By @Ms_Deathwish
Being from England and with early morning parental responsibilities, it’s not often I get a chance to actually stay up and watch a WWE pay-per-view live but me and my husband made the effort last night and I’m so glad we did. Getting involved with the online chat and camaraderie adds a whole new element to the viewing experience. After spending time on Twitter last night, I’m not sure there’s anyone left alive who hasn’t seen NXT Takeover: Wargames II yet but for those who haven’t, and for those who are happy to relive the action, here is my take on the events at the LA Staples Centre.
As the camera pans over a raucous crowd, showing us the signature War Games ring set up and the cage hanging from the rafters, we are greeted by the voice of arguably one of the best WWE commentators of all time, certainly the best they have to offer right now, the awesome Mauro Ronallo. For me he is the voice of NXT and it is great to hear him back where he belongs. He always brings creative calls, exuberant passion and just general badassery whenever he is sitting at the announce desk. He leads a nice tribute to Stan Lee as he, Nigel Mcguinness and Percy Watson introduce the show, making the first of many references to the comic book legend that we will see tonight.
As the three men discuss the upcoming War Games match they are interrupted by “Broooooooo!” announcing a surprise appearance from the “SuperKing of Bros”, ex-MMA star and new NXT signing Matt Riddle.
Surprise Intro Match: Matt Riddle vs Kassius Ohno
I was unsure if this segment really deserved the title of “match” but it merits a worthy mention. The crowd pops massively for the arrival of Riddle. It’s not often someone gets an appearance at Takeover so soon after being signed to NXT but Riddle is a special case. He has a huge following and this is evident from the crowd response. As he reaches the ring, he cuts a promo calling out Kassius Ohno. The two men featured on the Takeover kick-off show and have been circling each other for weeks, trading barbs and puffing out their manly chests. He points out the two ring set up for War Games, saying he could knock out Ohno in both of them, and calls for an impromptu match. Ohno’s music hits and the Knockout Artist makes his way to the ring with mic in hand. He talks a good game but once he is in the ring and the bell is rung, Riddle knocks him clean out of his boots with an explosive running high knee to the jaw. Riddle could have pinned him for a count of 33 after that, but a 3 count is sufficient to bring this match to a close mere seconds after it started.
Result: Matt Riddle wins via pinfall
Ohno looks punch-drunk when he does finally get up, and you can tell by the look in his eyes that this is far from over. This was a nice surprise to start the night and it certainly had the desired effect of hyping up the crowd before the first proper match. It is clear from this intro that they have huge plans for Riddle and I would definitely be down to see a more competitive match between him and Ohno at a later date.
Match 1: Kairi Sane vs Shayna Baszler – 2 out of 3 Falls Match for the NXT Women’s Championship
The first “proper” match tonight pits the first ever two-time NXT Women’s champion Shayna Baszler against the “Pirate Princess” Kairi Sane. Shayna regained the title from Kairi recently with an assist from her UFC buddies and fellow “Horsewomen” Jessamyn Duke and Marina Shafir. At the back of my mind I can’t help but think that maybe they will be making an appearance again tonight.
Kairi Sane explodes out of the corner as soon as the bell rings, catching Baszler off guard. She rains down a torrent of strong style strikes in an attempt to subdue the champ and pick up the first fall quickly, giving her an enviable advantage. Within minutes of the match starting, Duke and Shafir appear at ringside and take advantage of the fact that the referee is distracted by checking on Shayna. While his back is turned, they both toss Kairi into the ring apron and steps to try and help their friend. When they are done beating her down, they roll Kairi back into the ring and into the jaws of Baszler. She locks in the Kirifuda Clutch submission hold jerking Sane from side to side like a child, forcing her to tap out and giving Shayna that all important first fall.
