NXT TAKEOVER - PHILADELPHIA

[(BP)]

Besides booing Moon for being from Dallas, the crowd seemed pretty tepid responding to her. She was getting some cheers to be sure, but the crazy thing was they were way more into booing Shayna. I don't know if it can stay that way, but she's not a cool heel right now. Once she gets her hands on someone the audience truly likes she could be a nuclear heat magnet. 

[John from Cincinnati]

My one problem with the show was the finish of Moon-Baszler. Baszler was working over the left arm. The Eclipse came down on the right shoulder. That shouldn't have been treated like a death blow to Moon's arm. 

And even still, Moon look like a fool for not using the rest of her faculties to get a cover out of it. Baszler was down for ages and Moon having one arm kept her from a cover because... why?

 

[Ace]

17 hours ago, We Are The Robots said:

Gonna have to disagree with this a bit. WWE commentators have been doing this thing for years where they completely telegraph kickouts. Ranallo did it at least twice tonight - "everything is academic from here" and the ubiquitous "we have ourselves a new champion" were sure signs that the kickout was coming.

Yeah. There was no point where I thought Punk-Pop Richie Cunningham was going to win.

 

[Casey]

10 hours ago, RIPPA said:

 

 

Let's get a close up of those nails...

 

[John from Cincinnati]

I know Mauro hate is running wild, but I firmly disagree with where a lot of it is coming from. I've seen that many people (not necessarily here, but elsewhere) think his use of pop culture references gets in the way of calls which could potentially be "timeless." And my reaction is that some people take their sports entertainment (and entertainment in general) too seriously. Most media is reflective of a certain time in the world and in the life of the creator. "Timeless" isn't generally a worthy goal or an appropriate lens through which to assess entertainment. There's plenty of good stuff out there that's just disposable fun which is of its time. Mauro creating disposable, pop-culture-heavy commentary shouldn't be looked down on IMO.  It's of its time. 

Besides, timeless isn't really a thing in wrestling. I've seen classic matches with great calls from Jim Ross where he references Jason Giambi. That shit hasn't aged well, but it doesn't need to. It was reflective of its time. 

Okay. I'm done rambling. 

[Captain Kronos]

I didn't have any issue with Mauro last night. He did fine. Kept me plugged in without putting himself over. 

Now, Sam, OTOH. Let's just say that "shhh" was a long time coming. 

[Cyanide]

1 hour ago, Captain Kronos said:

@Cyanide

I grew up in Dallas. I haven't followed the Cowboys in more than 10 years. But to this day, I can't in good conscience root for the Eagles or Redskins. 

Sure, I get that. I'm just saying it's not like she came out rocking the silver and blue and spiked a ball in Ricochet's face.

[odessasteps]

For years, there were folks who held it against Dallas because of the JFK Assassination.  

[Shibata Is My Homie]

1 hour ago, Cyanide said:

I had kind of lost track of who was who for AOP from my vantage point, but this is a much better explanation if that's how it shook out than the pure lucky break I thought it was.

Not that this wasn't a legitimate way to go, but I can say that the crowd immediately sniffed out this finish getting teased and instantly turned on it.  Much prefer how they managed to keep Shayna strong and give Moon a legit win for her reign, at the very least in keeping things from getting ugly.

Sidebar on the crowd and this bout: Philly fans booing Ember Moon for being announced as from Dallas is a level of tribalism I hope to never understand.  Dumb.

Yeah, that shit was the worst.  Fuck off with the armchair "in my day Cole would've needed two pints after!" false nostalgia.  It's 2018; it's NXT/WWE; you know they're not just gonna let someone bleed like that through to the finish.  And to the medical staff's credit they got things under control super fast, and there's no reason it shouldn't have been a complete non-issue.

It's not dumb, Dallas sucks!!!

[Shibata Is My Homie]

33 minutes ago, Cyanide said:

Sure, I get that. I'm just saying it's not like she came out rocking the silver and blue and spiked a ball in Ricochet's face.

Philly/Eagles fans are the most passionate in the world. Anyone from an NFC East city would get booed.

[Captain Kronos]

Just now, Shibata Is My Homie said:

Philly/Eagles fans are the most dickish in the world. Anyone from an NFC East city would get booed.

FTFY 

[odessasteps]

 

[turk128]

8 hours ago, Captain Kronos said:

Re the women:  I agree with others that the armbar spot lasted way too long. I have been armbar'd. Once that shit gets locked in, you're tapping in seconds - not minutes. They need to shorten it and teach the opponent better techniques for fighting it off. (not once did I see Moon try to drive her elbow to the ground, for instance) Also, Shayna has been practicing armbar holds since her very first week of jujitsu, probably, so she's going to have to work on fighting the years of muscle memory. She needs to not lock it in so quickly.

While I agree the armbar was too long, there are instances where a locked in armbar =/= death; Rousey had locked in Miesha Tate in their first match but Tate just basically took it and rolled.

The best and probably only technique that would read well on camera is gripping your own hand. Ember was clearly trying to sell the desperation more than the counter, her bad since this time less was more. (Come to think of it, I think Ember's biggest flaw is she's too amped up and tries way too hard, she seems to not be able to ease up.)

