howling in pain, rolls through, tries to kick Riddle off, Riddle re-applies the hold to the other leg, Dream kicks away. Dream with a rollup, Riddle rolls through. Superkick from Dream, DDT, Dream thinks about going up top, then comes back in Dreamvalley Driver. Dream goes to the top, Purple Rainmaker, Riddle catches him with the Bromission. Dream rolls through to break the hold, then reaches the ropes. Dream elbows away from Riddle, leans on the ropes. Riddle jumps behind him and manages a super German suplex, then a corkscrew moonsault, cover Dream barely kicks out. Dream tells Riddle to bring it, slap, then trade strikes quickly. Powerbomb then a knee from Riddle, Dream manages to kick out. Bromission mid-ring, Dream rolls through, cover and that’s it.

Winner: Velveteen Dream at 17:35. Another crazy good match. Riddle completely out-wrestled Dream, managed to tease a heel turn, Dream got another signature win at a Takeover, and kept his streak of pulling out legendary moves.

Post-match, Dream blows Riddle a kiss. The ref has to keep Riddle away from Dream. Riddle is incensed. Dream can barely stand up in the ropes. Dream recovers. Riddle offers a fist bump. Dream eases walking away, then turns around and bumps fists with Riddle. Nice to see Riddle pull away from the heel turn as soon as the match was over.

Adam Cole appears backstage with Undisputed era.

Kushida is shown signing his NXT contract with Triple H and… William Regal! He exists! He’s OK! Then Kushida is shown in the audience.

As Walter makes his entrance, we are shown that the booth for this match will be Mauro Ranallo, Nigel McGuinness, and Vic Joseph. The crowd is almost completely behind Pete Dunne.

3. NXT UK Champion PETE DUNNE vs. WALTER – NXT UK Championship Match

Dunne and Walter pace, then lockup, Dunne actually holds his own against the monstrous Walter, until forced to the ropes. Clean break. Test of strength, but Dunne goes for a leg pick, but Walter transitions into a hold and they tussle on the mat. Dunne twists Walter’s ankle. Clean break. They go nose to nose. Walter tries a hold, but Dunne has his fingers. Wlter pushes away, Dunne ducks one of Walter’s stiff chops and then shrugs. Lockup, Walter throws Dunne around. Lockup, Dunne gets thrown into the corner, but he ducks another chop and tells Walter to bring it on. Lockup, Walter with an arm hold into a slam into an armbar. Dunne gives another shrug, Walter nails him with a chop, then picks him up for another. Dunne can barely breath after two chops. Walter covers, Dunne rolls under, Walter with a headlock on the mat.

Walter shrugs off a clothesline, leapfrogs, big boot. Walter puts Dunne on the ropes in the corner, then steps on Dunne’s face. Dunne falls outside and Walter throws him onto the apron. Walter with a twist on Dunne’s ankle. Dunne rolls through, wraps Walter’s legs up, then a heel hook. Walter lands a chop but Dunne refuses to release the hold. Another chop breaks Walter free. Walter with a double Boston crab. Dunne gets to the ropes. Dunne gets on the apron. Walter tries a clubbing blow, Dunne catches it, cranks on the fingers, but Walter kicks him to the floor. Dunne crawls into the ring and takes a knee to the face. Dunne fires up and lands a brutal sequence of strikes, leaps over Walter, Walter blocks a suplex, tries one of his own, Dunne lands on his feet and kicks Walter out of the ring. Moonsault from Dunne to the outside. Ref counts, but they both get in the ring. Dunne to the top, Walter meets him there and thinks superplex. Dunne blocks, then twists Walter’s fingers, and manages a sit out powerbomb for a nearfall. Walter to the outside and Dunne hits a double foot stomp to him from the second rope.

Dunne rolls Walter into the ring. Dunne tries leaping over Walter, Walter knocks him out of the air, dropkick, sleeper hold. Dunne gets to the ropes, Walter chops Dunne’s back, suplex, powerbomb. Walter puts all his weight on Dunne, but Dunne kicks out anyways. Dunne looks half-dead on the mat. Walter tries to pull Dunne to his feet, manages it and lands a chop. Dunne gets up to slap Walter’s face, Walter chops Dunne down and steps on him. Walter with another cop, Dunne hits back. Another chop sends Dunne down again. Walter is maintaining a hold on Dunne’s face the whole time. Dunne suddenly grabs Walter’s hands, Walter to a test of strength, muscles Dunne down. Walter with a powerbomb, Dunne slips out, enzugiri and they are both down. Dunne double stomps Walter’s hands, goes to the top, Walter chop blocks Dunne, then goes to the top too for a suplexplex. Dunne blocks, Walter with a sleeper, but Dunne smashes his hand onto the ring post. Super half-and-half suplex, cover, Dunne kicks out at two-and-a-half.

