5 Takeaways From NXT TakeOver: WarGames

Lars Sullivan and Kassius Ohno started off NXT TakeOver: WarGames. Sullivan drove Ohno into the corner. Kassius responded with a big right hand and a boot to the face but Sullivan didn’t fall down. Sullivan connected with a shoulder tackle that knocked Ohno to the canvas. The action spilled out of the ring and Sullivan leaped off the ring apron and hit a shoulder block onto Ohno.

Back in the ring, Ohno hit a big boot and followed it up with an Enziguri. Sullivan shrugged it off and leveled Ohno with a Clothesline. Ohno charged at Sullivan and Lars connected with a ridiculous pop-up Powerslam for a two count. Kassius connected with a flurry of shots but could not knock Sullivan down. Kassius hit the Cyclone Kick but Sullivan kicked out at two.

Ohno stomped on Sullivan’s face and then hit a Senton for a one count. Sullivan and Ohno traded punches in the middle of the ring. Ohno hit a discus elbow and went for another one but Sullivan countered it into the Freak Accident for the pinfall victory.

Another victory for @LarsSWWE begs the question: Can ANYONE stop him?! #NXTTakeOver pic.twitter.com/wTv1FHIY9I

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) November 19, 2017

This match was a quick and decisive victory for Lars Sullivan. Ohno was simply overpowered by Sullivan. Lars is a monster in NXT and he will continue to be one once he joins the main roster. Sullivan will continue to improve in NXT and I can’t help but look forward to a match between Sullivan and Braun Strowman in the future.

Velveteen Dream came down to the ring sporting tights with Aleister Black’s face on one leg and his own face on the other. Black controlled the match early and launched Dream out of the ring. Black took a seat in the ring to mock Dream. Velveteen started swaying his hips and danced right in front of Black. Aleister wouldn’t look at Dream and Velveteen decided to sit directly in front of Dream. Aleister then slithered towards Dream and Velveteen had a shocked look on his face.

Dream went for a roll-up and then connected with Arm Drag. Dream responded with a Clothesline that knocked Black to the mat. Dream connected with a flurry of punches that knocked Black out of the ring. Back in the ring, Dream connected with a Superkick for a two count. Velveteen hit the Rude Awakening for a two count. Black connected with a knee and then slung Dream into the corner.

Dream hit a Death Valley Driver for a two count. Aleister connected with a big time knee strike for a two count. Black remained on the attack and charged at Dream but Velveteen connected with a beautiful modified DDT for a two count. Dream connected with a Superkick and Black bounced off the ropes and connected with a knee. Aleister then hit the Black Mass for the pinfall victory.

After the match, Aleister Black grabbed a microphone and sat next to Velveteen Dream. Black said “enjoy infamy, Velveteen Dream” and walked away.

These two are leaving it ALL in the ring! @VelveteenWWE @WWEAleister #NXTTakeOver pic.twitter.com/eJhgddiLEf

— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) November 19, 2017

I think plenty of people will be saying your name for years to come. @VelveteenWWE

— Kevin Owens (@FightOwensFight) November 19, 2017

Aleister Black and Velveteen Dream put on an excellent match tonight at NXT TakeOver: WarGames. The build to this match was very interesting and Black and Dream absolutely delivered. In the end, both Superstars won. Aleister Black remains undefeated and he finally acknowledged Dream, which is all Velveteen wanted in the first place.

Nikki Cross, Kairi Sane, Peyton Royce and Ember Moon battled in a Fatal 4-Way for the vacant NXT Women’s Championship. Billie Kay offered some words of encouragement for Peyton Royce on the entrance ramp and then did not accompany her to the ring.

Ember Moon leaped onto Nikki Cross outside the ring and Peyton Royce avoided it. Kairi Sane then hit a flying forearm onto Peyton Royce. Ember Moon sprinted across the ring and connected with a Suicide Dive onto Royce and Sane. Nikki charged at Moon but Ember caught her and connected with a Powerbomb onto the floor outside the ring.

Sane connected with a Spear to Ember Moon back in the ring in the corner. Sane then went for another Spear onto Moon but Ember leaped over her and Sane Speared Royce instead. Ember went for a Superplex onto Sane but Peyton Royce leaped on the turnbuckle behind her. Royce hit a Belly to Back Suplex onto Moon as she connected with a Superplex on Sane at the same time. Cross then climbed to the top rope and hit a Crossbody onto all three Superstars.

Cross Clotheslined Royce out of the ring and then hit a Swinging Neckbreaker on Sane. Cross went for the cover on Sane but Ember Moon broke it up at two. Ember connected with a big boot that knocked Cross to the canvas. Nikki hit a Swinging Neckbreaker onto Moon and Ember rolled out of the ring. Royce then hit a Fisherman’s Suplex on Cross but Sane broke up the cover.

