WWE NXT Takeover: REvolution Review

WWE NXT's fourth live special had a lot to live up to, following on from the red hot Arrival and Takeover, and the decent Takeover: Fatal 4Way, Takeover REvolution couldn't afford to dissapoint. Did Takeover: REvolution live up to the hype? Could it reach the heights of Arrival and the original Takeover? Let's find out shall we?! 

You're So Zayn

 

You probably think this section is about you. Well, it's about Sami Zayn and Adrian Neville who main evented the show with an exhilariting NXT Championship bout that had the crowd on the edge of their seats from the outset. This was a drama filled, rollercoaster of technically sound wrestling action that topped of the show perfectly.

The two men moulded together nicely, it was clear that the two had made the most of their numerous matches before WWE TV Tapings and at WWE and NXT house shows over the past year. The sequences of action flowed very smoothly indeed, without ever feeling over rehearsed, with a series of action ending in an Blue Thunderbomb dropped from an Electric Chair position from Zayn being a highlight amongst highlights.

Whilst there was a number of impressive moves (REVERSE RANA!) it was in the WWE main event style of story telling that this match really came into it's own. Neville working to ground Zayn early on made perfect sense, with the commentary team working hard to get over the reasons for this, with the crowd being so into Zayn that they stayed hot throughout a series of main event chinlocks from Neville. This put down a solid foundation for a Zayn comeback, with the pace quickening and the match going back and forth with a series of well worked near falls for either man, with Zayn coming close with a Koji Clutch and the aforementioned Reverse Rana from Neville being amongst the best efforts.

Other strong story telling elements included Neville rolling out of the ring after a number of big moves from Zayn, most notably a Three Amigos that closed with a beautiful half and half suplex. This got the crowd even more behind Zayn, as the frustration on Zayn's face emanated through the screen, this also allowed Zayn to reach into his impressive catalogue of aerial offence. Zayn's moral dilemma whilst holding the title belt, with referee having been bumped for the second time, was also strong, if not a little too long, but worked nicely into the closing sequence, rounding off Zayn's story well, as he went on to pick up the win with a Exploder Suplex into the turnbuckle, followed up with a Helluva Kick for the pinfall.

In many ways, this felt like the Performance Centre coming full circle, as Zayn and Neville showcased that their Indy stylings could be meshed with WWE's sports entertainment style, with both men looking more than ready to make the step up to the main roster, more so than at any point during their run in Developmental. Zayn's celebration was given more than enough time to settle in, something that is sometimes lacking from WWE title changes, whilst a storyline twist that saw the debuting Kevin Owens attack Zayn post match with a Powerbomb onto the ring apron seemed to set up the main event for the next NXT special.

 

Captain Charlotte

It was terrific to see two females competitors featured so heavily on the show and Charlotte and Sasha Banks did everything they could to make sure that NXT continues to treat it's females this way going forward. A big improvement on Charlotte's bout with Bayley on the previous special, this was an engaging and athletic encounter, with both ladies character work being allowed to shine through.

Sasha Banks' character in particular came across very well, with her constant mocking of Charlotte and her father Ric Flair, making it easy to dislike The Boss of NXT. She seemed to have everything about the character thought out, and this played well against Charlotte's more athletic based approach to the match. I was, however, a little disappointed to see her pulling out a suicide dive, mid-way through the match, as it did seem a little out of character and out of place during this match. A sequence where Banks repeatedly went for covers on Charlotte helped to make up for this however.

At the times the bout was not quite as crisp as it could have been and there were a few communication errors, with the two rushing a few of the earlier sequences. However, these errors were quickly ironed out and the two finished the match looking more than comfortable in the ring together. Charlotte landing on her feet following a missed Moonsault and turning it into a Senton, followed up by a strong closing sequence ending up with a Top Rope Natural Selection was some of the strongest women's action WWE has put on in 2014.