Walter sells the damage to his right hand as he stalks Dunne, who pulls himself up. Dunne catches a chop, and does the wishbone finger snap, then again, then a German suplex to Walter, crucifix and Walter barely kicks out at the very last moment. Walter tries to kick Dunne from the mat, Dunne grabs his hand and kicks Walter’s head in, then Walter returns the favor from the mat, Dunne does it again, Walter with a sleeper, Dunne rolls through, more stomps to the face Dunne traps Walter’s fingers, legs wrapped around the warm while yanking the fingers, Walter gets a foot to the ropes. Walter rolls half under the ropes, Dunne stands on the ropes, and tries to grab Walter’s nose. Walter slaps Dunne’s head, then clotheslines him off the ropes into the ring. Walter to the top rope, splash, Dunne catches him with a triangle, Walter rolls over, Dunne rolls through, Walter blocks a wishbone finger snap, then crushes Dunne with stomps.

Dunne grabs Walter’s hand, Walter is stimping, Dunne ducks a kick, tries a suplex, Walter blocks and hits a leg lariat. Dunne takes Walter down with a clothesline, Bitter End, cover, Walter kicks out at the absolutely last moment. The crowd is suddenly cheering for Walter. Ranallo declares Dunne to be demoralized. Each man gets to the ropes as McGuinness declares Dune’s reign over. They pull themselves to their feet and walk to the middle of the ring. They trade shots. They move to a full brawl and Dunne has Walter backed into the ropes and the referee has to pull Dunne off. Massive big boot from Walter. Walter to the apron, then to the top as Dunne is out mid-ring, Dunne springs to life, wishbone finger snap, then a triangle in the ropes, Walter lands chops, then a powerbomb from the top rope. Dunne rolls to the middle of the ring, Walter to the outside, climbs up top, frog splash, and three count.

Winner: Walter at 25:28. Another incredible match. Brutal, stiff action. Walter had the chance to display a wide range of styles and Dunne’s history of being the toughest, most cruel person in WWE served well to let us think he could be the only one capable of beating Walter. It has been a long time since a match looked that stiff in NXT, and we have seen some hard-hitting matches.

Edge and Beth Phoenix are shown in the audience.

4. NXT Women’s Champion SHAYNA BASZLER vs. BIANCA BELAIR vs. IO SHIRAI vs. KAIRI SANE – NXT Women’s Championship Fatal Fourway Match

They quickly move to clear Shirai and Sane out of the ring, then Belair takes Baszler to the match with a waistlock takedown. Baszler escapes. Belair with a cover, Shirai lands double knees to Belair, cover, now Sane comes back in. Belair and Sane argue, Belair knocks her down and brushes her fingers off. Belair blows her a kiss, Sane pretends to catch it, ball it up and throw it away. Shirai and Sane double team Belair. Baszler takes offense from Sane and Shirai at the same time. She’s out of the ring and Shirai and Sane in the ring together. Shirai with a head scissors takedown and lands on her feet. Belair and Baszler trip them from the outside and then go at it. Baszler yanks Belair’s braid to sent her into the corner. Baszler lands the stomp to Belair, then keeps Shirai out of the ring. Back elbow from Belair to Baszler then a dropkick. Baszler yanks Belair out of the ring, grabs her braid to slam her head into the post, Belair blocks then yanks Baszler into the post. Back in the ring, Belair covers Baszler for two, then takes an elbow from Sane coming off the top, two count. Belair blocks a rollup, whiffs a dropkick. Shirai owns the ring with Belair in the corner, Baszler and Sane tangle outside. Shirai to the second rope, Belair catches her and swings her into Sane, fallaway slam, Baszler breaks up the cover. Baszler lands an inverted side slam to Shirai. Baszler with a chinlock in the corner, but there is no five count in a fourway. Sane breaks it up, Baszler goes for a superplex, Sane sets up a tower of doom spot but is too weak, Shirai comes in with the assist. Sane and Shirai are too weakened to cover in a timely fashion. Shirai launches Sane over the top rope, Sane hits an Insane Elbow to Baszler and Belair, then Shirai with a moonsault. Shirai looks for a dive to Baszler, Belair cuts her off, Sane breaks up the cover. Belair with a chicken wing slam to Sane, Baszler attacks Belair, Shirai hits Baszler with a German suplex.

