Takeover took the weekend... again

Last year, NXT Takeover: Brooklyn stole the show over SummerSlam. Though the card was drastically different, NXT Takeover: Brooklyn II did the exact same thing. From top to bottom, the show was a rousing success.

Image credit: WWE.com.

The biggest point that can be made about the show is that it has been made clear that the influx of Japanese stars will be drastically important to the NXT roster. Whether it was Kota Ibushi making an appearance backstage, Hideo Itami reclaiming the finish he created when he hit Austin Aries with the Go To Sleep, Asuka knocking out Bayley or Shinsuke ascending to the top position, the heroes from the land of the rising sun shined in Brooklyn.

The weakest matches were also the spotlights for two new stars, though both were far from bad. Ember Moon versus Billie Kay never quite felt like it got out of first gear, but the O-Face (which I'm guessing will be renamed the Crescent Moon right now) created a spectacular finish. Andrade Almas still doesn't seem ready for the spot he's in, nor has NXT's booking done him any favors as a babyface against far more popular villains. But he held his own even if his position was as a jobber in the in ring debut of Bobby Roode.

And that debut was definitely one thing: glorious.


The newly named team of #DIY, Johnny Gargano and Tommaso Ciampa, had an epic match-up with The Revival, which explained why they were far higher on the event card than basically any other tag title match ever. Both teams have legs as the throwback heel unit continues to sore more fans and the face unit continues to gel as a cohesive team. With Gargano and Ciampa now full time NXT roster members, I expect this feud is far from over, though a heel turn for Ciampa could happen sooner rather than later, especially with TM61 and The Authors of Pain waiting in the wings to challenge The Revival.

Asuka looked stupendous in her victory over Bayley, though I remain a bit surprised WWE still hasn't turned her heel, as NXT definitely has a lack of heel women to challenge her. Though Bayley got in far more offense in this match, her role in the future of the main roster is clear, while Asuka still has plenty of time to shine on the developmental brand as she works on her English.

And while Roode had a glorious entrance, Shinsuke Nakamura had one of the most uniquely awesome entrances in the history of professional wrestling. A shortened version is below, but I highly recommend everyone check out the replay to get the full five minute entrance as the opening alone is truly breathtaking. Big ups to the powers of be at NXT and violinist Lee England Jr for their work on it.


When all is said and done, maybe the show won't be as important as the crowning of the first WWE Universal champion. But it will remain a show that I can watch highlights from forevermore. And while no match quite captured the greatness of Sami Zayn versus Shinsuke Nakamura, NXT still delivered another in an absolutely epic series of great supercards.