With these two performers fitting together nicely in the ring, it would be a shame for their feud to finish her, although with Charlotte picking up a clean victory it's difficult to see where they can go from here. Becky Lynch could make the step up ahead of her BFF, although it's difficult to see how Sasha would take the backseat in the feud. Perhaps Bayley will be thrown back into the mix to keep things interesting? The division could definitely do with a fresh injection of talent with Carmella and Alexa Bliss the only other two active women on the roster.

The Undercard

 

The highlight of the undercard was a well booked tag team encounter pitting The Ascension against relative NXT newcomers Hideo Itami and Finn Balor. Of course, Balor's new paint job was a big talking point heading out the show, but I was equally impressed with both Konnor and Viktor who did more than enough opposite two internet favourites to make me take notice. Viktor, in particular, was part of some nice wrestling opposite Balor. For me this was the strongest Ascension bout to date and to suggest that Itami and Balor carried the bout would be naïve, as the two put in more than their fair share in order to allow Itami and Balor look the best they possibly could.

The build to the hot tag was done nicely, with Itami working the face in peril role, with a refreshing scrappy style. Itami always looked like he was trying to make the tag, whilst Konnor and Viktor looked incredibly comfortable whilst in control of the match, which made for a great moment as soon as Itami eventually made the tag to Balor. This is where the match really got going with both Itami and Balor able to show off an excited arsenal of offense, with a handful of false finishes thrown into the mix. Towards the finish there was a number of momentum changes between the two teams, including a huge pop for a GTS attempt from Itami, before Balor hit Viktor with a Pele Kick, Itami hit Konnor with a Busaiku Knee Kick and the pair hit Double Double Stomps with Balor picking up the pinfall victory.

In another tag team match, The Lucha Dragons defended the NXT Tag Team Championships against The Vaudevillains, in a rather basic bout. It was a very paint by numbers match, that was livened up by some unique offense by Kalisto and Aiden English who both looked like the stars of their respective teams when given the chance. Sin Cara on the other hand looked like he'd rather be anywhere else, with almost everything the former Hunico did in the ring looking sloppy and lethargic. With the Lucha Dragons picking up the victory, I'm not quite sure what's next for the paper thin NXT Tag Team division.

Before he turned on Sami Zayn, Kevin Owens was in action against CJ Parker. Owens couldn't have hoped for a better debut, as he looked incredible ploughing through Parker who certainly isn't a crowd favourite at NXT. An impressive series of offense including a Tope Conhilo, Pumphandle Neckbreaker and Pop Up Powerbomb allowed Owens to quickly get over his style to anyone who hadn't seen him before. Parker's minimal offense did lead to Owens getting busted open, which added even more to Owens image and the match itself.

Baron Corbin also continued his run of squashing opponents as he ran through Tye Dillinger in a matter of seconds. Finishing off Dillinger with his End of Days move, Corbin is beginning to feel like a one trick pony, and whilst it is fun to see him destroy opponents week after week, he's going to need to show something else if he's going to move forward as a WWE wrestler. The feud teased with Bull Dempsey doesn't fill me with hope for Corbin's future.

Finally... 

 

 For me, this was the strongest NXT special to date, with almost every element of the show delivering in spades. The main event was the Match of the Night no doubt, with Neville and Zayn presenting a great mash-up of Indy and WWE styles, whilst the Women's Championship bout and Itami & Balor vs. The Ascension working nicely in supporting roles. Kevin Owens debut also worked well, presenting a destructive force in ring, whilst thrusting him straight into a main event storyline. The only match that felt like it struggled was the Tag Team Championship bout and even that had Kalisto and English shining through.

This show get's a big thumbs up from me, and WWE's next PPV offering TLC will have to work extremely hard to better this two hours of action.

WWE NXT Takeover: Fatal 4-Way Review

After two critically acclaimed NXT specials for WWE, did NXT Takeover: Fatal 4-Way with Adrian Neville defending his NXT Championship against Sami Zayn, Tyler Breeze arecreate the magic of the first two?  Let's take a gander. 

