10 Positives from NXT TakeOver: Dallas
NXT TakeOver: Dallas took place on Friday, April 1st and it was one of the most anticipated shows in recent memory. Not only would we get to see NXT stars like Samoa Joe, Finn Balor, Asuka, Baron Corbin, and Bayley, but we would also get to see the debut of Austin Aries and Shinsuke Nakamura. The event was absolutely incredible and it will undoubtedly be one of the best WWE/NXT shows of the year. In fact, it may go down as one of the best wrestling shows of this century. It has definitely supplanted Brooklyn as the best TakeOver ever.
With this show, NXT has continued to prove itself as one of the best promotions in the business. BUt what exactly stood out on the show? In this article we'll be optimistic and look at the positives (which won't be hard). Let's get started.
10. Tag Title Match Sets the Tone for the Night:
The show got off to a great start with the tag title match between The Revival and American Alpha. Both teams have been hot for a few months now (especially the challengers), so this match was pretty highly anticipated. While the match wasn't totally smooth (which lead to chants of "Botchamania"), it was a very good match that saw the crowning of new tag champs. Furthermore, Jason Jordan and Chad Gable looked genuinely amazed to be tag champs, which led to a wonderful feel-good moment. Big things are in store for the champs.
However, let's not forget about Scott Dawson & Dash Wilder. A lot of fans aren't drawn to their no-nonsense style, but they've been great. Their matches always feature great psychology and their hard-hitting style is fun to watch. While most of the love from this match will go to the winners (and rightfully so), the former champs deserve a lot of credit as well.
9. Asuka's Reign Begins
Ever since Asuka debuted in NXT, she's been an unstoppable force. Her match with Emma at NXT TakeOver: London was one of the best women's matches of 2015. Her hard-hitting strikes and painful-looking punches have really helped her stand out from the rest of the crowd. Bayley on the other hand, is one of the most beloved stars on the NXT roster. Her underdog gimmick was suited well for this match. The match certainly wasn't great, but it was really good. The two have very good chemistry and their rematch should be really good.
This was a tough one to predict, but I like the decision to go with Asuka. She is on fire right now and her undefeated streak continues. The big match will be between her and Nia Jax, which I expect Asuka to win. It looks like Bayley will be heading to the main roster soon, but not before a rematch with the Empress of Tomorrow.
8. Samoa Joe Looks like a Killer
Very early into the NXT title match between Finn Balor and Samoa Joe, Joe got busted open near his right eye. Soon, his face was covered in blood. The medical staff kept stopping Joe to clean his wound and stop the bleeding. Each time this happened, Joe would get angry and attempt to keep fighting. This only increased Joe's aura and made him look even more dangerous and volatile. Whenever he gets promoted to the main roster, he will definitely make an impact.
This was a pretty good match, but it wasn't as good as their match at NXT TakeOver: London. In fact, I would have had the Shinsuke Nakamura/Sami Zayn match go on last, but this match as the main event also made sense. Samoa Joe is one of the biggest stars in NXT and will continue to be so until he joins the main roster.
7. Great Entrances
This show was NXT's version of WrestleMania, which is famous for its special entrances (think Shawn Michaels at 12, Rusev at 31, Triple H at 27, John Cena at 22, and The Undertaker at 20). NXT didn't go all out with the special entrances, but there were four noteworthy ones from the show. The first one was Baron Corbin's. It was his usual one, but it's undoubtedly one of the coolest in all of WWE right now. The next big entrance was Shinsuke Nakamura's. If that's going to be his regular entrance, then it's easily one of the best of all-time. The music was incredible, as were the graphics and lighting. It really set the tone for Nakamura's match with Zayn.
There were two special entrances: one for NXT Women's Champion Bayley and NXT Champion Finn Balor. For her entrance, Bayley got extra wacky inflatable tube-men which looked really cool and only added to her entrance. As for Balor, he brought back the demon gimmick and added a little Texas Chainsaw Massacre flavor to it. The demon entrance is always awesome and it was great to see it brought back for this event.