Sane slammed Royce on top of Cross and then climbed to the top rope. Sane connected with the Insane Elbow onto both Superstars but Ember Moon broke up the pinfall attempt on Nikki Cross. Ember Moon then hit the Eclipse onto Peyton Royce and Nikki Cross at the same time. Moon then covered Nikki Cross and won the NXT Women’s Championship. After the match, Asuka and NXT GM William Regal presented Ember Moon with the title in the ring.

The #WomensDivision has officially been ECLIPSED by your NEW #WWENXT #WomensChampion, @WWEEmberMoon! #NXTTakeOver pic.twitter.com/DsvaTYQFos

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) November 19, 2017

This watch was completely unpredictable leading up to NXT TakeOver: WarGames. Each Superstar in this match would have made sense to become the new NXT Women’s Champion. Ember Moon pushed Asuka to the limit at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn III but came up just short. She is very deserving of a run with the NXT Women’s Championship.

Zelina Vega got in McIntyre’s face before the match and started shouting at him. The match then began with Almas trying to avoid McIntyre by leaning in between the ropes. Drew then Almas towards the ropes and Andrade caught himself in between the ropes and posed. McIntyre didn’t like that too much and booted Andrade in the face. Vega tried to hit the Hurricanrana on McIntyre out of the ring but Drew caught her. Almas then attempted a Suicide Dive but McIntyre was ready and elbowed Almas in the face.

McIntyre went charged at Almas in the corner but Andrade got out of the way and McIntyre slammed into the steel post. McIntyre lifted up Almas for a Suplex but ultimately decided to launch Almas across the ring. McIntyre followed it up with two Belly to Belly Suplexes. McIntyre then hit a Clothesline off the top rope. McIntyre hit the Celtic Cross for a two count.

Almas hit a Dropkick and followed it up with an Tornado DDT for a two count. Almas went for a Hurricanrana but McIntyre caught him and planted Almas with an inverted Alabama Slam. McIntyre made his way up to the top rope but Almas hit him with a Dropkick that knocked McIntyre out of the ring. Almas launched McIntyre into the ring post and then followed it up with a Moonsault off the top rope onto McIntyre outside the ring. Almas brought McIntyre back into the ring for a cover but McIntyre kicked out at two.

Andrade hit the Double Stomp onto McIntyre while Drew was hung up in the ropes and then followed it up with Double Knees for a two count. Almas missed with an Enziguri and McIntyre planted him with a Powerbomb for a two count. McIntyre followed it up with the Future Shock DDT for a two count. McIntyre lifted Almas up onto his shoulders and climbed up the turnbuckle. Almas escaped an connected with another Double Knees to the back of McIntyre’s head for a two count.

Almas became frustrated and clubbed McIntyre across the back of the head. Almas left the ring and celebrated with the NXT Championship outside the ring and the referee became distracted. Vega got into the ring and hit McIntyre with a Hurricanrana and McIntyre’s head bounced off the canvas. Almas then got back into the ring and hit the Hammerlock DDT for a two count. McIntyre then hit the Claymore and went for the cover but Vega placed Almas’ foot on the bottom rope.

McIntyre went for another Claymore and missed and crotched himself on the top rope. Almas then hit the Hammerlock DDT off the top rope for the pinfall victory. Andrade “Cien” Almas is the new NXT Champion.

HE'S DONE IT! The #NXTChampionship officially belongs to #ElIdolo, @AndradeCienWWE! #NXTTakeOver @Zelina_VegaWWE pic.twitter.com/SpEFJDBdNZ

— WWE (@WWE) November 19, 2017

I didn’t see this one coming at all. Almas and Vega have been one of the best parts of NXT recently, but I didn’t think WWE would take the NXT Championship off of McIntyre so quickly. This could mean that McIntyre is on his way to the main roster soon. Zelina Vega has completely revitalized Almas’ career and it is awesome to see a talent like Andrade be rewarded.

SAnitY, The Undisputed Era and The Authors of Pain & Roderick Strong competed in a WarGames match tonight. Eric Young, Adam Cole and Roderick Strong started off the match as the rest of the Superstars were locked inside shark cages on the top of the entrance ramp.

Strong and Young surrounded Cole in one of the rings. Strong knocked Cole to the mat and then got in a shoving match with Eric Young. Young knocked Cole to the mat and then Strong planted Young with a Backbreaker. All three Superstars battled while standing on the top rope. Cole was knocked down but he bounced off the ropes and both Young and Strong were crotched on the top rope.

