The third NXT PPV and second installment of Takeover is set to take place on September 11. The card is set and will feature five highly-anticipated bouts which have been heavily featured in the previous weeks on NXT. Due to the main event for the NXT Championship being a fatal four way, the event is been dubbed NXT Takeover: Fatal 4 Way. The NXT Tag Team Championships as well as the NXT Women’s Championship will also be on the line.
In addition to the stacked card, Ric Flair will be a part of the show as he helps welcome NXT’s newest superstar, Kenta. Known in Japan as KENTA, Kenta Kobayashi is one of the most touted Japanese imports in the wrestling industry. Among his many accolades which include numerous Championships in Pro Wrestling NOAH, Kenta was ranked #22 in Pro Wrestling Illustrated’s top 500 power rankings in 2013. The Go 2 Sleep maneuver, one CM Punk infamously used as his finisher, was innovated by Kenta and received Best Wrestling Maneuver nods in 2006 and 2007. It also looks as though he’ll get to use his known ring name, which is always an added bonus.
The “Stars of Tomorrow” are ready to put on an excellent show but there’s always a catch. Yes, the negative aspect of this event is that it is only viewable on the WWE Network. The WWE made the decision to move their promising weekly television program to the Network and make it exclusively available there and it’s feasible that the decision was made to push more sales. With that said, this card alone is worth the price of admission. What’s the price again? Only $9.99!
Now, let’s take a look at the card!
Mojo Rawley [50-11] vs. Bull Dempsey [13-11]
Bull Dempsey and Mojo Rawley were once a tag team but they could not put their differences aside and instead butted heads. Things went from bad to worse and their run as a tag team ended, but their hatred for one another did not stop there. This will be Bull Dempsey’s first PPV-esque match while Mojo Rawley will enter his second, having defeated CJ Parker at NXT ArRival, earlier this year in February.
Mojo Rawley is your over the top babyface. He wants to get it, he’ll do anything to get over and if that means concentrating less on the match then so be it. His character can be a bit too much at times but Rawley can sure go. His 50-11 record indicates he is the heavy favorite going into this match. Rawley, real name Dean Mutahdi, played in the NFL though his stints were quite short. He was signed by the Green Bay Packers in May of 2009 and released in September of the same year. The Arizona Cardinals gave him a shot but Rawley was injured during training camp and placed on injury reserve, putting an end to his football days. Dubbed “The Iron Sheik” by his Cardinals teammates due to his power and size, Rawley signed with the WWE in 2012 as he was still recovering from his injury sustained in the NFL.
Bull Dempsey seems to be on his way up the ranks of NXT. After a couple of untelevised events featuring Dempsey defeating the likes of Angelo Dawkins and exchanging wins with his NXT Takeover opponent Mojo Rawley, Dempsey heads into the PPV with a head full of steam. Known as “The Wrecking Ball”, Dempsey is your throwback-style wrestler. He wrestles in a singlet, has a surplus of chest hair and utilizes a move-set that mirrors one used decades ago. Unlike Rawley, Dempsey doesn’t play to the crowd. His opponent is the only thing he sees and he is not satisfied until he charges through that person. Despite Rawley’s favorable record, Dempsey’s surge through the rankings could be a problem for Rawley to overcome.
Prediction: Bull Dempsey. His rise through the ranks will continue with a high-profiled win over Mojo Rawley.
Enzo Amore [15-19-1] vs. Sylvester Lefort [7-23]
This match has more than just bragging rights on the line. The loser of this match will lose what they hold dear to them; their hair. A hair vs. hair match is something you don’t see too often in the WWE anymore. It has always proven to be exciting for the crowd to watch historically, especially when it’s the bad guy that has to get his head shaved — and more often than not, that’s the result we get. The stipulation was announced after Marcus Louis and Sylvain Lefort ambushed Enzo Amore and Colin Cassady, the attack ending with the Ferocious French taking clippers to Enzo’s beard and shaving off a portion of it. This didn’t bode well with Amore and now he sets his sights on using his freshly-created hair removal cream on Lefort.
Jersey’s Finest first debuted in NXT back in May of 2013. He and Colin Cassady quickly formed a bond together, calling themselves “the realest guys in the lockeroom”. Although their run as a tag team has not been overly successful, dropping matches to the likes of Mason Ryan and several tag teams, Amore and Cassady have since found their stride and have gotten the best of both Lefort and Louis. Amore is very much over with the crowd and lives up to his name of “Finest G”. His character of a Jersey Shore reject may be getting old with the expiration of the popular television hit but Amore manages to make it work and keep it both fresh and funny. Don’t let the humor fool you, Amore is one tough hombre and given the fact that he is out for revenge after his beard was messed with, he can turn very dangerous instantly.
