The Princess Rant for NXT Takeover: Respect

The Princess Rant for NXT Takeover: Respect

After a few computer problems and re-writes, we’re here.

From Full Sail University in Orlando, FL

Original Date: October 12, 2015

Hosted by Rich Brennan, Corey Graves and Byron Saxton

Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Semifinal: Finn Balon & Samoa Joe vs. Dash Wilder & Scott Dawson

Wilder takes a cheap shot to knock Balor from the ring and Joe goes straight into pissed off mode and wrecks Wilder in the corner. He goes for a charge but Dawson moves Wilder out of the way and the not-yet Revival quickly turn the tide. Double teaming by Wilder and Dawson and a snap mare from Wilder gets a two count. Uppercut from Wilder but he misses a charge and Joe nails him with a pele kick. Dawson tries another cheap shot on Balor but he slips it and gets the tag. Dropkicks sent both Dawson and Wilder from the ring and Balor hits a hands free somersault plancha on both men. Back in the ring and Balor dropkicks Dawson in the corner. Wilder saves Dawson from the Coup de Grace, however, and Dawson gets chop block to turn the tide. The soon-to-be Revival go straight into Horsemen mode and get busy on the knee with all kinds of double teams. Single leg lock from Dawson and a double-stomp from Wilder. Dawson then uses Balor’s leg on the post for further damage. Single crab from Dawson and when Balor goes to the ropes, Dawson just drags him back to the middle of the ring. Balor finally gets to the ropes but Dawson wrenches back on the leg until the five count is complete. Balor fights back to free himself but Wilder pulls Joe off the apron to prevent the tag. Joe chases to draw the ref and the heels use the distraction to hit the Demolition decapitation for a two count. Dawson with a charge but he eats a boot and Balor finally makes the hot tag to Joe who gives Wilder an inverted atomic drop, high kick and a senton splash in short order. Snap powerslam gets two and Joe add a urange out of the corner. Joe sets up the muscle buster but Balor wants the tag. Joe hesitates at first but makes the tag, gives Wilder the muscle buster and Balor finishes it with the Coup de Grace on the bad leg. Tremendous, hot opener with a great good guy vs. bad guy dynamic and Joe was in his element as the hot tag guy. ****

— Sasha Banks is trying on her accessories in preparation for the main event

— Some clips of NXT live shows in Nashville and Louisville

Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Semifinal: Jason Jordan & Chad Gable vs. Baron Corbin & Rhyno

Even though the not-yet-named American Alpha babyface turn hasn’t happened yet the crowd was full-on cheering them like they were. Jordan and Corbin start things off and Jordan gets a couple of waistlock takedowns before Corbin drops him with a shoulder block for a one count. Jordan with the waistlock again and Corbin escapes with an elbow and tags Rhyno. Jordan gets a single leg and a takedown on Rhyno before Gable tags with with a sunset flip for one. Rhyno casually throws him into the corner and roughs him up with power strikes. Crowd is loving on Gable something serious. Gable with a hammerlock and a headlock but Rhyno drops him with a big shoulder for two. Gable fights out of a fireman’s carry and he works on the arm. Jordan comes in to complete a double team as they work on the arm. Double northern lights suplex and Gable holds the bridge for two. Step over armbar and Rhyno fights out but Gable gets the rope-assisted armlock. Rhyno, however, fights out and tags out. Corbin does his rudimentary stuff and sends Gable into the ring apron several times before getting a two count. Tag to Rhyno and he gets the chinlock. Tag into Corbin and he does a choke and then his own chinlock. Dueling rest holds here. Gable tries to rally but Corbin grabs his hair to stop the tag, runs over and knocks Jordan off the apron and then hits the big boot to Gable for two. Tag to Rhyno, who goes to the top rope (??) and misses the splash. Both men tag out but Jordan gets the hot tag. He hits dropkicks on both guys and dumps Rhyno over the top. Side suplex on Corbin and then he spears Corbin into the corner. Tag to Gable to set up Grand Amplitude but Corbin rocks Jordan with a short-armed clothesline and gets a spinning slam on Gable for two. Rhyno with a belly-to-belly suplex on Jordan to get rid of him. Gable, however, gives Corbin the roll through German suplex for two. Rhyno with the gore on Jordan to eliminate him but they aren’t the legal men. Gable goes for another reversal but Corbin puts on the brakes and hits the End of Days for three. Wow that was quite the finish with some great near falls. ***1/4

— We get another look at Asuka just wrecking random bitches.