Cole then stomped on both Young and Strong. Cole threw Strong into the other ring and focused on Eric Young. Cole planted Young with a Neckbreaker over his knee and then got into the other ring with Strong. Cole beatdown Strong in the corner and then shoved his boot in his face while taunting him.

Cole stood on the metal partition between the rings and punched Young in the face. Adam Cole connected with a Suplex on Strong and then shouted “I run this world”. Cole hit Strong with a Neckbreaker and then delivered another one to Eric Young. Strong got back to his feet and connected with a couple of chops to Cole. Strong followed it up with a Clothesline to Cole.

Bobby Fish and Kyle O’Reilly of The Undisputed Era were the first team to be let out of the shark cage. Fish and O’Reilly beatdown both Young and Strong in the ring as Cole watched on in the corner for a minute. Cole, O’Reilly and Fish connected with three Splashes onto Eric Young while he was on the ring apron up against the steel cage surrounding the ring.

Akam and Rezar of the Authors of Pain were the next team released from their cage on the entrance ramp. The Authors of Pain cleaned house and launched Adam Cole into the second ring. The Authors of Pain then launched Strong onto everyone else in the second ring. Strong, Akam and Rezar spent the next couple of minutes beating the hell out of everyone as Dain and Wolfe watched on in their cages.

Wolfe and Dain from SAnitY were the final team released. Wolfe brought a club into the ring and attacked Akam and Rezar with it. Dain grabbed some chairs, trash cans, chains and kendo sticks into the ring. SAnitY started bashing everyone with chairs as the crowd chanted “we want tables!”. Killian Dain obliged and grabbed two tables from under the ring as the crowd chanted “yes!”.

O’Reilly tried to hit Wolfe with a chair but missed and the chair bounced off the top rope and he bashed himself in the face. Dain finally got into the ring and chained the cage door shut. Dain then swallowed the key to the cage and then went after Akam and Rezar. Dain climbed up to the top rope and connected with a Crossbody onto everyone.

Cole dared Dain to come after him and tried to hit him with a kendo stick but Dain blocked it. Dain lifted Cole in the air but Fish and O’Reilly attacked Dain from behind. Dain shrugged them off and continued to dominate the match. Dain and Rezar traded punches on the partition between the two rings. They then traded big boots in one of the rings. Dain connected with a Crossbody but Akam booted Dain in the face and then connected with a Powerslam.

O’Reilly and Fish connected with kicks to Dain that finally knocked him to the mat. Kyle O’Reilly then hit a big time forearm to Wolfe that knocked him to the canvas. O’Reilly tied up Wolfe with a chain and applied an Arm Breaker but Eric Young leaped off the top rope and broke up the hold with an Elbow Drop. Bobby Fish then hit a Moonsault off the top rope onto Eric Young.

Authors of Pain hit the Super Collider onto Fish and O’Reilly and bashed into Dain on the partition in between the rings. Eric Young hit Rezar with a Death Valley Driver onto Akam. Strong delivered a Backbreaker to Young, Cole and Wolfe. Strong then lifted up the gigantic Killian Dain and planted him with an Olympic Slam but Adam Cole broke up the pinfall.

Akam and Rezar planted Young, Fish, O’Reilly, Wolfe, Strong and Dain off the top rope and Adam Cole escaped. Cole then posed between the rings but was quickly surrounded by Akam and Rezar. Cole wound up being crotched on the top rope and the Authors of Pain set up two tables.

Cole escaped to the top of the cage as Wolfe hit a Germain Suplex to one of the members of the Authors of Pain. Cole continued to slither on top of the cage as Dain leveled O’Reilly with a massive Clothesline. Killian Dain then hit the coast-to-coast Dropkick onto O’Reilly and a trash can. Cole then stood up on top of the cage and Roderick Strong climbed up towards him.

Strong joined Cole on top of the cage and Superplexed Cole on top of everyone in the ring. Strong went for a cover on Adam Cole but Cole kicked out at two. Dain and Akam traded punches on the partition between the rings. Rezar came out of nowhere and leveled Dain with a Clothesline. O’Reilly and Fish took out Rezar in the ring. Wolfe and Young then took out O’Reilly. Young bashed Strong into the cage and then Cole hit Young with a kendo stick. Cole then hit Eric Young with a Shining Wizard into a chair for the pinfall victory.

Take a good look at the man who won #WarGames for #UndisputedERA: @AdamColePro, BAY BAY! #NXTTakeOver pic.twitter.com/STuxRWfnkA

— WWE (@WWE) November 19, 2017

This match was pure chaos. There was blood all over place and too many incredible spots to remember. The Superstar that was the most impressive in this match was Killian Dain. He dominated the majority of the match and showed off ridiculous athleticism for his size. In the end, it was Adam Cole who pulled out the victory for The Undisputed Era in a match that lived up to it’s expectations.