[dramatic music starts]
[dramatic music ends]
[dramatic music starts]
[male presenter] We are live in Orlando, Florida.
Welcome to NXT TakeOver.
What do you think?
TakeOver, the title came from the NXT Universe.
[man 1] They've been begging for something different.
It is not about what we think.
It's what the NXT Universe thinks.
This is your show.
[man 1] Listen to this place.
[man 2] The next wave of superstars is upon us.
[man 3] They feel that they are moments away.
[cheering] NXT! NXT!
[man 3] From setting the stage for career greatness.
We are taking over.
[man 4] It's not about money, fame, or any of that.
[man 3] You never know when the opportunity is going to come.
That's why you push as hard as you can,
when you have the chance.
[man 5] It is about passion and their desire to be the best.
Show's called TakeOver, right?
[man 6] History made!
-[man 7] This is a moment in time. -[man 8] The atmosphere is nuclear.
[man 9] The takeover is underway.
[man 10] You guys are NXT.
Thank you for always believing. Thank you for the support.
And we'll see you next time.
[crowd cheering]
[man 11] It's an event like no other.
And the best is yet to come.
This is TakeOver XXV.
-[metal music starts] -[bell ringing]
Adam Cole was born to be the NXT champion.
Adam Cole gave me his best shot at TakeOver New York.
I came back and I won. I can do it again.
[man 12] Prince Pretty is home.
[man 13] Tyler Breeze is looking to win the North American title.
Tyler Breeze,
you just don't interest people anymore.
The upgrade, the Velveteen Dream.
[music intensifies]
Oh!
[man 14] Io Shirai going to town on the horsewomen.
She's all out of weapons.
You took out my best friend.
She's out of friends,
at TakeOver. And I still have all my backup.
I'm going to kick your ass.
[Adam] We will not stop until we run this place.
[man 15] Matt Riddle looking to exert some revenge on Roderick Strong.
[man 16] Goodnight, Riddle!
[man 17] At TakeOver, The Undisputed Era will be draped in gold. Four way…
[man 17] Ladder match for the NXT tag team titles.
[man 18] I am going to take the NXT championship.
You can never beat me on your own.
And that is undisputed.
[metal music ends]
[male narrator] And now, the NHTSA presents
NXT TakeOver XXV.
[metal music starts]
[male announcer] Five years ago this week, NXT announced
that it was taking over.
And the Black and Gold brand did just that,
becoming the gold standard in sports entertainment.
Tonight from WWE's home state,
we celebrate.
What a time to be alive
as we get to witness TakeOver XXV.
[crowd cheering]
Welcome to Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, Connecticut
for this milestone event.
I'm Mauro Ranallo, he is Nigel McGuinness.
And making her maiden voyage as a TakeOver commentator,
The Glamazon, Beth Phoenix.
-Welcome, Beth. -Thanks.
I like that vikings reference.
You know, it is so, so important for me,
and I'm humbled
to be a part of NXT TakeOver XXV.
I remember watching Natalya take on Charlotte Flair
at the very first TakeOver. It's so meaningful.
And thank you for giving me this opportunity.
Tonight, NXT champion, Johnny Gargano,
participates in his record 14th TakeOver.
Someone else is participating in his 14th TakeOver,
you, Mr. McGuinness.
I am on the edge of my seat.
And time and time again,
the Black and Gold brand have proved
they are the true alternative in sports entertainment.
Tonight, we do it again. One more time
-we raise the bar. -[metal music ends]
["Shock The System" playing]
[crowd cheering]
[Ranallo] And we begin the night with a shock to the system!
[crowd cheering]
[bell ringing]
[Alicia] The following contest is scheduled for one fall.
Making his way to the ring,
representing The Undisputed Era,
[exclaiming] Roderick Strong!
[Ranallo] "The Messiah of the Backbreaker," Roderick Strong,
drawing the ire of "The Original Bro," Matt Riddle.
[McGuiness] Right. After fissures began to show
in Adam Cole's Undisputed Era,
Roderick Strong came back to the fold
with a bloody Matt Riddle flip flop
as a piece of re-injuring Riddle's ribs
in the attack.
[Ranallo] And the rest of The Undisputed Era busy tonight,
with Kyle O'Reilly and Bobby Fish,
looking to become the first ever three-time NXT tag team champions
in the fatal 4-way ladder match. And of course, Adam Cole,
challenging Johnny Gargano in a rematch
for the NXT championship,
-our much-anticipated main event. -["Shock The System" ends]
[crowd cheering]
["Hey Bro" playing]
[crowd] Bro, bro!
[Alicia] And his opponent.
From Las Vegas, Nevada,
weighing 216 pounds,
"The Original Bro,"
[exclaiming] Matt Riddle.
[Ranallo] We just heard the dulcet tones of Alicia Taylor,
involved in her first TakeOver event tonight.
And well, Matt Riddle,
he's coming off
a hard-fought loss,
when he challenged Velveteen Dream
for the North American championship. He didn't have much time
to recover from that loss,
because he was immediately in the sights
of The Undisputed Era.
[McGuiness] He put himself there, remember what happened.
Adam Cole was showing a little bit of frustration.
[Ranallo] Oh!
[McGuiness] One second, in an interview,
and it was Riddle who smirked at Adam Cole
and it all went from there.
Basically, Riddle put himself
in The Undisputed Era's business. And that's not a smart move.
[Ranallo] And Beth, Matt Riddle
indicating to Strong, "you're so infatuated with my flip flop,
here's two."
[crowd cheering]
[Ranallo] A compelling contest to kick off this momentous night,
Matt Riddle…
against Roderick Strong.
[crowd cheering]
And our resident locksmith,
Nigel McGuinness, with the keys to victory.
[McGuiness] It's a feeling out process as we see,
but with Roderick Strong, he only has one speed, full on.
For Matt Riddle usually likes to take things slowly.
[Phoenix] Nice waist lock take down.
[McGuiness] And you see, as both superstars grapple.
Beth, you've got an amateur background.
-What can you tell by-- -[Ranallo] Cover by Riddle!
-[Phoenix] I see this nice scramble-- -[McGuiness] Wait a second!
[Phoenix] Oh!
[McGuiness] Looking perhaps for the Bromission.
[Phoenix] Both competitors looking for control.
Getting for hip control, for wrist control.
If you control the opponent's hips,
you can place them where you want and that means submissions.
[Ranallo] Roderick Strong, no stranger
to TakeOver events.
[heavy steps]
Competed in his first TakeOver event
at TakeOver San Antonio, January 2017.
[ref] Three!
[Phoenix] A victory tonight would be important for Strong,
as Undisputed Era is looking to make good on their claims
of dripping gold here in 2019.
[McGuiness] Such pressure has got to be on Strong, as you mentioned.
Imagine a loss here is gonna put
all the pressure on the rest of The Undisputed Era.
[Phoenix] It could break that momentum.
[Ranallo] Gut wrench suplex there by Matt Riddle.
-[Phoenix] The strength of Matt Riddle. -[Ranallo] And again!
[McGuiness] Here's the leverage, and watch the hips of Riddle.
[Ranallo] Completing the trifecta!
[Phoenix] Where the hips go, the body goes!
[crowd cheering]
-[McGuiness] Watch out now on the outside. -[Ranallo] Oh!
[McGuiness] Strong had that scouted. He knows Riddle loves that kick.
[Ranallo] Counter by Riddle. Strong and Riddle now exchanging
strikes on the outside.
Riddle with the advantage, rolls Strong back into the ring.
Strong comes out the other side.
Riddle using the stairs to launch himself,
with a flying forearm smash.
[crowd cheering]
[ref] One!
[McGuiness] Fantastic start for the Original Bro, as again,
Roderick Strong tries to escape.
Look at the height and the impact with this wham,
right upside the jaw of Roderick Strong.
-[Riddle] Move! -[Strong groans]
[Strong groans]
[Riddle] In the ring.
[Ranallo] Strong kicking at Riddle.
And Riddle again utilizing that ferocious forearm,
to wear down Strong.
Now, they're on the ring apron.
[Phoenix] This is a dangerous spot in the ring.
[Strong groans]
The hardest part of the ring, nothing but steel underneath their feet.
[Ranallo] Flurry of strikes. Thai plum, with the Muay Thai knee strike.
And then Strong drives Riddle back first and then--
And then The Messiah of the Backbreaker,
utilizing that aforementioned hardest part of the ring.
[McGuiness] To your point there, Beth, look at this.
Taking the advantage,
making the advantage and driving the lower back,
into the apron there as you said, Beth.
No give whatsoever.
[Ranallo] Strong acquitting himself well in multiple opportunities
at the NXT championship,
has fallen short up to this time,
but now renewed vigor.
Looking to hand Matt Riddle another loss,
here, at TakeOver XXV.
[crowd cheering]
Hands Riddle out to dry, and Riddle falls to the outside
of the ring in a heap.
[crowd] Come on, bro!
[Phoenix] The unpredictability of the ring,
those ropes will send you flying.
There's no guarantee you'll stay put.
[crowd] Get back in the ring!
[McGuiness] Clubbing forearm right across the bridge of the nose.
[ref] Two!
-[McGuiness] Cover. -[Ranallo] A hard hitting affair!
Lateral press by Strong,
only gets a two-count.
-[Phoenix] Strong setting the pace. -[Riddle groans]
[McGuiness] That's what I mentioned.
Strong likes to keep the pedal
to the metal and keep it going.
Riddle now trying to slow things down,
[wrestlers groan]
doing that.
[Ranallo] Exchange of strikes. Riddle building momentum.
Getting the bet on Strong. Strong ducks underneath that punch.
And then catches him and delivers another back breaker,
on Matt Riddle.
-Cover by Strong! -[ref] One, two!
-[Ranallo] Riddle powers out. -[Phoenix] More damage done to the--
[Ranallo] His tenacity.
[Phoenix] The previously injured back of Riddle
and now Strong is just unleashing his frustration.
[Ranallo] Unleashing the fury of Hades. Ground and pound on Riddle,
who's trying to escape the wrath of Strong.
-A knee to the back. -[crowd cheering]
[McGuiness] MMA experience.
Riddle is used to fighting on his back from underneath.
[crowd cheering]
There's gonna be a lot of that
when you're in the ring with an opponent, like Strong.
[crowd cheering]
[Ranallo] Riddle working his way back up
to a vertical base,
then eats a right hand from Strong and a well-placed knee
into the midsection,
by The Undisputed Era member.
[ref] Get him back in here.
Come on, back it up, Roddy.
-One-- -[groans]
[Phoenix] Strong looking to apply more damage to the side, the ribs,
the back.
[crowd cheering]
[Ranallo] He is working on taxing the anatomy
of Matt Riddle,
draining him of his fuel reserves.
As we have mentioned before,
Roderick Strong with some of the best conditioning in NXT.
This is the pace he likes, but Riddle launches an attack
that's immediately snuffed off by Strong.
[Phoenix] I asked Strong what his approach was.
He wants to move forward, smother him with offense, push the pace and break him.
[Ranallo] Strong uncorking a series of right hands on Riddle,
goes for the cover, hooks the leg
and Riddle again beats the three-count.
[McGuiness] Against an opponent like Strong, that's not the best strategy.
[groans]
[Ranallo] Strong with the front chancery on Matt Riddle.
Riddle delivering shots to the body, uncorks a right hand.
There's a palm strike.
Riddle finding his rhythm.
-[McGuiness] Just catch, rolls through. -[Ranallo] Shoulders down!
-[crowd cheering] -[ref] Two!
Strong escapes.
Unorthodox pinning predicament, kick by Strong,
olympic slam by Roderick Strong!
And again, Riddle's back getting cracked!
-[McGuiness] Cover! -[Ranallo] Strong almost secures
the victory.
[Phoenix] Each kick out more desperate for Matt Riddle, as he struggles
to stay afloat in this match.
[McGuiness] Strong showing here what a valuable soldier he is,
in The Undisputed Era's army.
[crowd cheering]
[Ranallo] Strong, school of hard knocks, his alumni,
and while others were Kung Fu fighting,
Strong was morphing into the Messiah of the Backbreaker.
Canadian…
-[crowd cheering] -back breaker right there.
The reversal by Riddle.
[McGuiness] Trying for the Bromission. But, Strong straight out the back door.
Great awareness from Strong. Oh--
-[Phoenix] Oh! -[McGuiness] Ooh!
[Phoenix] High up on the neck and shoulders.
What an impact on the back
of Roderick Strong.
[crowd cheering]
[McGuiness] Can Riddle capitalize?
Take another look. Look how quickly
Riddle turned things around.
-But Riddle goes down. -[Ranallo] Brain buster!
[crowd cheering]
[McGuiness] Riddle starting to show signs of fatigue.
Nice tip.
Followed by a side kick.
[Ranallo] Oh! And a jumping forearm there by Riddle.
-[Phoenix] Ooh! -[crowd cheering]
[Ranallo] Kick caught.
Strong and the nip up there
by Riddle, showing off
his athleticism and his strength.
[Phoenix] And his resilience fighting through the pain.
[Ranallo] And his high octane offense, exploder suplex by Riddle.
[crowd cheering]
[McGuiness] Action is turning back and forth in this matchup.
Both superstars.
[Phoenix] See Riddle holding his back.
-Ooh! -[Ranallo] That's the Broton!
Oh, penalty kick by Riddle.
Goes for the side press, hooks both legs.
Strong able to power out.
[crowd cheering]
What a physically taxing battle,
to kick off TakeOver XXV.
as both superstars
exhibiting the vestiges of battle.
[McGuiness] As you mentioned, Beth,
Riddle holding his lower back.
There's damage done there.
If I was Matt Riddle,
I'd try to end this match as soon as possible.
-[Phoenix] Absolutely. -[Ranallo] Back door escape by Strong.
[Phoenix] That could be the difference maker.
Riddle staying alive, but can he put Strong away?
[Ranallo] Hat trick of kicks.
Going for the fantastic four, make it five.
[crowd cheering]
It is a flurry of kicks by Matt Riddle.
[crowd cheering]
Oh, and that one sends Strong
crashing to his back.
[McGuiness] Almost landed in the neck of Strong,
in the Adam's apple.
[Ranallo] Oh, Strong avoided that kick.
Able to pick up Riddle. Riddle able to fight off.
-[Riddle groans] -[Ranallo] Oh!
-[McGuiness] Knee to the midsection. -[Ranallo] Ripcord--
Into the fireman's carry.
-[Phoenix] Oh. -[Ranallo] Go to sleep!
Everett style German suplex.
[exclaiming] Shoulders down for a two-count.
[crowd cheering]
High amplitude German suplex
with a bridge.
Think about what Riddle has been through
with his back still able to pull off a maneuver like that.
[Phoenix] He pulled off the maneuver. But like I said,
he's not able to put Roderick away.
