The post-TakeOver: Brooklyn episode of NXT emanated from the Barclays Center as the show was pre-taped in the same building after TakeOver. This was primarily the usual cool-down, post-TakeOver episode with a couple of mid-card talents seemingly seeing their push begin.
NXT also debuted their new opening soundtrack this week, Slipknot’s “All Out Life”. Triple H described it as unapologetic, unequaled and unrivaled.
Women’s Division
Candice LeRae made her way out to start the show as she readied for action against Aliyah. The babyface was given a very warm welcome by the Brooklyn audience.
Aliyah was accompanied to the ring by her new heel friend, Vanessa Borne. The match started with a comical moment from Aliyah in the early stages. After getting the upper hand in a minor exchange, Aliyah would get on the second rope and shout “Brooklyn, cheer for me!” with her arms wide open. The whole crowd booed.
Both women showed exceptional athleticism throughout the match. Aliyah gained the upper hand after a distraction from Borne. Candice would eventually make a comeback and bust out a springboard, second-rope moonsault for the pin. LeRae looked like she might have tweaked her knee on the way down from that moonsault though.
Shayna Baszler and STILL
Exclusive backstage, post-TakeOver interview with Shayna Baszler was shown on NXT this past week. The NXT Women’s champion said that it didn’t who you put in front of her, whatever the odds may be, she would put down any and every member of that women’s division.
TakeOver Highlights
The show featured several flashbacks to the TakeOver: Brooklyn show as we saw recaps of all the matches.
One of the major takeaways from the flashbacks was the official, on-screen signing of KUSHIDA, the former six-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion.
Ryker’s Rage
The muscle of the Forgotten Sons, Jaxson Ryker, was in action this past week against the rugged Danny Burch. Burch was accompanied by his tag-team partner Oney Lorcan while Ryker came out with his faction mates, Blake and Cutler.
Burch threw his best shots early on but Ryker took control late in the game. Lorcan took out Blake and Cutler when the heel interferences got too much. However, there was nothing Lorcan or Burch could do about Ryker’s power game as he finished the later off with a chokeslam turned into a sit-out power slam, a move that Mauro Ranallo called ‘the widow-maker’.
After the match, Ryker tried to do more damage on Burch. As Oney Lorcan tried to save the day, he only managed to fall victim to the numbers game of the Forgotten Sons. Segment finished with the heels laying waste to their opponents in the middle of the ring.
Dream and Buddy Murphy
The Velveteen Dream featured on the show through a selfie promo from inside the Metlife Arena on WrestleMania. He taunted Buddy Murphy after the Australian had just lost his Cruiserweight Championship to Tony Nese by saying that Murphy, unlike the Dream, couldn’t handle the spotlight of WrestleMania.
This was a very interesting promo and a very ‘real’ way to setup a feud between the two. No one expected a feud coming out of a promo done while WrestleMania was going on in the background.
Tag-Team Division
The Street Profits took on the European tag-team of Marcel Barthel and Fabian Aichner. The entertaining duo of Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford received a loud response from the Brooklyn crowd.
The heels took control early on Ford finally managed to make the hot tag to Dawkins. The big man cleaned house before tagging Ford back in again. However, Barthel knocked Ford off the top rope before taking out Dawkins with a suicide dive to the outside.
Fabian Aichner hit a picture-perfect double spring-board moonsault on Ford for the near fall. A move like that should really be more protected. Aichner does it to perfection and doesn’t pull it out every match so to see the opponent kick out of it doesn’t help Fabian Aichner.
Street Profits eventually regained the upper hand after a blind tag by Dawkins which led to the finish on Barthel. They would deliver a jaw-dropping electric chair-blockbuster combination from the top rope for the win. No love lost between the two teams either with some very unsportsmanlike celebration from Montez Ford.
Next Week
Velveteen Dream vs Buddy Murphy for the NXT North American Championship was announced for next week.
