SRS NXT Takeover Match Ratings And Analysis

Rating guide

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

Pre-show

• Kurt Angle is backstage, and Lita implies that he's there to scout talent. That's a nice touch.
• Charly Caruso is doing an awesome job leading the panel.
• Big E, Carmella, Sasha Banks, Neville, Becky Lynch all appear. Big E was a little rough. They're really pushing the Neville vs. Aleister Black possibility. 

Other crappenings

• At the beginning of the show, Code Orange plays and aren't bad. It feels like ECW with production values. 
• They show NXT stars talking to Daniel Bryan and Kurt Angle. A great touch. The Iconic Duo are making their pitch to Daniel Bryan.
• Becky, Sasha and Charlotte are all ringside for the co-main event.

Andrade Cien Almas (w/ Zelina) defeated Johnny Gargano
8.5/10

• Crazy to think it's been like six and a half years since we first saw Zelina in TNA.
• Gargano has those unusual looking punches that make a great sound and get a good reaction.
• Johnny Wrestling's slingshot spear is a WWE producer's dream. It comes out of nowhere on TV.
• Almas' Tranquilo is countered with a kick, then followed by a suicide dive and a slingshot DDT. This is a banger. 
• I appreciate Almas (and anyone) using unconventional and traditionally unseen WWE offense. 
• I find myself pointing out the offense and counters of this match a lot, because they're great and different and that goes a long way.
• Ranallo is so much better than Phillips.
• Almas having a star making performance 14 months after his debut. 
• Gargano is distracted when Zelina throws a DIY shirt at him and he gets DDT'd. 
• You must watch this match. 
• If Tetsuya Naito and Manny Ramirez had a kid, it would be Andrade Cien Almas and that's incredible 
• I hope this leads to Candice LeRae coming in with Gargano. He looks horrified by the shirt.

NXT Tag Team Championship
Sanity (w/ Killian Dane and Nikki Cross) defeated Authors of Pain (c) (w/ Paul Ellering) to become NXT Tag Team Champions
7.5/10

• Sanity's entrance isn't done justice by TV. Awesome live.
• This is the Junior Big Beef Battle.
• This is the brawl we all expected. 
• Eric Young pulled the ol' switcheroo and replaced Dane.
• Young gets killed with a back body drop/Dominator and a side slam stomp. 
• Wolfe had a really good showing too, including a big German suplex and a frankensteiner. 
• These two teams delivering big time. Alexander Wolfe landed a sick dive, and Nikki Cross gets sandwiched between Dane, Rezar and a table.  
• Sanity wins!!!! I hope this means Nikki Cross is a tag champ too.
• ReDRagon reforms and attacks Sanity! This is a lot to digest. 

Aleister Black defeated Hideo Itami
6/10

• Black getting the star treatment with live music. I was told this weekend that WWE has plans for Black. 
• Jim Ross is calling this one. 
• Black busted open early. This is the match both men were meant for. 
• You know the score here. They beat the living shit out of one another. It's solid stuff.
• Shout outs to Itami for the Super Falcon Arrow. 
• I don't consider it a coincidence that Neville is at ringside. 
• Black wins with his wheel kick, that he delivers better than many pro MMA fighters.

NXT Women's Championship
Asuka (c) defeated Ember Moon
8/10

• Personally, I put Asuka vs. Ember as the main. Zero buzz for Roode vs. McIntyre. I'd imagine there are REASONS, though.
• Ember starts off fast. I love the leg sweeps and the cannonball to the outside. 
• Asuka's surfboard stomps and German suplex into the buckle are NASTY. 
• A tornado suplex from Ember!
• Asuka kicked out of the Eclipse. Ember is beside herself. 
• The fact that everyone hasn't been doing the "OMG THEY KICKED OUT OF THAT WHAT WILL I DO" all night's makes Ember's mean more. Ember realized she wasn't ever nearly as close as beating Asuka as she thought.
• Asuka gets caught holding the trunks. She's a great shades of grey character. 
• Asuka lock and a submission. What a run she's had. 

NXT Championship
Drew McIntyre (c) defeated Bobby Roode
5.25/10

• Personally, I've never been a McIntyre or Roode guy. Certainly much more interested in McIntyre, though.
• I should note Nigel McGuinness' great work tonight.
• It feels like WWE has their main roster production squad doing this one (they're not any different from earlier), but that isn't really a good thing.
• Tilt-a-whirl slam on the apron from McIntyre. Baller.
• This is a very Triple H 2003 match. I've never been a fan of Bobby Roode's pacing. 
• What was with the ref flipping his hand out to avoid counting three?
• The last two and a half years, the NXT Championship has been the "guys who have worked at the top elsewhere" title.
• Drew McIntyre slapped the ringside area hard on his Tope Con Hilo. Roode didn't break the fall AT ALL. 
• This match would have been a lot better with a third person.
• Drew McIntyre wins. That's cool. Not a great match.
• Adam Code Orange Skin Cole is here! He and Redragon attack McIntyre!