[McGuiness] What a match as we see some of the action here.
All the way up.
What a knee strike upside the jaw!
Followed up immediately
with a picture perfect German suplex.
Roderick Strong waking up at the last second.
[crowd cheering]
An incredible match and we're just getting started.
[Phoenix] Riddle even struggling to hold Strong in the air.
[Ranallo] Riddle in the corner.
Oh, and meets Roderick Strong with a kick to the jaw.
-[Phoenix] Ooh! -[Ranallo] Step-up enzuigiri by Strong.
[exclaiming] And that rattles Matt Riddle.
[crowd cheering]
[Phoenix] The intensity of this matchup
-has been unbelievable. -[Ranallo] Both in a perilous position,
-all the way to the top turnbuckle. -[Phoenix] Oh!
[Ranallo] Superplex by Strong.
-Cover. Hooks the leg. -[crowd] Two, three!
[Ranallo] Oh, but Riddle.
Riddle just,
just by a hair, able to power out.
[McGuiness] But damage still done
to the lower back and the midsection.
Just imagine how this must feel.
All that weight, ten, 15 feet
through the air
and down into the mat.
[Phoenix] That impact on the lower back
the hips,
the area that Strong has been dismantling this entire match.
[Ranallo] Oh, but Matt Riddle with a right hand.
A right hand, now they continue to exchange punches.
Not as much steam as earlier
because of the battle they've been in, and yet
they continue to throw punches.
Riddle to the ropes. Strong with the forearm.
-Oh, look at Riddle landing on his feet. -[Phoenix] Ooh!
-[Ranallo] Strong-- -[McGuiness] The back gave way.
[Ranallo] Big kick to the face. Step-up enzuigiri by Strong.
Riddle still standing.
Oh, jump up knee strike.
-[Phoenix] He might be out on his feet. -[Ranallo] You heard the crack.
[McGuiness] Time and again.
This is it!
[Ranallo] Roderick Strong is sensational,
spiking Matt Riddle.
This has to be it.
[exclaiming] Strong--no.
Matt Riddle kicks out.
[crowd cheering]
[Phoenix] How did Matt,
how did he stay in this?
[crowd cheering]
[Ranallo] An incredible start
to TakeOver XXV, the NXT Universe
already en fuego.
Strong maneuvering for the Strong Hold.
Booted off by Riddle, Strong gets dumped out of the ring.
[crowd cheering]
[Phoenix] Awkward landing for Strong.
[McGuiness] Strong trying for a knee strike.
-He's got caught. -[Ranallo] Roundhouse kick,
ripcord, V trigger by Riddle.
[Riddle groans]
[Ranallo] Power bomb!
[Phoenix] Brute strength.
-[Phoenix] Oh! -[Ranallo] The final flash.
-The final flash. -[crowd] One, two…
Riddle with the two and a half.
Matt Riddle with the final flash knee strike.
Remember, he captured
Kassius Ohno in six seconds with that strike.
[Phoenix] Riddle was holding his back,
even as he was performing the pin.
It's really bothering him at this point.
[McGuiness] Quick to the top!
[indistinct]
[Ranallo] But back first on the double knees.
The back smashing into the knees of Strong.
-[McGuiness] Disaster for Riddle. -[Ranallo] Oh, wow!
Incredible knee strike by Strong.
-[Phoenix] Oh! -[McGuiness] It's over. It's over!
[crowd cheering]
[Ranallo] And power bomb.
-[McGuiness] Two and three! -[Ranallo] No!
[McGuiness] Come on!
[Ranallo] No! Roderick Strong now really working on the back.
[Phoenix] All the pressure being placed on the lower back of Riddle.
[McGuiness] He has to tap. He has to tap!
[Phoenix] Think about everything Matt's been through.
[Ranallo] Strong Hold, is it
strong enough? No, he now gives it up.
Matt Riddle able-- Oh, now putting the knee
into the middle of the back.
-[McGuiness] In the center. -[Ranallo] What kind
of a break pain threshold does Matt Riddle possess?
[crowd cheering]
-[Phoenix] Oh, no! -[Ranallo] Heel strikes, up kicks!
-[Phoenix] Desperation kicks. -[Ranallo] Riddle avoids it!
[McGuiness] Trying for the knockout, elbows!
-[Phoenix] Can he get him? -[Ranallo] The Bromission!
[exclaiming] Bromission!
Roderick Strong,
trying to power out.
Roderick Strong!
[McGuiness] No, the back--
-Riddle doesn't have the core strength. -[Ranallo] No!
[McGuiness] Doesn't have the strength for the Bromission.
[Ranallo] And yet he's delivering those elbow strikes.
Now blocked by Strong.
[crowd cheering]
What a pitched battle,
here between Strong and Riddle.
[Phoenix] How does Strong have the wherewithal
after all these strikes to the face?
[crowd cheering]
[Ranallo] Oh, wow. He called that the Bro Derek.
Bro Derek, Matt Riddle
-picks up the win! -[bell ringing]
-Oh, my God, what a match! -[hip-hop music starts]
[crowd cheering]
[Alicia] Here is your winner,
[exclaiming] Matt Riddle.
[crowd cheering]
[McGuiness] What an incredible match.
[Ranallo] It was brutal.
It was beautiful.
It was NXT.
[McGuiness] And what a way to start off
TakeOver XXV,
a standing ovation
from the NXT Universe.
Let's take a look at this incredible matchup
between two of the best superstars on the brand.
Here, Roderick Strong with a flurry of offense
onto the jaw,
one from the opposite direction
and then a third one.
Riddle out on his feet,
cloud nine face buster.
Somehow, the Original Bro
slipped out the back door.
[crowd cheering]
And as the match would continue,
great height, but it's disaster
for Matt Riddle, landing on the knees
of Roderick Strong.
But ultimately,
Riddle would come back with elbow strike, after elbow strike.
And then picking Strong up,
planting Strong in the center of the ring.
-And finally, -[bell ringing]
one of the hardest fought victories
in Matt Riddle's career.
[music continues]
[Ranallo] An impressive bounce back victory,
here at TakeOver XXV.
And, you know, Riddle has his sight set
on the NXT North American title.
And of course, the NXT championship.
Welcome to the Bro Show.
[hip-hop music ends]
[male narrator] A WrestleMania equivalent,
pay-per-view live from Jeddah.
[explosions]
[dramatic music starts]
[dramatic music ends]
[metal music starts]
[McGuiness] There he is, the NXT champion, Johnny Gargano.
What must be going through his head, here tonight?
Can he repeat history and beat Cole again?
Can he do it again tonight?
[Ranallo] Two NXT superstars,
with championship pedigree.
The WWE hall of famers,
Shawn Michaels and now Road Dogg,
they are NXT superstars
because they're giving back
to the next generation,
and they're a part of NXT history.
[McGuiness] Talking of the next generation,
with the Viking Raiders, relinquishing the NXT tag teams.
Four of the top teams in the division,
now vying for the chance to lead the tag division,
in an exciting fatal 4-way ladder match.
Which team will climb the ladder
to claim their place in history?
[metal music ends]
[dramatic music starts]
[man 19] We have raided Monday Night Raw.
Since we still have these,
We're out here to relinquish them.
[suspenseful music ends]
[man 20] That leaves us without NXT tag team champions.
There are many deserving teams here, in NXT.
[clock ticking]
And they will compete for the NXT tag team championships
at NXT TakeOver,
in a ladder match.
-[supsenseful music ends] -[metal music starts]
He really wants to put us
in a ladder match. Us…
[man 21] We are The Undisputed Era.
We take what's ours,
always have, always will.
History will repeat itself, when we take
those NXT tag team titles.
[McGuiness] Takeover really could be
their Magnum Opus.
[man 22] The only way to be remembered seems to be
pain, suffering…
[Ranallo] The savages of NXT,
Steve Cutler, Wesley Blake,
The Forgotten Sons.
This is our battlefield.
And you will never forget us.
[man 23] How do you prepare for a team that's got nothing to lose
and everything to gain?
[Ranallo] Oney Lorcan, Danny Burch, gunning
for the NXT tag team titles.
[metal music continues]
[man 24] This is our opportunity.
[man 25] Street Profits is for everybody.
That's why we party. That's why we rejoice
with the people.
So if you don't love this like we do,
the match has already begun.
[man 26] This is the site that you're going to see.
The Street Profits,
the new NXT tag team champions.
[music continues]
[crowd cheering]
[Ranallo] Four-way ladder match, to determine
the new NXT tag team champions.
-[music continues] -[crowd cheering]
Can you imagine the chaos
we will see at NXT TakeOver?
[metal music ends]
[crowd cheering]
NXT tag team championships literally hanging in the balance.
[upbeat music starts]
[McGuiness] What a way to make their NXT TakeOver debut.
[bell ringing]
[Alicia] The following contest is a ladder match,
for the NXT tag team championships.
Introducing first
at a combined weight of 492 pounds, Angelo Dawkins,
Montez Ford,
-[exclaiming] The Street Profits. -[Ranallo] The curse
of greatness, Angelo Dawkins,
an NXT original,
scrapping and climbing his way to his first TakeOver.
Montez Ford, meanwhile,
celebrating his 29th birthday yesterday.
Can you think of a better gift
than becoming the new NXT tag team champions?
[Phoenix] Angelo Dawkins told me
"We didn't come all this way for a participation trophy.
We want the NXT tag team championships."
[Ranallo] It was Michael Jordan, Nigel, who said
"Talent wins games,
but teamwork and intelligence win championships."
The Street Profits shelled
from the get-go and everyone knows
that teamwork makes the dream work.
[McGuiness] Teamwork and intelligence. Street Profits are halfway there,
with him wearing that crown.
I think he's getting ahead of himself. There's three other teams
that wanna be crowned NXT tag team champions tonight.
[Ranallo] The Street Profits' hearts are racing like the Indy 500.
The sultans of swag,
bringing the solo cups
to TakeOver XXV.
[McGuiness] The Street Profits has continued
to grab opportunities,
for themselves,
including that title opportunity against The Viking Raiders.
[Ranallo] Viking Raiders vacating the title.
[metal music starts]
[Alicia] And their opponents,
the team of Steve Cutler, Wesley Blake,
[exclaiming] The Forgotten Sons.
[Ranallo] The forgotten Sons came so close
to getting a previous tag team title opportunity,
making it to the finals of this year's Dusty Rhodes tag team classic.
But they were thwarted
by Aleister Black and Ricochet.
[McGuiness] Be that as it may, The Forgotten Sons have really found
their voice, so to speak,
with the addition of Jaxson Ryker,
the heater of the team.
This terrifying triumvirate
are certainly a deal to reckon with,
but in this match, only two of them here.
[Ranallo] Wesley Blake has previous TakeOver experience, Beth,
competing at TakeOver Unstoppable in May of 2015,
TakeOver Brooklyn, in August 2015,
as a former member of the NXT tag team champions.
So he has that experience,
as a champion in the tag team division.
[metal music ends and starts again]
[Alicia] Next, at a combined weight of 380 pounds,
the team of Danny Burch
[exclaiming] and Oney Lorcan.
[Ranallo] It was at NXT TakeOver
Chicago II, in June of last year
that Burch and Lorcan came very close to usurping
The Undisputed Era for the tag team titles that night.
[McGuiness] Oney Lorcan will remember
that night very well,
because it was where he got his orbital bone broken.
[music continues]
[Ranallo] NXT TakeOver XXV presented by
the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration.
There's no such thing as a good excuse for not buckling up.
Click it or Ticket.
[metal music ends]
["Shock the System" playing]
[Alicia] And the team of Kyle O'Reilly
and Bobby Fish,
[exclaiming] The Undisputed Era.
[Ranallo] The Undisputed Era is a faction, looking to become
the first three-time NXT tag team champions.
O'Reilly, a former two-time champion.
Their original title reign was with Bobby Fish.
[Phoenix] You could argue this is a bit of a redemption opportunity
for Bobby Fish,
since he technically didn't lose the tag team championship himself.
Tonight could be Bobby's night,
to solidify their next tag team title reign.
[McGuiness] Imagine what is going through Bobby Fish's mind,
after winning the NXT tag team title,
with an injury.
Roderick Strong came in and took charge of the team.
Bobby didn't know he was gonna get another opportunity.
This may be his last opportunity.
[Ranallo] Bobby Fish, the Bobby Fisher of wrestling chess.
He's a grandmaster grappler
and the kind of striker that's hard to check… mate.
[song ends]
[Phoenix] Ask yourselves.
After Strong's loss,
what does that mean for the momentum of Undisputed Era here tonight?
[Ranallo] They are all peering up
-at the coveted gold. -[bell ringing]
Fatal 4-way. Nigel, take us through the rules.
[McGuiness] Well, no disqualifications, no count outs.
One member of whichever team
has to climb the ladder
and retrieve both titles.
[Ranallo] And it's on, like Donkey Kong,
as we expected.
Chaos breaking out
and hey, they said chaos is a ladder, right?
In this fatal 4-way ladder match.
Bodies already on the floor around ringside.
The Undisputed Era attacking…
Montez Ford.
[Phoenix] We didn't expect this match to be pretty, Mauro.
[groans]
[McGuiness] So hard to come out with a strategy.
[Ranallo] Wow!
Superlative striking on the part of O'Reilly.
-[groans] -[McGuiness] Action over the place.
Here are some strikes.
[Ranallo] Dragon screw leg whip.
Fish on Blake.
[crowd cheering]
[wrestlers groan]
And you would think from the outset,
the advantage would belong to Fish and O'Reilly
because of their experience as champions. Because of their experience
on the biggest stage.
But Lorcan and Burch…
[McGuiness] We heard what Burch said.
Everything to-- Nothing to lose,
everything to gain.
I'm so excited, I can't talk.
Here we go!
[Ranallo] Again, Lorcan and Burch
have come close in the past at TakeOver.
[groans]
[Phoenix] Lorcan and Burch with a pile of haymakers there.
[Ranallo] Oh!
Kick was blocked by O'Reilly
and again, there's that tag team cohesiveness,
but Burch with a headbutt to the sternum of O'Reilly.
[McGuiness] Oh, just vicious nasty strikes from both teams.
-Oh. -[crowd cheering]
[Ranallo] Oney Lorcan
lighting up both members of The Undisputed Era's chest.
[McGuiness] Arm bar to slow down Lorcan
and a kick drives Lorcan to the mat.
Profits doing the right thing, staying on the outside.
[Phoenix] O'Reilly's got quite a bit of experience,
in WarGames. He knows these multi-person matches,
-how to watch each other's backs. -[Ranallo] Big boot by O'Reilly,
keeping Dawkins outside the ring,
and now The Undisputed Era,
they are gonna go hunting for the ladder.
