NXT TakeOver XXX Logo

With Dynamite off the air, it’s now time to start the not-so-live recap and results page for NXT TakeOver XXX! I work alone so this is the best I can do, hey? You can see my predictions right here. Let’s go ahead and get into it! The WWE Network has been weird with me when doing the “Start from the beginning” thing in the past but hopefully it behaves.

Corey Graves is on comm tonight, wonder if he’ll feel way different from how he does on the main roster? Our first match is likely to be a damn good one.

Finn Balor vs. Timothy Thatcher

Finn attacks him immediately but Thatcher double legs him, open hand strikes, wants an arm bar but Finn counters into a Cross-Armbreaker! Thatcher escapes, grappling contest, Finn outwrestles him into a front facelock but Tim reverses. Hooks it in deep. Puts him into the ropes, big chop to the chest. This hold is almost becoming a guillotine. Takes him to the mat, driving knees to the back, and there’s a Bow And Arrow Submission! Finn spins into a cover to break it, Thatcher attacking the leg.

Finn with a boot up off a charge, comes rushing but Thatcher grabs an arm and rolls him into a hammerlock, grabs the opposite arm as well and is curling it backwards! Maaan looking painful. Driving knee to the ribs. Thatch with some elbows, another knee. Tim with a double chickenwing but Balor back body drops to a bridge for 2, Thatcher still maintains it! But Finn trips him up for a basement dropkick!

Exchange of forearms now! Body shots from Finn as he takes control but Tim grabs him by the throat and chops him furiously! Finn with a Pele Kick in response and both men go down! Balor with a knife edge chop in the corner, whip to the opposite corner for a charging chop. Wants a Slingblade but Thatch blocks it, wants a Cobra Clutch or something but Finn trips him for a double foot stomp! Balor with a Dragon Sleeper! Timothy up to his feet though, gets behind him, wants a suplex but Finn blocks it, they keep trading advantage until Finn gets an Abdominal Stretch! Balor turns it into a Saving Grace for a nearfall!

John Wu Dropkick sends Thatcher into the corner! Finn scales the top rope. Coup de Gras but Thatcher avoids it, Finn lands on his bum leg, Thatcher goes right after it, Single Leg Crab! Finn struggles but makes it to the ropes. Thatcher with some brutal kicks to the back, Finn tries an upkick and barely misses, Tim wants an armbar but a kick to the ribs stops that. Thatch with an enziguri, German Suplex for a nearfall!

Finn looking for a choke but Thatcher escapes by bending the digits, transitions to an Ankle Lock! He’s got the wild eyes. Gets up high on the ankle but Finn rolls through for a stomp! Balor goes up top, and there’s the Coup de Gras! He stumbles a bit but pulls him to his feet for the 1916 and that is that!

Winner: Finn Balor

That was about the match I expected, helluva bout, nothing like you’ll see on a main roster show which is definitely a good thing. And that was certainly nothing like what this next one will be, we got a five way ladder match coming!

NXT North American Championship Ladder Match: Damian Priest vs. Johnny Gargano vs. Bronson Reed vs. Cameron Grimes vs. Velveteen Dream

Priest attacks Dream at the bell. Fight breaks out immediately. Grimes is caught between Priest and Reed and is knocked back and forth until he’s taken out of the ring. Big man staredown. Dream shoves Reed into Priest. Gargano rolls Dream up for the Kalisto Kick but Dream turns it into a Famouser, Dream DDT to Priest, superkick to Reed, throws Grimes to the floor. Dream looks for a ladder but Grimes clotheslines him. He goes for a ladder but he pulls out a tiny one and he’s furious! Priest attacks him and gets a real ladder.

The ladder is leaned against the apron, Grimes runs up it to get to the apron, kick to Priest! Back into the ring as Grimes tries to pull the ladder in but he gets in a tug-of-war with Johnny Gargano, Johnny lets him go so as to make him stumble, slips int othe ring to take him down. Reed and Priest back in the ring though, Reed hoists Priest up, knocks him into Johnny and tosses Priest! Reed grabs the ladder, Dream tries to pull it out but ends up being pulled into the ring by Reed instead!

Dream low bridges to send Reed to the floor, two ladders in the ring as Dream and Priest both climb, Grimes tips the ladders over! He starts to climb up both but they get pulled apart and he’s forced into a painful splits! This is delightful. Reed takes control, takes Priest to the outside, slams a ladder onto Dream and Gargano and splashes onto it! Priest and Reed exchange forearms, Reed wins out, clotheslines Grimes inside out! Bronson’s been put over big so far. Gargano wants a rana but Reed holds on, only for Johnny to slip to the ladder.