6. Sami's Last Stand
The Zayn/Nakamura match was the last NXT match of Zayn's storied NXT career. He won the NXT Championship, headlined many NXT specials, had a number of incredible matches (like the NXT Arrival match with Cesaro, the title match with Neville, and the #1 Contenders match with Sami Zayn), and feuded with a number of opponents, including Kevin Owens, Tyson Kidd, and Tyler Breeze.
As is customary, Zayn put over a fellow wrestler in his last match. In this case, it was one of the biggest signings in NXT history: Nakamura. After the match ended and Nakamura had left the ring, Zayn stood by himself as the crowd rained love down upon him. It was a fitting end to arguably the greatest NXT career of all-time.
5. Bobby Roode and Kota Ibushi in the Stands
NXT has had an incredibly stacked roster in the last few years. Some of the greatest wrestlers in the world, like Kevin Owens, Finn Balor, Hideo Itami, Samoa Joe, Apollo Crews, Neville, Sasha Banks, Charlotte, Seth Rollins, and Bray Wyatt. As the NXT brand continues to grow and shine, more incredible wrestlers will no doubt show up in Full Sail University.
At Dallas, we saw a lot of notable names in the crowd, including Stephanie McMahon, Scott Hall, and X-Pac. We also saw two of the biggest free-agents in the business: Kota Ibushi and Bobby Roode. Ibushi recently left NJPW while Roode left TNA about two weeks ago. It would be great to see both of those men in NXT, as there is certainly a place for them. Seeing them in the stands is a great sign that they could be appearing in Orlando soon.
4. The Demon Stands Tall
As we mentioned before, Balor dialed up his demon gimmick to battle Samoa Joe in the main event. Balor has a history of channeling the demon in big matches (like against Kevin Owens at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn and against Neville at NXT TakeOver: Rival). The demon has yet to be defeated, which helps add to its supernatural aura.
While having Balor retain was a controversial choice (many felt it was time for Joe to take the title), having the demon stand tall is always a good idea. Having demon Balor stand tall at the end of the show also provided a great visual.
3. Austin Aries Impresses
While more people were excited for Nakamura's debut (and rightfully so), we also saw the debut of former TNA and ROH star Austin Aries. Aries is a tremendous wrestler who oozes charisma and can more than hold his own on the mic. This was his in-ring debut (he made his NXT debut a few weeks ago but never wrestled). Baron Corbin and his indy-killer gimmick made perfect sense as Aries's first-ever NXT opponent.
While this was the weakest match on the card, it was still a good match (another testament to how strong this show was). Aries certainly looked impressive and his great chemistry with Corbin certainly didn't hurt. Aries will undoubtedly be one of the biggest names in NXT and this was a very good start.
2. A Genuine Five-Star Classic
It's very hard for a match to be five-stars. Case in point, Dave Meltzer only awarded three matches the top rating in 2015. All three of those matches were NJPW matches. In fact, only three WWE matches since 1995 (John Cena vs. CM Punk at MITB 2011, Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker inside HIAC in 1997, and the submission match between Steve Austin and Bret Hart at 'Mania in '97) have been five-star matches, and no NXT match has ever been given five-stars.
That could all possibly change after Friday night. Zayn and Nakamura had the best NXT match, as well as the best WWE/NXT match of the year so far. Corey Graves summed it up beautifully when he described seeing Nakamura in an NXT ring as "surreal". I cannot give this match enough praise. The two had incredible chemistry, both of them sold beautifully, and the crowd was electric. How great would it be if we could see these two collide again at a future WrestleMania?
1. Shinsuke Nakamura is a Goddamn Star
I apologize for the language, but I honestly have no idea how else to put it. The man has it all: a rabid fanbase, an electric entrance, has a totally unique and awesome look, and is one of the best wrestlers in the world (I would put only Seth Rollins and AJ Styles ahead of him). On top of that, he absolutely oozes charisma. In fact, he's unarguably one of the most charismatic superstars in the WWE umbrella. He also has plenty of the "it" factor, that undescribable quality that sets megastars ahead of the pack. Other superstars that have/had plenty of "it" factor: The Rock, Ultimate Warrior, Sting, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, and The Undertaker.
