Reaction to NXT Takeover Brooklyn III
Thumbs up, four stars! NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn 3 was everything a wrestling show should be. They did well, yet again, what NXT is always consistent in doing -- building around the matches and feuds.
There wasn't a bad or boring match on the card, and they started off the right way. Gargano and Cien set the tone in a riveting back-and-forth. That Johnny Wrestling ate the pin doesn't really hurt him. He had a tremendous showing and Almas needed the win more.
Hideo and Aleister Black shouldn't have been expected to top that but they put on a great show -- especially Black who had Code Orange perform his theme seamlessly. Itami still looked strong despite the loss. Nobody has ever bloodied Aleister Black that way in NXT; he could've lost convincingly.
Speaking of great shows, Sanity and Authors of Pain had a fun bout for the Tag Team Titles. I don't know why Killian Dain wasn't in the match or what they hoped to gain from the smaller Eric Young taking his place (maybe the fact EY is a more capable ring general), but they eked out the title win.
And I call it a show because the match was more spectacle than a contest between its psychology and wild table spot. Sandwiching Nikki Cross between two big men, what were they thinking?
Fish and O'Reilly showing up to attack everyone and make a statement doing so was a genuine shock. I had doubts they would reunite ReDragon, let alone this soon. And they were able to do it again, later on, milking that for all it was worth.
The Women's Title match was a solid bout and a believable struggle. Ember Moon looked readier than ever to take Asuka's belt and end her streak, which I thought she would. Ember has reached the top of the heap after scratching and clawing her way and steadily building to this moment.
Plans for Asuka now are a conundrum if Ember doesn't stay in the picture. No one else is really in a position to challenge her yet (until someone makes waves in the Mae Young Classic, that is).
And now she is hurt and can't hold on to or defend the belt. This could be Ember's chance and is more likely if plans hold and Asuka transitions to the main roster when she returns.
Drew McIntyre lives up more and more to his original moniker, the Chosen One. This was his night, a true star-making moment and quite the nailbiter. A few times it looked like he wasn't going to get the job done and Roode would move gloriously on to his next challenge (possibly Roderick).
Luckily, good sense prevailed and a chance is being taken on Drew, finally. To immediately establish Adam Cole as his first foil is a stroke of genius and competent booking. He is another bright young indie star with momentum and name recognition to capitalize on.
No idea where they will go with an ROH faction but I am astonished they are bold enough to do it at all. Rumor and speculation made it sound doubtful.
Everyone at every level of the card was given proper time to shine and tell a good story. Summerslam, as we all doubted it would, didn't come close to topping it.
Hell, the biggest pop at the Biggest Party of the Summer went to a beach ball. Apropos, yeah, but it's not a good sign when it steals the show and trends on Twitter.
At TakeOver, that didn't happen because the show gave everybody what they came to see -- wrestling. That's why NXT is so hot right now and why it is the future. Creative overseeing the main roster ought to take note.
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