[McGuiness] Interesting. Maybe,
a little bit early,
but hey, you got to go at some point.
-Let's get this moving. -[Ranallo] They have a ladder!
-[Phoenix] We don't get paid by the hour. -[crowd cheering]
You don't want to be longer than you have to.
That's just more opportunity for injury.
-This is a smart tag team strategy. -[McGuiness] So get up--
[Phoenix] Get up.
[McGuiness] You've been in ladder matches, right?
-[Phoenix] I am. -[Ranallo] Oh!
Tope Suicida!
[groans]
Unbelievable attack there out of nowhere.
[crowd cheering]
[ladder rattling]
[Phoenix] I can speak to the damage that's been done in this instance.
I've been in a ladder match and it hurts.
[Ranallo] Wesley Blake going for Broke.
He's lucky he didn't break anything
with that suicide dive.
[Phoenix] Oh!
[Ranallo] But from Lorcan.
[crowd cheering]
Oh, another uppercut on Cutler.
Lorcan and Burch beginning to assert themselves
on the outside.
Again, no disqualifications.
No count-out.
One member of a team
-has to climb a ladder, claim both titles. -[Phoenix] Wait!
[Ranallo] Dawkins on the top turnbuckle.
-[Phoenix] Take it to the air. -[Ranallo] Dawkins is going for a flight.
[exclaiming] Mama Mia.
[crowd cheering]
[exclaiming] Tez, Tez.
[groans]
[McGuiness] Take a look at the height that Dawkins achieves
and then wham!
[Ranallo] What a plancha.
[Phoenix] Dawkins' first TakeOver, looking to make a statement.
[Ranallo] Street Profits in their first TakeOver!
Ford and Dawkins, both climbing the ladder.
But O'Reilly and Fish
-[Phoenix] Ooh! -[Ranallo] are thwarting them.
And now maybe, yes, Kyle O'Reilly
begins to scale the ladder, as does Fish.
Here comes Blake and he wipes out both of them.
Oh, my God! O'Reilly, back first on the ladder.
[groans]
[Ranallo] Wow. Wesley Blake,
a one-man wrecking crew in this fatal 4-way ladder match.
[McGuiness] Kyle O'Reilly may be out. He may be done.
[Ranallo] And now…
[crowd cheering]
trending number one,
are you surprised?
NXT TakeOver.
And now The Forgotten Sons
using a ladder as a battering ram,
to make sure the coast is clear,
before they try to reach those titles.
What the hell is this?
[Phoenix] Ooh!
-Both Street Profits hit the mat. -[McGuiness] And teamwork!
[Phoenix] Undisputed Era!
[McGuiness] Making a nightmare. Forget about a dream.
-[Phoenix] Oney and Lorcan. -[Ranallo] Forgotten Sons--
-Lorcan and Burch. -[McGuiness] No! No!
[Ranallo] German suplexes in stereo
and the ladder went flying onto other competitors
of this fatal 4-way ladder match.
[crowd cheering]
[McGuiness] Take another look at this.
First, the double German, watch the ladder.
That nearly ended
Kyle O'Reilly's career.
[Ranallo] Holy bleep indeed.
Fatal 4-way ladder match,
and O'Reilly, that is twice already in this match,
that he has been almost eliminated permanently.
Now Ford, clubbing forearms on Burch.
Dawkins eliminating Lorcan for the time being.
Tandem offense.
Spinebuster slam.
Montez Ford all the way to the top.
What height!
What a frog splash.
[crowd cheering]
[Phoenix] Burch caught every ounce of that.
Now The Street Profits doing the smart thing.
[crowd cheering]
[groans]
[McGuiness] Oh, that was low.
[crowd cheering]
Blake's got to get out of there. But Profits won't let him.
[crowd cheering]
-[Phoenix] What's Montez got in mind? -[Ranallo] Leapfrog! And Montez Ford
sends Wesley Blake crashing
[exclaiming] to the outside.
Feeling the full brunt of The Street Profits' attack.
[crowd cheering]
Oh, back flapjack
across the ladder.
[crowd cheering]
[McGuiness] Cutler is out. He has no idea where he is.
[Phoenix] You could see the welts across the side and back of Cutler.
[Cutler groans]
Such a dangerous match to partake in.
[McGuiness] Ford will try again.
[Ranallo] But Bobby Fish cuts Ford off at the pass.
Missile dropkick by Kyle O'Reilly!
And again though, O'Reilly even throwing the dropkick,
crashes across the ladder again.
[Phoenix] In the same spot. See on O'Reilly's back
the welts raising up from that earlier drop on the ladder.
[Ranallo] Front chancery employed by Bobby Fish on Montez Ford.
Kyle O'Reilly showing his resiliency.
[crowd cheering]
Double underhook…
[crowd cheering]
[exclaiming] combination. Oh!
Wow!
German suplex back first,
goes Montez Ford.
-[crowd cheering] -[indistinct chatter]
[Phoenix] The Undisputed Era, continuing to work
like a well-oiled machine. Let's take a look at this.
[exclaiming] Beautiful German suplex.
[crowd cheering]
-[Ranallo] Human demolition derby. -[McGuiness] Oh!
[Ranallo] Oh, my.
You see the effects across the back of O'Reilly,
as he and Fish use the ladder to once again
send Dawkins outside of the ring.
And here we have another opportunity
for The Undisputed Era to become
the first ever three-time NXT tag team champs.
[Phoenix] Their eyes have been on the prize,
looking to set up that ladder. Attempts thwarted by members
-of this match. -[McGuiness] Look!
[Ranallo] O'Reilly is climbing up the ladder.
-Oh, and-- -[McGuiness] Beautiful!
Bobby Fish is trying to protect Kyle O'Reilly,
playing defense,
like in a football game.
What happened?
[crowd chatter]
-[indistinct] -[Ranallo] You cannot overstate
the amount of punishment
that Kyle O'Reilly has already absorbed.
But it would be worth it, if Fish was able to scale the ladder
all the way to the top and secure the NXT tag team titles.
[McGuiness] O'Reilly doing the same thing, playing defense.
[crowd cheering]
[Ranallo] Oh my God!
[exclaiming] They killed Kyle.
Unbelievable. How much can one individual sustain, Nigel?
[crowd cheering]
[McGuiness] Take a look at this,
and more importantly,
the way Fish landed on his partner.
Incredible brutality.
[Ranallo] Adding insult to injury.
Kyle O'Reilly, battered and bruised.
-Forget about brand of broken. -[crowd cheering]
It's gonna be O'Reilly the broken,
before this one is all said and done.
[crowd cheering]
And Cutler,
and Blake now,
they are struggling to get that ladder up.
Can you blame them?
[Phoenix] Literally having to move bodies out of the way,
clear the carnage, they can't even set up the ladder.
[Ranallo] And this is Cutler's, wow.
Almost a… perverted form of poetry
here with Kyle O'Reilly,
underneath that ladder.
[crowd cheering]
[McGuiness] Cutler has to believe that O'Reilly is out
-to all intents. -[Ranallo] Cutler's climbing.
Oh, but O'Reilly…
O'Reilly looking for the submission again.
No pinfall or submissions.
[metal rattling]
[McGuiness] Cutler tapping wildly, but as you said,
no submissions in this matchup.
-[Phoenix] No-- -[McGuiness] But,
if you take out an opponent's leg, that stops him climbing the ladder.
[Ranallo] Blake looking to become a two-time NXT tag team champion.
Cutler looking for his first taste of gold.
Instead, he absorbs that roundhouse kick.
And another roundhouse kick from Bobby Fish.
[McGuiness] What erudite offense from Fish,
again, trying to focus on the leg.
[crowd cheering]
[Ranallo] Inverted facelock, oh, the stomp from the ladder.
[crowd cheering]
Cutler looking to put his boot
through the chest of Bobby Fish.
[McGuiness] That felt good on Cutler's knee
when he landed, either though. Take another look.
First, the impact driving into the chest
of Bobby fish, but look,
the leg of Steve Cutler
landing at the same time.
[Ranallo] Fish and O'Reilly will have the championship pedigree.
They've been decimated in this match. I know that goes for all the competitors.
But the amount of punishment
that fish and O'Reilly have absorbed,
and here The Forgotten Sons
looking to make the most of this opportunity.
Carpe diem!
[Phoenix] Literally dragging their bodies up the ladder.
[crowd cheering]
[Ranallo] They wanna make this an unforgettable night.
But now…
[crowd cheering]
They're on the electric chair positions.
Oh, wow. Oney Lorcan in the corner.
Oney Lorcan explodes
off the top turnbuckle with that European uppercut.
[crowd cheering]
Now it's Dawkins with Blake
in the electric chair.
[indistinct] [exclaiming] Wow. What a blockbuster.
[crowd cheering]
What does it take
to become the new NXT tag team champions?
[crowd cheering]
Unmitigated carnage.
[crowd cheering]
[McGuiness] First this, European uppercut
in a doomsday device position.
And the same position,
but even more impact,
[exclaiming] superb blockbuster,
from the top rope.
But how is this?
-Kyle O'Reilly! -[Ranallo] Oh, wow.
Rising from the ashes,
and you'll pardon the pun, Beth,
like a Phoenix.
[Phoenix] I appreciate that,
but I got to ask, who is physically capable
of climbing the ladder at this point,
with the punishment that everybody's taken in this match?
-[McGuiness] Oh, my. -[booing]
[Ranallo] The Forgotten Sons' henchman, Jaxson Ryker, and he,
he definitely
has issues with The Undisputed Era, after being on the receiving end
of a battering ram.
Again, no disqualifications.
And Jaxson Ryker,
-Jaxson Ryker going to keep O'Reilly -[Phoenix] Oh!
-[Ranallo] from climbing the ladder.
Instead, he sends O'Reilly back first into a ladder.
[McGuiness] How much more can O'Reilly take?
[Phoenix] Huge choke slam to Burch.
-[McGuiness] This is legal. -[Phoenix] Montez goes for a ride.
[Ranallo] Oh, wow. Ryker,
clear cutting the forest of NXT superstars.
Clearing the path
for The Forgotten Sons
to become NXT tag team champs.
[Phoenix] Speaking of paths, what a path of destruction.
[crowd cheering]
[Ranallo] Consequently Dawkins,
he ends up falling off the ladder,
courtesy of Jaxson Ryker again.
[crowd booing]
Forgotten Sons,
the King Ghidorah…
of NXT, the savages.
[crowd booing]
-[McGuiness] Lord! -[Ranallo] Three-headed monster.
[presenters] No!
-[indistinct] -[groans]
-[ladder rattling] -[McGuiness] Oh, this is hard to watch.
-[Phoenix] Just a vicious onslaught. -[wrestlers groan]
[Ranallo] And no one can stop him
because there is no disqualification.
Oh.
[McGuiness] One man will try.
[Ranallo] The resilient, Oney Lorcan. Oh!
Back body drop into the ladder!
[exclaiming] Back body drop into the ladder.
[crowd cheering]
[breathing heavily]
[Phoenix] And Ry--
Ryker stands alone,
looking in all the carnage,
that he created.
[crowd cheering and booing]
[Ranallo] There is an ominous call
to what has been a ferocious storm.
[crowd indistinct chatter]
[Ranallo] Jaxson Ryker,
admiring his vicious handiwork.
[crowd cheering]
And it--
[McGuiness] The problem is Jaxson Ryker did all this destruction,
but the other two Forgotten Sons have got to get in and get up
to claim those titles.
[Ranallo] Oh, Montez Ford
has an issue with that-- Oh, man!
[crowd cheering]
[Phoenix] Kyle O'Reilly,
showing a flurry of life!
-[Ranallo] O'Reilly and Fish, -[crowd cheering]
-[Ranallo] skeletonizing Ryker, -[McGuiness] There we go!
[Ranallo] Like piranhas.
-[McGuiness] It's a school beat down. -[Phoenix] Here we go!
[McGuiness laughs]
[crowd cheering]
[Ranallo] Jaxson Ryker getting stopped.
[Phoenix] Getting a taste of his own medicine, looks like to me.
[McGuiness] It took five men to take him down.
[Ranallo] Tenuous allegiances, these tenuous alliances.
-[crowd cheering] -[thudding]
[ladder rattling]
[Ranallo] Ryker buried underneath the ladder.
[crowd cheering]
[Ranallo] And we return to regularly scheduled hostilities.
[Phoenix] It literally took six pummels from a ladder
to get Ryker down.
[Ranallo] Breathtaking brutality.
[McGuiness] And Ryker is still moving.
This man isn't human.
[Ranallo] So is Kyle O'Reilly.
So is Bobby Fish.
The Undisputed Era
on the cusp
of winning their third NXT tag team titles.
But instead, they want to eliminate Ryker permanently.
[crowd cheering]
[McGuiness] My God.
Jaxson Ryker just stared down The Undisputed Era,
-ladder in hand and said bring it. -[Ranallo] With all due respect,
Ryker, Fish and O'Reilly, Beth, have to focus
-Want some more? -[Ranallo] on the bigger picture,
the titles!
[Phoenix] Many moving parts in this match to take your eye off the ball.
Ha! Ha!
[Ranallo] And there you go, wow!
-[Phoenix] Oh! -[Ranallo] Tope tornado.
[crowd cheering]
[Ranallo] Montez Ford flying high.
[crowd cheering]
[Ranallo] Wow.
[McGuiness] What these superstars are willing to give
of their body, of their soul,
for the NXT tag team titles.
[Ranallo] Montez Ford winning the broad jump competition at the combine.
And scuttle there by Lorcan on Ryker.
Now Angelo Dawkins
gets waylaid
by Fish and O'Reilly, and their ladder.
[indistinct]
[Ranallo] Burch dropkicks the ladder,
and sends Fish and O'Reilly crashing to the canvas.
[crowd cheering]
[electronic whirring]
[McGuiness] You have to take a look at this.
[exclaiming] Unbelievable agility,
like something out of a cartoon.
I've never seen anything like it.
[Ranallo] The Tasmanian devil, Montez Ford,
and Oney Lorcan throwing caution to the wind.
[McGuiness] You are right.
So many of the superstars have been focusing on Ryker,
as opposed to getting up that ladder for the tag team titles.
[Ranallo] BritAm Bruisers, bruising the left arm of Bobby Fish.
[Phoenix] Lorcan just meat chopping their opponents.
[Ranallo] Shoulder first into that ring post.
[Burch] Oh, yeah!
[Ranallo] Corner clothesline by Burch.
Step up enzuigiri by the governor.
[wrestlers groan]
[McGuiness] Hold on, half and half lands.
[crowd cheering]
[Phoenix] O'Reilly has been devastated in this matchup.
[Ranallo] Oh, a nice right hand by Burch.
And Burch is utilizing the ladder now
to try to maximize The BritAm Bruisers' advantage.