It's going to be great to see where Nakamura goes on from here. He will undoubtedly have a great NXT career before moving up to the main roster. However, he is 36 years old, so WWE will probably look to move him to the main roster as soon as possible. In fact, we could see him on Raw as early as late-2016.
Thanks for reading everyone. Comment and let me know what you thought of the show.
With this show, NXT has continued to prove itself as one of the best promotions in the business. BUt what exactly stood out on the show? In this article we'll be optimistic and look at the positives (which won't be hard). Let's get started.
10. Tag Title Match Sets the Tone for the Night:
The show got off to a great start with the tag title match between The Revival and American Alpha. Both teams have been hot for a few months now (especially the challengers), so this match was pretty highly anticipated. While the match wasn't totally smooth (which lead to chants of "Botchamania"), it was a very good match that saw the crowning of new tag champs. Furthermore, Jason Jordan and Chad Gable looked genuinely amazed to be tag champs, which led to a wonderful feel-good moment. Big things are in store for the champs.
However, let's not forget about Scott Dawson & Dash Wilder. A lot of fans aren't drawn to their no-nonsense style, but they've been great. Their matches always feature great psychology and their hard-hitting style is fun to watch. While most of the love from this match will go to the winners (and rightfully so), the former champs deserve a lot of credit as well.
9. Asuka's Reign Begins
Ever since Asuka debuted in NXT, she's been an unstoppable force. Her match with Emma at NXT TakeOver: London was one of the best women's matches of 2015. Her hard-hitting strikes and painful-looking punches have really helped her stand out from the rest of the crowd. Bayley on the other hand, is one of the most beloved stars on the NXT roster. Her underdog gimmick was suited well for this match. The match certainly wasn't great, but it was really good. The two have very good chemistry and their rematch should be really good.
This was a tough one to predict, but I like the decision to go with Asuka. She is on fire right now and her undefeated streak continues. The big match will be between her and Nia Jax, which I expect Asuka to win. It looks like Bayley will be heading to the main roster soon, but not before a rematch with the Empress of Tomorrow.
8. Samoa Joe Looks like a Killer
Very early into the NXT title match between Finn Balor and Samoa Joe, Joe got busted open near his right eye. Soon, his face was covered in blood. The medical staff kept stopping Joe to clean his wound and stop the bleeding. Each time this happened, Joe would get angry and attempt to keep fighting. This only increased Joe's aura and made him look even more dangerous and volatile. Whenever he gets promoted to the main roster, he will definitely make an impact.
This was a pretty good match, but it wasn't as good as their match at NXT TakeOver: London. In fact, I would have had the Shinsuke Nakamura/Sami Zayn match go on last, but this match as the main event also made sense. Samoa Joe is one of the biggest stars in NXT and will continue to be so until he joins the main roster.
7. Great Entrances
This show was NXT's version of WrestleMania, which is famous for its special entrances (think Shawn Michaels at 12, Rusev at 31, Triple H at 27, John Cena at 22, and The Undertaker at 20). NXT didn't go all out with the special entrances, but there were four noteworthy ones from the show. The first one was Baron Corbin's. It was his usual one, but it's undoubtedly one of the coolest in all of WWE right now. The next big entrance was Shinsuke Nakamura's. If that's going to be his regular entrance, then it's easily one of the best of all-time. The music was incredible, as were the graphics and lighting. It really set the tone for Nakamura's match with Zayn.
There were two special entrances: one for NXT Women's Champion Bayley and NXT Champion Finn Balor. For her entrance, Bayley got extra wacky inflatable tube-men which looked really cool and only added to her entrance. As for Balor, he brought back the demon gimmick and added a little Texas Chainsaw Massacre flavor to it. The demon entrance is always awesome and it was great to see it brought back for this event.
6. Sami's Last Stand
The Zayn/Nakamura match was the last NXT match of Zayn's storied NXT career. He won the NXT Championship, headlined many NXT specials, had a number of incredible matches (like the NXT Arrival match with Cesaro, the title match with Neville, and the #1 Contenders match with Sami Zayn), and feuded with a number of opponents, including Kevin Owens, Tyson Kidd, and Tyler Breeze.
