NXT Takeover: WarGames 2 Match Ratings, Podcast Notes From Sean Ross Sapp

Matt Riddle defeated Kassius Ohno
N/A (Short)

• Matt Riddle comes out to a great ovation and says he got interrupted by Ohno, and will knock him out in both rings tonight. I'm down for this. 
• Riddle immediately knees Ohno in the grill! Pin. That's a wrap!
• Ohno sells his ass off for Riddle. I mean, one of the great sell jobs in recent memory. He stumbles around and wants to fight, but can't stand up. This is perfect for both of them.

NXT Women's Championship
2 Out Of 3 Falls
Shayna Baszler (c) (w/ The Horsewomen) defeated Kairi Sane
8/10

• Sane comes out really aggressive. Baszler ends up tossing Sane outside the ring and Jessamyn Duke and Marina Shafir attack Sane.
• They roll Sane back in the ring, who gets submitted in short order.
• Sane's strikes are shit when slugging it out with Baszler, as one would expect given their skill sets. 
• There's a totally psycho DDT on the apron that looks like it could have hurt Shayna, but fortunately she's okay. 
• Duke kicks the ring post and Marina is sent into the stairs and Sane does a wild flying elbow onto all three of them. This was a crazy ass spot.
• Back in the ring, Sane wins fall two with a flying elbow drop.
• Sane follows right with a crazy spear, sunset flip powerbomb and an Alabamaslam.
• The Horsewomen get involved, but Dakota Kai tries to thwart them. When that isn't enough, Io Shirai shows up and hits a beautiful moonsault from the top rope to the outside on everyone involved out there. The Horsewomen can sell.
• Sane goes for the Insane Elbow, but Baszler catches her in a crucifix hold and pins her. 

Aleister Black defeated Johnny Gargano
9.5/10

• Johnny Gargano, the wrasslin' troll is a good gimmick. He avoid several big strikes.
• Black finds success on his kicks, but when he does his taunt, Gargano slides in and kicks him.
• Gargano has Punisher inspired Takeover gear.
• Black is able to stop Gargano's momentum with a big tope con hilo. Before that, Gargano had been taking Black to school.
• This doesn't last long, as Gargano hits a suicide DDT. Yep, a suicide dive into a DDT. He then goes outside in with a slingshot DDT as well. 
• A beautiful bridging German suplex almost wins it for Black, but he's put in the Gargano Escape. Black counters into a pin, but Johnny kicks out. 
• They sold me a ticket on the finish after a Gargano kick and running knee. I was sold that they may have died after a knee to Gargano while he did a suicide dive. This match is special.
• Both men almost pin one another in really close fashion, but Black cracks Gargano with a spinning knee. 
• Black holds Gargano up for two big Black Mass kicks for the win!!

NXT Championship
Tommaso Ciampa (c) defeated Velveteen Dream
8.75/10

• Velveteen Dream is super, super over. Him as a babyface works really well. He's dressed as Hollywood Hogan. 
• Dream bulls Ciampa around, but then steals Dream's headband. Dream does the same by slapping Ciampa's head.
• I love Dream using the hair-pull hangman and the flying double axehandle like Randy Savage did. He also does the big boot, but can't get the leg drop. 
• Ciampa almost knocks out Dream with a couple of really good knees. Dream sells above and beyond almost anyone else at his age ever has. Ciampa hits another knee.
• Dream works back and hits a big boot and several leg drops, then and Anderson Spinebuster. 
• A second pescado of the match hits for Dream. He applies a posted Figure Four and Ciampa taps, but it doesn't count, so Dream applies a Figure Four in the ring!
• Both men are suplexed over the top rope into the floor, and Ciampa starts untying his boot. 
• Dream hits a superkick, but Ciampa pins him with the tights held. That ref is like "NO! VELVETEEN DREAM'S ASSCHEEKS ARE ALREADY OUT ENOUGH! NO PINFALL." Rolling Death Valley Driver hits.
• Ciampa can't get a pin on anything, even Project Ciampa. The crowd is rockin for Dream. Ciampa tries to leave with the title, but gets DreamDT'd into it! 
• Ciampa kicks out of his boot when Dream goes for another Figure Four and PLANTS Dream with a DDT of his own, but no dice! 
• The Champion pulls up the mats and threatens a DDT, but Dream pushes them both over the announce table!
• Ciampa gets hung up going off on Mauro and there's a rolling Death Valley Driver to the floor and  a Purple Rainmaker from Dream! Ciampa kicks out.
• Ciampa DDT's Dream on the steel between the rings for the win.

 

War Games
Pete Dunne, Ricochet, & War Raiders defeated Undisputed Era
6.75/10

• Ricochet and Cole start out and Ricochet gets the backstabber delivered to him. 
• Maybe I'll be wrong, but I dunno if putting a match that everyone knows can't end for 20 minutes with no stakes and lowered visibility on here after three slappers is a good choice.
• O'Reilly is out next. He and Cole work over Ricohet's leg and do an assisted Ushigoroshi onto him.
• Hanson keeps Pete Dunne from coming in next, which is smart psychologically. He does splashes and sentons all the way around.
• Ricochet runs up Hanson's back and does a shooting star press.
• Undisputed Era was the best thing that could have happened to Roderick Strong. He does an insane trio of backbreakers to Ricochet.
• Rowe pushes his way in before Dunne -- this is likely being done to protect Dunne, who has been out six weeks. 
• Rowe is a house of fire. I love his gutwrench offense. He also does a powerbomb/powerslam. Why wouldn't Hanson just powerbomb the other guy!?
• Interesting way to keep Dunne out of the match -- Bobby Fish attacks and locks Dunne's cage. He then brings in Undisputed Era chairs. 
• It's Dunne's time, but he's locked in his cage. Refs get bolt cutters and free him.
• Dunne grabs a kendo stick and goes after Undisputed Era. 
• Ricochet takes out the pile, and Dunne is just collecting furniture. Dunne finally does the X Plex on Strong onto Cole.
• Rowe slams Hanson onto O'Reilly. German Suplex/springboard lariat on Fish from War Raiders. The second go around Hanson gets a trash can to the face.
• Dunne fires back, and he's great not even at 100 percent. He does a kimura on the chair. 
• Dunne is isolated. O'Reilly has an ankle lock with a chain applied, and Cole takes a chair to Dunne's face until Ricochet break it up.
• In stereo super frankensteiners hit for Hanson and Ricochet.
• The crowd weirdly boos when a table leg gives out. War Raiders do a pop-up powerslam instead and eat chairs. 
• Fish spears Rowe through a table in between the rings! Hanson splashes O'Reilly through a table, but a trash can spot steals the pin!
• Cole and Ricochet battle on top of the cage, and it leads to a cage of doom spot! I'll forgive a tower of doom spot this ONCE because I've never seen it on a cage.
• RICOCHET JACK EVANS'ED EVERYONE! Double moonsault off the cage!
• The two teams face off in the middle of the cage! Fallout from the War Raiders, and a handspring elbow from Hanson.
• Cole runs through his signature spots, but Dunne kicks out! Bitter End and 450 beat Cole.

Rating guide

10- Perfect, 9- MOTY Territory, 8- Excellent, 7- Great, 6- Good, 5- Average to above average, 4- Slightly below average, 3 or below: Poor

Each match starts at a 5 and slides up and down based on entertainment, execution, time, environment, reaction and stakes. The ratings are in no way an indication of a "star rating," which is a completely different system. A standard, non-offensive "TV match" lands at a 5.The gap between 5.75-6 is generally the largest, with anything reaching 6 being recommended viewing.