As the match restarts Shayna maintains her momentum, dominating Sane with her impressive grappling and submission ability. The turning point comes when Shayna goes for a suplex on the ring apron but it is reversed by Kairi, spiking her on her head with a DDT on the hard apron with brutal force. While Shayna is out on the floor outside the ring, her two friends both try and land hits on Sane, both unsuccessfully. As a 2 out of 3 falls match can include DQ or count outs as “falls” there is no championship advantage here. If one of them had managed to connect with Kairi in front of the ref then a DQ would have given Kairi the second fall. Instead, she manages to dodge both attacks and then nail all three women with her Insane Elbow from the turnbuckle to the outside to a rapturous response from the crowd. She pulls Baszler from the wreckage and throws her back in the ring, hits her with a second Insane Elbow and picks up a well deserved second fall.
The match restarts again only for Kairi to unleash a slew of spears. The two trade blows and fight tooth and nail for that final fall, leading to the action being taken to the top rope. Duke and Shafir try and interfere again to help edge Shayna towards the win, only for their plans to be foiled by the arrival of Dakota Kai and Io Shirai. Things seem to be going in favour of Kairi Sane as Io Shirai takes out the meddling women with possibly the most beautiful moonsault I have ever seen, while in skinny jeans and leather boots. Kairi takes to the top turnbuckle for another Insane Elbow only to be rolled up at the last minute by Shayna and pinned, allowing the champ to retain.
Result: Shayna Baszler Wins taking the 1st and 3rd fall, retaining the NXT
Women’s Championship
A great match and excellent opener. A well thought out battle between the two women, keeping us guessing until the end. The use of Shafir and Duke leads us to think that they may be getting them ready for appearances on NXT programming soon. Adding Dakota and Io into the mix sets up some very promising rivalries for the future, making the NXT women’s division something to keep your eye on.
Match 2: Aleister Black vs Johnny Gargano
This rivalry has been simmering for months and will finally reach its dramatic conclusion tonight. Ever since Aleister Black was attacked earlier in the year, leaving him out for several months, NXT has been awash with conspiracy theories and “whodunnit” storylines. Nikki Cross was pivotal, claiming to be a witness and saying she knew who the attacker was. Finally when Black returned recently his attacker was revealed to be the one and only Johnny Gargano. When Black was first injured he was booked in a triple threat championship match with Gargano and NXT Champion Tomasso Ciampa. The fact he got taken out meant that this match was changed to a one on one between Gargano and Ciampa, something that we all knew Johnny was longing for. This was the assumed motive behind the attack but Johnny’s attitude recently has definitely shown us a darker side to the popular superstar. Was it just the wish to get his hands on Ciampa on his own, or was it more than that?
I’m a huge fan of both of these guys so my anticipation for this match was through the roof. I loved Johnny Gargano’s entrance gear. A clear nod to Stan Lee and Marvel’s Punisher. Black also looked amazing coming to the ring, with a demonic looking jacket bedecked with spikes.
As this match gets underway you can clearly see the evil side of Johnny coming into play. Before his life-changing feud with Ciampa, he embodied the babyface persona. Smiley, cheerful, lots of fan interaction and a fan-friendly style. He has come out of that rivalry a different man. Now he is cocky, disrespectful, sadistic. I LOVE it. Paired with the burning intensity of Black, you can almost feel the tension between them coming through the screen. I can’t think of another wrestler who kicks as emphatically as Black does. You can clearly tell he has a solid background in kickboxing as his kicks wouldn’t look out of place in a Van Damme action thriller. He’d kill a role as an evil henchman in such a movie, I’m sure of it.
In the face of this intense and brutal offense, Johnny taunts Aleister. Trying to get under the Dutch Destroyer’s skin and play on his anger and frustration, Johnny ducks and dodges, laughing at and mocking his opponents moves and fighting style. Aleister Black is almost terminally “cool” and it’s not often that you see him lose his composed demeanour. Johnny certainly manages to get to him and this tactic proves effective, giving Gargano an edge in the first part of this match. When Black manages to regain his composure, he is almost unstoppable, levelling Johnny with kick after kick and some beautiful signature moves that he does so well.