As is customary, Zayn put over a fellow wrestler in his last match. In this case, it was one of the biggest signings in NXT history: Nakamura. After the match ended and Nakamura had left the ring, Zayn stood by himself as the crowd rained love down upon him. It was a fitting end to arguably the greatest NXT career of all-time.
5. Bobby Roode and Kota Ibushi in the Stands
NXT has had an incredibly stacked roster in the last few years. Some of the greatest wrestlers in the world, like Kevin Owens, Finn Balor, Hideo Itami, Samoa Joe, Apollo Crews, Neville, Sasha Banks, Charlotte, Seth Rollins, and Bray Wyatt. As the NXT brand continues to grow and shine, more incredible wrestlers will no doubt show up in Full Sail University.
At Dallas, we saw a lot of notable names in the crowd, including Stephanie McMahon, Scott Hall, and X-Pac. We also saw two of the biggest free-agents in the business: Kota Ibushi and Bobby Roode. Ibushi recently left NJPW while Roode left TNA about two weeks ago. It would be great to see both of those men in NXT, as there is certainly a place for them. Seeing them in the stands is a great sign that they could be appearing in Orlando soon.
4. The Demon Stands Tall
As we mentioned before, Balor dialed up his demon gimmick to battle Samoa Joe in the main event. Balor has a history of channeling the demon in big matches (like against Kevin Owens at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn and against Neville at NXT TakeOver: Rival). The demon has yet to be defeated, which helps add to its supernatural aura.
While having Balor retain was a controversial choice (many felt it was time for Joe to take the title), having the demon stand tall is always a good idea. Having demon Balor stand tall at the end of the show also provided a great visual.
3. Austin Aries Impresses
While more people were excited for Nakamura's debut (and rightfully so), we also saw the debut of former TNA and ROH star Austin Aries. Aries is a tremendous wrestler who oozes charisma and can more than hold his own on the mic. This was his in-ring debut (he made his NXT debut a few weeks ago but never wrestled). Baron Corbin and his indy-killer gimmick made perfect sense as Aries's first-ever NXT opponent.
While this was the weakest match on the card, it was still a good match (another testament to how strong this show was). Aries certainly looked impressive and his great chemistry with Corbin certainly didn't hurt. Aries will undoubtedly be one of the biggest names in NXT and this was a very good start.
2. A Genuine Five-Star Classic
It's very hard for a match to be five-stars. Case in point, Dave Meltzer only awarded three matches the top rating in 2015. All three of those matches were NJPW matches. In fact, only three WWE matches since 1995 (John Cena vs. CM Punk at MITB 2011, Shawn Michaels vs. The Undertaker inside HIAC in 1997, and the submission match between Steve Austin and Bret Hart at 'Mania in '97) have been five-star matches, and no NXT match has ever been given five-stars.
That could all possibly change after Friday night. Zayn and Nakamura had the best NXT match, as well as the best WWE/NXT match of the year so far. Corey Graves summed it up beautifully when he described seeing Nakamura in an NXT ring as "surreal". I cannot give this match enough praise. The two had incredible chemistry, both of them sold beautifully, and the crowd was electric. How great would it be if we could see these two collide again at a future WrestleMania?
1. Shinsuke Nakamura is a Goddamn Star
I apologize for the language, but I honestly have no idea how else to put it. The man has it all: a rabid fanbase, an electric entrance, has a totally unique and awesome look, and is one of the best wrestlers in the world (I would put only Seth Rollins and AJ Styles ahead of him). On top of that, he absolutely oozes charisma. In fact, he's unarguably one of the most charismatic superstars in the WWE umbrella. He also has plenty of the "it" factor, that undescribable quality that sets megastars ahead of the pack. Other superstars that have/had plenty of "it" factor: The Rock, Ultimate Warrior, Sting, "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, and The Undertaker.
It's going to be great to see where Nakamura goes on from here. He will undoubtedly have a great NXT career before moving up to the main roster. However, he is 36 years old, so WWE will probably look to move him to the main roster as soon as possible. In fact, we could see him on Raw as early as late-2016.
Thanks for reading everyone. Comment and let me know what you thought of the show.
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