Sylvester Lefort could be seen by many as a foreign version of Jersey’s Finest, hailing from Nice, France and sporting an international nightclub style. Partnered with Marcus Louis (originally scheduled in the match against Amore) to form the Legionnaires, Lefort was trained by WWE alumni Lance Storm in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. His “French Stallion” persona during the World of Hurt reality series was what got him the eye of WWE corporate. A true frenchman unlike the original La Resistance, Lefort was once the partner of Rusev before Rusev found Lana.
Prediction: Enzo Amore. The good guy will prevail once again and shave the head of Lefort. Weeks after, Lefort will have to live in embarrassment every time he comes out to the ring with his shiny, bald head that looks incredibly SAWFT.
The Ascension (c) [55-8] vs. Kalisto and Sin Cara [7-0]
This match came to fruition when The Ascension declared they were the greatest tag team in NXT and challenged any duo in the promotion to show them what they got. Thus, a tag team tournament was announced to declare a number one contender and challenge them for their Titles at NXT Takeover: Fatal 4 Way. The one team that could stand victorious above the rest after weeks of competition would be worthy of a shot and The Ascension would be waiting patiently.
When Kalisto and El Local failed to capture the NXT Tag Team Championships, Kalisto found himself a new partner in Sin Cara. They entered the tag team tournament in 2014 and defeated the team of Sami Zayn and Adam Rose to move onto the finals. Their opponents were the rising Vaudevillains – Aiden English and Simon Gotch. In an entertainment bout of high flying lucha-style wrestling versus the old school gimmick, Cara and Kalisto came out on top to become the number one contenders for the NXT Tag Team Championships. Their blend of quick, technical ability matched with an array of aerial maneuvers gets the crowd cheering and standing every time they are in the ring. However, their task ahead is no easy mountain to climb.
The Ascension, consisting of Konnor and Victor, are the perfect contrast to Kalisto and Sin Cara’s quick, high-flying mantra. The Ascension are big, they are strong and they are unbelievably intimidating. The last time they lost a match in tag team competition was against Goldust and Stardust back in January. Since that loss, they have torn through the tag team division and have crushed every team that has gotten in their path. A run that has lasted almost an entire calendar year, defeating the likes of The Legionnaires, The Vaudevillains and even a returning Too Cool. Last NXT PPV, The Ascension defeated Kalisto and his then-partner El Local so this time around, they look to put salt into the wound and defeat Kalisto once again. The Ascension have the advantage going into this match with their brute force but there may be something else in the works.
Prediction: Kalisto and Sin Cara. It is finally time for The Ascension to make the jump to the WWE. With them working WWE Live Events recently and their pure domination in NXT, it’s time to move on and strengthen the tag team division in the big leagues.
Charlotte (c) [37-35] vs. Bayley [46-34]
If you are rolling your eyes at this match and telling yourself “just another divas match”, then don’t. Rewind back to May during the first Takeover show and take a look at the match Natalya and Charlotte put on. With Ric Flair and Bret Hart by ringside, these two women put on a 17-minute match that will easily stomp out any divas match in the WWE. It kind of makes you wonder how a promotion that is given 1-2 hours a week (2 hours if it’s a PPV) can deliver a women’s match that was this good and given a chunk of time to perform, meanwhile the Divas division in the WWE barely scratches the 10-minute mark. That’s a story for another time, this spotlight belongs to Charlotte and Bayley, who will collide on Thursday for the NXT Women’s Championship.
After Charlotte defeated Emma in the opening bout of the NXT Women’s Title Tournament, she crushed Alexa Bliss to move onto the finals where she met Natalya, who had previously beaten Bayley and Sasha Banks. Charlotte stood on top after the match was over and became the new Women’s Champion. During her run, Charlotte defended the Championship three times, defeating Bayley twice and Summer Rae once. The daughter of Ric Flair, Charlotte is extremely athletic, both quick and strong and has the charisma her father once showcased when he was in the ring. A cut above the rest, Charlotte is unique by her own accord and doesn’t live in her father’s shadow… even though her entrance music is a remix of her father’s theme.
Bayley is bubbly, fun to watch and has a character that everyone seems to love. She is giddy and a ball of energy but once in the ring, she is as tough as nails and tenacious. Bayley is a stubborn girl, never accepting the fact that she “can’t do it”. Her rise in NXT started off flat, losing to Natalya last year in the opening round of the Women’s Title Tournament, as mentioned before but since then, Bayley has come into her own and unquestionably honed her skills to become the challenger she is today. While she is still trying to convince the WWE Universe to take her more seriously, a win against Charlotte would surely put her over the top. While she may be at a physical mis-match, if she can hit her Bailey-to-Belly suplex — or Hug-Plex, if you will — then maybe she could surprise her opponent and become the new NXT Women’s Champion.
