NXT Takeover: The End 6-8-16

I was planning to watch this right after LU, but the "From Beginning" option won't work - so I might as well just watch the pre-show since that is on demand. Corey says he hopes this isn't the end since he's pretty much unemployable anywhere else. Asuka beating recap video remains great. Lita says that Asuka vs. NIA JAX IS A BATTLE OF THE TWO BIGGEST FEMALE SUPERSTARS OF ALL-TIME. Even in WWE canon, that is bullshit. Andrade hype video. Aries-Nakamura recap is amazing - they could air it on any Raw and Nakamura would be a main event instantly. Balor-Joe recap. Nothing really to this show - but it was short and effective.

The show starts with a history of the Full Sail era of NXT. "All things that begin, will end. It is inevitable!". WWE's End is Here song plays us in. Tye starts us off, and he's a perfect opening match guy. His new vest cape is quite awful though. Jesus is it bad. Andrade Almas is out - and looks like a Mexican-American Male.

 

Fortunately, his in-ring gear is far better. THE 100/Perfect 10 chant is great. Love Andrade dropkicking off a drop-down - so seamless. DIVE FAKEOUT BY ANDRADE! Tom talks about Andrade being IWGP IC Champion - and brings up Nakamura's legendary reigns. Tilt a whirl gets 2 for Tye. Second-rope moonsault is side-stepped, but he does it again and gets 2. Well, that's a bit contrived - but fun. A second headstand leads to a perfect superkick for 2. Tye breaker is avoided, and Andrade hits a back handspring knee strike. Shotgun knees in the corner get the win! Okay debut - but nothing amazing outside of the superkick.

We see Tom and his crazy red suit and Corey. American Alpha-Revival recap. WWE needs to market Ready, Willing, and Gable towels. Super'90s Steiners singlets on AA here. Amazing back and forth modified tieup spot to start. We get a standoff and a big brawl. A mid-ring doe-see-doe spot leads to DOUBLE ANKLE LOCKS! Heels cheat a bit to recover, but the faces RUN WILD WITH DROPKICKS! Lots of back and forth here - no one is entirely dominant, and that's good. Gable armbars...the one with hair. Spinebuster>legdrop combo from the Revival gets 2! Big Dash lariat gets 2. Dawson's fake punch>DDT is countered by a rope grab and the ankle lock is on! Doomsday Device is countered by a GABLE BELLY TO BELLY on Dawson for 2! Amplitude is countered and the Shatter Machine ends it! YES! American Alpha is going to the main roster!

 

 

Outstanding post-match with the heels celebrating and then American Alpha looking heartbroken before two new giants beat their asses. They are super-thick dudes, but pretty ripped as well. They look like twins, but one has a giant Samoan sleeve on his right arm. Sideslam with a running boot. Paul Ellering comes down for them and gets a WHO ARE YOU chant. Corey calls him possibly the greatest manager of all-time. Not even of his era - but hey, ya gotta sell it. 

 

Aries hype video makes him look like a star. Aries debuts the cape in NXT, and has it redone to just say ARIES. I don't like it as much as the TNA ones, but it does go to show that his original look was major league because all he's done is change a logo and theme and it all works. Aries has his ribs tape and Corey says maybe it's a ploy to cover for another injury. Nakamura poses and has the fans chant his theme alongside it. Wow. Nakamura's poses have somehow gotten even better.

 

 

 

 

 

They have a game of one-upsmanship WHILE STRETCHING. Fans sing Nakamura's theme after the bell. What a perfect theme that is. Quick matwork to start gets 1 for Aries. Kip up and a cartwheel by Nakamura to give him the edge. A "SHINSUKE BOM-BA-YE!" chant breaks out. Clean break by Nakamura and he gets shoved, and Corey says the dangling-arm break off a rope by Nakamura is to stay relaxed. Last Chancery is avoided quickly. Grinding cravate by Nakamura gets a theme chant. Good Vibrations is done twice, but Aries grabs the leg on the third attempt and does a kneebreaker and dragon screw. Aries kicks the leg a ton. Diving back elbow gets 2 for Aries. Outside-in hilo, but Nak gets the knees up. Nak hits forearm strikes, but he rushes in and eats a back elbow. Diving HBK elbow gets 2 for Aries.

Neckbreaker-esque cravate by Aries! Nak elbows out and lands knees and then the pinwheel kick. A series of kicks gives Nak a definite edge. Corner knee sets up the roll and the knee to the ribs for 2. Aries avoids the reverse exploder with elbows. OVERHAND CHOP by Aries. Aries gets the knees and then stands up to get more of them in. Rolling elbow hits! Suicide dive hits! Aries puts him into a 450 position, but Nak grabs the rib tape and he locks on an armbar and then a triangle. Aries gets the rope, but eats nasty knees. Kinshasa is countered by a kneebreaker and a back suplex and then the Last Chancery! Aries adjusts to reposition, but Nak gets the rope. Rana off the second rope by Aries. Big corner dropkick hits for Aries!