Both Burch and Lorcan possess ladders.
[crowd cheering]
[Ranallo] And they may be. The Street Profits--
[Phoenix] Uh-oh.
[Ranallo] The Con-Chair-To!
We were just treated to the Con-Ladder-To. Doesn't have the same ring.
[Phoenix] Well, we just saw Street Profits sandwiched
and it was not pretty.
[crowd cheering]
[Ranallo] There's nothing pretty about this fatal 4-way ladder match.
[crowd cheering]
[Phoenix] Ryker just continues to get up,
no matter what they throw at him.
Oney Lorcan, Danny Burch
focused on the tag team titles.
[crowd cheering]
-The ring is clear. -[McGuiness] This is it!
[Ranallo] Has the path been cleared
for victory?
[McGuiness] That ladder is a little off center. Yeah, Lorcan noticed.
[Ranallo] Lorcan and Burch.
[Phoenix] If there's a time to climb fast, it's now.
[Ranallo] The opportunity of a career, and Fish and O'Reilly…
[ladder rattling]
intervene.
[McGuiness] Burch and Lorcan, both trying to get the titles at the same time.
[Ranallo] The Undisputed Era probably have the smart strategy,
playing defense.
-[crowd cheering] -[rattling]
[Ranallo] Guarding the castle.
[Phoenix] The Undisputed Era have been the ones
that made the most time in the center of the ring.
[Ranallo] BritAm Bruisers, Undisputed Era, both on ladders.
[wrestlers groan]
[crowd cheering]
[Ranallo] Oh!
[McGuiness] Did you hear? That sounded like a coconut.
[Ranallo] Forearm by Fish, O'Reilly.
The Undisputed Era seemed to have the advantage.
Lorcan has fallen off the ladder.
Burch reaching, grasping out.
[Phoenix] Slugfest of desperation,
within arm's reach of the tag team championships.
[Ranallo] All three of them in a perilous position,
all four now high atop the ladder.
[McGuiness] Way up. Oh, fingertips!
[Ranallo] O'Reilly had his fingers on the title. Both titles
have to be secured,
in order for new NXT tag team champions to be crowned.
[Phoenix] A fall from that height, bones break,
ligaments snap.
[Ranallo] Both The BritAm Bruisers,
The Undisputed Era,
[crowd cheering]
throwing all kinds of furious strikes at each other.
The Forgotten Sons, Forgotten Sons…
[Phoenix] Seeing an opportunity.
-[McGuiness] Wait a second. -[Ranallo] Oh, Timber!
[Phoenix] Oh!
[crowd cheering]
[Ranallo] Like a jenga,
tower collapsing!
[McGuiness] But one ladder is still aloft.
[crowd cheering]
Oh, this is it, the chance for The Forgotten Sons.
Watch out, guys.
Oh my Lord.
[ladder rattling]
In the center now.
[Ranallo] Blake and Cutler,
now realizing they're the only two superstars in the ring.
They see daylight!
Blake is climbing the ladder.
-[Ranallo] Here comes Dawkins. -[Phoenix] Oh!
[Ranallo] Spear on Cutler,
spear, but Blake,
springboard, wow!
-[Phoenix] What? -[Ranallo] Montez Ford!
[exclaiming] Oh, wow.
-[Ranallo] Ford-- -[McGuiness] There.
[Ranallo] Climbing!
-Montez, The Street Profits, -[bell ringing]
are the new NXT tag team champs!
[hip-hop music starts]
[Alicia] Here are your winners,
and the new NXT tag team champions,
[exclaiming] The Street Profits.
[Ranallo] The sultans of swag
have reached the summit.
[McGuiness] They will be preaching, tonight.
Load up your solo cup and tip one up,
for the sultans of swag.
[Ranallo] There is going to be a street party
in Bridgeport for The Street Profits,
in their first ever NXT TakeOver event.
They are crowned
new NXT tag team champions.
[Phoenix] You can see the show of happiness from the NXT universe,
all representing The Street Profits with their red solo cups.
It's time for a celebration.
[Ranallo] It's a solo cup celebration.
And for the adults,
maybe a sip of num num juice.
[McGuiness] Let's take a look at some of the incredible brutality here.
This is toward the end of the match.
The Forgotten Sons,
they almost had the titles won.
From a different angle, wham!
Dawkins,
and then Montez, a thing of beauty, the agility,
take a look.
Picture perfect, nails the landing,
boom and straight away, right hand.
Down goes Blake.
And then there was nothing between Montez Ford and success.
[Ranallo] It is the sweet 16th team
to become NXT tag team champions.
NXT universe is en fuego.
The Street Profits, it's a solo cup party.
[hip-hop music continues]
[crowd cheering]
[hip-hop music ends]
[dramatic music starts]
[woman 1] My name is too big to start small.
She was the first real major superstar we had.
[woman 1] I was setting out to do
something that no one done.
[man 27] Ronda Rousey is here.
[man 28] When she came back from WrestleMania with Rock
I saw her get the bug then.
[music decreases]
[music increases]
[woman 2] Everything has been leading up to her getting the WWE.
Because this was her destiny.
[Ronda] I had this huge opportunity and I had to succeed,
for myself, for all of the women that would come after me.
The pressure was on more than ever. I became obsessed
with proving everyone wrong.
[dramatic music ends]
["On My Teeth" playing]
[Ranallo] You're listening to "On My Teeth"
by Under oath from the album "Erase Me,"
an NXT loud theme song for NXT TakeOver XXV.
Available now on iTunes and Spotify.
[McGuiness] As Street Profits celebrate, the NXT women's championship challenger,
Io Shirai, takes some time
-to reflect and focus. -[indistinct]
[McGuiness] Very friendly with Candice Lerae.
Okay, I'm here for you.
-Okay. Thank you. -You got this.
Just focus on Shayna.
Yes. Yes!
I get it.
[Ranallo] Io Shirai has design
of becoming the new NXT women's champion.
The North American championship up for grabs.
An NXT original, Tyler Breeze,
returns to the Black and Gold brand
to challenge the Velveteen Dream
for the North American title.
["On My Teeth" ends]
[ominous music starts]
[laughs]
Tyler Breeze, I remember you.
[camera clicking]
[man 29] Look, everyone.
It's Tyler.
[Tyler] Here comes the magic. Gorgeous.
Three, two, one.
[crowd cheering]
I'm gorgeous.
[crowd] Gorgeous.
[Tyler] They're excited to see Tyler, but I'm excited to be Tyler.
-I'm ready. -[man 30] Do you remember?
The night Tyler Breeze found out
that he was going to Raw or Smackdown.
You could see the fear in your eyes.
It was the last time that you ever got a standing ovation.
[cheering and clapping]
[ominous music ends]
-[man 30] Breeze, do you remember? -[music starts]
[man 31] It's Tyler Breeze!
[man 32] Breeze?
[Tyler] We are about to give WWE
a much needed face lift.
[Dream] Do you remember
what the spotlight feels like?
[crowd cheering]
They say that Tyler Breeze was the man,
and look at you now.
You're standing in the spotlight,
but it is a little too hot for you, Tyler.
Oh, that's cold!
[Dream] The NXT universe
has upgraded their cellular plan,
the upgrade?
The Velveteen Dream.
[man 33] The purple prince of pugilism.
[Dream] Sold out arenas.
[man 34] And always commands the spotlight.
-Velveteen, Velveteen. -[crowd cheering]
[man 34] And the spotlight has never shone brighter
for the Velveteen Dream.
[Dream] You can't just feel the dream,
and you can't just hold on to the dream.
Quite frankly,
I'm too big to hold.
-[man 34] Oh, wow. -[man 35] Wait!
[man 34] Is it?
Prince Pretty is back in full sail.
[Tyler] Prince Pretty is home.
I remember Tyler.
He wasn't just gorgeous, just a pretty face.
He was a staple
of NXT.
Just because you couldn't cut it on Monday and Tuesday nights
doesn't mean you get to come to NXT and demand a spotlight.
[man 38] You had a great career in NXT, Tyler Breeze.
Not a career worthy of coming back and demanding
an NXT North American championship opportunity.
[Tyler] That North American championship inspires me.
[Dream] Tyler, you have never had gold,
and you are a phony. You are the great value version
of the Velveteen Dream, and you know it.
[Tyler] And I think it's about time that Prince Pretty pushed you
out of my spotlight.
[men] Oh!
[Ranallo] Prince Pretty, Tyler Breeze, is looking to reclaim
the spotlight and win the North American title.
[music ends]
♪ Tyler, we love you ♪ ♪ Tyler, look over here ♪
♪ Look, everyone, it's Tyler ♪
[electronic music starts]
[bell ringing]
[Alicia] The following contest is scheduled for one fall,
is for the NXT
North American championship.
Making his way to the ring,
from his seasonal residence in Palm Springs, California,
weighing in at 212 pounds,
[exclaiming] Tyler Breeze.
[Ranallo] It's only fitting
that on this landmark event, TakeOver XXV,
an NXT original, Tyler Breeze,
who was on the very first TakeOver,
in fact, he was a part of NXT arrival
before there were TakeOvers were termed,
to try to win the NXT North American title.
He feels the Velveteen Dream
is a cheap knockoff of Prince Pretty.
[McGuiness] So velveteen Dream believes that he is a far superior superstar
in every way, shape, or form to Tyler Breeze.
As we saw earlier,
Breeze, after returning home to NXT,
immediately tried to steal the spotlight
from the Velveteen Dream,
attacking Dream with his cellphone, of Dream.
And crashed Breeze's homecoming.
[Ranallo] It's only fitting that someone with a sobriquet Prince Pretty
hails from a place known
as beautiful British Columbia.
-[electronic music ends] -[upbeat music starts]
[Alicia] And his opponent, from capitol hill, Washington DC,
weighing in at 217 pounds,
he is the NXT North American champion,
[exclaiming] the Velveteen Dream.
[Ranallo] That's the Velveteen Dream,
NXT's rocket man. His career launched like a rocket.
Still only 23,
the provocative prodigy,
who is the NXT North American champion.
[Phoenix] Velveteen Dream certainly is an enigma in NXT.
I mean, I tried to get closer,
I tried to talk to him, but he is hard to get in touch with.
And I think that's on purpose. He keeps his distance.
He likes to be mysterious.
And I think that it's awesome the way he does that,
and builds himself up.
But also the way he performs in the ring
is where he's really, really great.
[Ranallo] And Nigel, Velveteen Dream performs at his best
on the big stage at TakeOver.
[McGuiness] Absolutely. Loves to be in the spotlight.
And as I mentioned,
there's a way to unbridge
to the way that Tyler Breeze made his return
here to NXT.
Take a look at that NXT North American title,
around the waist of Velveteen Dream.
Dream won, of course,
the Worlds Collide tournament
on WrestleMania weekend and used this title opportunity
to beat Johnny Gargano,
in Gargano's first title defense
as North American champion.
[Ranallo] And for Breeze tonight, he goes from project runway
-to project dream as in Velveteen Dream. -[upbeat music ends]
As flamboyant,
as ostentatious, as two superstars can be,
but once that bell goes,
two technically proficient practitioners.
[crowd] Velveteen! Velveteen!
[McGuiness] Dream still has that cool laid-back demeanor,
as we take a look at the prestigious North American title.
[Ranallo] Dream, the fourth North American champion,
the inaugural champ, Adam Cole,
will be challenging for the NXT title
in a rematch with Johnny Gargano,
-who of course was defeated by Dream, -[bell ringing]
for the North American championship but…
the spotlight
is on
-Velveteen Dream and Tyler Breeze. -[McGuiness] Dream has got to be careful,
keep his anger in check
because I guarantee you, underneath that calm veneer…
-[Ranallo] Oh. -[crowd] Oh!
[Ranallo] Can you feel the gloves tonight?
[crowd cheering]
[Phoenix] These mind games make it hard for Breeze
to prepare for an opponent like Dream.
Hard to know what he's thinking, what he's feeling.
[crowd] Velveteen! Velveteen!
[Ranallo] We know what the NXT Universe is feeling. They're fired up
for this. It's a dream match.
The return of Tyler Breeze
to challenge Velveteen Dream for the North American title
and we are going to be in a perpetual state of oneupmanship.
[Phoenix] Breeze said the thing he missed most
is the loyalty and appreciation after all these years.
They treat him like he's never left.
[crowd cheering]
[Ranallo] And this championship match begins. Collar and elbow tie up,
go behind behind by Breeze.
Side wrist lock employed by Velveteen Dream.
[crowd cheering]
[Phoenix inhales]
Interesting wardrobe choices by Velveteen Dream tonight.
[Ranallo] Always fashion forward, dressed like he's going to the Met Gala.
[McGuiness] Just like you on a Friday night.
[Dream screams]
Nice go behind.
-Look at that. -[Ranallo] Oh,
Breeze was looking for the unprettier early.
Well scouted by Velveteen Dream.
[crowd cheering]
[Phoenix] Dream taking a little offense here.
[Ranallo] Velveteen Dream has proven to be as quick as a velveteen rabbit.
But Tyler Breeze, looking to prove he's more than yesterday's toy.
[crowd cheering]
[McGuiness laughs]
[Ranallo] The amount of machismo in this matchup.
[Dream screams]
[Phoenix] Breeze's looking to show a new side,
a more mature attitude.
-[Ranallo] Oh! -[McGuiness] Look!
[Ranallo] And the cover by Breeze.
Dream kicks out immediately,
but Tyler Breeze
sending Velveteen Dream
to the outside of the ring.
[crowd cheering]
[McGuiness] Creative offense from Breeze,
looking to take a risk.
[Ranallo] Runs right into that right hand of the Velveteen Dream.
[McGuiness] Too big a risk this early in the match.
-Giving the advantage back to dream. -[Ranallo] Wow!
Double axe handle from the top turnbuckle
by the Velveteen Dream.
[Phoenix] Dream makes it look easy.
[Ranallo] Oh, quebrada connects,
back press,
Dream looking for the quick title defense. Doesn't get it.
And it's Tyler Breeze, the veteran,
regrouping on the outside,
trying to buy some time.
But Velveteen Dream,
he feels that Tyler Breeze's borrowed time.
He wants a quick title defense here
-and again, Breeze able to escape. -[McGuiness] Watch out.
[crowd cheering]
Velveteen Dream way up there.
Smartly electing to come down. He's got caught!
-Watch out. -[Phoenix] Oh!
[Ranallo] The garden of good and evil.
Wrapping the left leg around the ring post.
[groans]
[crowd cheering]
[Ranallo] Tyler Breeze hyper focused, oh--
And explodes off the apron with a flying forearm.
You know that Breeze has come back to NXT.
He has a point to prove.
[indistinct]
[Phoenix] Certainly showing a more aggressive side
than we've seen from Breeze in a while.
