NXT TakeOver: XXX aired from the Performance Center in Orlando. Adam Cole battled Pat McAfee and Keith Lee defended the NXT Championship against Karrion Kross. Io Shirai put the NXT Women’s Championship on the line against Dakota Kai and there was a Ladder Match for the vacant NXT North American Championship.
TakeOver: XXX Results
- Breezango def. Legado del Fantasma, Oney Lorcan & Danny Burch to become #1 Contenders for the NXT Tag Team Championships (Kickoff Show)
- Finn Balor def. Timothy Thatcher
- Damian Priest def. Reed, Grimes, Gargano, and Dream to capture the NXT North American Championship
- Adam Cole def. Pat McAfee
- Io Shirai def. Dakota Kai to retain the NXT Women’s Championship
- Karrion Kross def. Keith Lee to become the new NXT Champion
Here are 5 takeaways from TakeOver: XXX:
Finn Balor Picked Up His 12th TakeOver Victory
Finn Balor battled Timothy Thatcher in the first contest of the night.
Match Recap: Thatcher brought Balor to the canvas and slapped him across the face a couple times. Timothy went for an Arm Bar but Balor countered into an Arm Bar of his own. Both superstars battled to their feet for a moment but Thatcher took Finn right back to the mat.
Balor applied a Headlock but Thatcher quickly countered into a Headlock of his own. Finn battled to his feet but Thatcher kept the hold locked in. Balor connected with a Back Body Drop that sent Thatcher to the outside. Balor caught Thatcher with a kick to the ribs as he was trying to get back into the ring.
Timothy went to work on Balor’s knee and locked him in a submission hold in the middle of the ring. Finn fought through the pain and reached the bottom rope to break the hold. Thatcher continued to target Finn’s knee and then locked in a Bow and Arrow submission.
Finn broke free but Thatcher continued to wear down Balor’s knee. Balor battled back for a moment but Thatcher quickly locked in a Kimura Lock in the center of the ring. Thatcher unloaded several knee strikes to the back and midsection of Balor but Finn wouldn’t stay down.
Balor hit a Back Body Drop and followed it up with a Dropkick to Thatcher’s face. Thatcher and Balor traded punches and uppercuts in the middle of the ring. Thatcher connected with a chop but Balor dropped Timothy with a Pele Kick and both men collapsed to the canvas.
Finn hit a Double Stomp to the midsection and then locked in an Abdominal Stretch. Balor hit a Dropkick that sent Thatcher to the mat and Finn made his way to the top rope. Finn went for Coup de Grace but Thatcher got out of the way. Balor grabbed his knee in pain and Thatcher capitalized with a Half Crab in the middle of the ring.
Balor refused to submit and reached the bottom rope to break the hold. Thatcher connected with a German Suplex that sent Balor flying across the ring. Timothy applied an Ankle Lock but Balor countered into another Double Stomp to the midsection. Finn followed it up with the Coup de Grace but Balor couldn’t go for the cover. Balor then hit the 1916 for the pinfall victory.
Opinion: Balor and Thatcher put on a terrific wrestling match to begin TakeOver:XXX. Thatcher targeted Balor’s knee the majority of the match but Finn battled through and was able to pick up the victory at the end.
Damian Priest Captured The NXT North American Championship
Johnny Gargano, Damian Priest, Cameron Grimes, Bronson Reed, and Velveteen Dream competed in a Ladder Match for the vacant NXT North American Championship tonight at TakeOver: XXX.
Match Recap: Priest and Reed quickly cleared the ring and had a brief stare down. Dream got back into the ring and planted Damian with a DDT and followed it up with a Superkick to Reed. Velveteen looked for a ladder under the ring and got sent into the steel steps by Cameron Grimes.
Cameron pulled out a tiny ladder from under the ring and Priest hit him with a Clothesline. Priest grabbed a normal-sized ladder and slid it into the ring. Grimes leveled Damian with a boot to the face as Gargano tried to set up the ladder. Priest booted Gargano in the face and then got planted with a Suplex from Reed.
Priest and Dream set up ladders in the ring and started climbing but Grimes shoved them over. Grimes got leveled by Reed as Dream sent Priest out of the ring. Reed sent Dream to the canvas and hit him with a Senton.
Johnny tried to team up with Grimes and Dream but took the opportunity to sneak up the ladder. Dream and Grimes caught him and dragged him back down to the canvas. Dream made his way to the top rope and Johnny launched a ladder onto his face. Reed then hit everyone with a Splash in the corner and joined Dream on the turnbuckle. Everyone got back up and it resulted in a Tower of Doom that sent all the superstars to the canvas.