 

 450 time! 450 rollthrough and he avoids the corner knee and claps the ears. He brings him to the apron for a back and forth forearm fight that Nak counters with kicks and a high kick. APRON DVD BY ARIES! Jesus! Aries goes for a dive on the floor, but chins himself on it! Super Kinshasa to the back of the head, the reverse exploder, and the Kinshasa end it! Amazing match! That was at least on par with Nakamura-AJ, if not better.

 

 

 

 

Women's title is up. Nia has a new wacky ruffled collar outfit. Asuka's gear and tron have possibly every color on Earth on them. Corey says that like American Alpha, Asuka won here title at TakeOver Dallas - and the same fate could befall her here. Because IN NXT, HISTORY MATTERS. Also, titles matter and wins and losses are the key to success and rankings. Great dramatic lighting here for the intros. Asuka outfoxes Nia with speed, but her kicks have no affect. GIANT Biel throw by Nia. Jesus that was nuts. Nia runs wild with corner attacks. Tilt a whirl backbreaker gets 2. Nia clubs away and gets a backbreaker submission.

 

Asuka gets a triangle, but Nia picks her up and powerbombs her in the corner. Corner assalanche! Ringpost backbreaker by Nia! Bearhug is released, and Asuka gets a kneebar for a little while - but reaches the rope. Simmons spinebuster hits Asuka, but the legdrop misses and a shining wizard hits. Nia tosses her into the ropes and it leads to a missile dropkick taking her down. Backhands and the hip attack get 2! Giant pickup slam by Nia plants her and leads to an armbar off a cover! Modified armbar and she goes for the Asuka Lock. TWO GIANT KICKS take Nia down, but Nia recovers - but eats a few more hard kicks and that's it. Great formula match here.

 

 Generic Brunette Girl meets with Regal. Holy shit is she bad at reciting scripts. A PA and Bobby Roode walk by and Regal stops. We get The End is Here song for the cage being put into position panel by panel via a device - which looks kinda cool. The epic Joe-Balor video remains great. Demon lighting against the cage looks amazing. It gets even better with the fencing on the ramp set up and an all new black and white demon design. We get a gorgeous highlight reel shot of him peering of the cage bottom and then doing his pose atop the cage! Then we got an amazing shot of Finn with the camera between two bars - so epic.

 

 

 

 

 

Corey talks about how Balor has never been in a cage, while Joe has - and dominates in them. Love Joe grabbing the door and shutting it to kick some ass. Darkened lighting adds even more to this intro thanks to all the paint on Balor. They face off, Joe gets him in the corner and dashes for the door before being stopped by Finn. Shotgun dropkick hits mid-ring. Joe avoids being sent into the cage and lands knees. Pair of big running forearms by Finn take him down. Balor chops away with standing and running variants. Joe goes up to escape a bit, but eats a jumping kick. Joe muscles him and Biels him right into the cage hard - greatness. That needs to be in 2K17. Joe gets a running elbow and the enzuiguri. Face wash by Joe hits hard.

Another cage Biel! He tries to leave, but Finn grabs the leg. Big high kick leads to Finn trying to leave, but Joe clutches the ankle. Overhead German gets 2. They fight on the top rope, and it really sticks out how different this cage is than the usual one. It has a different top to it - no truss to climb, and it looks a bit more dangerous as a result. Joe kicks him off and Balor lands hard before eating chops and punches. Joe darts at him, but Finn evades and Joe hits hard.

Running chops by Balor hit, but a back elbow misses and Joe gets the choke briefly - but Balor uses the cage on Joe. Balor climbs up Joe to leave, but Joe eats a kick, falls, and Finn gets crotched. ST-Joe is missed by the director and the muscle buster is countered into a sunset flip for 2. Forearm exchange, but a Pele kick knocks Joe down! Of course, they don't get a good shot of that either. They fight up top again and Finn hits a sloppy Slingblade off the top. Finn covers for 2, despite being next to the door. Slingblade hits again, but the shotgun kick misses - but Joe's senton doesn't. Muscle buster hits for 2.5!

Joe screams that he'll end him and kicks the shit out of him. Splash mountain into the cage is countered by Finn tossing him into the cage, hitting a Slingblade, and hitting the shotgun dropkick twice to take him down. Coup de grace hits for 2.5! 1916 is countered into the coquina clutch! Finn runs up and turns the usual cradle into a sloppy double stomp. Finn stares at the top of the cage. no no no. NEVER DO A DOUBLE STOMP OFF THE TOP OF A CAGE! Joe gets kicked down  and they fight one another and Joe beats him on top and then HITS A SUPER MUSCLE BUSTER TO WIN! Holy shit this ruled!

 

 

Screens -
http://www.imagebam.com/gallery/a3xo5cinzu4dx3hry2ejng3mq6nu0nha