GDT: NXT Takeover: Brooklyn II - August 20, 2016

[AfroThunder396]

Jose/Aries was okay. Aries really needed the win and I like the direction they're going with Itami. Jose did good work but overall it was a meh match.

Don't see what all the fuss over Ember Moon was about. Cool entrance and I like the red eyes but the match wasn't good and nothing she did stuck out to me.

Roode is amazing, but I was very impressed with Almas too. I went from not caring at all about him to wanting to see more. His stuff looked really good and I felt like he would have won the crowd over if it was anyone else but Roode.

Tag match was the best one on the show. Revival are probably the best in the company at getting legitimate heat. Not "go away" heat, not "your city sucks" heat, but actual wrestling heat. Those guys are great. I can't help but feel like they're slow burning a Ciampa betrayal, between the CWC and Johnny tapping out.

Women's Title match was solid, despite being predictable. Bayley overcame the Asuka Lock but still fell short. Good storytelling.

Main event is what it is. Right beginning, right ending, the middle was a pretty boring and uninteresting bridge. Glad to see Shin get the title.

Good show, but NXT has set the bar so high I felt that this show was a bit of a disappointment to be honest. I'd give it ***1/4 overall, which is by no means bad, but as a Takeover it left me wanting more and as a sequel to Brooklyn 2015 it just wasn't even in the same ballpark.

-----

It kinda sucked having Sasha there in the front row in every other shot reminding me every few seconds how good last year's show was. NXT has forced me to have high expectations for Takeover events and this one didn't deliver as well as it should have, especially with the card and ESPECIALLY in the shadow of last year's Brooklyn.

I feel bad comparing it to last year's show but WWE really gave me no choice with the way they promoted it. I kept expecting more and didn't get it, even though I feel like this card should have been the better show. Maybe it's my fault for hyping it up in my mind so much, but this is the first time I've ever felt NXT disappoint me.

 

[Emperoreddy]

The tag match was so good because it was so real to me. I haven't hung on near falls like that in a long while.

Afro is right. The Revival are legit the best at getting real heel heat. It feels like a damn lost art.

 

[M.C.G. 31]

I put Nakamura/Joe in my list as a four-star match since I don't factor in entrances and all that good stuff in the final ratings, obviously. But Nakamura's entrance was a full ten stars.

 

[Emperoreddy]

His entrance was basically what I imagined his Mania entrance to be.

 

[Kimi]

I put Nakamura/Joe in my list as a four-star match since I don't factor in entrances and all that good stuff in the final ratings, obviously. But Nakamura's entrance was a full ten stars.

I'm surprised you had enough stars left after Roode entrance honestly.

 

[M.C.G. 31]

I was so, so worried about Ciampa turning on Gargano after the loss but NXT's tag division was thin so I don't think there's much to worry about on that front anytime soon. I'd be shocked if DIY doesn't win the tag titles soon and The Revival move up to the main roster. Smackdown needs them.

 

[M.C.G. 31]

I'm surprised you had enough stars left after Roode entrance honestly.

If I factored Roode's entrance into his match rating it would have ballooned up to a ****1/2 rating.

Y'all are gonna have a tough time voting for entrance of the year when I do the HFWF Slammy Awards at the end of the year after those two entrances.

 

[Emperoreddy]

We might have a few more to add to that list tomorrow.

A damn good year for entrances.

I ****ing loved Roode's entrance and I want them to strap a damn rocket to his back.

 

[Fa Ci La]

i guess early in the match i just wanted both of them to hit the **** out of each other ala Joe-Kenta Kobashi, and Joe got to do that but Naka didn't do much, and it sucked a lot of the heat out of it for me

 

[Emperoreddy]

I was so, so worried about Ciampa turning on Gargano after the loss but NXT's tag division was thin so I don't think there's much to worry about on that front anytime soon. I'd be shocked if DIY doesn't win the tag titles soon and The Revival move up to the main roster. Smackdown needs them.

I was ready to smash my TV just in case. Thankfully they didn't.

They most likely will win in Full Sail which is a bit of a bummer as a big crowd would of went nuts for it.

 

[M.C.G. 31]

It's a random thing, but most of the actual wrestling matches I've watched over the past month were a part of the G1 Climax and I got so used to finishers being protected and not spammed and wrestlers having multiple signature spots for false finishes that I got a bit sad seeing the guys kick out of finishes tonight.