Gargano was the first up and set up the ladder under the title. Priest knocked Gargano out of the ring and made his way up the ladder. Dream brought him down but Priest caught Velveteen with a boot to the face. Gargano hit Priest with a Superkick but once again got thrown out of the ring by Dream.
Johnny got back in the ring and hit Dream with the ladder. Velveteen launched the ladder at Johnny but Gargano ducked and the ladder hit Priest outside the ring. Bronson Reed then leveled Grimes, Dream, and Gargano with a Suicide Dive outside the ring.
Cameron Grimes brought a ladder into the ring but Priest booted him to the mat. Priest ran across the ladder against the ropes and flipped onto Gargano and Reed outside the ring. Candice LeRae came down to check on Gargano and then prevented Grimes from climbing the ladder. Candice shoved the ladder over as Grimes shouted at her.
Candice slapped Grimes a few times and then Johnny hit Cameron with a ladder to the face. LeRae hit Grimes with a Hurricanrana that sent him on top of Priest, Reed, and Dream outside the ring. Johnny started climbing but Reed met him at the top of the ladder. Bronson hit Gargano with a headbutt and reached for the title. LeRae hopped on his back and Reed decided to hit Johnny with a Splash off the top of the ladder with Candice on his back.
Bronson made his way up the ladder once again but Priest made his way up the other side. Grimes set up another ladder in the corner as Reed was knocked off the ladder. Grimes hopped to the other ladder and sent Damian to the mat. Cameron tried to hit Dream with a ladder but he ducked.
Dream set up a ladder from the ropes to the third rung of the ladder in the middle of the ring. Priest knocked Dream off the ladder but turned around into a Double Stomp from Grimes. Cameron climbed to the top but Gargano climbed up the other ladder. Johnny planted Grimes with a Powerbomb onto the ladder and Cameron rolled out of the ring.
Velveteen hit the Dream Valley Driver that slammed Gargano on top of Priest outside the ring. Back in the ring, Dream climbed up a ladder but Reed shoved it over and Velveteen crashed through a table outside the ring. Reed made his way to the top of the ladder but Grimes launched a ladder onto his face. Grimes climbed to the top but Gargano joined him up there. Johnny grabbed the title but Priest grabbed the other side. Damian knocked Gargano off the ladder and took the title. Damian Priest is the new NXT North American Champion.
Opinion: This match was complete chaos and a ton of fun to watch. There were several spots where I have no idea how someone didn’t get injured. Gargano’s Powerbomb to Grimes on the ladder looked rough for both superstars. My favorite moment was Dream flying out of the ring and crashing through a table behind the barricade. Priest is incredibly talented and hopefully will have a good run with the NXT North American Championship.
Adam Cole Defeated Pat McAfee In A Fun Match
Adam Cole squared off against Pat McAfee tonight at TakeOver: XXX. Before the match, McAfree cut a promo backstage and said that this match is going to end quick. McAfee claimed he had the strongest leg in the history of legs and made his way to the ring. McAfee came down to the ring with AJ Hawk, Darius Butler, and Nick Maraldo.
Match Recap: Cole dominated the action early and trapped McAfree in a Headlock. McAfee escaped but Adam hit him with a kick to the face. Pat took a water break and toweled off in the corner of the ring.
McAfee applied a Headlock and then rolled out of the ring once Cole escaped. McAfee taunted Cole and shouted that he is a better human than him. Undisputed Era joined the party and started arguing with McAfee’s crew.
Security broke it up and McAfee hit a Swanton Bomb off the top rope onto everyone. Back in the ring, McAfee beat Cole down in the corner of the ring. Pat knocked Cole to the mat with a punch to the face and said that this was easy.
McAfee lifted Cole up for a Body Slam but did a couple squats before slamming him to the mat. Pat hit Cole with a Dropkick and continued to taunt him. Pat and Cole traded punches in the middle of the ring and Cole got the better of the exchange. Adam Cole stomped away on McAfee in the corner of the ring and followed it up with a Neckbreaker over his knee for a two count.
Cole went for a kick but McAfee countered into a roll-up for a two count. Adam climbed to the top rope but McAfee tripped him up. Pat went for a Superplex but Cole blocked it. Cole shoved McAfee off the top rope but Pat flipped and landed on his feet. McAfee leaped onto the top turnbuckle and planted Cole with a Superplex for a two count.
McAfee tried to Punt Cole on the apron but Adam got out of the way and Pat booted the steel steps. Back in the ring, Cole targeted the injured leg and locked in the Figure Four. McAfee battled through the pain and eventually was able to escape. Cole beat the hell out of McAfee in the corner of the ring but Pat hit him with a low blow as the referee wasn’t looking.