Dana Brooke vs. Asuka

It took Brooke a while to get some more flattering wrestling gear but this is a big improvement. She is accompanied by Emma. Asuka’s music now has words and it’s is also a big improvement…it’s not the complete mix we hear now but it’s pretty close. It’s a damn shame they’ve got nothing for Asuka at Wresltemania this year despite her having the first women’s singles match at Wrestlemania in over a decade and a legitimate ****+ affair at that. I mean they can shotgun someone in there for her in the next three weeks can’t they? Even a triple threat against Mandy and Sonya wouldn’t be the worst thing ever.

Asuka tries to extend a handshake but Brooke slaps it away. Asuka with an armbar and they grapple over a hammerlock for a bit. Brooke escapes with a back elbow and pats her head. Asuka takes offense to that so Brooke slaps her. Oops. Asuka smiles and proceeds to beat the shit out of her with strikes before dropping her with a flying hip attack. Brooke charges and gets caught in an armbar submission but she reaches the rope. Asuka just kills her with kicks to the back and follows her to the floor to lay in some more. Emma provides some interference and Brooke gets a hangman for two. Brooke does her stuff, which isn’t much but she gets a clothesline and a body scissors. Asuka, however, casually escapes and gets Brooke into a kneebar and a standing anklelock and then hits the German suplex while holding the ankle lock. Brooke tries to escape and regroup but runs into a jumping armbar submission. Brooke tries to roll out and get to her feet so Asuka turns it into a cross face chicken wing. Brooke escapes so Asuka just kicks her square in the mouth because Brooke was being so darn feisty. Emma jumps on the Apron to lecture Asuka and gets dropped with a spinning back fist for her troubles. Asuka turns her attention back to Brooke and hits a shining wizard. Finally the Asukal lock ends this…I can’t even call it a squash…it was more like a ruination. Dana Brooke was a roach and Asuka was an anvil. Amazing debut. **. Brooke takes offense to the celebration and gets DESTROYED with a spinning heel kick. Fuck it, I’m bumping this up to **1/2 for that alone. Now she goes out to stare down Emma and Emma turns her head away in fear and intimidation. That’s pretty decisive right there. I mean this was a complete destruction of two women and usually it’s followed by “we wish these ladies best of luck in their future endeavors.”

— A Susan G. Komen/WWE commercial

— Balor continues to have his leg checked by the trainers. Not sure why Joe hasn’t put on a shirt, but whatever.

— Nia Jax will be in the house next week. Thank God, they’ve been hyping her since the start of the summer.

Tyler Breeze vs. Apollo Crews

They fight over a lockup and Crews gets him in a corner before a clean break. Second lock up and Breeze wants a clean break, he gets it and gets Crews in a headlock. Breeze gets shuttered to the ropes and caught with a dropkick. Breeze goes to the floor and Crews comes around the other side and just trucks Breeze…well now we see where Braun got that idea from. Crews with a beautiful delayed vertical suplex to get two. Crews blocks a rollup but Breeze with an upkick to the face and he dumps Crews to the floor. They fight on floor and Crews goes for a powerslam but Breeze slips out of the back door and shoots Crews into the side of the ring. Back in the ring for a two count. Breeze starts working on the back with stomps and an elbow drop. He gives Crews a HARD whip into the corner for a two count and we go to a chinlock. Crews tries to rally but Breeze stops it with a cool variation of a backstabber for two. He goes to the top but Crews presses him off the ropes, Breeze, however, escapes out the back door and gets a sharpshooter. Crews powers out and gets to the ropes and Breeze argues with the ref, giving Crews time to hit a flying lariat, but Breeze stays on the back and roughs up Crews in the corner. He tries some corner punches and Crews powers out but Breeze with a hurricanrana and a ground and pound for two. He tries a rope move, however, and Crews counters with a standing enzugiri. Crews tries a reverse sunset flip but Breeze gets the Supermodel kick for two. Breeze with a springboard dropkick and he goes to the ropes again but gets caught in a powerslam for two. Press slam but Breeze blocks the standing moonsault for a second and eventually counters with knees and a small package for a super near fall. Breeze with two running forearms but he gets kicked in the face on the third try and a spin out powerbomb gets three. Great action as Breeze threw everything he had at Crews but couldn’t figure out a way to finish him. ***1/2

— Hideo Itami, recovering from injury, and Funaki are in attendance and wearing suits!

— Bayley is standing around and staring at her belt…ok now she’s stretching.

— Highlights from the first Dusty Rhodes semifinal where Balor had his leg injured, but he’s going to compete in the final because he’s a MAN!