He kicks Reed and Priest away but Reed catches him in Powerbomb position, Priest also goozles him! But Grimes Germans Priest, Dream chop blocks Reed. Gargano thanks them for the help and then rushes up the ladder when they aren’t looking but they catch him and pull him down. Dream chokes Reed with a ladder. They work over the big boys but inevitably turn on each other again, this becomes a total car wreck as ladders and bodies get stacked in the corner, culminating in Bronson Reed sandwiching everyone. As everyone else spills down Dream is left limp on the corner, Reed is pursuing him. Priest attacks from behind though and takes his place.

One of the craziest towers of all time takes place when Reed powerbombs Grimes, who is German Suplexing Priest, who is superplexing Dream. What the hell. This is very hard to call if you can’t tell I’m sorry I know I’m missing stuff but it’s happening so fast. Priest goes for the title but Dream stops him, climbs, Priest with a springboard kick that clips Dream’s legs and sends him to the mat! Grimes stops Priest from climbing. Priest with a bunch of kicks to Grimes, goes for a springboard senton but Gargano superkicks him out of the air! Reed puts a ladder on his shoulders and drives it into everyone!

Gargano with One Final Beat to the ladder?! Gargano sends everyone to the outside, suicide dive to Reed, rushes across the ring but Grimes hits Collision Course! Dream off the top onto them though! Bronson Reed with a suicide dive onto the pile! Grimes stands tall though and brings a ladder to the center, Priest stops this with a big boot! Ladder ends up leaning against the ropes, Priest runs up the steel for a flip tope onto the field!

As Candice LeRae checks on Johnny, Grimes scales the ladder! But LeRae comes in to pull him down. Grimes is freaking out, LeRae starts slapping the hell out of him, Grimes hoists her up but Gargano nails him in the face with a ladder! Candice with an assisted Rana bringing Grimes onto everyone else! Gargano scrambles to setup the ladder! He rushes up it but Reed climbs up the other side! He knocks him down but Johnny climbs up from the other side… he’s sent to the mat again. Candice LeRae climbs up and gets onto Reed’s back! REED WITH A FROG SPLASH OFF THE LADDER ONTO GARGANO WITH LERAE ON HIS BACK!!! Jesus!

Reed and Priest climb opposite sides, Grimes is climbing a different ladder… that ladder gets tipped but ends up on the centered ladder as Priest and Reed fall off, Grimes nearly grabs the title but Dream stops him! Grimes grabs the ladder and goes to attack him but Dream avoids it and a ladder bridge just kinda happens. Dream sets Grimes up on it. Dream starts to climb a different ladder. He’s about to come flying off it but his hands hit the title and he realizes he can just grab it. He tries, but Priest creeps up behind him and throws him to the mat! Reed pulls Priest down, Priest chokeslams him onto a corner ladder! Grimes with a Cave-In to Priest!

Grimes stands atop the ladder bridge to try and climb up, Gargano goes up a different ladder! SPINNING SUNSET FLIP BOMB ONTO THE LADDER BRIDGE! Lordy. Gargano with an enziguri to Priest on the apron, he goes for One Final Beat but it’s blocked, a ladder is bridged on the apron to the barrier suddenly, Priest is knocked onto the ladder, Dream hoists Johnny up, DREAM VALLEY DRIVER ONTO PRIEST ON THE LADDER! Velveteen scales the ladder! Grabs the title, but Reed tips the ladder, DREAM GOES SAILING PAST THE BARRICADE! Reed is climbing up the ladder but Grimes chucks a ladder at him to send him falling to the mat! Grimes scaling! Gargano stops him at the top, sends the ladder swinging, it hits Grimes in the face and takes him to the floor! Priest scales the ladder, title goes loose, both Priest and Gargano with a tug-of-war, Priest with a headbutt sends Gargano off the ladder and Priest has won!

Winner: Damian Priest

My God what a wild match that was. I really wanted Grimes to get it but I’m cool with this.

And now for this. Cole makes his way out for his match. McAfee is backstage, says tonight is years in the making. Says this one’s gonna end quick from one kick from the strongest leg in the history of legs. Demands they hit his music.