Prediction: Charlotte. Despite some rumors that Charlotte could see the main roster soon (which would give some temporary work for Ric Flair as a manager), Charlotte’s domination will continue at least for the time being. Bayley will earn her respect through defeat.
Adrian Neville (c) [77-33-1] vs. Sami Zayn [36-43] vs. Tyler Breeze [31-53-3] vs. Tyson Kidd [18-15]
Back in February, on the NXT’s first PPV event ArRival, Adrian Neville defeated Bo Dallas in a ladder match to become the new NXT Champion. Since then, Neville has had a target on his back. Facing countless challengers, it finally culminated with a big announcement that followed an equally large announcement a few weeks ago. The surprise of who the new general manager of NXT was revealed to be William Regal, to the delight of the crowd in attendance. He was then joined by Adrian Neville to announce the person that would challenge him. They were interrupted by Tyler Breeze, who believed he deserved the shot. Then Tyson Kidd came out to say he wanted the shot. Sami Zayn completed the hat-trick of challengers and William Regal decided all three men deserved the chance. With that proclamation, Regal booked a fatal four way match for the NXT Championship.
Adrian Neville quickly worked his way up the ranks and became an instant fan favorite with his heart-stopping daredevil tactics. A man that completely defies gravity, Neville has an imagination that goes hand-in-hand with his natural ability to fly. Teaming up with Oliver Grey, they formed the British Invasion and became the NXT Tag Team Champions. After four months, they would drop the Championships to Erick Rowan and Luke Harper of the Wyatt Family and just one month later, Neville would team with Corey Graves to once again capture the Championships. Moving on from the tag division, Neville has become one of the main-stays in NXT, main eventing most shows and entertaining the crowd every time he leaps. He enters into a match with a bunch of wrestlers that can fly as well but none of them reach the heights that Neville reaches.
Sami Zayn has easily become one of the most loved superstars in NXT. Earlier this year, Zayn and Cesaro put on one of the best matches of the year in the opening bout of NXT ArRival. The match received high praise from everyone who watched and even prompted Triple H to pull Zayn aside, on camera, and express his gratitude and respect for what Zayn accomplished in the ring. The words struck Zayn and unleashed a world of emotions. Since then Zayn had his opportunity to challenge for a number one contendership but lost to Tyler Breeze at NXT Takeover. A few months later, Zayn is right back in the picture only this time he is in the main event. The Quebec-born wrestler will look to dance his way out of the arena with the NXT Championship.
If you want arrogance and someone that is so full of himself, Tyler Breeze is your man. Quipped with a cell phone in hand to capture his face everywhere he goes, Breeze has certainly earned a reputation throughout his run in NXT. Mentioned above, Breeze already had the chance once to take on Adrian Neville at a time of his choosing. Finally when the moment arised, Breeze took on Neville but unfortunately that match never came to clean finish as Tyson Kidd entered the ring and attacked Neville. Breeze is a flashy wrestler, as cocky as they come and is as quick on his feet as he is off of them. Adding the NXT Championship onto his shoulder would bring new light to his character and create an even more pompous attitude than before. He was good looking then, but now he is good looking AND he’s the NXT Championship? Watch out.
The challenger with the most experience going into this match is Tyson Kidd. Trained in the Hart dungeon at the age of 15, Kidd earned his way to where he is now through hard work, dedication and being tortured in wrestling class. Kidd himself eluded to the match perfectly during a promo he cut. He talked about how the match consists of a superstar that has been to Japan, a wrestler that excelled in the UK, a wrestler that is confident and some consider arrogant and a wrestler who is a Hart Dungeon graduate. Then, with a smirk only Kidd can pull off, he listed the three other competitors in the match as a way to say, “Everything you guys have done, I’ve done too and MORE.” An 8-year WWE veteran, Kidd is the most logical choice going into this match but as they say; in a fatal four way, anything can happen.
Prediction: Sami Zayn. It’s finally his chance to shine in the main event featuring three Canadians and a Brit. Adrian Neville seems ready to be elevated to the WWE level while Tyson Kidd doesn’t need this win as much as the others do and Tyler Breeze needs some work to do in-ring. The lovable character closing the show with the NXT Championship also makes for good television.
As history will show you, NXT delivers whenever they put on a 2-hour special event. They have already done so twice this year and third time will definitely be a charm. Sami Zayn will look to mesmerize the crowd like he did against Cesaro, The Ascension will attempt to continue their devastating run as the Tag Team Champions and Bayley will give it her all and try to defeat Charlotte and prove everyone wrong. Don’t forget, this Thursday also marks the long-awaited debut of Japanese superstar Kenta. While he isn’t scheduled for a match and will be introduced by Hall of Famer Ric Flair, one has to think there will be a superstar in the back that comes out and has something to say to the newest NXT wrestler. Just remember, this event can only be seen live on the WWE Network.
How much is it? Once again, it’s only $9.99!
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