 

[Serac]

It's a random thing, but most of the actual wrestling matches I've watched over the past month were a part of the G1 Climax and I got so used to finishers being protected and not spammed and wrestlers having multiple signature spots for false finishes that I got a bit sad seeing the guys kick out of finishes tonight.

I assume you mean a wrestlers own finisher considering Omega hit 3 finishers in the finals

 

[Kimi]

Don't see what all the fuss over Ember Moon was about. Cool entrance and I like the red eyes but the match wasn't good and nothing she did stuck out to me.

Roode is amazing, but I was very impressed with Almas too. I went from not caring at all about him to wanting to see more. His stuff looked really good and I felt like he would have won the crowd over if it was anyone else but Roode.

Ember is legit great, give her matches with better workers and the results will obviously be better. But it was an NXT debut match, they're usually nothing amazing, and they're not meant to be.

And I agree on Almas, that was the best we've seen of him. I think he won the crowd over to some extent; but like you say, Roode is the new hotness right now so there's only so much you could realistically get. But at least now there's something there, hopefully it doesn't get snuffed out.

 

[GKJ]

Revival imo are the best tag team in the world, don't @ me.

I don't feel the urge to compare it to last year's Brooklyn show, because that show just felt so special, it'll never replicate it. If you look back, it's not like the first few matches were all that great.

Watching Bayley felt like watching a movie where you know the protagonist dies. I came hoping to see her win the title back, or for it to be her last match. NXT's never going to feel the same without her.

Nakamura and Joe felt like what it must be to watch a match in Japan.

Can't wait to rewatch this show.

 

[M.C.G. 31]

yo Rumble Johnson just knocked someone out so bad @ UFC 202 that the guy tried wrestling the referee

 

[Emperoreddy]

Bayley's NXT character arc has been one of the best character arcs in wrestling. It has just been masterfully done.

They have a chance to continue you it onto the main roster after this second lose to Asuka and I hope they keep it going.

I hate to say it but she almost needs to lose some matches when she gets started if they plan to tell the story right.

 

[Fa Ci La]

It's a random thing, but most of the actual wrestling matches I've watched over the past month were a part of the G1 Climax and I got so used to finishers being protected and not spammed and wrestlers having multiple signature spots for false finishes that I got a bit sad seeing the guys kick out of finishes tonight.

also on that wave length: I have a feeling tomorrow night I'm not gonna be able to stand the kick out of finisher/now nothing happens for awhile, because of the G1. You saw it with Kenny, there's a near fall, ok I'm now gonna do this, and this, and now the one winged angel, all in the space of a minute or two.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Cena/Styles is going to be rough with kicked out finishers. Would be nice if they decided to start protecting the Clash.

 

[M.C.G. 31]

I assume you mean a wrestlers own finisher considering Omega hit 3 finishers in the finals

Yes, his own finisher lol. That story was so awesome. ****, I loved that match so much. It's going to be a looooong time before a wrestler puts on back-to-back five-star matches in back-to-back nights.

 

[M.C.G. 31]

also on that wave length: I have a feeling tomorrow night I'm not gonna be able to stand the kick out of finisher/now nothing happens for awhile, because of the G1. You saw it with Kenny, there's a near fall, ok I'm now gonna do this, and this, and now the one winged angel, all in the space of a minute or two.

I ****ing loved that ****. He didn't fret over his big move being kicked out of, he sold being tired as hell and rushing to the next move to finish it quickly.

 

[M.C.G. 31]

Cena/Styles is going to be rough with kicked out finishers. Would be nice if they decided to start protecting the Clash.

I hate spamming finishers but even with that, I expect those two to have the match of the weekend and a MOTYC.

 

[Fa Ci La]

I ****ing loved that ****. He didn't fret over his big move being kicked out of, he sold being tired as hell and rushing to the next move to finish it quickly.

And you see it with Tana too. There's almost no better sight in wrestling than when he does the High Fly Flow...and jumps straight back up and does it again.

(Tbf, I thought Naka's finish today was essentially along these lines)

 

[Serac]

I missed the first hour of the show
That pop for the GTS
I love it

 

[Kimi]

i missed the first hour of the show
that pop for the gts
i love it

 

[GKJ]

I went nuts for the GTS. Never too many mark out moments.

Towards the end of many of these matches at the end, the whole crowd was on their feet. It was really something.