— Hey look “Eden Stiles” is doing the ring announcing for this match. You might know her better as Brandi Rhodes and yes they acknowledge that she’s Cody’s wife.

Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Final: Baron Corbin & Rhyno vs. Samoa Joe & Finn Balor

Balor is walking gingerly to the ring and can’t even do his pre-match fanfare (that doesn’t stop the crowd from participating anyway). Hot take: A babyface Samoa Joe could face Brock Lesnar at Summerslam and I’d be down with that.

Anyway Balor and Rhyno start and Balor is selling the leg as he circle around the ring. I like that. He goes for a quick rollup for one and Rhyno decides that Corbin is better off with this matchup and finally Corbin kicks him in the knee but Balor comes back with a dropkick and tags in Joe who does his best E. Honda from Street Fighter II impression and gives him fast chops in the corner. Snapmare and a knee drop for Joe gets a one count. More quick strikes and a headbutt from Joe but he goes to the ropes and gets caught with a sit-down spinebuster for two. Tag to Rhyno and he goes to work on the corner. A corner whip and a running shoulderblock followed by a belly to belly suplex on Joe gets a two count. Chinlock time. Joe tries to fight back but Rhyno answers with a forearm and starts choking him on the top rope. Tag to Corbin who gets a two count off snapmare and goes to a front face lock. Joe tries to rally again but Corbin hits a three corner clotheslines and a big boot for two. Joe rallies back with an avalanche and a pele kick to free himself up. Hot tag to Balor who hits Corbin with a slingblade and a front enziguri. Rhyno, however, gives him a leg whip from the outside. Corbin takes advantages and wraps Balor’s leg around the post three times. Back in the ring and Corbin drops a few elbows on the leg. They corner Balor and continue punishment. Balor tries to rally but Corbin gives him a spinning side slam for two. Corbin with a couple of running punches but the third attempt is countered with a slingblade. But guys tag out but Joe gets the hot tag. Inverted atomic drop, big kick and senton splash for Rhyno. Joe gives Corbin an STO but that gives Rhyno enough time to recover and give Joe the gore for two. Balor comes back, however, and gives Corbin a floatover DDT while Joe counters Rhyno’s second gore with a kick. Balor gets rid of Corbin, Joe gives Rhyno a muscle buster and Balor adds the Coup de Grace for the three count. A little slow in spots but everyone worked hard. ***1/4

— The Rhodes family joins Balor and Joe in the ring for the celebration as the crowd chants “Dusty”. Cody grabs the mic and says: “A very very wise individual once said that Dusty Rhodes…he referred to him as the oak of NXT. Well I referred to him as Dad. And for over four decades you allowed him to beam into your hearts, his creations to take hold in your heart. You made him a part of your family. So let me make it official: tonight we are all Rhodes.” That was very nice. Dustin and Dusty’s wife Michelle seemed pretty touched by the whole thing. And the trophy stayed intact, which is a rarity for these things.

— Lita, Charlotte, Becky and the dean of women’s wrestling, Stephanie McMahon, are in the front row.

— Another viewing of the excellent highlight/hype video of the main event.

30-Minute Ironman Match for the NXT Women’s Championship: Sasha Banks vs. Bayley

Both women get that special entrance usually saved for Wrestlemania main events where they walk from the dressing room to the entrance way. That was a nice touch. Sasha gets a huge babyface pop because people like Sasha. Bayley’s Ironman wrestling gear is strong.

They circle the ring for the first minute while the crowd chants a bunch of random stuff. The first lockup is a stalemate, second try Sasha gets a headlock and a shoulder for one. Two more rollups by Sasha gets one counts and she goes back to the headlock. Bayley gets the shoulder this time for one and tries a couple more rollups for one counts as three minutes have expired. Sasha goes for a clothesline but Bayley ducks and gets a backslide for two. Sasha with a small package for two, Baylor with a double leg and a rollup for two. They try a few more rollups each before Sasha hits a dropkick to end all the silliness. Sasha lets her up but tries to get an armbar, Bayley counters with an armbar takedown and a second one that Sasha shortened the bump on and almost landed on her head…fuck…finally the action picks up a bit. Sasha tries for the bank statement but Bayley blocks and Bayley goes for the Bayley to belly and Sasha blocks it and backs into a corner. Bayley offers her a hand and a hug but Sasha grabs her hair and pulls her down for two. HERE WE GO. Corner whip but Bayley with a back elbow and a springboard arm drag takedown. A corner clothesline, two elbows and a dropkick from Bayley is enough for Sasha to take a powder. Bayley with a dropkick around the ringpost. Back in the ring and bulldog (Bayleydog?) gets two as we are at the 22-minute mark. Sasha goes for a rollup and tries to use the ropes but the ref is on the case. Bayley tries a charge but almost hits the ref accidentally, Sasha tries the same but uses the ref as a distraction and thumbs Bayley in the eye and gets a rollup for the three count with 21:29 remaining to take a 1-0 lead.