Adam Cole vs. Pat McAfee

Lock-up, Pat backs off and taunts him. Lock-up, Cole with a headlock. Pat wants a whip but Cole holds on. Pat wants a back suplex but it’s blocked. Pat escapes, Irish whip to the corner, Cole floats over but McAfee expected it and cackles. Charges, Cole teases a superkick and Pat flings himself back to avoid it! Regroup. Pat with a headlock, Cole shoots him off, eats a shoulder block. Pat hits the ropes, Cole ducks under, goes for a bicycle kick but McAfee bails.

As Pat hides outside he tells Cole that he’s a better human than him. Him and his posse mock the TUE pose. Cole pursues him out there, the rest of the Undisputed Era comes out, now there’s security. As the crowd gathers, McAfee goes up top for a crazy senton bomb onto all of them! Throws Cole into the ring, stomps him in the corner. Waits for him to stand, drops him with a punch. Stomp to the face. He grabs Cole by the chin, mocks him for just taking two weeks to get better than him, body slams him and covers for a quick kickout. Headlock.

Cole fights his way up, elbow to the gut, McAfee with a hair trip to the mat. Ref gets in his face, Pat hilariously claims there’s no rule against it. Headlock again. Pulls Cole up and dropkicks him. Pat’s breathing hard but says “this is easy”. Slapfight ensues, turns into punches and Cole wins out! Takes his shirt over his head for hockey punches, Pump Kick! Cole stalks, hoists him onto his shoulders, Ushigoroshi for a nearfall. Pat McAfee taking an Ushigoroshi is among the stranger things I’ve typed. Cole with a Backstabber for a narrow nearfall!

Cole going up top but McAfee crotches him. Boasts about how smart he is. Pursues for a superplex, Cole shoves him off – McAfee backflips onto his feet!! He pops up to the top rope for a Superplex! That two weeks of training thing is definitely a lie. Cole crawls to the apron, McAfee wants the punt but Cole avoids it and Pat kicks the steps! Cole throws him into the ring, Pat is limping. Ref asks if he wants to stop, Cole teases a superkick, Pat blocks high and Cole kicks the leg! Figure four leglock cinched in! McAfee tries to roll him over but Cole keeps it locked in. Pat grabs the rope for the break.

McAfee fights to his feet, still favoring the leg, calls Cole a punk. Cole charges for a big boot, pummels him in the corner, ref pulls him away, Pat with a kick low, Cole struggling to his feet, Pat with a punt to the face! Covers… for a nearfall! Geeze, my heart skipped a beat. McAfee goes up top, rips off his shirt. Comes off the top – Cole with a Superkick out of the air! Cole demands he get up and watch him beat him. He starts to expose the knee, but then thinks better of it. He goes up to the second rope instead, Panama Sunrise! And that is that!

Winner: Adam Cole

Well, I figured they’d script something pretty good. Honestly it was way better than it had any right to be. Still wouldn’t use Cole for something like this but I can’t really knock any aspect of the match itself.

And now for the women’s title match.

NXT Women’s Championship: Io Shirai (c) vs. Dakota Kai

Io with the immediate double leg, clobbers her into the corner. Dakota fights back, Io blocks a kick, wants a handsrping kick but it’s avoided, Io nearly lands on her head. Dragonscrew legwhip to Kai, takes her to the floor. Kai runs away, leads Io face to face with Raquel Gonzalez. Kai sneaks behidn her and rams her into the ringpost. Into the ring, cover for a 2 count. Grinds her shoulder against the middle rope. Charges, Io with a drop toe hold onto the ropes, looks for the 619 but Kai avoids it, kick to the face! Working over the arm again. Kai chokes Io in the corner, snapmare cover for a 1 count. Slow heat phase here. Stomp to the chest. Kai with a sliding clothesline for a nearfall.

Kai with a triangle lock on the shoulder. Io tries to turn it into a pin but Kai is able to keep the shoulder up and maintain the hold. Io fights her way up, arm drags, SHOTEI! Flapjack! Hooks her in the ropes, nails a 619! Springboard Dropkick! Cover for a nearfall! Wheelbarrow roll-through double stomp! Kai fights back, takes Io to the apron, looking for a German to the floor! Io blocks it but Kai switches to trying a powerbomb… Io counters with a brutal double footstomp to the chest! Rolls her back into the ring, covers for 2 but Kai grabs the arm again, kicks to the face! Io begs for more and gets it! Shirai with forearms, hits the ropes, Kai with a Scorpion Kick! Io ends up in the cornr, big momentum for the big boot but Io ducks it, wants a German but Kai reverses with a roll up into the corner!