As the match continues, both superstars have some outstanding moments. The battle of will between the two is emotional and powerful. There are too many truly beautiful spots to mention them all. Both of these men are masters of high-impact, exciting offense. Black lands some amazing kick combos. Johnny flies through the ropes. Both have technical skill and world class athleticism. At one point Black sits cross-legged in the ring, inviting Johnny to take his best shot. This kicks off a flurry of offense from Gargano but still he can’t put Aleister away. The crowd at this point is tearing the roof off the Staples Center, each man, woman and child so invested in this all out war that is taking place in front of them. The action spills out of the ring and Johnny is almost knocked clean out by a high knee from Black as he flies through the ropes.
When they are both back in the ring, a fraught and emotional Johnny is pleading with Black to just end the madness, but this is all a ploy and he suckers him in for an attempted submission victory. This last gasp from Johnny is unsuccessful however as Aleister fights back, finally hitting his apocalyptic Black Mass kick. This would usually be the end but Black isn’t done. He holds Johnny up by his chin and utters “I absolve you of all your skins” before hitting a second Black Mass and claiming victory
Result: Aleister Black wins via pinfall
The ending to this match was just perfect. It was a testament to the drama and theatre of this monumental journey. Quite possibly one of the best matches I have ever seen and I don’t doubt many onlookers will give it their “Match of the Year” spot. The story these men told was one of anger, frustration, a desire for dominance and a begrudging respect for one another. It was almost cinematic and a total wrestling masterpiece. I’m unsure what this means for these two now. There are rumours of call ups to the main roster after Survivor Series and either of these athletes is good enough for Raw or Smackdown. I worry for their futures outside of NXT as so many amazing stars have been called up only to languish in the mid card and then disappear into obscurity. They are too good for that. Please treat them well WWE.
Match 3 – NXT Championship Match: Tommaso Ciampa (c) vs Velveteen Dream
Next up we have a title match featuring the reigning champ, “The Sicilian Psychopath” and self-titled “The Greatest Sports Entertainer of All Time” Tommaso Ciampa and his opponent Velveteen Dream.
Velveteen enters the arena resplendent in “Hollywood” ring attire. He always puts so much effort into his entrance gear and it’s one of the things I love about him. Anyone who knows the history between Dream and Hulk Hogan will appreciate the pretty epic trolling going on here from the young superstar.
Following the match we have just seen from Aleister Black and Johnny Gargano it’s hard to see how this one can even come close, even though both competitors are brilliant. The crowd is still reeling from the after effects of that match which makes for a rowdy and passionate atmosphere.
Dream has a youthful arrogance and charisma by the bucketload, whereas Ciampa has a steely grit and determination that have surprised me. I have always rated him as a wrestler and performer but when I first heard he had taken the belt from Aleister Black I was uncertain on his ability to carry the championship. He has more than proven me wrong though, I will freely admit. He’s been an excellent champion, it’s been the making of him as a performer in my opinion.
The mind games come into play from both Ciampa and Dream, with both mocking the other and trying to bait them into making a mistake. It’s hard to tell exactly who is winning that battle in the early stages as both hold their own. Dream showcases some seriously impressive athleticism and manages to pull away from Ciampa slightly in the early part of the match. Some exuberant high-risk offense seems to rattle the champ but then he knocks Dream off his perch by literally knocking him off the top rope to the outside. Tommaso uses this brief respite to get his breath back before he leaps out of the ring and brings his aggressively vicious side out to play.
Ciampa maintains dominance for the next part of the match, keeping up a barrage of high-impact brutality both inside and outside of the ring. He is truly dangerous when it comes to using his environment, always coming up with deviously innovative ways to hurt his opponent. The image of Ciampa shrieking “Go to sleep, Dream!” while grinding him down with a headlock on the mat is something that has stuck with me since I first saw it.
I didn’t think it was possible to surpass the drama of the previous match but these guys managed it. While they may not quite match up to Black and Gargano in the all round wrestling ability stakes, their dedication to character development and storytelling is outstanding. We are hit with nearfall after nearfall, tearing at our emotions and those of the watching crowd. Before the match started I never in a million years though Dream would win, but there times in the latter stages of this battle that I believed it could happen. So many instances of “Oh god! So close!” for both of them.