Covers at the same time from Shirai and Sane. Sane and Shirai stalk Belair for double team work, and then they both unload on Belair. Baszler yanks Sane out of the ring, Belair with a schoolgirl on Shirai for two. Belair military press slams Shirai onto Baszler and Sane on the outside. Belair grabs Baszler and rolls her into the ring. Belair wants the chicken wing on Baszler, Baszler escapes and tries a Kirafuda Clutch on Belair. Belair fights it. Belair to her knees with Baszler on her back, Belair to her feet and she gets Baszler off her, KOD, cover, Shirai saves the match. Belair goes nuts on Shirai, then sets up a powerbomb, Shirai counters with an X-Factor, moonsault to Baszler, then another. Cover, Sane breaks the cover up from out of nowhere. Shirai can’t believe it. They tee off on each other. Sane Alabama Slams Shirai onto Baszler, then heads up top, Insane Elbow, cover, Shirai saves the match for herself.

Shirai and Sane are alone in the ring with their friendship crumbling. Sane runs into a dropkick, then batters Sane with forearms. Shirai thinks slam, Sane counters with a DDT, and goes for an Insane Elbow, but Belair braid-whips her off the corner, picks Shirai up in a torture rack, then adds Sane to the hold, double KOD, cover on Sane, Baszler kicks Belair off, Kirafuda clutch, Belair is desperate to escape. Belair is thrashing like a drowning person. Belair claws Baszler’s face, Belair taps.

Winner: Shayne Baszler at 15:43. A strong, but not amazing match. They avoided much of the silliness of a Fatal Fourway. This was the right time, place, and way to switch titles, and now I have no clue how they book going forwards from here. Belair to the main roster?

Post-match, Jessamyn Duke and Marina Shafir come out to celebrate with Baszler. At this point, Baszler has beat all comers to the title and now has an Asuka-like hold on the title. There is no one in sight who can match her.

Johnny Gargano has an Iron Man styled outfit on. Adam Cole struts out looking all business with the rest of Undisputed Era with him.

5. JOHNNY GARGANO vs. ADAM COLE – NXT Championship Two-Out-of-Three Falls Match

Gargano and Cole pace the ring as the fans try to figure out who they want to see win more. Lickup quickly goes to the mat, with Gargano showing off his grappling skills. Another lockup, Cole with a side headlock, Gargano wrangles Cole to the mat, forces a shoulder down for one. They continue to chain wrestle. The match suddenly speeds up. Gargano and Cole rapidly dodge and counter each other, then they return to the mat. They trade strikes, and Cole finally drives Gargano to the corner. Gargano leaps over Cole in the corner. Head scissors takedown, dropkick, and Gargano pushes Cole over the ropes. Gargano thinks apron kick but Cole scampers away. Gargano hits a dropkick through the ropes. Gargano rolls Cole into the ring, Cole rolls onto the outside then hits an enzugiri when Gargano tries to follow.

Cole wears Gargano down in the corner. Cole then goes to a chinlock to grind Gargano down. Double crossbody and both Cole and Gargano are down. Gargano has a suplex, then a rollup, Cole reverses at two to get two. Gargano hits his roll-through kick. Cole hits the ropes but runs into a slingshot spear. Flatliner from Gargano scores two. More back-and-forth. Cole lands a backstabber in the corner for a nearfall. They rapidly trade covers. Cole ducks the roll-through kick and he responds with an enziguri. Cole drops a knee pad, Gargano ducks, they trade covers. They tease superkicks. Rollup from Gargano gets two. Sunset flip from Gargano, Cole rolls through, Last Shot gets Cole the first fall.

First Fall: Adam Cole at 13:56.

The match immediately restarts, with Cole having the upper hand. Last Shot almost puts Gargano away again. Cole picks Gargano up, Gargano gets to the ropes. Gargano spears Cole off the apron, then lands a flip dive from the apron to Cole. Cole catches a tornado DDT attempt, flips him from the torture rack onto the mat for two. Cole to the second rope. Gargano drags himself over but gets punched in the face for the effort. Cole pulls Gargano up top for a powerbomb, but Gargano blocks, then lifts Cole up into an avalanche air raid crash for two. Gargano nails the slingshot tornado DDT onto the apron. Cole is down and out on the outside. The referee starts a double count, bringing up the question of what happens to the match in that case.

Gargano rolls into the ring to break the count, then back outside, but Cole slams him into the ring post, then into the other. Ranallo paints Gargano has honorable, McGuinness says it was pride and hubris. Gargano wants the Gargano Escape, Cole blocks, armbar, then the Gargano Escape, Cole with an immediate tapout.

Second Fall: Johnny Gargano at 20:53.

Gargano is busted open over his eye and blood is dripping down his face.

