NXT TakeOver London Review

Asuka defeated Emma (w/ Dana Brooke)

They started out with some chain stuff. The match made its way outside the ring, where Dana Brooke distracted Asuka long enough for Emma to recover and then get the heat on Asuka. Asuka made a brief comeback, then Emma got the heat on her some more. Asuka would make a longer comeback, but it would be cut off and Emma would regain the upper hand once again. Emma tried to get Asuka locked in a hold, but Asuka countered into an ankle lock. Asuka hit a German suplex followed by a Shining Wizard for a near fall. Asuka went for the Asuka lock, but Emma drove the two of them into the ref. While the ref was down, Dana threw what looked like a belt into the ring. Emma and Asuka fought for it. Asuka got it, but it looked like she hit Emma with it. Asuka pleaded her case and the ref let the match continue. Emma rolled up Asuka, but Asuka kicked out and reversed it into the Asuka Lock. Emma tapped, but the ref didn’t see it, because he was distracted by Dana. The ref threw Dana out.

Finish: Emma tried to sneak up on Asuka with the belt, but Asuka caught her with a heel kick and pinned her.

The ref for this match was Drake Wuertz, who used to wrestle on the indy circuit as Drake Younger. I’ve seen him thrown through furniture wrapped in barbed wire. The Ultraviolent Golden Boy should not be doing ref bumps. Other than that (which wouldn’t have factored in at all if you didn’t know who the ref was), very good match. Asuka is my new 2^nd-favorite wrestler after Becky Lynch.

★★★¾

Scott Dawson and Dash Wilder defeated Enzo Amore and Colin Cassady (w/ Carmellla) to retain the NXT Tag Team Championship

Enzo and Dawson started and the two men tried to gain the upper hand. Dawson tagged in Wilder and Enzo and Cass got the upper hand on him. Dawson tagged in and then he and Dash got the heat on Cass. Cass made a brief comeback, and with Dash and Dawson on the outside, Cass threw Enzo onto them. When everyone ended up back in the ring, Dash regained the upper hand and got the heat on Enzo, later joined by Dawson. Eventually, Enzo got to Cass for the hot tag, and he ran wild on Dawson briefly before Dash cut him off and distracted him long enough for Dawson to regroup and hit a chop block. Dash caught Cass in a reverse figure four, but Cass was eventually able to reach the ropes. Dawson tried to come off the top to target Cass’ knee, but Enzo knocked him off the rope. Cass rolled up Dash, but Dash kicked out. Cass caught Dash with a big boot and then Enzo hit the splash, but Dawson pulled Enzo out of the ring before the ref could get to three. The match went to the outside. Dawson threw Cass into the ring post.

Finish: Enzo threw Dawson into the ring and went for a move off the top, but Dawson threw him to Dash, who finished the Shatter Machine and pinned Enzo.

Great match. Please do something with Enzo and Cass. Enzo cuts some of the best promos in the world. Cass has a ton of charisma with Enzo. Maybe they’re not great workers, but they’re very good. Cass works well for a big man. Enzo can go. DO SOMETHING WITH THEM!

★★★★

Baron Corbin defeated Apollo Crews

Crews got the upper hand early, then Corbin was able to swing the match in his favor and get the heat on Crews. Crews fought back and the match went back-and-forth for a bit, then Corbin tossed Crews out of the ring and Crews hit the steps on the way down. It sounded like Corbin yelled at Crews that he should have stayed in Ring of Honor. That should go over well with Vince. Corbin got Crews back in the ring and got the heat on him. Crews rolled up Corbin, but Corbin kicked out and got the heat on Crews some more. Crews made a comeback, but Corbin cut him off and hit a side slam for a near fall. Corbin went for End of Days, but Crews countered out and hit a standing moonsault, but Corbin kicked out.

Finish: Crews went for a sitout powerbomb, but Corbin countered and hit End of Days.

I just watched two matches that followed this same formula, the only difference this time being that the match was carried by a guy who had no business doing so. Crews is great. Let him show what he can do in the ring. If this is a grudge match, let it go back-and-forth with these two guys just beating the crapout of each other. Still an okay match, but man, Corbin really sucks.

★★

Bayley defeated Nia Jax to retain the NXT Women’s Championship

Nia got the heat on Bayley. Bayley made a comeback, but still struggled to get Nia off her feet. She got Nia down to one knee and hit something, but I couldn’t tell what it was because the camera missed the shot. Bayley and Nia went back-and-forth for a bit. Bayley and Nia went to the top and Bayley pushed Nia off and then hit a swanton for a near fall. Bayley rolled outside and when she made it back into the ring, Nia hit a Samoan drop for a near fall. Nia hit two more Samoan drops and then a leg drop, but only covered Bayley with one foot and Bayley kicked out. Nia got the heat on Bayley and hit three leg drops to the back of Bayley’s neck. Nia went for the cover, but Bayley kicked out. Nia got the heat on Bayley some more and went for a Samoan drop off the top, but Bayley countered into a guillotine choke. Nia powered out, but Bayley caught her in it again. Nia powered out again.

Finish: Bayley caught Nia in the guillotine again. After a while, Nia tapped out.

Nia seems like just a poor man’s (or woman’s, I guess?) Awesome Kong. Like, a very poor man’s (woman’s?) Awesome Kong. And she had to carry the match and there wasn’t a whole lot they could do and what they could do wasn’t very good. Nia threw everything but the kitchen sink at Bayley and Bayley still won, which I get is the story they’re telling, but Bayley entered Cena territory here and this made Nia look like a complete idiot. Also, and this wasn’t their fault because the kind of match they had was the kind of match a larger heel and a smaller face should logically have, but this was the fourth match in a row following the same formula.

-★¼

Finn Balor defeated Samoa Joe to retain the NXT Championship

The match started out with the two men trying to gain the upper hand on one another. Balor had it briefly, the Joe turned the tables and got the heat on Balor. Balor would eventually attempt a comeback, but he would be cut off by Joe. Joe got Balor in the crossface, but Balor reached the ropes. Joe tried to go back on the attack, but Balor countered and hit a DDT. After taking control briefly, Balor was cut off, but regained the advantage and hit a Swanton over the ropes on Joe. Back in the ring, Balor maintained control and hit a slingblade. A missile dropkick attempt was thwarted by Joe and Joe hit a senton. Joe went for the Muscle Buster, but Balor broke free and rolled Joe up, but Joe kicked out. Joe caught Balor in the Kokina Clutch, but Balor drove him face-first into the top turnbuckle. Joe got Balor back in the ring and locked in the hold again, but Balor broke free and hit a double stomp. Balor got up first and hit a slingblade that the camera missed, then a few missile dropkicks to drop Joe.

Finish: Balor went for Coup de Grace, but Joe made it back to his feet and tried to hit the Muscle Buster, Balor broke free, Joe tried again, but Balor knocked him off the ropes and then hit Coup de Grace and pinned him.

I expected a great match and these two delivered. Well done.

★★★★½

Overall: The Women’s title match was bad and it doesn’t take a genius to figure out who was at fault for that. The Corbin-Crews match was underwhelming, and ditto. The other three matches were great. The crowd was great, too. If England ever gets WrestleMania, Qwan needs to get us press passes, or at least tickets.

★★★¼

Twitter: @KSchroeder2325

E-mail: schroeder.giig@gmail.com

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