We open with a weird recap/promotion package highlight the past of the TakeOver Matches while promoting the matches.
RODERICK STRONG VS. CAMERON GRIMES
We see what happened between Grimes and Strong last week during Roderick Strong’s entrance.
Grimes has a microphone and tries his pitch a second time from a distance this time and has a shirt saying “Grimes The System” and a new entrance theme with that saying. I want that shirt.
Roderick Strong goes to the outside when Grimes turns his back to the ring and grabs Grimes and throws him in the ring to get the match started.
Grimes has complete control of the match heading into the break as Strong gets sent into the barricade on the outside.
Back with Strong doing the obvious and making the comeback to the point both are down.
Beautiful spot with Grimes doing his flipping move as Strong was doing his running elbows.
Grimes hits the cave in on Strong after dropping UE arm band that distracts Roddy long enough.
Great video from Karrion Kross and Scarlett where it is less super natural and just focuses on his actual abilities as a fighter, and a damn good one.
Video promo from Walter now on Tommaso Ciampa about their match for the NXT UK Championship. Walter says Ciampa is a shell of what he used to be.
Legado Del Fantasma are in the ring with Santos Escobar saying he is issuing an open challenge to prove to Jordan Devlin that Escobar is as good as he says he is.
SANTOS ESCOBAR W/ JOAQUIN WILDE & RAUL MENDOZA VS. TYLER BREEZE – OPEN CHALLENGE MATCH
Tyler Breeze’s music hits and he comes out with a microphone saying Escobar is entitled to think the division is his and Breeze has had to bust his butt so challenge accepted.
How dumb does one have to be to have a competitive match one week out from the most important match of your career?
Shows that USA has faith in stand and deliver to have it lead in to a big show premiere. I assume it is a big show for USA, at least.
Why does every Canadian have to use the Sharpshooter? We are not all Bret Hart.
Phantom Driver from Escobar who gets the pinfall victory.
Post match, MSK come out to run off Legado Del Fantasma before Grizzled Young Veterans come on the screens to put over how they are the only team focused solely on winning the NXT Tag Team Titles.
The Way are now being interviewed about the Gauntlet match and Gargano is still not cool with it. Austin Theory is happy about it though and brings up the Finger Poke of Doom to imply he will lay down.
Indi and Candice want to show Ember and Shotzi what real champions look like.
We then see a video promo of Taya Valkyrie’s dog arriving at the Performance Center.
We are seeing Io Shirai last week saying the beating she got from Raquel is why Io picked her to be her next challenger.
THE WAY (CANDICE LERAE & INDI HARTWELL) VS. ZAYDA RAMIER & GIGI DOLIN
Anyone else notice that Gigi and Zayda didn’t even get a full lower third let alone an entrance? The lower third was faded and only up for a split second.
Is Beth Phoenix seriously okay with the “young love” of Indi Hartwell and Dexter Lumis? A 37 year old stalker and a 24 year old woman? Are WWE & NXT really that oblivious?
Wicked Step Sister from Candice followed by the springboard elbow by Indi and they get the pinfall victory, if there was any doubt.
Post match, Candice is cutting a promo about no one being more deserving in the back of being a champion than her.
Ember and Shotzi come out in their stupid little tank to accept the match but in their own annoying way of “talking.” They then shoot Indi with the cannon dart because they’re children in adult bodies.
Raquel and Dakota are seen headed to the ring when Io confronts her and they brawl.
Roderick Strong is seen leaving the arena saying he is done and won’t be competing in the main event battle royal.
ZOEY STARK VS. RAQUEL GONZALEZ W/ DAKOTA KAI
I don’t get it, is showing off your shoulder blades like a cool thing? I still don’t know why Raquel does that as her pose.
Does anyone ever believe that someone who is not on the PPV/TakeOver next week is going to beat someone who is, let alone the main event?
Raquel counters Zoey into the Powerslam and she gets the pinfall victory.
Post match, Io comes from the back looking for some more and Io sends Raquel out of the ring. This brawl should tell us what happens next week. Raquel is the one left standing after sending Io into the barricade.
Kushida is about to be interviewed when Pete Dunne comes in to take offense at Kushida saying he was the best technical wrestler in the world.
Prime Target time for Kyle O’Reilly and Adam Cole.
KACY CATANZARO & KAYDEN CARTER VS. TIAN SHA (XIA LI & MAE YING) W/ BOA
Well Xia Li is the only one for her team as Mae Ying stays in her chair on the stage.
Great selling from Xia Li after the code breaker variation from Kacy Catanzaro.
Kayden gets off the apron when Mae Ying stands up and gets choked out with one hand before sitting back down.
Xia Li is able to hit her spin kick on Kacy Catanzaro and get the pinfall victory after Kayden was taken out.
Raquel Gonzalez is being interviewed about her dominance over Io all night which of course leads to Io attacking once more but this time Raquel literally sends her through a wall.
They can justify Raquel winning now as she yelled at Io to Stay Down. Raquel will finally make her stay down.
Tommaso Ciampa is now talking about what his necklace means to him and how Walter reminded Ciampa who he is. He says Walter is like everyone else who just likes to talk.
Does anyone think Ciampa is going to win when Walter is defending against Rampage the next day? Funny how they try not to mention that on NXT.
Finn Balor is now telling us that he’s been expecting Kross for a while now.
Finn is putting over his stamina in the match and will let Kross determine the pace because he knows he will out last Kross no matter what.
We are getting Vic and Wade telling us the rules of the Battle Royal and how it has implications for the Gauntlet match next week.
11 MAN GAUNTLET ELIMINATOR QUALIFYING BATTLE ROYAL
Leon Ruff attacks Swerve as he was getting to enter the battle royal to start but the fight quickly gets in the ring but isn’t official yet as we head to commercial.
Back from the commercial with Pete Dunne making his entrance with mostly everyone else in the ring it appears.
Dexter Lumis is just standing in the corner as everyone just pairs off and no one seems to want to get near him.
With interference from Bivens on the outside Atlas gets eliminated but by Swerve and not Rust. Rust is next out thanks to Swerve.
Theory gets eliminated but because of his own stupidity. Reed knocked him out but landed just on his back. He has an idea how to get back in but just kips up and puts his feet on the mat eliminating himself.
Kushida and Dunne are now facing off in the center of the ring with each trying to put submissions on each other but it leads to them both getting eliminated and both out of the final 6.
Have to laugh at Johnny Gargano saying You think you know me? to Beth Phoenix. Pure gold.
Ruff and Swerve will be the first two with Bronson coming third in the gauntlet.
Down to the final three Grimes tries to buy Lumis and LA Knight but they eliminate him leading to the final two being NWA Alumni.
Nice finish with LA Knight going through the middle while Lumis was on the apron and just pulls out his leg to get the win.
Post match, LA Knight gets in the face of Gargano at the broadcast booth when Io Shirai’s music hits and looks like she wants more from Raquel.
I don’t speak Japanese but I assume Io said “Get your butt out here so we can keep this going.
Locker Room empties to keep them apart.
Io takes out the women holding her back so she go fly and land on the pile on the outside that Raquel was part of it. Io is standing tall so she is definitely losing the belt I thinks.
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