Gargano and Cole trade strikes mid-ring. Gargano runs into a pair of big boots, then hits a huge clothesline. Cole ducks the low DIY superkick. Cole hits a shoulderbreaker for two. Cole to the second rope, Gargano rolls awa, so Cole gets into the ring and slams Gargano’s face into the turnbuckle. Cole back to the second rope, Gargano with an enziguri, lawn dart into the opposite turnbuckle, full nelson slam into a cover for just more than two. They elbow each other from their knees, then get to their feet. They catch each other’s superkicks, then trade enziguris, clotheslines, and superkicks until they are both down on the mat. The referee checks on both of them. Cole ducks a punch, then applies a waistlock, Gargano escapes, jumps over, takes a superkick to the back of the head, German suplex from Cole gets a very close nearfall. Ranallo references Muhammad Ali for the second time in the match.

Gargano and Cole trade various move attempts, Gargano ducks into a move from ropes, superkick, reverse ‘rana, superkick, and Cole rolls out of the ring. Gargano thinks suicide dive, but Cole grabs his leg, drags him outside, and lands a wheelbarrow suplex into the apron. Cole slowly rolls Gargano into the ring, but is slow to return himself. Gargano springs to life, DDT through the ropes, slingshot tornado DDT for a very tight nearfall, suicide dive. Cole counters the slingshot spear with a superkick, hits a Canadian destroyer from the second ropes for another incredibly close nearfall.

Gargano rolls himself to the apron. Cole is on his feet and kicks Gargano to the outside in front of the booths, which have remained intact all night. Cole mocks Gargano in front of the booth. Gargano fires up and nails Cole with elbows, then throws him over the Spanish announcer table. Gargano clears the table off, Cole hits the Fairytale Ending on the table. The ref runs out of the ring to check on Gargano. Gargano is completely out of it. Cole rolls into the ring and demands the bell. The ref starts to count. Gargano barely makes it back in. Superkick and Gargano kicks out somehow. Gargano is barely moving after the kickout. Cole drops a kneepad, Gargano counters the Last Shot with a superkick, Cole has one of his own. Gargano Escape, but Roderick Strong jumps on the apron, Gargano knocks him down. Gargano Escape, Strong distracts the ref so he doesn’t see the tap out, O’Reilly and Fish attack Gargano. The referee takes a bump. O’Reilly and Fish hit the High/Low, Strong rolls the ref in, cover, the crowd is dumping on the match, Gargano kicks out somehow. Undisputed Era can’t believe it. Gargano back drops Cole over the ropes onto his friends, then takes out all three illegal wrestlers himself, gets back in the ring, two superkicks, Last Shot, Gargano kicks out again! Gargano ducks another Last Shot, Gargano Escape, Cole almost gets to the ropes, Gargano rolls him back in, Cole finally taps out.

Winner: Johnny Gargano at 38:12. When a match is feeling like it is dragging a little bit at 20 minutes, do we actually think that means that it is going on to nearly 40 minutes? Incredible match, especially in the last 10 minutes, as Gargano overcame every possible odd to win. What a way to cap off a two year quest for gold for Gargano. This is the longest match in NXT history and I can’t recall a WWE match going on this long that wasn’t a Royal Rumble in quite a very long time, perhaps multiple decades.

Post-match, Candice LaRae comes out and celebrates with Gargano. Gargano goes around the ring, and hugs his mother and father and friends and family and fans ringside. As Gargano poses on the ramp, Tommaso Ciampa comes out behind him, wearing a neckbrace. It’s unsure what’s going to happen. Ciampa smiles, hugs Gargano and LaRae, then raises their hands. Gargano seems to be offering Ciampa a title shot when he recovers. More hugs all around.

This is one of the five best Takeovers so far, rivaling the legendary Brooklyn I and Brooklyn II for excellence. The weakest match was the women’s Fatal Fourway and it was pretty doggone good. Even if Cole won, this would still have been a barnburner event. Takeovers virtually almost deliver 3 – 4 great matches and 1 – 2 good match, this was 3 perfect matches, 1 great match, and one really good match. They pulled out every possible stop to put on a show where not a single moment was bad. We saw this last year, where NXT put on a better show than WrestleMania, and we likely just saw the same thing happen again, by a country mile.

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(Justin James has been covering NXT for PWTorch.com since NXT’s beginnings. Read his TV report every Wednesday night at PWTorch.com and listen to him as part a roundtable conversation on the “PWT Talks NXT” edition of the PWTorch Dailycast every Thursday. Search “pwtorch” to subscribe free. Following NXT Takeover event, Justin is part of a special post-event VIP Roundtable discussion with Kelly Wells, Tom Stoup, and Harley Pageot.)