GDT: NXT TakeOver New York (5th April 2019) - FRIDAY SHOW!

Cor

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Jun 24, 2012
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Roddy’s nothing without UE but a good hand so I doubt it’d be him.

Maybe Cole goes solo to prepare for a potential call up and Strong, Fish and Kor stick together, and possibly add Shafir as rumoured?
 
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SeidoN

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Maybe Cole goes solo to prepare for a potential call up and Strong, Fish and Kor stick together, and possibly add Duke as rumoured?

wasnt the rumour Shafir was going to UE? shes married to Strong. I dunno
 

JackSlater

Registered User
Apr 27, 2010
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Strong show, NXT has proper presentation for wrestling and allows the wrestlers to go. Favourite match was Cole/Gargano, least favourite was the tag match. Also a good example of why you don't want to cram everyone possible onto a show.
 

Better Call Sal

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Nov 24, 2011
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I don't think it means anything that the UE was arguing afterwards. Cole just incensed that he lost, and they are heels after all.

That was an incredible sequence to end it. Cole's WTF reaction after Gargano kicked out from the superkick/back superkick/Last Shot combo was gif worthy.

I hope Cole does get a run as NXT Champ because it would make for some great entertainment.
 
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Shoalzie

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Gargano does it again...never has a bad match and the build up to the final fall was great. Great heel work by UE trying to tip the scales for Cole. Gargano with the belt needs a villain to fight and I want it be that entire faction.

The show overall was strong but without that main event and the ending with Johnny finally winning the belt and Ciampa returning...I think it would've just been a good-to-okay show.

Mauro is starting to wear on me. He's got great energy but spends too much time jamming in long quotes and references. He comes off as a hip dad that tries too hard to relate to "the young people". Just call the damn matches. I tune in to watch the wrestlers...not to listen to him.

The tag match was fun but turned into a spot fest. I love that both teams have great moves but wasn't well worked match until the closing sequence with Hanson spoiling the pin. War Raiders are a great tag team...they should keep those belts for a long time.

Riddle-Dream...another fun match. I'm okay with Dream spoiling Riddle's unbeaten record but would've liked a stronger reaction from Riddle after losing a surprising way. Probably isn't in his character to flip out.

Walter-Dunne...I think I need to rewatch it to appreciate it more. I liked it but didn't quite love it. I guess I'd never seen Walter before so I wasn't sure what to expect. He's a huge guy. I'm trying think of who he reminds me of. He's definitely the best option to have beaten Dunne if someone was ever going to do it. I think I still like the Bate match a bit more but this was still quite good.

The women's match was good but it wasn't a great showing by Shayna. Io and Kairi are a lot of fun to watch. Belair is a work in progress but I'm not big on the giant braid when it's not used much at all in the match. It just gets in the way and looks awkward. It's a gimmick but it's distracting.
 
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ColePens

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NXT is so f***ing awesome. Watching week to week and the PPVs are everything I love about wrestling. Everything.

My main takeaway - that Dream/Riddle finish couldn't have been more perfect. It honestly couldn't have. Both guys looked amazingly strong. I loved it. I cannot believe how good NXT is.
 

ColePens

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And for the Cole/Gargano match. This match needs talked about forever.

1) The video package...

Was as good as Rock/Austin. The training scenes are desperately needed in WWE today. It shows that both guys are doing everything they can to best the other one. It was.. "You are great... but I'm the greatest" type promo. Both guys look like a million dollars. The video package is probably the greatest of 2019. Both guys looked like they were in better shape, too. I mean both guys REALLY looked in top condition.

2) The match... :biglaugh:

Get the f*** out of here. They made this feel like a rivalry that was brewing for years. They built it up to the final fall so well. It was great wrestling, reversals, moves, etc. 3rd fall and it's like both guys dropped the 1-up moves and started beating the shit out of one another because everything was on the line.

To me - the storytelling was out of this world. It went from "We are the best in the world" to an absolute backyard brawl with everything on the line. I loved how the mentality changed on the 3rd fall.

3) The announcers...

If you don't think announcers make a difference in the match, you are crazy. Mauro/Nigel made me feel like I couldn't miss a second of this. Everything felt big. Mauro/Nigel explaining why Johnny stopped the possible 1-1 fall count out was ridiculous. They are so good.


4) The crowd...

All night the crowd was AWESOME. That was one of the best crowds ever. They stood and gave ovations for good sequences. They respected the fight. They respected the wrestlers. They bought into the storytelling. That was one of my favorite crowds ever in wrestling. They never tried to make it about themselves. They bought into the actual event. Reminds me of All In. The crowd was so respectful and awesome.

What a night. What a magical f***ing evening. This is up there with WM17 as my favorite event of all time.
 

M.C.G. 31

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Something ominous about Tommaso lurking at the 3;30 mark.
Did you see his tweet? I swear he’s going to come back and kill Johnny. It’s all a trick! The GOAT rivalry.

I didn’t like the UE interference in the moment, but it got the crowd 100% on Johnny’s side after they were like 80% on Cole’s side to start so it accomplished exactly what it needed to. Great stuff.
 