[Ranallo] Remember, Tyler Breeze, a member of the original contingent,
that built the Black and Gold brand,
made it the gold standard!
And there was a counter,
right hand by Dream,
that sends Breeze crashing.
[McGuiness] Breeze coming with a flying forearm,
so it was wide open for the right hand
from Velveteen Dream.
[crowd cheering]
Dream able to stop the momentum
of Tyler Breeze, but for how long?
[Dream screams]
[Ranallo] Dream with a fireman's carry,
prelude to the Dream Valley Driver.
Well scouted by Breeze.
[Dream screams]
[McGuiness] The knee gave way.
[Ranallo] Oh, and Breeze immediately going for that single leg crab.
Trained by Lance Storm at one time.
Breeze looking for the single leg crab.
[McGuiness] Slipped a little bit.
Doesn't have the full extension. He can get that leg back underneath him.
[Dream] No!
[Phoenix] Breeze able to sink down
into it. Put the pressure on the knee.
[ref indistinct]
[McGuiness] Look at the angle of the knee of Velveteen Dream.
[McGuiness] See how Breeze is turning the knee joint to the outside.
That applies pressure to the knee joint, as opposed to the lower back.
-Very smart. -[Ranallo] Dream,
saving his patellar tendon for the moment.
[McGuiness] I am being impressed with Tyler Breeze thus far.
[crowd cheering]
[Ranallo] I'm impressed with that right hand by Velveteen Dream.
Oh, and now it's Tyler Breeze,
looking to stomp a mud hole,
but has to be careful, he's not disqualified.
[Phoenix] Ooh!
[Ranallo] Champion's advantage in this North American title match.
[exclaiming] Oh, dropkick by Breeze
sends Dream crashing to the outside.
[crowd cheering]
[ref] Come on, Tyler.
[McGuiness] I don't think Tyler Breeze, excuse me,
I don't think Velveteen Dream expected this level of aggression
out of Tyler.
[Tyler groans]
[Ranallo] Oh, what a superkick by Dream.
Breeze's teeth
are still under his mouth for now.
What a kick!
[Phoenix] Dream making his way into the ring.
-Trying to shake off the cobwebs. -[Ranallo] And remember,
-Breeze has to beat the count. -[ref] Three!
Four!
[Ranallo] Breeze is stirring in front of us
trying to…
regroup, trying to recalibrate here.
And this is why, Nigel.
[McGuiness] Look at that superkick
underneath the jaw.
-Tyler Breeze-- -[Ranallo] Oh, God.
Whoa, the Velveteen Dream just bashing Breeze's head
into our broadcast table.
[crowd cheering]
Oh, the sickening thuds face first!
What are you doing, man?
-I'm the Velveteen Dream! -[indistinct]
[Ranallo] The velveteen dream has snapped!
[indistinct]
[crowd cheering]
[Ranallo] It's as if to say how dare Tyler Breeze
call him a cheap knockoff.
[crowd cheering]
Velveteen-- Oh, God.
[Phoenix] The referee's checking on Breeze.
-[McGuiness] He's got Breeze's phone. -[Ranallo] Is this a time for a selfie?
[crowd cheering]
Oh, wow!
[Dream] The NXT, you want a selfie
with the champ.
Hey!
-[crowd] Wow! -[Dream] Say cheese!
Say cheese!
-Look up! -Two!
[Dream] Hey!
[indistinct]
Three!
[crowd cheering]
[Ranallo] Not the kind of photo bomb I wanted to be a part of, by the way.
-[crowd] Velveteen! Velveteen! -[Dream screams]
[crowd cheering]
[Ranallo] The NXT universe--
-[Phoenix] Oh! -[Ranallo] Oh, superkick
by Tyler Breeze.
[crowd cheering]
And of course,
his version known as The Supermodel,
keeps looking to rearrange the looks
of the Velveteen Dream.
[McGuiness] Breeze rolling in to break the count-- Has got caught.
Dream Valley Driver.
-Cover. -[Ranallo] The cover!
Dream looks for the title defense
and Breeze escapes.
[crowd cheering]
Velveteen Dream, going all the way
to the high rent district.
But Tyler Breeze,
the wily veteran,
rolling out underneath the ropes.
And out of-- Well, he thought he was out of the danger zone,
slips through the legs of Velveteen Dream.
[Phoenix] The ring hasn't been able to hold these--
[Ranallo] Enzuigiri by Tyler Breeze.
[crowd cheering and clapping]
[McGuiness] Both superstars down now.
[ref] One!
-[ref] Two! -[McGuiness] Slow to get back.
[Phoenix] NXT universe
showing their appreciation for everything these men are giving in the ring.
[Ranallo] And Tyler Breeze,
high risk, ascending to the top of the turnbuckle.
Velveteen Dream, looking--
Oh, diving crossbody, roll through by Dream, hooks the leg.
Tyler Breeze able to power out,
just in the nick of time.
-[groans] -[Ranallo] Single leg take down. Oh!
Look at this transition
into the fireman's carry by Velveteen Dream.
[Phoenix] Nice setup.
-[thud] -[McGuiness] Couldn't complete.
[Ranallo] Breeze lands on his feet.
[McGuiness] Couldn't hit the Supermodel kick. Pause!
[Ranallo] Oh, Dream--
Looking for the Dream DT.
Instead, kick to the face.
Supermodel kick,
Supermodel kick.
We have a new North American champion! No!
[crowd cheering]
Wow. So close for Prince Pretty
to return to NXT a conquering hero.
[crowd] This is gorgeous, NXT!
[Phoenix] Dream once again trying to shake off the effects of the superkick.
[crowd] This is gorgeous, NXT!
[Ranallo] The NXT Universe chanting "this is gorgeous."
-[groans] -Prince Pretty looking
for the unprettier on Velveteen Dream.
Instead, Dream--
Oh, Breeze lands on his feet.
Double chicken wing.
[wrestlers groan]
[McGuiness] Strikes Breeze back to the corner.
Drives him in again.
And back elbow lands on the jaw.
-Look at Breeze. -[Ranallo] Breeze holding on.
[McGuiness] Holding onto the North American champion.
[Ranallo] Yeah, Breeze trying to-- Oh!
Foot to the mouth and Velveteen Dream-- Oh!
Dropkick!
What timing by Tyler Breeze!
[Phoenix] This could be it.
[Ranallo] Oh, reversal again.
-[Phoenix] Oh! -[Ranallo] Dream DT! Dream DT!
-Will it be enough to secure the victory? -[crowd] One, two!
[Ranallo] Oh, no!
Breeze lifting that left shoulder.
[McGuiness] Not tonight.
Prince Pretty still in this.
[Ranallo] He was feeling the referee coming down for the third time.
[McGuiness] Oh, and Velveteen Dream felt the Breeze and the boot
-of the superkick. -[Ranallo] Oh, man.
His equilibrium
could be at risk here.
Blood trickling from the ear of Tyler Breeze.
[crowd cheering]
And really, you have to wonder how that is going to impact
this match.
If you can't keep your balance, Nigel.
And of course,
we are still trending at number one,
NXT TakeOver XXV,
an incredible night and here we are
on the midst
of this fierce NXT North American title match.
The Velveteen Dream, the champion,
climbing to the top turnbuckle.
The challenger, Tyler Breeze,
on his feet!
[crowd cheering]
[McGuiness] Dream was adamant that he was gonna get to the top rope.
[Phoenix] Desperation move by Breeze, but it paid off.
[McGuiness] That looked like a bad decision
from the Velveteen Dream.
[crowd cheering]
[Phoenix] Let's see who could capitalize on this moment.
[McGuiness] It doesn't look like Dream.
Prone on the top rope.
Can Prince Pretty execute
something here?
[crowd cheering]
[Ranallo] Oh, wow. Prince Pretty, Tyler Breeze, with that front face lock.
Dead weight of Velveteen Dream.
Oh, Dream was playing possum, as he launched Tyler Breeze.
[McGuiness] Breeze took way too long.
Gave Dream the chance to recuperate.
[Tyler groans]
-[Ranallo] Oh! -[McGuiness] Look!
[Ranallo] Tyler Breeze blasting Dream with that knee strike.
[Beth] Dream groggy, not able to get his wherewithal, where is he in the ring.
[Nigel] Pivotal moment in the match now.
[Mauro] NXT Universe exhorting both superstars.
Tyler Breeze with the scoop
has Dream over his shoulder.
Oh, wow! Is he looking for the tombstone?
-[Nigel] If he hits it, surely it's over. -[Mauro] Oh, reversal by Velveteen Dream!
[Beth] A dangerous position to be in.
-[Nigel] No. -[Mauro] Wow!
[Nigel] Breeze kicking down to reverse the momentum one more time.
Dream trying to do the same thing. Yes, he does!
[Mauro] How taxing is it on their respective backs?
Breeze lands on his feet, drives Dream into the corner
but instead, Dream drives a back elbow into Breeze.
Oh, wow.
[Nigel] Breeze tried the enzuigiri.
[Mauro] I think that equilibrium issue is a factor here
as Velveteen Dream--
-Dream, what the-- -[Nigel] Oh, yes!
[Mauro] Dream delivering the unprettier. Are you kidding me?
Oh, wow. How-- How much would it have hurt
Tyler Breeze knowing that he lost the chance at the title
-to one of his own maneuvers? -[Beth] I think that's exactly
why he did it, Mauro. He wants to send a message to Tyler Breeze
that he is old news and Velveteen Dream is it on the scene.
[Nigel] Well, Velveteen Dream is gonna do one more thing to prove that
and that is to put away Prince Pretty who is having trouble at this juncture
regaining his faculties, prone in the center of the ring.
Dream back to the top. Here we go.
[Mauro] Purple rainmaker but instead of the target,
he hits the unforgiving bone on the shin of Tyler Breeze.
-[Mauro] Wow. -[Nigel] Breeze lying in wait again,
couldn't get that-- Uh-oh.
[Mauro] Oh, super model kick!
Unprettier. Unprettier.
Tyler Breeze going for the title.
Tyler Breeze almost became the new North American Champion.
Members of the NXT Universe, very much like Tyler Breeze
in a state of disbelief.
[Beth] Dream barely able to kick out.
Let's take a look at this moment.
[Nigel] Look at the ability here in Tyler Breeze.
He knew where Velveteen Drwas-- Dream was, turns him right around.
And the impact right in the dome, double hook of the legs,
somehow Dream escapes.
[Mauro] That unprettier could have painted the prettiest picture
of Tyler Breeze's career, but it was all for naught
as Breeze again looking to continue to beat down the Velveteen Dream.
[Nigel] Breeze must not get frustrated, though.
Velveteen Dream is hurt. He's not moving.
Surely, one more offensive maneuver from Tyler Breeze, the match is over.
[Mauro] This is the most important match of Breeze's career
as parents making the trek from the North of Canada.
Roll-up small package by Velveteen Dream.
And Breeze able to escape.
Oh! Spinning heel kick by Tyler, and Velveteen Dream escapes.
[Nigel] What a brilliant, genius move, wherewithal of Velveteen Dream
-to escape to the outside. -[Mauro] The beauty shot by Tyler Breeze
sends Velveteen Dream rolling to the outside
where he is lying in a supine position in front of us.
[Nigel] You got to think, was that Tyler Breeze's last opportunity?
[Mauro] He has to get Dream into the ring
if he wants to become North American Champion
and he's looking to drag the carcass of Dream,
but the referee is administering the 10-count.
[Nigel] It's a two--
[crowd] Three!
[Nigel] Seven seconds to get Dream in the ring. Can Breeze do it?
[Mauro] Breeze has to pick up the dead weight of Velveteen Dream.
Referee's on five.
Oh!
Breeze on spaghetti legs.
-Dream is on dream street. -[Beth] Time is ticking away.
-Hey, what are you doing? -Stop the count!
[Mauro] Breeze blanking the count because he knows.
-[crowd chatter] -[unintelligible discussion]
[Mauro] Velveteen Dream in possession of the North American title.
Oh! But Breeze rips it out of the hands, throws it to referee.
Wait a minute. Oh! Dream valley driver.
Dream valley driver.
-And Velveteen Dream to the top. -[Beth] Can he follow it up?
[Mauro] Purple rainmaker.
-And the reign continues. -[crowd] One, two, three!
[bell ringing]
[crowd cheering]
[ring announcer] Here is your winner and still the NXT North American Champion,
the Velveteen Dream!
[Mauro] An incredibly impressive title defense
for Velveteen Dream, but ultimately, I would say it was the frustration
of Tyler Breeze that cost Breeze the North American title opportunity.
[Mauro] You know, Tyler Breeze told us this was a sink or swim match for him.
Hey, he proved he can swim
with the deepest end of the NXT talent pool.
[Nigel] Take a look back now at some of the action here.
-Tyler Breeze, wham! -[Mauro] Oh, beauty shot.
[Nigel] Spinning heel kick beauty shot. But look, very serendipitous
or whether it was out of his own volition, Velveteen Dream escaping to the outside
so he couldn't be pinned.
And then here, Dream attempting to use the title.
And you see here, Tyler Breeze realizing he didn't wanna get disqualified,
and that gave Velveteen Dream the opportunity to take the advantage.
Dream driver, purple rainmaker, hook to the leg, and that three-count
signifies Velveteen Dream is still the spotlight,
still the North American Champion.
[Mauro] The spotlight would not belong on this night to Tyler Breeze.
In fact, Velveteen Dream with-- Maintaining his hold on the gold, Beth.
[Beth] Dream did it tonight-- [Mauro] Oh, selfie celebration.
Now, I can understand wanting to take a selfie.
-[Nigel] He's just-- -[Mauro] Commemorate this for posterity.
[funky electronic music]
-[music fades] -[crowd chanting] Selfie! Selfie!
[unintelligible taunting]
This belongs to me and this…
[crowd member] Take a picture with the champion!
[crowd cheering]
[unintelligible]
[crowd chanting] Selfie! Selfie!
[crowd cheering and clapping]
[funky electronic music]
[Mauro] Mutual respect being exhibited as they do share a selfie.
But on this night Velveteen Dream not willing to share the spotlight.
[Nigel] Two superstars built from the same cloth
and then tore each other apart. What a better way to cement
the memory than a selfie.
[crowd cheering]
[music fades]
[rock music]
[man] Two of the greatest and most prolific stars ever,
Triple H and Orton at Super ShowDown.
[announcer] A wrestlemania equivalent pay-per-view live from Jeddah.
WWE Super ShowDown pay-per-view.
[rock music ends]
[mysterious gothic rock music]
[music ends]
[heavy metal music]
[Beth] And the action continues at TakeOver XXV
as the "Genius of the Sky", Io Shirai is looking to knock
the reigning NXT Women's Champion Shayna Baszler back down to earth.
