NXT TakeOver: Orlando (April 1st, 2017)

[detroitKG]

Add Black to the list of Nakamura and Roode that will get over on his entrance/theme alone...so sick!

Watch on YouTube

[detroitKG]

I love GOOOOOOLD!

Read on Twitter

[improper]

Sanity Vs. Dillinger & Friends - ***1/2
I thought this was a perfectly booked **** tag match. It was fast-paced and never boring. This is exactly how you should book these types of matches. I also thought using Hero instead of No Way Jose was a great choice, as Hero brought a nice counter to Dain.

Black Vs. Almas - ***
I was underwhelmed more because I expected this to be a potential match of the weekend more than because it was bad. I thought Black looked like his timing was a little off in this one. He clearly was late to kick out of one pinfall, and he cut a few more close. Still a solid bout, though.

Authors of Pain Vs. DIY Vs. The Revival - ****1/2
Probably the match of the weekend right here. Just awesome work from all parties. A bit bummed the AOP won, but all in all this match was pretty much as good as could be expected.

Asuka Vs. Ember Moon - ****1/4
Possibly the best WWE women's match I've ever seen with regards to in-ring work. It lacked the story or build of Sasha/Bayley, but I think it surpassed both of their matches in the actual in-ring quality.

Bobby Roode Vs. Shinsuke Nakamura - ****
I thought this was a bit better than their last match. Great all around work from both guys.

[detroitKG]

Welp. I hope he brings back that dope ass theme!

Read on Twitter

[detroitKG]

Watch on YouTube

[Spens1]

Welp. I hope he brings back that dope ass theme!

Read on Twitter

well ICW better lock in Coffey in fast or else they also may be a bit cooked.

[Spens1]

Anyway

Good takeover for the most part. Booking was a bit confusing, why did Almas lose again? The last thing he needed was another loss on PPV. Why didn't Ember Moon win and let Asuka move up to the main roster, lord knows they need her there (either brand really, and ffs she's like 35, like she needs any development).

Anyway Tag team was MOTN i thought. Roode and Nakamura was great and Asuka vs Moon was every bit as good as i thought it would be. Moon did come off looking good but a bit perplexed that they had Asuka win and stay on NXT moreso than anything.

the new NXT title belt looks mint, looks like a proper top title. the old belt wasn't bad but this took it to another level. The woman's title is basically the same as the NXT title and that is a huge improvement over the old belt also (especially since they have Asuka as champ) and the tag team belts aren't that bad either, though i did like the old belts, this is better.

Overall good show, no real bad matches. Roode vs Nakamura, Asuka vs Moon and the tag team title match was all fantastic stuff.

[improper]

Anyway

Good takeover for the most part. Booking was a bit confusing, why did Almas lose again? The last thing he needed was another loss on PPV. Why didn't Ember Moon win and let Asuka move up to the main roster, lord knows they need her there (either brand really, and ffs she's like 35, like she needs any development).

Anyway Tag team was MOTN i thought. Roode and Nakamura was great and Asuka vs Moon was every bit as good as i thought it would be. Moon did come off looking good but a bit perplexed that they had Asuka win and stay on NXT moreso than anything.

the new NXT title belt looks mint, looks like a proper top title. the old belt wasn't bad but this took it to another level. The woman's title is basically the same as the NXT title and that is a huge improvement over the old belt also (especially since they have Asuka as champ) and the tag team belts aren't that bad either, though i did like the old belts, this is better.

Overall good show, no real bad matches. Roode vs Nakamura, Asuka vs Moon and the tag team title match was all fantastic stuff.

I thought it was a fantastic show. Almas/Black was probably the worst match on the card, and I still think it was a good *** match. My main issues with it were that Black was a little off with some of his timing (he clearly got pinned at one point when he didn't kick out in time) and it just didn't quite meet my admittedly lofty expectations for it (I was expecting a potential match of the weekend and instead got a perfectly good match).

For Almas/Black, I agree that it sucks to see Almas take another loss, as he's been consistently good to great since his heel turn. However, guys pretty much always win their debuts, so it's not really a big deal. Also, with a heel champ, we're going to get a face challenger, so Almas would have to wait in line anyway. Personally, I'd be fine with them moving Almas to the cruiserweight division. They could certainly use another strong heel who can deliver in the ring, and Almas fits that description better than anyone but Neville. The cruiserweight division is really heavy on great faces (Aries, Alexander, Gallagher, Tozawa, etc.), but really light on great heels (basically just Neville and maybe Nese).

As for Moon/Asuka, it seems obvious to me that they're setting up a rematch. And honestly? I'm fine with that. That was the best WWE women's match we've seen since Bayley/Sasha, and that was almost two years ago. I'd be fine with seeing them tear the house down again. Ember may be awful on the mic, but man can she deliver in the ring. Also, the way she lost pretty much solidified Asuka as a heel and Ember as a face, which means the next match will likely be better from a storytelling standpoint.

At any rate, I think that was probably the best top to bottom Takeover I've ever seen and one of the best overall wrestling shows I've watched as well. We got a potential MOTY candidate in the tag match, the best WWE women's match in over a year, and three other matches that hovered between good and great. That, to me, is a damn near perfect show.

[improper]

By the way, if NXT adds both Io Shirai and Kairi Hojo (seems like Hojo is all but guaranteed, not sure on Io's status), the women's division is going to be incredible. Probably even better than the Four Horsewomen era, at least from a work rate standpoint.

[Spens1]

Anyway

Good takeover for the most part. Booking was a bit confusing, why did Almas lose again? The last thing he needed was another loss on PPV. Why didn't Ember Moon win and let Asuka move up to the main roster, lord knows they need her there (either brand really, and ffs she's like 35, like she needs any development).