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M.C.G. 31

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Wait.... They ended the Gargano/Ciampa rivalry with them hugging?
That’s what they want you to think.

If it is the end though it’s a beautiful ending. Ciampa’s neck injury makes him realize that he doesn’t have much time left and it’s not worth letting those closest to him slip away.

That, or when he’s healthy, he kills Johnny again because he’s still evil.
 

WingsMJN2965

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That’s what they want you to think.

If it is the end though it’s a beautiful ending. Ciampa’s neck injury makes him realize that he doesn’t have much time left and it’s not worth letting those closest to him slip away.

That, or when he’s healthy, he kills Johnny again because he’s still evil.

There's no money in the former, and it'll only make sense if his career is over.
 

ColePens

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If that main event doesn't get 5*, i'll be a little perturbed.

And I'm with @M.C.G. 31 - the story was told brilliantly. Ciampa lost his life long passion and realized to become a face again. It makes sense in real life and kayfabe. It was a magical moment. A moment where you end a wrestling show crying.

I cannot believe anyone would find fault in that.
 
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M.C.G. 31

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There's no money in the former, and it'll only make sense if his career is over.
Let’s be real here. By the time Ciampa is ready to return, Gargano will probably be on the main roster. Ciampa’s on borrowed time, and let’s face reality, Gargano is small and probably won’t get a chance on the main roster to be a top star as long as Vince is alive. You may as well roll with DIY on the main roster and do like you do with Sheamus and prolong his career through the tag division as long as possible.

And when DIY is over as f***, people will care when Ciampa kills Johnny again, using him to get what he wanted on the main roster, and now what he truly wants is to get rid of Johnny forever.
 
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M.C.G. 31

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Also, biggest thing I took away from last night: while Summerslam is expensive af, I HAVE to attend Takeover in Toronto.
 
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scrubadam

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Great Takeover.

Gargano's journey is complete. I remember when he first debut in NXT on a temporary contract. I knew a little about him but there was something about Gargano that I felt he would become the man in NXT. All I knew was that he carried EVOLVE and Dragon Gate during his time there and it was only a matter of time untill he did it in NXT. From DIY to his singles run Johnny Wrestling has turned himself into the best wrestler in the world. Pound for Pound no one has put on a better string of big time matches and been able to connect with the audience like he has.

Cole needs to get some victories as he has been a bit of a gobber since losing the NA title. I think UE will spend the next few months losing until they finally get all the gold at one point.

All though I do think NXT can use a bit of the changing of the guard. I think the next gen of guys like Riddle, Kushida, Martinez, Dijakovic, and Lee need to start to get their shine.

It feels like we are reaching a bit of an end of an era even with Gargano holding the belt. He should be on Smackdown feuding with Kofi/Daniel/Joe/Styles.

I should dig up my old NXT era thread because this little Gargano/Ciampa/UE era has been the best 2 or so years of NXT.
 
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WingsMJN2965

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Let’s be real here. By the time Ciampa is ready to return, Gargano will probably be on the main roster. Ciampa’s on borrowed time, and let’s face reality, Gargano is small and probably won’t get a chance on the main roster to be a top star as long as Vince is alive. You may as well roll with DIY on the main roster and do like you do with Sheamus and prolong his career through the tag division as long as possible.

And when DIY is over as ****, people will care when Ciampa kills Johnny again, using him to get what he wanted on the main roster, and now what he truly wants is to get rid of Johnny forever.

He had the same surgery Edge had, right?

Also, I don't think there's much effect in rehashing the same storylines on the main roster. I actually think that's the one problem with NXT. You get to see the characters evolve BEFORE they get to the roster, rather than get over on the roster.

I think that's why you see guys like Elias and Braun peak higher with the audience than just about anybody that was big in NXT. And by peak high I mean reactions, not accomplishments.
 

bobholly39

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First time I ever really watch NXT. I caught highlights of a few matches - and the main event was really superb. It's hard for me because to me it's all about characters, and i don't know any of the wrestlers so hard to just get into a match, but the main event was really well done.

The one complaint i have is there wasn't enough selling. Superkick after superkick - still standing trading them. I feel as though a lot of big impact moves didn't get enough selling, with the other guy getting right up.

Overall though amazing pace and drama down the stretch. Very entertaining.
 

Disclose

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give it a try. its only an hour weekly and the PPVs are every 3 months. its hard to get tired about this show when they always deliver.
it will help you know the roster and you'll see the best product WWE offers.
 

SeidoN

#OGOC #2018 HFW Predictions Champ
Aug 8, 2012
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im really surprised by how much Meltzer liked Gargano/Cole. I thought something was just off about it. good match and some cool false finishes but yeah. I think the ridiculous amount of kickouts from Johnny did kinda spoil it for me
 

ColePens

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give it a try. its only an hour weekly and the PPVs are every 3 months. its hard to get tired about this show when they always deliver.
it will help you know the roster and you'll see the best product WWE offers.

It is literally the easiest hour of television ever. It's everything I love in wrestling.
 

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