Pat followed it up with a massive Clothesline and followed it up with the Touchback (Punt) for a near fall. McAfee made his way to the top rope and wound up leaping into a Superkick from Cole. Adam hopped to the second turnbuckle and planted McAfee with the Panama Sunrise for the pinfall victory.
Opinion: Pat McAfee absolutely killed it tonight at TakeOver. I had very low expectations for this match and was pleasantly surprised at how good it turned out. This match went around fifteen minutes and was very entertaining.
Io Shirai Retained The NXT Women’s Championship
Io Shirai defended the NXT Women’s Championship against Dakota Kai tonight at TakeOver. Raquel Gonzalez was in Kai’s corner for the match.
Match Recap: Shirai hit Kai with a Dragon Screw and stomped on Dakota in the corner of the ring. Dakota rolled out of the ring and Io chased her. Raquel Gonzalez got in Io’s way and Dakota capitalized by launching her into the ring post.
Kai controlled the action for the next few minutes but couldn’t keep Io down. Shirai battled back and hit a 619. Io followed it up with a Dropkick and went for the cover but Dakota kicked out at two. Shirai hit a Double Stomp to the ribs and followed it up with another one on the ring apron.
Back in the ring, Io hit Kai with Double Knees in the corner three times in a row. Shirai climbed to the top rope but Kai hit her with a strike to the back. Shirai hung up Kai in the Tree of Woe and hit her with another Double Stomp for a near fall.
Kai locked in an Arm Bar but Io was able to get her foot on the bottom rope to break the hold. Dakota connected with a knee to the face and went for the cover but Shirai once again got her foot on the rope to break it up.
Dakota went for a running kick but Io ducked and Kai leveled the referee. Io hit Kai with a Moonsault and went for the cover but the referee was knocked out. Gonzalez planted Shirai with a Powerbomb and dragged Dakota on top of her but Io kicked out at two. Kai went for a GTS but Io countered into a Crossface in the middle of the ring.
Io escaped and knocked Kai out of the ring. Shirai Moonsaulted onto Raquel and Kai and rolled Kai back in the ring. Io then hit Kai with another Moonsault for the pinfall victory. Io Shirai is still the NXT Women’s Champion.
After the match, Gonzalez attacked Shirai from behind but Rhea Ripley interrupted. Rhea and Raquel circled each other before having a stare down in the middle of the ring. Gonzalez retreated as someone was shouting ”stop talking and just make contact!” for some reason. Rhea Ripley stared at Shirai from the entrance ramp after the match.
Opinion: I thought this match got off to a slow start but wound up being a very solid title match. Dakota Kai took the loss but absolutely delivered tonight. Rhea Ripley versus Gonzalez sounds awesome as well.
Karrion Kross Captured The NXT Championship
Keith Lee defended the NXT Championship against Karrion Kross in the main event of TakeOver: XXX. Scarlett Bordeaux was ringside for the match.
Match Recap: Keith Lee drove Kross to the corner of the ring to start off the match. Kross went for a kick but Lee caught him and unloaded some more punches in the corner. Lee leveled Karrion with a Crossbody and Kross retreated out of the ring.
Lee followed him out there and bounced Karrion’s face off the ring apron. Kross battled back and went for a forearm to the face but Keith got out of the way. Lee went for a punch but it wound up knocking the plexiglass over.
Kross brought Lee back into the ring and targeted his attack on Lee’s arm for the next couple minutes of the match. The crowd got behind Lee as Kross had him trapped in a submission hold. Lee broke free for a moment but Kross applied an Arm Bar and shouted at him to give up.
Karrion transitioned into a Triangle submission but Keith Lee countered into a Powerbomb to break the hold. Lee connected with a Splash in the corner of the ring and followed it up with a Powerslam for a two count. Kross hit a kick to the face and then a DDT for a near fall.
Lee connected with a headbutt and then a Suplex for a two count. Kross leveled Lee with a Clothesline and went for the cover but the NXT Champion kicked out at two. Lee responded with a Clothesline of his own and both superstars fell to the mat.
Kross hit the Doomsday Saito Suplex and went for the cover but Keith Lee somehow kicked out at two. Karrion locked in the Kross Jacket submission in the middle of the ring. Lee was able to get to the bottom rope to finally break the hold. Lee hit Kross with a headbutt and followed it up with the Spirit Bomb for a two count.
Keith made his way up the turnbuckle but Kross got back up. Karrion planted Keith Lee with another Doomsday Saito Suplex off the second rope for the pinfall victory. Karrion Kross is the new NXT Champion.
Opinion: I enjoyed this match but it sucks that Keith Lee had such a short title reign. However, Kross has been booked as a monster and it wouldn’t make sense for him to lose this match. Overall, NXT delivered again with another terrific TakeOver.