She promoted her feud by avenging the Women's locker room
and she looks to end Baszler's dominant title reign
and despicable attacks led by the queen of spades.
I think I am the best in Japan.
[announcer 1] A Tokyo sports newspaper named her the top wrestler in Japan.
[Io] I did everything I could in Japan.
I needed NXT.
[announcer 1] She is known as the "Genius of the Sky."
And now she's here.
[Io] I have to prove I'm the best here, too.
Can I talk about how everybody that has tried to take this title is gone?
Ember Moon, gone.
Nikki Cross, gone.
Kairi Sane? She's gone, too.
[announcer 1] Shayna Baszler has tormented the NXT Women's locker room.
[Shayna] The heroic Kairi wouldn't stay down.
[announcer 1] Tap out now. Do yourself a favor.
-[Shayna] So I forced her to. -[announcer 2] Here comes Io.
-[bell ringing] -Kairi is my best friend.
[announcer 2] They're gonna make Io watch. No!
No, don't do it, Shayna! Oh, my god!
Kairi!
The look of horror on Io's face, she knows I'm gonna stomp out her dreams
of ever winning this title.
I can respect Io's fighting spirit.
[announcer 1] Here comes the Horsewomen led by Shayna Baszler.
[Shayna] But what I will never respect…
[announcer 2] Candice LeRae is gonna pay the price.
…are dumb decisions.
[announcer 1] Here comes the Genius of the Sky, and she brought a kendo stick.
It's eye for an eye.
[announcer 3] The frustration, the fury.
[Io] I want the NXT Women's Championship.
-I want it for me. -She's all out of friends.
-[Io] I want it for Kairi. -[Shayna] She's all out of weapons.
And I want it for the entire Women's division.
[Shayna] And I still have all my backup.
[Io] At TakeOver, I'm going to kick your ass.
[cheery electronic music]
[crowd cheering]
[Mauro] In her native Japan,
one of the most decorated Joshi Puroresu practitioners in history
paying tribute to her idol, Rey Mysterio, with the mask.
She is the "Genius of the Sky," Io Shirai.
And tonight she looks to take out, as she quoted,
the NXT Women's Champion Shayna Baszler.
Beth, they have a history dating back to Japan
where Shirai got the better of the Queen of Spades.
But here in NXT, well… It's Baszler's division as of now.
[Beth] Baszler comments that we worry too much about Io Shirai's past,
about how respected and well-known she was in Japan.
She said that all that matters is today and the here and the now.
And she is the Queen of Spades and the Champion for a reason.
[Mauro] And Nigel, it was Shirai
and her former Sky Pirates tag team partner, Kairi Sane,
the only two [unintelligible] wins over Baszler.
[Nigel] That's right. And in that case,
one has to wonder as we take a look at the NXT Women's Champion,
what is going through the mind now of Shayna Baszler?
Is she confident or is she concerned?
The two Horsewomen friends, cohorts, Jessamyn Duke, Marina Shafir, by her side.
[heavy metal music]
[Nigel] Well, look at this. Baszler on her own, clearly confident.
[Mauro] Shayna Baszler is the night queen, cold as ice.
[Nigel] As we heard at TakeOver-- TakeOver, please, excuse me.
Shayna Baszler prepared very differently for Io Shirai
than any of her other opponents.
[Mauro] And Beth, Marilyn Monroe would have been 93 today.
The was quoted to say that, "If I'd observed all the rules,
I'd never have got anywhere." Well, Baszler hasn't observed
all the rules and she got to the top of the NXT Women's division.
[Beth] Baszler's title reign speaks for herself.
One of the most dominant Champions in history. Tap, snap, nap.
That's her specialty and she said we're gonna see that here
tonight against Io Shirai.
[Mauro] The only two-time NXT Women's Champion,
the submission magician.
[heavy metal music]
Uncovered her career in mixed martial arts,
called many of her fights, and now here watching her grow
-as an NXT superstar. -[unintelligible]
[crowd cheering]
[crowd chatter]
[bell ringing]
The following contest scheduled for one fall
is for the NXT Women's Championship.
[crowd cheering]
Introducing first, the challenger from Tokyo, Japan,
Io Shirai!
[crowd cheering] Io! Io!
And her opponent, from Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
She is the NXT Women's Champion,
Shayna Baszler!
[Mauro] Baszler looking at Shirai as if to say
"Your soul is mine and so is the NXT Women's Championship."
An illustrious history, the dominant reign of Asuka.
Beth, you mentioned it earlier, the first TakeOver,
the legendary battle between Charlotte Flair and Natalya,
the Bayley and Sasha Banks rivalry,
there have been so many incredible matches in the Women's division here at TakeOver.
-[bell ringing] -[Mauro] And we are underway
-as Shirai explodes out of the corner. -[Beth] This match is so important for Io.
So much of her career since coming to NXT, she had Kairi Sane by her side.
-This is her moment to shine. -[Nigel] And what Baszler did there
instead of kicking in the back, just one to the side of the jaw.
[Mauro] And we have seen this new aggression,
this next-level aggression from io Shirai, knows she has to fight fire with fire,
against someone the likes of Shayna Baszler. No!
No! Baszler looking to deliver a reality check.
Oh, and instead she's sweeped off her feet by Shirai.
Snapmare.
-[Nigel] Baszler was trying to toy-- -[all] Ooh! Wow.
[Nigel] And Shirai doing the exact same thing.
[Mauro] Remember Bianca Belair slapped Shayna Baszler,
didn't work out well for her. But Shirai now still on her feet.
[Beth] Check out the demeanor, the look on Io's face.
She came here to fight tonight.
[Mauro] Oh, delayed dropkick that sends Shayna Baszler to the outside.
But again, Champion's advantage.
[Nigel] And the Champion electing to use that advantage…
-[referee] One! -[Nigel] …stay on the outside--
[Mauro] Baseball slide dropkick by Io Shirai!
[Beth] Not the best idea for Shayna to take her eye off Io at any moment.
[Nigel] That's right. Rule number one, never take your eye off your opponent.
-[Referee] Two! -[Mauro] Baszler learning quickly
again that she isn't in there with an upstart.
We mentioned it many times just how legendary of a career Io Shirai had
in her native land of the rising sun. Oh, but she didn't rise there.
She came crashing down back first.
-[Io screams] -[Nigel] Oh!
[Beth] Mauro, the level of competition
in the Women's division in NXT continues to rise.
[Mauro] Reality check coming for Io Shirai.
[wrestlers groaning]
[Nigel] Shirai trying to escape. Oh, god!
The nastiest of reality checks for the Genius of the Sky.
[crowd cheering and booing]
[Nigel] Now Shirai is gonna have a really tough time
staying alive in this match.
[Beth] Io moving her hand,
making sure all the ligaments still work properly.
Take a look at the damage done, the height Shayna gets
as all the impact all the way comes down on Io's elbow.
[Nigel] It's the angle of that elbow joint.
[Mauro] Oh, my god, now the-- Manipulating the fingers as well,
the joints, and Shirai desperately-- Oh, going for the roll-up.
Shoulders down, only a one-count.
Oh, what a [unintelligible] lariat delivered by Baszler.
Side press, hooks the leg, and somehow Shirai manages to escape.
Baszler tweeting out the fact that she loves the smell
of napalm in the morning and she is bringing the apocalypse
now upon Io Shirai just relentless in her attack, Beth.
[Beth] We've talked about how difficult it is to climb a ladder with a hurt ankle.
It's so hard to pin someone when you only have one hand,
especially a submission technician like Shayna Baszler.
[Nigel] Trying to stay out of a submission…
-[all] Oh! -[Nigel] …as well, extremely difficult.
[Mauro] Oh, my god, trying to pop that shoulder out of its socket,
trying to get Shirai to capitulate.
[Nigel] Now Baszler is in her methodical wheelhouse.
[Beth] Io retreating just trying to defend herself out of desperation.
-[Mauro] Calf kick by Baszler. -[Beth] Nice key lock there by Shayna.
[Mauro] Double wrist lock
and catch wrestling parlance, and she is a catches catch cat queen,
dropping the point of the elbow onto that injured shoulder,
the injured arm of Io Shirai.
[Nigel] Shirai tried to move out of the way but Baszler was way too quick.
And now look at the torque, almost a version of an americana.
[Beth] Awkward angle of the elbow once again that we saw damaged earlier,
all the pressure on the wrist and elbow.
[Nigel] There's a lot of pressure on the shoulder joint as well,
making it difficult for Shirai to do anything with the left arm.
[Mauro] Irish whip into the ropes, ducks underneath, waist lock.
[wrestlers groaning]
[Mauro] Grip broken by the bigger Baszler.
-My goodness. -[Beth] Once again with no grip,
it's hard to lift someone, hard to pin, slam.
[Mauro] Nasty kick right between the shoulder blades,
hooks the leg, shoulders are down,
and that was rather lackadaisical cover by the Champion.
[Nigel] Might seem lackadaisical.
[Mauro] I think thought she was-- Had Shirai in more
of a precarious position than this Japanese superstar.
[Beth] Nigel spoke to Shayna being confident earlier
and perhaps she's being a bit overconfident in this situation.
-[Nigel] She's been decimating Io. -[Mauro] Wait a second.
-She takes out the left arm as well. -[Io groans]
-[Nigel] All the time-- Oh! -[Mauro] Another!
And Shirai avoiding that reality check and that kick.
[Nigel] The left arm still damaged.
[Mauro] But the bushido warrior Io Shirai still standing,
still valiantly battling, looking to dethrone Shayna Baszler.
[Nigel] Ooh, dead weight.
[Mauro] Oh! German suplex!
[Nigel] Couldn't hold because of the damaged left arm.
Oh, this really does speak well to the genius of the NXT Women's Champion.
Forget about the Genius of the Sky.
Shayna Baszler is the genius of the entire division.
Take a look, a picture-perfect German suplex
after pausing to get the perfect angle, but just couldn't bridge
because the arm couldn't hold.
[Mauro] Oh, what a right hand and cork to the double axe handle there
by the dominions of dynamo.
[Beth] Io fighting through the pain,
doing her best to shake off the damage Shayna did earlier.
-[Io screams] -[Mauro] Oh!
That's a tribute to Rey mysterio, the 619,
or as it's known in Japan, "the tiger feint kick."
[Nigel] Adrenaline must be flowing back through the body,
able to shake off some of the pain.
[Mauro] Oh, springboard! What a dropkick by Shirai.
And there's the opportunity, she's-- Oh, wow. Two-count.
And Shirai came so close to becoming the new NXT Women's Champ.
[Nigel] See the way there, Shirai hooked both legs with the injured left arm.
She couldn't pull the leg far enough across the shoulder
to get over the body weight to secure the victory.
-[Beth] Big forearm haymaker. -[wrestlers groaning]
-[all] Ooh! -[Mauro] Wow.
[Beth] One more for good measure.
-[Nigel] Oh! Crossface. -[Mauro] Crossface employed by Shirai.
-Crossface and--
-[Nigel] But with the injured left arm. -[Mauro] Right.
[Nigel] Can Shirai apply enough pressure to get the submission?
[Beth] Io trying to maintain grip with the right hand, using her good hand.
But Shayna's just too strong.
-[Mauro] Wow. -[Nigel] Look at that.
The power, the leverage,
the ability of Shayna Baszler is almost second to none.
[Mauro] Impact, as Baszler just dropped Shirai back first onto the canvas.
And, man, Shirai barely stirring.
[Nigel] Since that stomp--
[Mauro] Talk about the adrenaline dumped, coming so close,
having that submission employed and then being thwarted.
[Beth] Not just thwarted but dropped, Mauro.
-[crowd cheering] -[Mauro] What does it do
-to the mindset, Nigel? -[Nigel] When you realize
you're so close to losing, the adrenaline strikes through your body
but when you finally get out of it, it's demoralizing for your opponent.
[Beth] Hold on, check this out.
[wrestlers groaning]
[Mauro] Shirai with the-- Oh!
Kick there by Shirai that has Baszler draped over that top rope.
[Beth] Io might be operating purely at instincts.
[Mauro] Springboard dropkick and that sends Baszler
crashing to the apron, rolling outside the ring.
A preternaturally talented aerial artist,
the Genius of the Sky ascending the turnbuckles.
[Nigel] And you mentioned it earlier, Mauro, Shirai has to try to go back
to her wheelhouse, has to try to fly.
[Mauro] Very high moonsault by Shirai!
[crowd cheering]
[Beth] High risk, high reward for Io Shirai.
[Nigel] A big risk, and in this case, it paid off in spades.
[Mauro] I like what you did there.
[Nigel] Landing directly on the queen thereof, but thus far,
Baszler did a great job of grounding Shirai.
Now finally Shirai is starting to build some momentum
with her high-flying offense. Can she maintain it,
though, with the injured left arm?
[Mauro] Shirai back to the top turnbuckle where she's at her best.
Missile dropkick on Baszler.
And of course, you don't need the arm when you utilize the sky like she does.
Oh! Double knees, double impact, double trouble for Baszler.
[Beth] And Shirai seeing her Championship opportunity
-come to fruition. -[Mauro] Oh, wait a minute.
It's Jessamyn Duke-- Oh, but it's also Candice LeRae!
-[Beth] Oh! -[Mauro] Shafir and LeRae
on the receiving end of that kendo stick attack by LeRae.
Io Shirai is not alone.
Io Shirai does still have a friend in NXT. A tenacious scene!
[Beth] Candice LeRae literally destroyed the kendo stick.
[Mauro] Wow!
[crowd cheering]
Shirai cheering on Candice LeRae. She should-- She should focus on Baszler.
[Nigel] She maybe heard you-- She got caught!
[Mauro] Baszler with the two and a half!
Oh, she's using that right-- Oh! But the boot by Baszler.
-Baszler! -[Nigel] Coquina clutch!
Standing, needs to drop to her back.
[Mauro] Beautiful elbow strikes by Shirai, catches the leg.
-[Beth] Oh, beautiful palm thrust. -[Mauro] Showcase.
[Beth] What a fight by Io.
-[Mauro] Oh…
Moonsault. Oh, she lands on her feet!
-Forearm from-- -[Nigel] She's caught!
[Mauro] Another kirifuda clutch-- Oh, roll through, shoulder's down,
Baszler's shoulders were down for the two-count.
-[Beth] Oh! -[Mauro] What a kick--
Roundhouse kick by Shirai.
[Nigel] Baszler can still be beaten right here if Shirai can put her away.
[Mauro] Oh, la magistral! La magistral roll through, stacking--
Oh, wait a minute. Bridge, the shoulders are down for a two-- Kirifuda clutch.
Oh, my god, the kirifuda clutch.
[Nigel] A mistake from Io Shirai trying a pin fall, giving up her neck
-to the kirifuda clutch. -[Beth] Can Io hang on?