They sold the hell out of it. They really did.
The match continues and Dream focuses his attacks on Ciampa’s surgically repaired knee, including an excruciating Figure 4 around the ring post. Unseen by the ref, Ciampa taps, begging to be released. I was shouting at the TV even though it technically wouldn’t have counted as a victory owing to the positioning and vicinity to the ropes. After Ciampa has briefly escaped, Dream locks in the submission hold again in the middle of the ring, somewhere that he could secure a clean win. Tommaso manages to roll them both to the ropes forcing Dream to break the hold and finally creating some distance between them.
Following this we have a spot where Velveteen Dream actually suplexes Ciampa up and over the top rope and out of the ring, sending both of them to the floor. This was insane to watch. It’s a move that is often teased in many matches but rarely comes to fruition.
The battle rages on. Ciampa is limping, frustration is showing. He tries to bring the belt in to use as a weapon but ends up having it used against him as Dream dumps him on his head, the belt right underneath. You can see the look on the champ’s face. Disbelief along with a dash of “what do I have to DO to this guy?”
He rips up the padding on the floor outside the ring, intending to execute his signature DDT that has won him so many matches in the past. He doesn’t manage to hit the move though as both men go sailing over the announce table, sending Mauro, Percy and Nigel scattering. Mauro continues to call the match with gusto even as Ciampa takes out his frustrations on the announcer. This gives Dream a second to get the drop on the champ as he grabs him and pulls off the Dream Valley Driver on the exposed floor. Rolling Ciampa back into the ring, he then hits his Purple Rainmaker finisher to an absolutely nuclear crowd, all on their feet, but STILL Ciampa kicks out.
Tommaso rolls half out of the ring and is hung up on the bottom rope. Dream spots an opportunity to finally put him away and tries to go for his signature elbow again on the apron but Ciampa moves and Dream comes down hard on the floor. I remember saying “that’s it…he’s done”. Ciampa dragged him to the spot that joins the two rings and drops Dream on the metal grating with the draping DDT. He then drags his opponent into the middle of the ring and with sheer desperation on his face, he is finally victorious.
Result: Tommaso Ciampa wins via pinfall and retains the NXT Championship
I’m not sure exactly what else I can say about this match. It was awesome. Beyond awesome. Again those thoughts of main roster call-ups float in the back of my mind and I wonder how each of them would fare. With Ciampa retaining the belt he will be sticking around on the yellow brand at least for now it would seem. The sky’s the limit as far as Velveteen Dream is concerned in my opinion. He has improved immeasurably. He always had the charisma but looked a little green in the ring at times. Experience is being kind to him though as he just keeps getting better. I’ve always said that technical skill can be learned but having charisma is something innate. Sure it can be worked on, I’ve seen some people work hard and get much better in that area, but to have the kind of swagger that Dream has is something you are born with. Ciampa continues to be a dominant and exciting champion. With all the new talent that is flooding into NXT I am really excited to see who they line up next as contender to the crown.
Main Event – War Games II: Undisputed Era vs War Raiders, Ricochet and Pete Dunne
It’s hard to believe after the last two matches that we STILL haven’t had the “main event”. Now we reach the titular stipulation, War Games.
A brief description of the rules for anyone who isn’t familiar with this match:
Two rings are set up side by side, joined together. A steel cage is lowered on top, sealing the participants inside. At the top of the ramp, the teams are each locked in a separate cage, with one member chosen to start the match. After 5 minutes, one member of one of the teams will be released from the cages so that they can join the match. 3 minutes later, a member of the other team will be allowed to join the match, alternating this way at 3 minute intervals until all 8 men are in the ring.
Undisputed Era won a previous match on NXT giving them the advantage of being the team who will go first. This is a pretty big advantage as it means that for a lot of the match they will have an extra man. Once all 8 men are in the ring the match will officially start, meaning that no one can be pinned or submitted until this happens. The only way to be victorious is via pinfall or submission. This means there are no disqualifications or count-outs. If you escape or leave the cage once you have entered then you forfeit the match.