Anyway Tag team was MOTN i thought. Roode and Nakamura was great and Asuka vs Moon was every bit as good as i thought it would be. Moon did come off looking good but a bit perplexed that they had Asuka win and stay on NXT moreso than anything.

the new NXT title belt looks mint, looks like a proper top title. the old belt wasn't bad but this took it to another level. The woman's title is basically the same as the NXT title and that is a huge improvement over the old belt also (especially since they have Asuka as champ) and the tag team belts aren't that bad either, though i did like the old belts, this is better.

Overall good show, no real bad matches. Roode vs Nakamura, Asuka vs Moon and the tag team title match was all fantastic stuff.

I thought it was a fantastic show. Almas/Black was probably the worst match on the card, and I still think it was a good *** match. My main issues with it were that Black was a little off with some of his timing (he clearly got pinned at one point when he didn't kick out in time) and it just didn't quite meet my admittedly lofty expectations for it (I was expecting a potential match of the weekend and instead got a perfectly good match).

For Almas/Black, I agree that it sucks to see Almas take another loss, as he's been consistently good to great since his heel turn. However, guys pretty much always win their debuts, so it's not really a big deal. Also, with a heel champ, we're going to get a face challenger, so Almas would have to wait in line anyway. Personally, I'd be fine with them moving Almas to the cruiserweight division. They could certainly use another strong heel who can deliver in the ring, and Almas fits that description better than anyone but Neville. The cruiserweight division is really heavy on great faces (Aries, Alexander, Gallagher, Tozawa, etc.), but really light on great heels (basically just Neville and maybe Nese).

As for Moon/Asuka, it seems obvious to me that they're setting up a rematch. And honestly? I'm fine with that. That was the best WWE women's match we've seen since Bayley/Sasha, and that was almost two years ago. I'd be fine with seeing them tear the house down again. Ember may be awful on the mic, but man can she deliver in the ring. Also, the way she lost pretty much solidified Asuka as a heel and Ember as a face, which means the next match will likely be better from a storytelling standpoint.

At any rate, I think that was probably the best top to bottom Takeover I've ever seen and one of the best overall wrestling shows I've watched as well. We got a potential MOTY candidate in the tag match, the best WWE women's match in over a year, and three other matches that hovered between good and great. That, to me, is a damn near perfect show.

usually yes but if they wanted him to win, they shouldn't have had Almas at the opposite end then and should have had someone else lower down the card.

Almas is way too good to just be CW fodder also. Being the #2 heel is probably about right for him right now. In terms of heels, they could turn a number of faces really and Aries is whatever Aries wants to be on the day, he could easily be a heel against Alexander or Swann if they wanted to. Its AA.

I'd give Black a pass because it was his first match in WWE. He should be ok though

[improper]

usually yes but if they wanted him to win, they shouldn't have had Almas at the opposite end then and should have had someone else lower down the card.

Almas is way too good to just be CW fodder also. Being the #2 heel is probably about right for him right now. In terms of heels, they could turn a number of faces really and Aries is whatever Aries wants to be on the day, he could easily be a heel against Alexander or Swann if they wanted to. Its AA.

I'd give Black a pass because it was his first match in WWE. He should be ok though

I wouldn't want Almas to be cruiserweight fodder. I legitimately think he could be one of the top heels in a division that is sorely lacking in good heels. Neville has the belt right now, but he won't forever, and they'll need another strong heel to step up at some point. Aries could move into that position, but right now he's just too over. A guy like Almas would do wonders for the division because he can deliver both in the ring and in the much needed heel role.

And I'm definitely giving Black a pass. Just saying I thought that was the worst match of the night, which isn't really a major criticism given how good the card was. A three star match is still pretty damn good. I highly doubt the worst match tomorrow will be anywhere near as good as Black/Almas.

[WRau1]

What's the NXT tag division going to do when The Revival and DIY get called up? One of those teams are responsible for the best match on the last 5 ppvs it seems. It's a shame that they'll have to be split on the main roster but it's obviously needed.

[letsgorockets]

Great show to see in person. Almas/Black did lose the crowd for a stretch. Elias Sampson as El Vagabundo, filmed for an upcoming NXT episode, was hilarious. The most personality he's ever shown and got legit cheers. Tag match was insane. Asuka/Moon was good. And being in the arena for the entrances of Nakamura and Roode was beyond awesome. Only downside was some smarks trying tho hijack the show with **** chants . Here's to hoping wrestlemania, which in also going to , lives up to some of the hype.

Sent from my LG-H345 using RealGM mobile app

[improper]

Elias Samson seems to me like a guy who has a lot of potential, but he had a crap gimmick. It's also pretty much impossible to be an effective heel if you always lose because then no one respects you. The main roster does this to basically all their heels, which is why no faces ever get all that over.

[letsgorockets]

Elias Samson seems to me like a guy who has a lot of potential, but he had a crap gimmick. It's also pretty much impossible to be an effective heel if you always lose because then no one respects you. The main roster does this to basically all their heels, which is why no faces ever get all that over.

Yeah I never cared for him much myself. But the whole "put on a mask and pretend its not you" bit actually worked. It was funny and everyone immediately started laughing and cheering. Poor Oney Lorcan tried to play the face, but he got booed the whole match. I'll be interested to see how it comes off on tv cause Sampson was clearly suppose to be the heel and he was over like gangbusters.

Sent from my LG-H345 using RealGM mobile app

[letsgorockets]

And holy hell is Killian Dane a massive man. I knew he was big, but tv doesn't do him justice. He is so broad and massive.

Sent from my LG-H345 using RealGM mobile app

[WRau1]

Someone petition the White House to have NXT Arrival and WrestleMania switch days from now on.