A great example of the counter was in the AoP match where Kyle O'Reilly was applying the armbar for almost as long as Baszler.

[Captain Kronos]

I have to go back and rewatch that AoP tag. I didn't give it fair attention. 

[Go2Sleep]

I liked the way they booked Ember/Shayna even though the finish was reaching Bret/Backlund levels of being unnecessarily dragged out. It was a bit like Brock/Cena Extreme Rules, where the face gets a credible-looking pin, but the heel looks like the baddest dude(tte) on the planet and only lost because they tried to show off when they could've believably finished the match much earlier. Shayna's elbow stomp is the best move in wrestling right now.

The main event was nice, but I didn't think it was appreciably better than their last match, let alone sniffing greatest match in NXT history.

[Red is Dead]

Baszler, for being green as all hell, scares the crap outta me.

She gets the whole heel thing, gets the bully tactic, gets her role in the division. Her vs Asuka, when it happens will be a main event ppv match, definite show closer.

The crowd's surprise at Dream "KO'ing" Ohno at 24 seconds? Brilliance - they ate that shit up and asked for seconds...

"n"thing the love for Almas Gargano. I am totally sold on Sombra now - he was pure stale in some previous takeover matches; saturday night he made a believer outta me. Cant wait for black to kick his face off.

[Matt D]

14 hours ago, West Newbury Bad Boy said:

I know Mauro hate is running wild, but I firmly disagree with where a lot of it is coming from. I've seen that many people (not necessarily here, but elsewhere) think his use of pop culture references gets in the way of calls which could potentially be "timeless." And my reaction is that some people take their sports entertainment (and entertainment in general) too seriously. Most media is reflective of a certain time in the world and in the life of the creator. "Timeless" isn't generally a worthy goal or an appropriate lens through which to assess entertainment. There's plenty of good stuff out there that's just disposable fun which is of its time. Mauro creating disposable, pop-culture-heavy commentary shouldn't be looked down on IMO.  It's of its time. 

Besides, timeless isn't really a thing in wrestling. I've seen classic matches with great calls from Jim Ross where he references Jason Giambi. That shit hasn't aged well, but it doesn't need to. It was reflective of its time. 

Okay. I'm done rambling. 

I’m glad you’re done rambling.

[turk128]

9 hours ago, Captain Kronos said:

I have to go back and rewatch that AoP tag. I didn't give it fair attention. 

It's overlooked because it was a great curtain jerker and it was one of the few times where MMA elements enhanced the match making it more believable. I mean, if Sakuraba can go up against monsters in Pride and hold his own, why not UE.

[MORELOCK]

17 hours ago, West Newbury Bad Boy said:

I know Mauro hate is running wild, but I firmly disagree with where a lot of it is coming from. I've seen that many people (not necessarily here, but elsewhere) think his use of pop culture references gets in the way of calls which could potentially be "timeless." And my reaction is that some people take their sports entertainment (and entertainment in general) too seriously. Most media is reflective of a certain time in the world and in the life of the creator. "Timeless" isn't generally a worthy goal or an appropriate lens through which to assess entertainment. There's plenty of good stuff out there that's just disposable fun which is of its time. Mauro creating disposable, pop-culture-heavy commentary shouldn't be looked down on IMO.  It's of its time.

This isn't the crux of the problem. He's screaming for the entire show in faux-excitement, drowning out the other announcers while clumsily inserting alliterative phrases and hip-hop references when he should be trying to get the product over instead of himself. It's the announcing equivalent of getting his shit in, and it damages *every* NXT show, not just this one.

[Craig H]

I don't think it's faux excitement with Mauro. I think he's genuinely that excited for everything. We've heard him reign that stuff in before, but he just seems to have less of a filter. He's like Gus Johnson in that you're just not going to make him not react to things in a big way.

It doesn't bother me in the slightest. I get why it would bother others.

[GuerrillaMonsoon]

Be interested to see where they go with stipulations for Gargano/Ciampa.

I assume Last Man Standing with a Loser Leaves Town match as the blowoff. Ladder is probably a good call back to where the feud started but nothing to put above it, ironman showcases well, but seems not enough blood feud. Cage works for me too.

[Casey]

4 hours ago, RolandTHTG said:

Be interested to see where they go with stipulations for Gargano/Ciampa.

I assume Last Man Standing with a Loser Leaves Town match as the blowoff. Ladder is probably a good call back to where the feud started but nothing to put above it, ironman showcases well, but seems not enough blood feud. Cage works for me too.

I Quit match? I don't think it's been done in NXT yet, either. Cage, Ladder, Ironman and Last Man Standing matches all have.

[AquariumDrinker]

Good God, did I love that main event. And yes, Johnny Wrestling forever, but damn that should make stars in the US out of Almas AND Vega. MOTY!!!

[ChesterCopperpot]

 

[Hail Sabin]

6 hours ago, RolandTHTG said:

Be interested to see where they go with stipulations for Gargano/Ciampa.

I assume Last Man Standing with a Loser Leaves Town match as the blowoff. Ladder is probably a good call back to where the feud started but nothing to put above it, ironman showcases well, but seems not enough blood feud. Cage works for me too.

Ladder match with their Contracts above the ring.