Now that we have that out of the way we can get on with the action!
Undisputed Era are the first to come out, choosing their leader Adam Cole as the first participant. The remaining 3 men are locked in their own cage. The other team is made up of the powerhouse tag team War Raiders, the NXT UK Champion Pete Dunne and the NXT North American Champion Ricochet. War Raiders come out first, complete with their signature war paint. Next Pete Dunne makes his entrance, also sporting the same war paint as his team mates. Lastly we have Ricochet, chosen as their first entrant to the match, and also with the same painted face. I thought this was a nice touch for the team, adding an element of drama to proceedings..
So Adam Cole and Ricochet kick things off inside the unforgiving steel structure of the War Games ring. These two have had a long rivalry, with Ricochet taking his North American Championship from Adam Cole at a previous NXT Takeover. They face off with one standing in each ring after the bell rings. The two indie darlings have the ring to themselves for 5 minutes and they waste no time in showing us why they are so highly regarded. Adam Cole is the first to mount any real offense, grinding down the high-flying Ricochet with a series of kicks and strikes. Ricochet uses the unusual space to his advantage, flying from ring to ring as he tries to fight back.
5 Minutes has passed and the next man is released and allowed to enter. This is where the Undisputed Era’s advantage will be obvious. Kyle O’Reilly joins his teammate and suddenly Ricochet is in a handicap match. O’Reilly is an excellent technician, working on the legs of the high-flyer as a way to try and clip his wings. A brutal Dragon Screw leg whip in between the ring ropes of the two rings looks positively hideous for Ricochet. Cole and O’Reilly keep up the assault, stomping Ricochet into the mat and battering him with a combination of kicks.
We are at the end of another 3 minutes and now Ricochet gets a potential reprieve. Hanson of the War Raiders bursts out of the cage like a rabid dog and sprints to the ring to help his teammate. The fresh superstar lays waste to Cole and O’Reilly, using his seriously impressive athleticism and speed as well as his gargantuan power to dominate the two smaller men. He comes in like a hurricane, destructive and intimidating. After his initial attack, he helps Ricochet back into the ring for a much needed boost of morale.
Ricochet and Hanson show some excellent team work straight away with Ricochet nailing a running Shooting Star Press off the back of a kneeling Hanson. Just as they are starting to fight back from their disadvantage, the timer reaches 3 minutes again and Roderick Strong joins the fray. The Messiah of the Backbreaker is instantly a deadly force, laying out Ricochet. It takes an assist from Cole and O’Reilly before he can do the same to Hanson but they manage to pull it off, putting Undisputed Era back on top. They make full use of the extra man, getting in as much aggression as possible before the teams are on an equal footing again.
It’s not long before the remaining member of War Raiders, Raymond Rowe, is let out of the cage, giving Ricochet and Hanson some back-up. Undisputed Era throw everything they have at the new man but he swats them off like flies. Helped out by his long time tag partner, Rowe holds up Kyle O’Reilly and Roderick Strong at the same time, slamming both to the mat in a power bomb/slam combination. The arena is filled with “WAR” chants, supporting the well established and respected team. Now that the two are together, they work at causing as much damage as possible. Bodies are slammed into the cage walls and tossed about the ring like rag-dolls. The countdown for the next 3 minutes begins.
Bobby Fish is the last remaining member of Undisputed Era to join the match. As he leaves his cage, he runs over to the cage that holds Pete Dunne and tries to attack the padlock that keeps the cage locked. He should have known that offering Pete Dunne your fingers is NEVER a good idea. The Bruiserweight grabs his arm and tries to hurt Fish but in a stroke of pure brilliance, Fish double locks the cage and throws away the key, leaving Dunne trapped. As he reaches the ring he pulls a load of chairs from under the ring and throws them into the cage to be used as weapons. This must have been planned all along as the chairs are emblazoned with the Undisputed Era logo (something for the WWE shop this Christmas, please!)