NXT CHAMPIONSHIP FATAL FOURWAY MATCH -  

Tyler Breeze vs. Tyson Kidd vs. Sami Zayn vs. Adrian Neville (C)

 

 

Before getting into the main event, let's talk about the pre-match build up. WWE used four seperate build up packages, placed throughout the show. Each package focused on a different participant in the main event, including short interviews with each man. It was a simple but effect method that made the match feel not only important, but got over each man's character for anyone new to the product. All four men put in competent efforts, with Neville's promo sewing seeds cleverly for the upcoming match, Kidd continuing to develop his new heel persona, Breeze nailing it with the line "Everything I wear matches gold" and Sami Zayn managing to be more likeable than the entire WWE roster in less than minute. 


The match itself, may be one of the best Fatal Fourway bouts that I have ever seen. Whilst the wrestling was (more or less) spot on, it was the booking that made this match so special. By having Neville on the outside for most of the match, it meant his exciting highflying offence was kept to a minimum (which is a strange thing to say as a positive, because I do like me some flips), whilst Sami Zayn was left to battle Tyler Breeze and mainly Tyson Kidd. This got the crowd firmly behind Zayn, who's selling is some of the most believable in wrestling. With a handful of false finishes, like a flurry of offence from Breeze, Breeze almost stealing a pin off a Shooting Star Press from Neville on Kidd and Breeze almost tapping whilst in a Sharpshooter from Kidd, with which the match could have ended without a whole lot of complaint, the stage was set for Sami Zayn to win the NXT title. 

A terrific sequence of action, taking in a crazy suicide dive to Neville, a Tornado DDT (Similar to the ones on Cesaro in their clashes) on Breeze and a Helluva Kick to Kidd, the crowd (and myself) was convinced that Zayn was about to walk away with the title. However, Neville made enough of a recovery to pull the referee out of the ring, hit Zayn with a Superkick on the outside and hit Red Arrow on Kidd, allowing him to hold onto his title. This is where having Neville spend most of the match on the outside paid off, as it was clear that he probably didn't deserve to win the match, and after seeing Zayn battle so hard throughout the contest, it was difficult not to feel aggrieved that he wasn't walking away with the title. Obviously, this is exactly the reaction WWE was after, and they got it with the live crowd and social media both seemingly frustrated that Neville retaining, whether they knew they had been manipulated or not!


With just enough of a tease at what Zayn vs Neville could be like during the match (despite the only botch of the match, where it appeared Neville was attempting a Reverse Rana) to get the fans wanting to see another one on one clash, the stage is set for the next special already. Will Neville's heel turn be effective? Against Zayn most likely, as it's easy to hate anyone attempting to do damage to the former Generic Luchador. Elsewhere, Neville would almost certainly have to drop a lot of the highflying elements of his moveset, for something a little less flashy. A competitve rivalry over the title however, with Neville remaining babyface could be the most effective decision. 

NXT Women's Championship Matc

Bayley vs. Charlotte

 

This match got the pre-match vignette treatment as well, with a very effective video package. Similar to the build up videos for the Fourway, both wrestlers were interviewed about the upcoming match. Both characters were set up nicely, and it made it even easier to become invested in the match. Bayley's promo in particular was a pleasure to watch, conjuring up real emotion, showing just how far the character has come over the last six months. 

The match itself didn't do a whole lot for me. As far as women's matches in WWE go, it was above average, there's no doubt about it, but in the big wide world, it wasn't quite what it could have been. Bayley spent a long time in a Figure Four Headlock, including some very cool roll throughs, which was an interesting variation on the rest hold and got the crowd fully behind Bayley. This made a lot of sense, as it would weaken Bayley for Charlotte's Natural Selection finisher, unfortunately, Bayley didn't sell the neck. It may sound to many, like I'm being picky, but if Bayley had sold the neck, not only would it have increased the audience's empathy for the character, but also would have been a perfect way to keep Charlotte in the match with the preceeding run of roll up's from Bayley. If we'd have seen Bayley grab hold of the neck, allowing Charlotte to kick out at two, it would have made this match so much better. 