[crowd cheering]
[Mauro] Shirai scrambling.
[Beth] How much fight is left in the Genius of the Sky?
-[Nigel] The elbow-- Switched arms now. -[Mauro] She switched arms.
[Nigel] The forearm underneath the jaw on the carotid artery, [unintelligible].
[crowd cheering]
[Mauro] The roof of the Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport about to blow off.
The NXT Universe fully supporting Io Shirai.
-[Beth] Io inches away. -[Nigel] Look what Baszler's doing,
grabbing the legs to prevent Io Shirai putting it on the bottom rope.
[Mauro] Shirai is fading. Shirai-- She's being ragdolled by Baszler.
[Nigel] Shirai could be out here, soon.
That kirifuda clutch has been on a long time.
[Mauro] Draining the energy resources. Oh!
Wow, Io Shirai, her eyes rolling in the back of her head.
She is fading by the second,
but she's being wheeled on by the NXT Universe.
[referee] Ring the bell!
-[Nigel] There's a tap! It's enough. -[bell ringing]
[Mauro] Incredible.
-[rock music] -[Mauro] Say what you will.
[ring announcer] Here is your winner by submission,
and still the NXT Women's Champion,
Shayna Baszler.
-[Mauro] With all due respect to the rest of the NXT Women's division,
scuttlebutt, the hype was that Io Shirai had the experience,
had the skill set to be the one to dethrone Shayna Baszler.
Hey, step aside, Zelda, the legend of Shayna Baszler continues to grow.
[metal rock music]
[Nigel] Well, look at how that example-- How that legend would continue.
First of all, two of the four Horsewomen coming out,
but it was Candice LeRae who repaid Io Shirai for coming to her aid on NXT TV.
And the match would continue.
Great wherewithal to adjust her momentum to land that.
And then to escape into a pin fall attempt out of the kirifuda clutch.
But ultimately, here it would be trying the magistral cradle,
coming all the way top, trying to pin fall.
But look what Shirai does, gives up her neck.
And you do not do that to Shayna Baszler.
That led to here, the kirifuda clutch indeed and the tap,
Io Shirai had no choice.
If she didn't tap, she was gonna nap.
[metal rock music]
[Nigel] Shirai devastated.
-[metal rock music] -[crowd cheering]
[inaudible]
-[Mauro] Oh, my god! -[all] Ooh!
-Cat nap, Io Shirai has snapped. -[music stops]
[crowd cheering]
[Nigel] Unleashing a fury of kendo stick shots.
Wait a second.
[Beth] Io opening up Shayna Baszler for more shots.
[Mauro] Oh, my goodness, Io Shirai all over Shayna Baszler.
She may have lost this battle, but she continues to take the fight
to Shayna Baszler.
[Nigel] What a terrible show of sportsmanship.
-What is going on here? -[Mauro] After all she's been put through
by the Horsewomen, you got to be kidding me, Nigel.
-[unintelligible] -[Beth] Io calls for something.
[Nigel] Even Candice LeRae isn't sure about this.
-[Beth] What's Io thinking? -[Nigel] Come on. This is not--
[Mauro] Wow. This is a side of Io Shirai we have never seen before.
-Fighting-- -[all] Ooh!
[crowd cheering]
[Beth] Putting her own body on the line.
[crowd chatter]
[Beth] Shayna Baszler and the Horsewomen pushed Io Shirai to this.
[Mauro] They pushed her over the edge.
[Nigel] That's where she's gone. That's--
-Shirai has snapped. -[Mauro] You know what, guys,
at some point, enough is enough.
Io Shirai snapping post match, sending a message to Shayna Baszler.
Yeah. She may have won this fight tonight,
but there's plenty of fight left in the Genius of the Sky.
[crowd chatter]
[Mauro] Wow. I don't know. Have we ever seen
the NXT Women's Champion in this vulnerable posit--
Look at-- She's the winner of the match, Beth.
[Beth] You could see the welts on Shayna's back.
This is the most pronged we've ever seen her.
[Mauro] Wow.
Shirai leaving her mark literally on the NXT Women's Champion.
-[crowd chatter] -[Shayna groaning in pain]
[crowd chanting]
[Nigel] Baszler escapes with the NXT Women's Championship,
but maybe not her mind.
[metal rock music starts again]
[music fades]
[man] If you don't get nervous for WrestleMania.
It's the be all, end all of what we do.
The man, the myth and the legend.
We are lucky to be joined by Paul "Triple H" Levesque.
[man] I'm so excited you guys are here.
This whole week is just one big adrenaline rush.
[alt rock music]
Oh, this is like a dream.
[alt rock music]
This is your time, your future to take.
Let's do this.
It's a busy week,
but it's what you live for.
[music fades]
[presenter 1] What a night we have for you.
The excitement is pulsating throughout the WWE Universe.
There is a big fight field.
[presenter 2] Every single person on their feet.
I cannot wait to see what happens.
[epic music]
[announcer] NXT UK TakeOver: Cardiff.
Saturday, August 31st. 3 p.m. Eastern, 8 p.m. Greenwich Mean Time.
Streaming live on WWE network.
What a night of action it is gonna be over there.
I am so proud of being with the NXT UK brand
from the very beginning. To be here at TakeOver: XXV,
I can't wait to see NXT UK brand at 25 of their own TakeOvers.
Well, TakeOver: XXV has been magical
bringing out the biggest stage of WWE, Beth.
[Beth] Yes. Taking on the action is our Chief Brand Officer,
Commissioner of Monday Night Raw, Stephanie McMahon.
Stephanie had a busy week lavishing her wishes [unintelligible].
Lesnar is cashing in his money in the bank opportunity this Monday.
Stephanie never misses a chance to serve some competition.
[Mauro] And Stephanie's significant other, yes, the man, mister NXT, Triple H.
It's a tradition. After every TakeOver, he will be on Facebook live immediately
following this momentous night. And we continue as this evening
culminates with the Championship fight.
[Nigel] It was two months ago that Gargano beat Cole
in a two-out-of-three-falls match to become NXT Champion.
Tonight, just one fall to determine whether Gargano returns
or Cole turns Gargano's dream into a cruel nightmare.
It's Cole-Gargano II for the NXT title.
[rock music fades]
[inspirational music]
[man on radio] Now in the studio, NXT Champion,
Cleveland's own Johnny Gargano.
Quite a year for you, I say.
[Johnny] I'm just living a dream every day and I'm extraordinarily lucky.
I don't know how any of this happened.
[crowd cheering]
-[announcer] Oh, wow! -[bell ringing]
[announcer] Johnny Gargano is coming home, the new NXT Champion.
[man] Johnny Gargano coming from Cleveland bringing the NXT Championship home,
I can't even describe it because it's magical.
[announcer] This is what happens when you refuse to take no for an answer.
[Johnny] I like making people believe that anything is possible.
And I stand here proudly, finally, Johnny Champion.
[crowd cheering]
[whirring voice] Shock the system.
I can't stop thinking about TakeOver: New York.
It makes me absolutely sick to my stomach.
[announcer] last shot by Adam Cole.
-Adam Cole wins the first fall. -[crowd] One, two, three!
[Cole] If this was any other NXT Championship match,
Adam Cole would be standing before you
right now being interviewed as the NXT Champion.
The funniest thing to me now is watching Johnny as the Champion.
I beat you in the middle of the ring in New York.
He knows he was never meant to be the NXT Champion.
You did beat me in the first fall.
But then I beat you two straight.
[Cole] I pour my heart out in that ring because I love this.
[Johnny] I walked into TakeOver: New York as Johnny Gargano.
I walked out as Johnny Champion.
If Adam Cole wins, I don't know what happens to NXT.
[Cole] I've taken NXT to new heights with the Undisputed Era.
I want the fame. I want the glory. I want the magazine covers.
There's not a thing that Johnny Gargano can do that is gonna stop me
from getting what's mine.
I'm fighting for the world right now.
[Cole] Johnny's trying to put the weight of the world on his shoulders
and it's crumbling underneath.
[Johnny] Adam Cole has told the world that he can beat me on his own.
For the first time in your life, Cole, tell the truth.
I dare you.
[announcer] Undisputed Era's members proving to be too much.
[Johnny] This is a message for everybody out there.
[announcer] Undisputed Era is going nowhere.
[Cole] As long my heart is still beating, I will not stop
until Johnny's Championship is over my shoulder.
-[Johnny] One-on-one, man to man. -[Cole] Adam Cole…
-[Johnny] Johnny Wrestling. -[Cole] …will be NXT Champion.
That?
That's undisputed.
-[crowd cheering] -[whirring voice] Shock the system.
-[funky music] -[man rapping] ♪ Walk in arenas, ♪
♪ shutting it down, raising the bar. ♪
♪ Y'all look like you get lost just playing the part. ♪
♪ I belong in the light. Y'all can stay in the dark. ♪
♪ Funny how every time they know who we are before we say. ♪
♪ Imma take care of the light work, make the fans go loco. ♪
♪ Black and yellow in the logo, I got the game in a chokehold. ♪
♪ Music drops, everybody put their hands up, they go crazy. ♪
♪ Y'all know just what they say, "Adam Cole, bay-bay." ♪
♪ They won't leave doubt in your mind. This is the moment they waited to have. ♪
♪ They'll knock you out with a punch or a kick, ♪
♪ combo with a jab. I am roddy with the flow. ♪
♪ I am Bobby when I'm bold. I'm Kyle O'Reilly with the gold. ♪
♪ Every title Imma hold. Yeah. ♪
♪ Our era, this is our time. You better recognize. ♪
♪ My lyrics bring the house down where the record lies. ♪
♪ I keep moving. I can prove it. Let me show you how I do it. ♪
♪ Can't refute it. I ain't losing. This flow is undisputed. Boom! ♪
[funky rock music]
-[Mauro] Adam Cole will be-- -[rapper] ♪ Yeah. ♪
♪ Y'all know how it goes, wrestle flow, flow, flow. Yeah. ♪
[crowd cheering]
♪ Yeah, yeah. Y'all know how it goes, wrestle flow, flow, flow, yeah. ♪
-[music fades] -[crowd cheering]
[Mauro] And Adam Cole be looking to hit Johnny Gargano harder
than a diss track in this rematch,
coming off what many ringside observers called
the greatest main event in NXT history.
You think about the illustrious history of this promotion.
-[crowd cheering] -[Nigel] And some competition.
[upbeat pop music]
[Mauro] Johnny Gargano, Johnny Wrestling, Johnny Champion,
and here at TakeOver: XXV, definitely, Johnny TakeOver,
competing in his record, 14th TakeOver.
And he as well may still [unintelligible] a habit.
[Nigel] He certainly has 14 TakeOvers. That's quite a statistic though.
Here's another statistic, the very first title defense
for Johnny Gargano, and just remember,
his first North American title defense, he lost.
[Mauro] Beth, there is some concern.
Is there a Championship tangle to be caught on?
You saw him talk at TakeOver, Adam Cole was pulling across the country,
keeping his skill set sharp. Meanwhile, Johnny Gargano's 15-year journey
culminated with being celebrated by his family and friends in Cleveland.
But you wonder, being at the-- Getting to the top is one thing, Beth.
Staying there is something completely different.
[Beth] Absolutely. I can tell you from experience
that's absolutely true. But one thing I do know
about Johnny Gargano is he is the embodiment of resilience.
This guy has gotten to the top for a reason
and he knows how to stay there.
I had a chance to talk to him earlier
and Johnny says his confidence is at an all-time high.
He's literally living his dream. But that hasn't made him any less hungry.
Hunger is what keeps you at the top.
-[crowd chatter] -[inaudible taunting]
[bell ringing]
The following contest is scheduled for one fall.
It's for the NXT Championship.
[crowd cheering]
Introducing first, the challenger, representing the Undisputed Era,
-Adam Cole! -[crowd erupts in cheers]
And his opponent, from Cleveland, Ohio,
weighing in at 199 pounds,
he is the NXT Champion,
-Johnny Gargano! -[crowd cheering]
[crowd chanting]
[Mauro] The NXT Championship, the most prestigious prize
in the black and gold brand up for grabs.
Johnny Gargano, NXT's Captain Marvel, looking to go higher, further, faster.
Living proof that not all superheroes wear capes, inspiring his legion of fans.
Meanwhile, Adam Cole wants to fulfill his golden prophecy.
[Nigel] Talk of being an inspiration.
[crowd chanting] NXT! NXT!
-[Nigel] Adam Cole-- -[Mauro] Social media buzzing.
And you can be a part of the conversation, #NXTChampionship.
Their first meeting almost broke the Internet.
It was a classic two-out-of-three falls encounter, Adam Cole maintaining.
He won the first fall. In a traditional title match,
he would've been crowned Champion. But Johnny Gargano rebounded
with two straight falls to become Champion.
[Nigel] [unintelligible] If history does repeat itself,
we will see a new NXT Champion here tonight.
[Mauro] Champion's advantage, of course, belongs to Johnny Wrestling,
the whole shebang.
[crowd chanting]
[Mauro] Shoulder tackle by Gargano.
Immediately looking for that Gargano escape avoided by--
Oh! Cole responds with a shoulder tackle.
-[Nigel] Oh, Gargano caught. No. -[Mauro] Rollup.
-[Nigel] Wow. -[Mauro] I guess Cole is looking
for that last shot. Remember, Last Shot was how Cole won the first fall.
[Beth] Great deal of competitive respect between these two men.
[Mauro] An amazing scramble.
[Beth] Gargano's challenge to Cole was to face me on your own,
mano-a-mano, man to man.
[Nigel] That's what Cole has done right now.
And of course, Cole's got to be feeling the pressure.
Three of the other four members of the Undisputed Era
on the losing end of things tonight.
[Mauro] At the first-ever TakeOver, Adrian Neville defending the title
against Tyson Kidd. Seth Rollins, the first-ever NXT Champion.
Johnny Gargano, the fifteenth. Samoa Joe and Shinsuke Nakamura,
the only two-time NXT Champs.
[Nigel] It has been a venerable list certainly of NXT Champions
raising the prestige of that title all around the world.
[Beth] Johnny behaving like a fighting Champion
opening the ropes, wanting Adam Cole to get in here and do it.
[Nigel] Actually, Gargano asked for this rematch,
going to General Manager, William Regal, saying he thought
there was a bull's eye on him anyway. So, let's have the match.
[Mauro] And Johnny Gargano's title victory ranking right up there with dramatic wins
by the likes of Sami Zayn, Bayley, of course.
The ultimate underdogs becoming top dogs.
[Beth] It's no secret Johnny Gargano wants to be the face of NXT for a long time.
-[crowd cheering] -[unintelligible]
[wrestlers groaning]
[Nigel] Tying both the arms of Adam Cole.
No, no, no, no.
