Just as a quick note before I start, I’ll be at Summerslam live tomorrow and will be posting a vlog to my YouTube channel, TheRichStaple. I was at NXT: Takeover last year and had a blast, and I can’t help but think to see the main roster is gonna be better. So be sure to check it out!
We start with some fans stealing the microphones and singing to kick us off. Where’s security?
Opening match: Johnny “Wrestling” Gargano vs. Andrade “Cien” Celmas
We start with a series of holds and we got an early stalemate. Andrade gets an armbar before Johnny counters into a side headlock. Celmas gets the head-scissors before we get into another headlock. Celmas gets a shoulder block and we got a hurricanrana and an arm drag. He does some fancy moves throughout the ring before getting into another front face lock. Celmas gets Johnny into the corner and gets a shoulder to the gut, but Johnny reverses into a series of knife edge chops. Celmas reverses Johnny in the corner and gets a knee strike and a powerful elbow across the chest for two. Celmas gets another shoulder block and a seated dropkick for another two count. Johnny throws Celmas into the ropes but he shows off his swag and stays in between before reversing into an arm bar and another arm hold. Johnny attempts to fight him off and gets a drop toe hold in the corner. Almas gets a kick to the midsection but the vertical suplex is reversed and the two get a clothesline to each other, or as Ranallo said, a malfunction at the junction.
Good lord, Celmas’ manager is HAWT. The two trade hard strikes before Celmas slaps Johnny like a female dog. Gargano gets a series of clotheslines before a pin/roundhouse kick combo. Johnny then launches himself for a flying shoulder block to the gut for two. Johnny throws Celmas into the ropes in the same spot, but this time, Johnny gets the superkick and the suicide dive. Celmas gets the jumping DDT and that gets two. That looked pretty awesome. Johnny goes for a back suplex and he goes for another shoulder block, but Celmas blocks the jumping spear, and reverses into a strike into the ground and gets the tornado inverted DDT for another near fall. Celmas gets a huge chop on Johnny on the top rope and goes for the superplex. Johnny fights out of it with a headbutt and a chop. Johnny goes for the sunset flip powerbomb but Celmas gets out of it and sends Johnny into the corner. Johnny gets another kick but Celmas sends Johnny into the corner. Johnny then gets a hurricanrana into his submission. Celmas tries to roll out of the Gargano escape but he can’t get out before he reverses into a one-handed buckle bomb. Damn that looked sick. Celmas then gets the corner knees and that gets two. Damn, I bought that finish.
Celmas continues to strike the arm of Johnny, but he gets out with a back kick and another superkick. Johnny then slingshots Celmas like a lawn dart into the corner. Johnny feels it, but then Celmas’ manager hands Johnny a shirt, and Gargano stares at it like an idiot before Celmas gets his DDT for the win at. That match was pretty reminiscent of my high school science schedule. Psychology and chemistry. Add in some near falls and a hot crowd, and you got us a damn fine opening match. ****
It’s announced that NXT Takevoer is trending number 1 worldwide. Um, hooray?
NXT Tag Titles: Authors of Pain (C) vs. Sanity
We come out as we see Sanity and two Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles come out. Actually, I think we see two Master Chiefs. I thought I turned Halo 5 out. Things break down early as Authors of Pain rush the ring and they and Sanity begin brawling throughout the outside. Apparently, Eric Young is allowed to be in the match so there’s that. Young attacks Akam on the outside but he gets reversed with a clothesline. Rezar pounds on Wolfe on the outside and we see Young and Akam brawl into the crowd. Shoulder block by Akam misses but he sends Young right back to ringside. Young gets sent into a backbreaker rack slam by Rezar for a two count. Young fights off both Authors but is caught and gets stomped out for two. Eric fights back but he gets power slammed and gets put into a submission hold. Rezar holds Young up before slamming him back down to the canvas. Rezar attempts for the corner splash but Young gets out. Tag to Wolfe and he takes out Akam with a big boot. Wolfe gets a series of clotheslines and gets a big bicycle kick.
Wolfe gets the exploder suplex on Rezar and Agerman on Akam before going to the top rope. Top rope clothesline and he go for the cover before being interrupted. Wolfe fights out both Authors before getting the double team for only a two count. Wolfe gets sent to the top, but gets a Franksteiner on Rezar and goes for the tag, and young comes in before getting the jumping neck breaker. Rezar crotches Young, however, and goes for the suplerplex but Young fights out. Akam attempts to help but Cross leaves Young on the top rope and the Authors of Pain powerbomb each other. Young gets the top rope elbow before the pin is broken up for two. Young then gets the, hit it, Mauro, TOUPE SOUA-SIDA. Wolfe then follows with a dive of his own. Cross then gets in the ring and dives on Akam, but then gets put through a table on the outside. Wolfe and Young then combine for the double-team neck breaker, and we have two NXT Tag Team Champions at. I think it took some time for it to get going, but the action picked up in a big way towards the end. ***3/4
But wait, Bobby Fish and Kyle O’Reilly are here and take out Sanity and the Authors of Pain. A statement made and noted.
Hideo Itami vs. Aliester Black
The two begin with some boots towards each other before they get into each other’s faces with some shoving. Aliester gets a stiff kick to the chest before doing the backflip and meditation in the middle of the ring. Aliester blocks a kick and gets another one before getting a shoulder block. Aliester blocks another shot before getting some strikes and a knee across the head for two. Aliester then takes Itami to the corner before getting a big boot to the face. Irish whip into the corner and Itami reverses into a kick and a guillotine knee drop. Itami then gets a shoulder block and then gets a 1 count. He then gets a facelock and we see that there is some blood streaming down Aliester’s face. The ref gets the gloves ready and if they stop this match I’m going to freak out. Itami then gets another series of stiff kicks to the back. Itami then goes for a knee drop with the pad released, but then he just gives a little kick to the back and Itami just sits mocking him. Pretty cool.
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