NXT TakeOver: London (WATCH) Date: December 16, 2015 Location: SSE Arena, Wembley, London, England Commentators: Rich Brennan, Corey Graves, & Byron Saxton Interviews: Greg Hamilton
“Grudge Match”
Asuka vs. Emma w/Dana Brooke
The NXT fans in London were hot for this event and this match from the opening bell. This one was all about Asuka, but it turned out to be a fairly solid match that shows just how good both of these women are in the ring as wrestlers and storytellers. In the end, after Dana is booted from ringside, Asuka catches Emma trying to use a chain and hits her in the jaw with the reverse roundhouse kick to win at just around the 15-minute mark.
WINNER: Asuka (Reverse Roundhouse Kick)
NXT Tag Team Championship
Enzo Amore & Colin Cassady w/Carmella vs. Dash Wilder & Scott Dawson(c)
The crowd in Wembley is just as into this match as the opener. From the start this one was an old-school southern tag team match with heavy psychology and great wrestling. Enzo and Cass, who were once nothing more than comedy filler, have become a solid, legitimate tag team in NXT. Dash & Dawson, meanwhile, look and feel like a classic style tag team in the vein of Arn Anderson and Tully Blanchard. This match may be one of the best pure tag team wrestling matches of the year in all of WWE and a must-see for any old school tag team wrestling fan. In the end, after Cass is run into the ring post outside the ring, Dash & Dawson hit the Shatter Machine on Enzo for the pin around the 15-minute mark.
WINNER: STILL NXT Tag Team Champions Dash Wilder & Scott Dwason (Shatter Machine)
“Grudge Match”
Barin Corbin vs.Apollo Crews
An old school storyline about title shots lost and opportunities missed, Crews/Corbin had the feel of a brawl going in. Crews looked great and is quickly becoming a polished performer. Corbin, for all his improvements, is still lacking something and it shows in this match. This one turned out to be the battle many thought it would be both in and out of the ring and it had the Wembley crowd on their feet. In the end, Corbin cuts Crews momentum short, blocking a powerbomb attempt into the End of Days for the pin around the 11:45 mark for the win.
WINNER: Barin Corbin (End of Days)
Backstage, in the middle of the Nia Jax’s promo, Asuka interrupts by staring Jax down. The two face off before Jax finishes her promo.
NXT Women’s Championship
Nia Jax vs. Bayley(c)
Here’s another match that the Wembley crowd was just as hot for as they were for the opener, and solidly behind Bayley. This match, a David and Goliath story, was all about Bayley overcoming the odds and figuring out the puzzle to defeating Jax. Nia Jax massacred Bayley throughout but Bayley, even after multiple leg drops, continued to kick out. Jax threw all she had at Bayley but could not close the show. Bayley sinks in a sitting guillotine and gets the tap out win at around the 13:30 mark in a great title match.
WINNER: STILL NXT Women’s Champion, Bayley (Sitting Guillotine)
NXT Championship
Samoa Joe vs. Finn Bálor(c)
A classic tale of friends turned enemies, this one was expected to be a match of the year candidate, and it lived up to the hype. From the opening bell this match was a hard-hitting, fast-paced contest with momentum going either way. Both Samoa Joe and Finn Bálor look amazing here, and the match features a plethora of great spots and incredible moments from submission wrestling to great false finishes. In the end, after blocking an attempted Super Muscle Buster, Bálor connects with the Coup de Grace for the 1-2-3 at around the 18:30 mark to retain the NXT Championship.
WINNER: STILL NXT Champion, Finn Bálor (Coup de Grace)
Final Thoughts
The 8th TakeOver event may not go down as one of the very best but TakeOver: London will long be remembered as a turning point event for NXT and many of the talent who competed on the card.
The crowd in Wembley was incredible and added an element to the show that truly put it over the top. If you have the time check out the entire event, you won’t be disappointed. If you’re in a pinch then the three title matches are a must, but especially the tag title match and the NXT title match.
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I really enjoy NXT, especially the Take Over events. Only reviewing what I saw.
Asuka vs. Emma w/Dana Brooke
Emma has really improved. Asuka is not surprisingly one of the best there is today. Man, Asuka’s kick. OUCH! Nice start to the show. Dream opponents for her for me as a fan are Gail Kim, Lita, Trish for starters.
Nia Jax vs. Bayley(c)
Great match between Bayley and Jax. First time I saw Bayley win without her belly to belly finisher. The way she won here….a Bayley heel turn in the very near future? As for Jax, very anxious to see her and Asuka face off. They had a staredown.
Samoa Joe vs. Finn Bálor(c)
Joe’s one of the best, as is Balor. Balor, since arriving to NXT has really been a valuable asset to that brand. But he’s turned up his game since becoming NXT Champion. Hard fought win for him tonight as Joe really tested him.
Keyword for me, when I listen to music, go to theater, watch movie, serie or wrestling, is, that I expect to be entertained..I expect to see or hear something fresh and new..even, if its within well-known frames.
Nxt is all that in the wrestling section, that the so called main product in WWE is not for me.
I really can not remember any reaction like the one that the crowd came with all night, for the whole card, last experienced at the second ECW One Night Stand event in 2006.
Even women wrestling, that I never really cared for, is made look much more entertaining than most of the main products match setups. -Revolution- is a very big term to try install in ones product..too bad, one of the heads of WWE, Steph, is the one who brouhgt it up on camera, when they truly can not live up to it on the so called main product, but the revolution is so crystal clear on the “side”-product.
Guess, the only reason, that Nxt product is not represented in the Slammy’s, is that the brand would take all the awards, assuming the voting proces is not rigged like the Taboo Tuesday / Cyber Monday days.
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I really enjoy NXT, especially the Take Over events. Only reviewing what I saw.
Asuka vs. Emma w/Dana Brooke
Emma has really improved. Asuka is not surprisingly one of the best there is today. Man, Asuka’s kick. OUCH! Nice start to the show. Dream opponents for her for me as a fan are Gail Kim, Lita, Trish for starters.
Nia Jax vs. Bayley(c)
Great match between Bayley and Jax. First time I saw Bayley win without her belly to belly finisher. The way she won here….a Bayley heel turn in the very near future? As for Jax, very anxious to see her and Asuka face off. They had a staredown.
Samoa Joe vs. Finn Bálor(c)
Joe’s one of the best, as is Balor. Balor, since arriving to NXT has really been a valuable asset to that brand. But he’s turned up his game since becoming NXT Champion. Hard fought win for him tonight as Joe really tested him.
Keyword for me, when I listen to music, go to theater, watch movie, serie or wrestling, is, that I expect to be entertained..I expect to see or hear something fresh and new..even, if its within well-known frames.
Nxt is all that in the wrestling section, that the so called main product in WWE is not for me.
I really can not remember any reaction like the one that the crowd came with all night, for the whole card, last experienced at the second ECW One Night Stand event in 2006.
Even women wrestling, that I never really cared for, is made look much more entertaining than most of the main products match setups. -Revolution- is a very big term to try install in ones product..too bad, one of the heads of WWE, Steph, is the one who brouhgt it up on camera, when they truly can not live up to it on the so called main product, but the revolution is so crystal clear on the “side”-product.
Guess, the only reason, that Nxt product is not represented in the Slammy’s, is that the brand would take all the awards, assuming the voting proces is not rigged like the Taboo Tuesday / Cyber Monday days.