NXT Takeover: Brooklyn II results and observations
It was a historic evening at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. Saturday night as NXT returned to the borough and produced a memorable live special for the second year in row.
More than 15,000 fans in attendance and a lot more watching at home on the WWE Network said hello to a new champion, a couple of burgeoning stars and possibly said goodbye to a longtime favorite.
Since there were only six matches on the card, I will go through each contest and give my thoughts and observations.
Austin Aries def. No Way Jose
Jose received a rather festive entrance, as some lucky fans got to join him in a conga line around the ring. However, the first person in the conga line was wearing an Aries shirt, which I found kind of funny.
As for the match itself, it was a good showing from both men. What Jose lacks in experience he makes up for in charisma and showmanship and that was on full display Saturday night.
Although Jose lacks polish, being in the ring with a seasoned veteran like Aries definitely helped increase the match quality.
At the end of the day, Aries forced Jose to submit via the last chancery.
After the match, Hideo Itami went to the ring and engaged in fisticuffs with Aries. Itami got the upper hand, which allowed him to the GTS, which the fans wildly approved of.
Ember Moon def. Billie Kay
After weeks of buildup, Moon — formerly known as Athena on the independent circuit — made her NXT television debut Saturday night.
The first thing fans noticed about Moon is a pretty cool entrance that was complete with a blood moon. The blood red in the moon was matched by the blood red in Moon's eyes, as she donned red contacts.
This was another good match that was mostly a showcase of Moon's athletic ability, which she has a lot of.
The part everyone left talking about the most was the finish, as Moon showed off a mind-bending twisting stunner from the top rope that left thousands of jaws on the floor.
Overall, I'd say it was a successful debut for Moon.
Bobby Roode def. Andrade "Cien" Almas
Roode is supposed to be a heel in NXT, but you would never know it by the reception he received from the fans in Brooklyn Saturday night.
Roode's theme song was already a hit among fans, but Tommaso Ciampa and Johnny Gargano helped Roode's cause by featuring him in the hilarious #GLORIOUSBOMB videos on social media.
With the fans already on his side, Roode even made a glorious entrance by descending from the sky while his song played before walking to the ring, a la Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 25.
With all of that in play, Almas never really had a chance to get over with these fans. There isn't much glory in his fedora and suspenders, which he wore to the ring again Saturday night.
To Almas' credit, he did win over the fans at various points throughout the match because he so physically talented inside the ring. It is unfortunate that his persona sometimes overshadows his physical gifts.
Despite a very good showing from Almas, Roode completed his glorious debut with a victory. Although, his finishing move made need some work. It could benefit from being a little more impactful.
NXT Tag Team championship – The Revival def. Tommaso Ciampa & Johnny Gargano
This was arguably the match of the night, which is quickly becoming the norm for Takeover matches involving The Revival, as their no-nonsense style is a perfect contrasts to the more break-neck pace of most of their opponents.
Gagano and Ciampa were no different Saturday night, as they had great chemistry with the two-time NXT Tag Team champions.
There were multiple points in the match when the fans thought Gargano and Ciampa were going to earn the win, including late in the match after they hit their tag team finish, but the two EVOLVE alums couldn't quite put the champs away.
The referee even counted to three after Gargano and Ciampa hit their finish, but quickly waved off his decision after noticing Dash Wilder's foot was on the ropes.
The Revival then put Ciampa out of commission, which allowed them to zero in on Gargano's leg. Scott Dawson then locked in a submission on Gargano's injured leg, which forced him to tap out.
Gargano and Ciampa were both visibly disappointed with the loss. Gargano apologized to Ciampa, who helped his partner backstage. It looked like NXT was planting the seeds for an eventual split between the two with their post-match interaction.
NXT Women's championship – Asuka def. Bayley
Expectations were very high for the rematch between Asuka and Bayley, as it had to try to live up to the Women's title match between Bayley and Sasha Banks at last year's Takeover: Brooklyn.
Although the match fell short of those very lofty expectations, Asuka and Bayley still managed to put on of the best women's matches of 2016.
What set this match a part from all of the women's matches this year was the physicality that was showcased by both women. Yes, including Bayley.
Bayley continued to let her mean streak out and Asuka embellished on her already physical style. The result was a slugfest that is not often seen out of the women in WWE.
When it was said and done, Asuka retained the NXT Women's championship.
With Banks, Becky Lynch and Charlotte sitting ringside, Bayley received what looked like a final sendoff from NXT. The fans chanted, "Thank you, Bayley," as she stood alone in the ring to soak it all in one last time as a member of the NXT roster.
NXT championship – Shinsuke Nakamura def. Samoa Joe
This had a big-fight feel going in, but the feel got even bigger after Nakamura's stellar entrance that featured violinist Lee England Jr. play him down to the ring. Having England play Nakamura to the ring was an awesome touch, in my opinion.
In contrast, Joe's entrance featured no such theatrics, as he swiftly made his way into the ring for a fight, and it was a fight he received.
Joe and Nakamura put on yet another very physical contest that saw Joe receive what looked like a legitimate injury.
Joe received that injury after taking a Kinshasa to the face, which gave Nakamura the win and his first NXT championship.