Bayley comes back with fire and and smashes Sasha’s head into the buckle ten times but Sasha recovers and tosses Bayley in the corner. She sets Bayley up for the double knee but Bayley read it and gives Sasha a stun gun to the buckle. Sasha kicks off Bayley and goes to the ropes but Bayley pulls her off and gets the Bayley to belly for a three count with 19:05 remaining to tie it at 1-1.

Sasha rolls out of the ring and Bayley follows out 30 seconds later, she goes for that sliding dropkick but Sasha catches up and tosses her into the ring steps. Back in the ring and a cover gets two. Sasha tosses Bayley back to the floor and follows her out. She sends Bayley to the steps two more times and lays in some quality badmouth on Bayley’s family before getting back in the ring and getting a two count. Sasha dumps Bailey to the floor again and then throws her into the LED videoboard. Then she grabs Izzy’s bow off her head and prances around the ring. Meanwhile Bayley gets counted out with 15:45 remaining and takes a 2-1 lead. Sasha then tosses the bow back at Izzy and she starts crying. I love it! Bitch heel Sasha is awesome.

The ref starts counting Bayley again but Sasha gets her in the ring and starts mocking her while working on the back. The crowd has almost lost it by now. Sasha lets Bayley know who the boss is and hits a backbreaker for two. Boston crab attempt is snuffed out at first but eventually Sasha gets the crab and stomps on Bayley’s once-broken hand! Bayley grabs the ropes to break the hold but Sasha tries for the crab again but Bayley counters with a roll up and a three count with 12:30 remaining and the score tied at two.

Sasha stays in control but misses the double knee. Bayley comes back with a flapjack for a two count. Bailey corners Sasha and hits a shoulder and two running elbows. Bayley to the middle rope and gets the back elbow for two. Bayley with a turnbuckle suplex and she ties Sasha in the tree of woe where she hits a springboard elbow for two. Bayley positions Sasha on the ropes and they fight up there before Sasha slips under and she gets Bayley in the tree of woe where she hits the double knee for two with nine minutes left. Sasha gets Bayley in the tree of woe again but Sasha misses the running shoulder. Sasha tumbles to the floor and Bayley follows her and starts ramming her hand into the steel steps in a vicious reversal of what Sasha did to her at Takeover: Brooklyn. Back in the ring Bayley gets two. Sasha tries to escape again but Bayley gives her a hangman. Both women out on the floor and Bayley uses the steps to hit a flying lariat but Sasha sends her into the steps. Sasha gets back in the ring and goes for the suicide dive but Bayley caught her and hits the Bayley to Belly on the floor! Back in the ring that only gets a two count. They fight on the ropes against and Sasha kicks Bayley but she charges back and gets a SUPER Bayley to belly for…two when Sasha gets a foot on the rope. Wow. I absolutely would have pegged that one for being the final fall with three minutes left. Bayley sets Sasha up on the ropes again and gets the reverse frankensteiner but Sasha rolls through and gets a Sasha to belly suplex (!!) for two! Sasha slaps on the bank statement with 90 seconds left. Bayley goes to the ropes but Sasha kicks off and keeps the hold on. Bayley fights out and slams Sasha’s hand on the mat with 30 seconds left. Sasha with the backstabber but Bayley rolls through and gets a double-arm stretch submission while using JOINT MANIPULATION on her fingers and kicking her in the back of the head until Sasha taps with two seconds left! Holy shit! THAT’S THE BAYLEY I WANT TO SEE EVERY WEEK!!! Even though there was zero doubt about who was going over here since Sasha was already called up to the main roster this match still managed to get over big time. ****1/2

— Crowd loved the whole thing, except some guy in a Hot Rod shirt that was giving it a thumbs down. Whatever dude.

— The entire NXT roster waits for both women at the top of the entranceway with flowers. Sasha breaking down is a nice touch because you don’t know if it’s the emotion from losing or emotion from pulling off a hell of a match that was given the main event slot and delivered. HHH joins Bayley in the ring for a celebration and I just think about what might’ve been. Oh well it’s Charlotte’s world and we just live in it.

Bottom Line: This was the second of Takeover shows that went above and beyond, elevating the series from “very good wrestling” to an absolute must-watch that remains to this date.