There were some impressive moments that made this stand out from a regular "Divas" match, like Bayley's Super Hurracanrana and some creative sequences of reversals, but these lacked the flow they needed to really elevate this match. Charlotte went on to pick up the victory, with an awkward Moonsault, followed up with Natural Selection to retain her title. It wasn't quite the feelgood moment that I had been expecting,o and the lack of story direction in the closing stages of the match left me feeling a little numb, when the pinfall was counted. This was a decent WWE women's match, but it could have been so much more with a few extra touches.

Following the match, Sasha Banks attempted to attack Bayley, with Charlotte making the save. It would appear we'll be seeing Sasha Banks vs Charlotte for the title in the near future, with Charlotte turning face in the process. I'm worried Charlotte will struggle as a babyface, because of her size, and after seeing her work so effectively as a heel opposite Bayley, I'm not sure I particularly want to see this either. Sasha Banks has developed enough on the mic to make this feud work however, so I'm happy to see how this one develops over the coming months.

Undercard

 

The most eye catching thing on undercard was the debut of KENTA who was introduced by NXT General Manager William Regal. Everything about this segment made KENTA (renamed Hideo Itami) look like an absolute star. There was a real focus from both Regal and the commentary team to get over Itami's achievements and just how much of a big deal him signing with WWE is. Even if you had no clue at all who KENTA was, you knew that he was someone to watch out for.

This continued, as The Ascension came out in an attempt to show up Itami, but got royally schooled by the newcomer. Itami took them down with a flurry of offence, finishing up with a Double Dropkick sending Konnor and Viktor to the outside. Taking out the most protected entitity on the NXT roster in your debut is always going to make you look good. WWE clearly has high hopes for Itami, it will interesting to see who they pair him with for his first match next week. 

The Ascension were in action earlier on in the show, defending the tag team titles, against Sin Cara and Kalisto, in a solid opening match. Again this match was made by the booking, with The Ascension dominating early, allowing for a terrific hot tag to Kalisto, who has some very cool offence. It wasn't a particularly complicated match, essentially sticking to a basic tag team format, but the crowd was very into it, with an exciting closing sequence, ending with Kalisto hitting Salida del Sol on Viktor to pick up the win and the tag titles for the newly christened Lucha Dragons. It was a good surprise victory to open the show, with many expecting The Ascension to retain the belts, there's now every possibility the two will be promoted to the main roster soon. 

Enzo Amore and Sylvester LeFort attempted to go where many had failed and create a decent Hair vs Hair match. Did they succeed? Not really. The match was fairly basic, in both structure and the wrestling in the ring. Whilst there was a nice pace to the beginning of the match, it soon broke down and I quickly found myself losing interest. A decent false finish off a Lariat for LeFort was the only thing of any note. Amore's charisma on the microphone and entertaining partnership with Big Cass managed to keep this afloat, but not delivering on shaving LeFort bawld, made a mockery of the stipulation. We did get a bawld Marcus Louis however, due to some magic hair removal cream. 

Rounding off the show, were two squash matches, with Bull Dempsey running through Mojo Rawley in a sloppy brawl, that was difficult to care about. I cared even less when Dempsey attacked Rawley post match. My indifference towards CJ Parker was also rewarded as the debuting Baron Corbin made easy pickings of "The Moonchild" picking up the win in a matter of seconds. 

Finally...

 

For two hours of wrestling, this was a good show, I wouldn't argue if you said a very good show. The Fatal Fourway was an incredible twenty minutes plus of action and even with my complaints about the Women's match, it was still a decent match. Did it live up to the other two NXT specials? I don't think so, but I think that says more about the quality of those shows, than it does about this one.