Newly invigorated and with access to weapons, the four man team obliterate their opponents in a brutal display of aggression. O’Reilly playing air guitar with an Undisputed chair was an awesome touch. They cemented themselves as one of THE top factions in recent history. Not just in WWE but in wrestling full stop. Cruel and unusual punishment is dished out with each member using imaginative shot after imaginative shot. They stand tall with the other three men in bits on the floor.
The final countdown starts, meaning that Pete Dunne should be free to join the match, but because of the actions of Bobby Fish, he is trapped. He rattles the cage door with all his might but it is useless. Meanwhile in the ring, Undisputed Era continue using their numbers advantage to wear down the other team. At this point I was wondering if UE had really thought this through as without Pete Dunne this match can’t actually officially start. A referee with bolt-cutters saves the day though and comes to free the NXTUK champ from his prison.
Like a hell-beast uncaged, Dunne tears down the ramp to the ring, his sights set firmly on Fish. He stops to grab a Kendo stick from under the ring which he uses to great effect on the hands and fingers of Undisputed Era. As they are distracted by Dunne’s entrance, they do not see Ricochet clambering to the top rope before he takes out all 4 men with a cross-body splash.
Dunne is rummaging around under the ring for more weapons, tossing in trash cans, Kendo sticks and tables. Satisfied that he has added enough of an arsenal to the cage, he enters the ring, officially starting the match. The locked cage is now a death trap with 8 men and a cornucopia of carnage. In the midst of the war zone, Dunne stands out with his trademark technical style and methodical dismantling of limbs and joints. There is so much going on at this point it is hard to keep track, I am just overwhelmingly envious of those people lucky enough to be in attendance.
The arrival of Dunne gives his team the will and energy to take back control of the match. In one spot, Rowe picks up Hanson and runs with him, slamming into Adam Cole who is sat in the corner with his head in a trashcan. In amongst all this talent and ridiculousness it is incredibly hard for anyone to stand out. But they all do. Each of them has a chance to shine.
O’Reilly and Fish focus an attack on Dunne’s leg that has had recent issues with injury. They tie him up with a steel chain and desperately try to force him to submit, isolating him from his teammates at the same time. Fish and Cole guard the ropes of one ring, keeping the others out and in the adjacent one. Ricochet flies over the men, finally breaking down that barrier and allowing Dunne a chance to escape.
Bodies crumble, tables explode, faces contort with pain and effort. This has turned into a battle of the ages!
As the match continues Adam Cole and Ricochet climb to the top of the cage. Cole and his teammates try to force Ricochet off the top of the cage, knowing that if they can push him out they will win by forfeit. In what can only be described as an inhuman feat, all of the other competitors try and climb up, grabbing each other in formation until Hanson comes up underneath and slams them all down in the most insane “Tower of Doom” I have ever seen. Nigel Mcguinness called it an “avalanche of humanity” and I’m struggling to come up with a better description.
With all the men in the ring and only Ricochet still on the top of the cage, you can only imagine what he has in mind. I’m only just recovering from previous spot when Ricochet leaps from the top in what looks like a double moonsault. Mauro Ronallo is screaming “Mama F’n Mia!” and the crowd is going absolutely mental.
After all this madness, the two teams retreat, one in each ring. They line up and face each other down in a scene reminiscent of two football firms facing off before rushing at each other for the fight of their lives. How any of these men have ANY energy left is just unbelievable. I’m exhausted just writing about it.
The final moments of this match see Adam Cole and Pete Dunne going at it. Dunne tries to hit his finisher but Cole reverses it. Cole tries to hit his finisher but Dunne escapes the pin. Finally Dunne manages to hit The Bitter End on Cole, then Ricochet leaps into view with a splash and they both cover Cole as the win is called.
Result: Pete Dunne and Ricochet win for their team via pinfall
I’ve watched this match twice now and it is just compete insanity. Mauro and Nigel have gone above and beyond with their calls, so much creativity and passion in their words. The final image of this match, and in fact of the PPV, is of Dunne and Ricochet standing on top of the cage with their belts held high.
I can’t think of anything else to say now apart from…
THIS IS NXT!