Looks for a face wash but Io avoids it, Meteora! And a second and a third! Io up top but Kai blocks her. Pursues, looks for a superplex. Io crotches her, puts her in a tree of woe! Double Footstomp to the face! Nearfall. Dakota fights back, Kairoprachtor for a nearfall! Looks for an armbar now! Io fighting, Kai turns it into a Cross-Armbreaker! Io puts her foot to the bottom rope to break it. Shirai slisp to the apron, wants a springboard, it’s blocked but Io with a high kick, goes up top but Kai stops her, turns it into a Detonation Kick! Covers but Io with a foot on the rope to stop the count! Kai is apoplectic!

Dakota goes for her running big boot but it misses and hits the ref! Io takes her down, up top, Over The Moonsault but there’s no ref! Raquel in the ring, hiiiigh angle chokeslam! Pulls Kai onto her and stirs the ref… LAST SECOND KICKOUT! Kai pulls Io up but gets taken into a Crossface! Dakota rolls through but eats a Kami-Goye! Io up top, Moonsault to the outside onto both Kai and Gonzalez! Throws Kai into the ring, Over The Moonsault for the win!

Winner: Io Shirai

Great stuff. But as Io celebrates, Gonzalez attacks her! Before she can do more though, out comes Rhea Ripley! I believe a “Big Strong Girls” chant breaks out, cute. They’re face to face. Kai makes Raquel leave. Io gets to celebrate after all.

Incredibly an NXT UK ad plays. Returns in September. And Ciampa returns this Wednesday.

Now just the main event left.

NXT Championship: Keith Lee vs. Karrion Kross

Tense staredown before the bell. Lee immediately explodes into Kross with a shoulderblock! They come to blows in the center, Lee knocks him around and into the corner! Body shots! Kross shoves him away, kick to the gut, Lee blocks another and there’s a left hand. Kross fights back and whips him to the ropes but Lee nails him with a huge crossbody! Kross bails! Lee follows him but Karrion takes over, pulls him around the ring, forearm and he rolls in and out to break the count. Throws more forearms but he missed one and hits the glass, Lee stares him down. He swings an arm and hits the glass and it falls. They both smile.

Come to blows again, Kross grabs Lee’s arm and puts it against the guardrail and kicks it! That seems to have injured the arm, he takes Lee into the ring. Got a lock on that arm now. Lee breaks the grip, makes it to his feet, shoots him off, shoulder block but neither man go down, Kross with an armbreaker! Cover for an immediate kickout. Kross with stomps. Lee fights to his feet, ducks an elbow but a charge is missed and he goes right into the post. Kross takes him down for a cover for 1, but he has a mount in and is singling out the arm once more. Hammerlock cinched.

Lee fights to his feet, but Kross with a Divorce Court! Hammerlock back in. Lee fights his way up, forearm exchange. Kross with a Cross-Armbreaker! Lee rolls him up to make him break the hold but now Kross turns it into a Triangle Choke! Lee though… turns it into a Backlund Bomb! They both make their way up, Lee wins out on a strike exchange! Pulls him up, whip to the corner, avalanche! Charging forearm, ducks a shot, hoists him up for a big powerslam! Nearfall. Kross avoids a corner charge, back elbow, looks for a Doomsday Suplex but Lee blocks it, only to eat a bunch of high kicks! DDT! Nearfall.

Kross again looking for the Saito, but Lee elbows out of it. Headbutt connects! Hooks him for a suplex and hits it! Nearfall. Yes, neither the DDT or the vertical suplex ended the match. Kross fights back, hits the ropes twice for a big lariato for a nearfall. Forearm exchange begins, Kross wins out. Hits the ropes, Lee does too, clothesline. Both men down and winded. They slowly make their way up, Kross ducks a shot and plants him with the Doomsday Saito Suplex for a nearfall! That was a big impact there.

Kross with an X pose. Looking for the Kross Jacket, and he’s got it cinched in, taken him to the floor! He’s fading… no, he barely gets the arm up in time! Lee crawls with Kross atop him to the ropes and grabs it for the break! Pops him up for a Spirt Bomb! Plants him… nearfall. Lee going up top, Kross stops him. Pursues for a superplex, they fight up there. Doomsday Superplex!!! And that is that, Kross wins it.

Winner: Karrion Kross

Think I was 4-1 in predictions and the only loss was one I said I didn’t really believe anyway so I guess I did good. Anyway, damn good show but the main was not really how I’d have booked it, would’ve figured it’d be more like a Lesnar match than a more traditional full length main event. But hey.

Wonder if that was Lee’s swansong in NXT. That’s all for tonight.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.