Tyler Breeze vs Jaxson Ryker
This was an okay match, a far cry from what Breeze is truly capable of. However, the highlight was the post-match save by Fandango! It’s great to see him back and it looks like the Fashion Police may be reuniting to take on the Forgotten Sons.
Winner: Tyler Breeze
Grade: B-
Cameron Grimes vs Bronson Reed-NXT Breakout Tournament
The match was a little on the short side, but an otherwise great semi-finals match. Grimes will be facing Jordan Myles in the final round, which should produce a fine match. I think the crowd is a bit more invested in these two competitors as well; hopefully that bodes well for them once the tournament has concluded.
Winner: Cameron Grimes
Grade: B+
The Bro’s challenge
Matt Riddle gave his comments about Killian Dain and challenged him to a match next week. I’m surprisingly into this feud.
Not Graded
“Street trash”
This was a great, fired-up promo between a sympathetic babyface and a heel. Such a clear-cut dichotomy is sometimes difficult to achieve in today’s wrestling but it’s working perfectly here. This match is almost begging to be elevated to a street fight or no-holds-barred match at Takeover.
Grade: B+
Mr. Regal
Candice LeRae wants Io Shirai at Takeover and she’s getting it. This should be a pretty good match as well.
Not Graded
Roderick Strong vs Pete Dunne
This was a fantastic main event match between two skilled technical wrestlers. Strong really focused in on the back, while Dunne focused on the hand and elbow. It was a good “Welcome Back to NXT” moment for Dunne as well. Post-match, Velveteen Dream arrived and Dunne hit the Bitter End to stand tall and close the show. Love the build for this triple threat!
Winner: Pete Dunne
Grade: A-
Final Thoughts
Two women’s matches on the Takeover card?! It’s been a while since we had that. This episode was pretty good, focusing on the Takeover build as it is next week. I think I’m most excited about Mia Yim vs Shayna Baszler. I hope a stipulation gets added to that match.
Overall Grade: B+