-[Nigel] Little neck vise hold on. Cover. -One.
[Mauro] Crucifix there, rolling crucifix and now looking for the Gargano escape.
Working on that left arm of Adam Cole and Cole replies with a ferocious forearm
and there's one from Gargano.
Oh, Cole goes low, but look at Gargano furious striking.
[Beth] This match has just changed pace, guys.
-[referee] Hey, back it up. Come on. -[Mauro] Oh, man, hard-hitting affair.
-[Nigel] Strong strike from Adam Cole.
You mentioned that Championship hangover, Mauro.
Do you see any signs of that, Beth, right now with Johnny Gargano?
[Beth] Gargano's not looking any further than now.
And Adam Cole, he looks the best he's ever had.
Honestly, his confidence is where it needs to be.
-He just has to keep his eye on-- -[Mauro] Oh, rollup by Gargano.
[Beth] Gargano does not underestimate Adam Cole.
[Mauro] On the apron now avoiding that sweep by Cole.
Oh.
[Johnny] Come on, inside the ring.
[Nigel] Nice exchange from both superstars.
Oh, yes, Gargano landed hard, though, on the tumbleweed.
[Mauro] Tumbleweed off the apron by Gargano,
nursing the left arm and hit that shoulder hard.
[Beth] These men know each other so well.
There we're seeing so many reversals and counters.
They've studied and been in the ring with each other.
[Nigel] They've watched that tape back
of their previous match time and time again.
[Mauro] The magnum opus of main events
in NXT's illustrious history at NXT TakeOver: New York.
Cole lands hard on the apron. Gargano now--
Oh, kicking that arm of Cole.
Double [unintelligible], could have hyperextended the elbow.
[groans in pain]
[Nigel] That could be a huge factor.
Taking a look now. Look at the angle of the left arm and the elbow drop.
Did you see the way, as you mentioned though,
almost a hyperextension of the elbow joint?
[Mauro] And of course, this plays into Johnny Gargano's Gargano escape.
[Nigel] This opens up for another submission attempt as well.
Cross arm breaker, big potential here.
-[Beth] Nice methodical style. -[crowd chanting]
[Mauro] Drooling chants by the NXT Universe,
leg drop across the arm.
Cole's shoulders were down momentarily.
This time, a two-count.
[Nigel] I'm not seeing any signs of a Championship hangover here.
I see almost a more confident Johnny Gargano.
[Mauro] A hyper focused attack on that left arm of Adam Cole,
Indian deathlock now.
-[Cole groaning] -[Mauro] Oh, wow.
[Nigel] Cloverleaf with the hammerlock,
[groaning]
now trying to put a little bit more pressure.
[Mauro] Not only targeting the arm but the back.
[Beth] Look at the stoic demeanor on Johnny Gargano's face,
just dismantling Cole's arms.
[Mauro] Splashing across the left arm of Adam Cole.
He's trying to get some feeling into it.
[Nigel] It's been a great strategy from Johnny Gargano to focus
on the left arm with that stomp first, now focusing--
Oh, what nasty kick to the left knee.
[Mauro] And there have been woblings by Gargano.
Maybe Cole targeting that knee,
trying to exploit whatever advantages he may perceive.
[groaning]
[Nigel] Oh, standing arm bar, slip down the back goes Cole.
[Mauro] Oh, the superkick to the calf and Gargano crashes down hard and--
-Wow. -[Nigel] Tit for tat.
-[Beth] Cole-- -[Nigel] Quo.
[Beth] He found that opening and took advantage.
[Mauro] Attacking the back of that knee and again,
Adam Cole targeting the attack on the left leg of Gargano.
Gargano has been focused on Cole's left arm.
These are two Championship pedigree performers,
-two of the best in their craft. -[Nigel] It's the right knee.
-[Mauro] Right knee, thank you! -[Nigel] Where the damage was done.
Cole focusing in it now, laser focus.
[Mauro] I'm left-handed, I'm partial.
[Nigel] I'll let it go then. But, now as Adam Cole carries on with the offense,
-wham! -[Mauro] Oh, my goodness, snapping down.
[Beth] Beautiful DDT to the knee. And Gargano's paying the price.
[Mauro] Wow. Hyperextending the knee now, with that…
-What did you say? -[Mauro] …grip.
-[Nigel] Kneeling knee bar. -What did you say, Johnny?
-[Nigel] Trying to apply pressure. -[Beth] You could see the agony
on Johnny's face, struggling to keep his shoulders off the mat.
[Nigel] Gargano needs all the confidence as Champion he can muster here.
Beth, when you were the Champion, did it give you a confidence,
a belief in yourself?
[Beth] It gives you confidence and also gives you a bit of fear
because you know you can't turn your back, take a break or rest.
Every day that target remains.
[Nigel] One day, one moment right here for Johnny Gargano.
-[Mauro] Forearm. -[Nigel] Oh, yes.
-[Mauro] Cole again attacks that knee. -[Nigel] Wait a second.
[Mauro] And Cole looking for-- Oh, wow. Again, the dropkick to the knee,
laser focus by Adam Cole.
[Nigel] Cole has hit that Panama sunrise, flipping impact.
This time electing for the missile dropkick
to the damaged right knee.
[Mauro] And Johnny Gargano is hurt, in a compromised position here.
And again, you take away the foundation of any wrestler,
and dragon screw leg whip on the injured right knee of Gargano.
Remember, traditional title match, Beth, only one fall to determine
the NXT Champion in this rematch.
-[Nigel] You wonder whether-- -[crowd cheering]
[Nigel] You wonder whether that plays into the psyche of Johnny Gargano as well,
whether he remembers losing the first fall and imagines it happening again.
[Beth] All it takes is three seconds, guys.
A quick rollup and this could be over and we could have a new NXT Champion.
[Mauro] Well, it may also take just verbal capitulation.
If the pain is too much, Gargano may be forced to surrender.
You know that Johnny Gargano in his heart would never do that. But, Nigel--
[Nigel] He could pass out from the pain. We've seen it happen.
Forearms are landing, but look how [unintelligible].
-Cole-- Hold on. -[Mauro] Inside trip, looking for--
-Small package by Adam Cole. -[Beth] Here we go.
[Mauro] Shoulders are down for two.
And again, Cole going back to the knee.
-[Nigel] Panama-- No. -[all] Oh!
[Mauro] power bomb, counter sit-out power bomb by Gargano.
[Nigel] Big misjudgment from Adam Cole.
He jumped too far out.
As we take a look, look how far Cole jumps out.
Perhaps, he was trying for another dropkick. Either way,
Gargano was there to counter the faux pas with a power bomb.
[Mauro] Gargano with an opportunity now.
[Beth] Cole is stunned, Gargano moving that knee,
-trying to get blood back in the area. -[Mauro] Exactly, Beth.
And he needs time here. He needs this momentary rest,
try to get feeling back into that knee. Cole is not gonna give it to him.
Forearm as they exchange shots.
[Nigel] See the way there Gargano covered that,
didn't cover after the second one and that landed strong.
[Mauro] Oh, that time, Gargano avoids the knee attack.
Arm ringer fired back closer to the turnbuckle, wipes out Cole.
Running lariat by Johnny Gargano. Cole back up on his feet.
Overhead belly-to-belly suplex by Gargano.
[Nigel] Adrenaline now coursing through the body.
Roll through,
lands the kick.
[Beth] Huge impact.
Step-up enzuigiri by Johnny Gargano.
Cole though still on his feet.
[Nigel] Little shake off for the leg.
[Mauro] Oh! Flatliner,
-tornado flatliner by Gargano. -[crowd] One, two--
[Mauro] And it results in a two and a half count.
[Nigel] Interesting. Did you see when Gargano tried to pin?
He tried to drive with both legs.
Watch here, tornado, twisting impact, bam! Hooks the legs.
Only one of those legs can drive because the other one,
to all intents and purposes, barely there.
Looking for-- No.
-[crowd cheering] -[wrestlers groaning]
[Mauro] Slingshot spear by Gargano.
-[crowd] One, two-- -[Mauro] And Cole kicks out.
[Beth] Once again, Nigel, Johnny's going back to that knee.
I agree with you. I feel like he can't get the leverage he needs
pushing with both legs with each pin attempt.
[Mauro] Gargano told us for the longest time,
he was horrified to hear the word failure.
But he's come to realize that everyone fails.
It's just a part of life. It's how you rebound that shows
the type of person you are. That's what makes you a Champion.
And that's what makes Johnny Gargano, Johnny Champion.
[Beth] I think you can define it with one word, Mauro. And that's heart.
We're seeing that from Johnny right now.
[Mauro] I've said it before. He has more heart than Valentine's Day.
That's always on full display especially here at TakeOver.
[Nigel] If I was Gargano, I'd more be concerned with my knee,
not my heart at this point. Oh!
Prone. Here we go.
[Mauro] And Adam Cole on Johnny Gargano,
again on the receiving end of a Panama sunrise
at NXT TakeOver: New York. Adam Cole looking for the avalanche.
[Beth] Cole's in a bad spot. -[Mauro] Gargano holding on
to that top rope. escape by Cole, back kick by Gargano.
-[all] Oh! -[Mauro] Right into the backstabber.
-Back press, hooks the leg. -[crowd] One, two--
Do we have a new Champion? No.
[Nigel] A lot of impact. That took a lot of the starch.
Take a look here, a beautiful lying in wait, wham!
Backstabber right between the shoulder blades.
-[crowd] One, two-- -[Nigel] Gargano kicks out.
[Mauro] Gargano was looking for that diving back elbow drop,
justly countered by Adam Cole.
[Nigel] Now, Cole living up to the challenge of Johnny Gargano,
taking on Gargano one-on-one.
-But perhaps-- Oh, as we see-- -[Mauro] Oh, a knee in midair by Gargano.
-[Nigel] Good knee. -[Mauro] Cole saying the Undisputed Era
-would be dripping in gold in 2019. -[Beth] Cole caught him.
[Mauro] Cole looking for his opportunity here to secure gold.
Gargano lands on that injured knee, blocks that strike.
Kick by Gargano--
Oh, enzuigiri by Cole rattling Johnny Gargano.
Torture rack,
burning hammer into a face crusher across the knee.
Cole with the cover, hooks the leg.
Wow! Gargano escapes yet again.
[Nigel] Interesting strategy with the pinfall there.
Take a look here, burning hammer.
Instead of electing all the way to the mat,
at the last second, out comes the knee. Oh, right underneath the jaw.
[Mauro] And Cole thought he had just become NXT Champion.
The look on his face beginning to show signs of frustration,
has to keep his emotions in check.
[Beth] Speaking of looks on faces, Gargano looks pretty dazed right now.
[Mauro] Cole on that second turnbuckle,
Gargano holding on, trying to stop that high-risk move.
[Nigel] Gargano's hurt. I can tell you from experience,
when you see that look on an opponent's face,
-you know they're hurt, they're weary. -[Mauro] Oh!
-[Nigel] They should be. -[Mauro] Leap frog by Cole,
lands on his feet, Gargano coming forward. They both were-- Wow, looking for lariat.
Oh, man [unintelligible] and a pump fake, superkick but another kick from Gargano.
Oh, my.
-Cole again on that turnbuckle. -[Nigel] This is the time.
-[all] Oh! -[Mauro] The timing on that superkick
sends Cole crashing in a heap to the outside.
[crowd cheering]
[crowd chanting] NXT! NXT!
[Mauro] We are in the throes of another barn burner
of an NXT Championship match.
Gargano struggling to get to his feet, Cole on his feet
and they both went for superkicks.
[crowd chanting] This is awesome!
[Mauro] Champion's advantage. Cole has to get Gargano back into the ring
if he wants to become Champion.
If it's a double count-out, Beth, Gargano keeps the title.
[Beth] Absolutely, we see Cole going for it here and Gargano hasn't scouted.
These two rivals, it was unfortunate happening
for Adam Cole bringing to the outside to get a breather.
But then you can see these two men have the same idea on their mind,
-double superkick. -[Mauro] The referee is up to seven.
[crowd] Eight, nine!
[Mauro] Oh, Cole able to break the count. Gargano on the apron. Slingshot DDT!
Slingshot DDT by Johnny Gargano.
Adam Cole kicks out.
[Beth] How close was that pinfall attempt?
[Nigel] What a brilliant move from Johnny Gargano.
Instead of just to let him to roll in to break the count,
he knew that Cole was gonna break count.
So, he tried his own offensive move
and very nearly retained the title with it.
-Incredible NXT Universe here. -[Mauro] TakeOver XXV.
This landmark event, an en fuego crowd for the NXT Championship.
Johnny Gargano defending the title against the man he defeated
to become new Champion at TakeOver: New York.
-[Beth] That's the-- -[Mauro] Fight forever, indeed.
[Beth] That's the previously injured elbow.
[Mauro] Looking for the chop block.
Gargano with a double stomp to the back of Cole's neck.
[Nigel] Cole is woozy and staggered. This is Gargano's opportunity.
He won't get it though.
[crowd cheering]
[Nigel] Well, look at that. Did you see that?
[all] Oh!
[Nigel] Gargano had a hesitation because of the injured knee.
[Mauro] Oh, ushigoroshi on the outside. Cole.
-[Beth] Cole may have been playing possum. -[Mauro] Adam Cole looking to become
the new NXT Champion. And another ushigoroshi! Wow.
This has to be it. He's hooked the leg.
What the-- Gargano, I said time and time again.
You have to-- Someone has to check his DNA. He's no mere mortal.
For the amount of punishment Johnny Gargano is able to withstand,
-it's incredible. -[Nigel] There's a little bit of fight
left in the dog, but if you look at the NXT Champion,
he's making it as clear as day: the right knee,
this is where Cole has to focus.
[Mauro] Captain Marvel indeed, Beth.
[Beth] This is a crucial moment for Adam Cole.
Can he capitalize on the previous damage done?
[Mauro] And he climbs to the second turnbuckle.
Gargano on his feet, Cole blocks the kick, drops the elbow to that injured leg.
-[Beth] Oh, my god. -[Mauro] Shoulder first. Shoulder first.
Oh, my god.
[Nigel] Nasty landing. Now follows up.
-[Beth] Oh! -[Mauro] Into the Gargano escape.
Johnny Gargano looking for the Gargano escape.
[Beth] He [unintelligible] it!
[Mauro] Will Gargano remain king of NXT?
[Nigel] With the arm, the injured arm locked into the Gargano escape.
-How-- Look at this. -[Mauro] Look at Cole
-attacking the injured leg. -[Nigel] Applying pressure.
[Mauro] Spinning toe hold. Looking for the figure-four leg lock!
[Nigel] Oh, the figure-four on the injured right knee.
You can see it is the right leg of Johnny Gargano.
[Mauro] Figure-four leg lock has won many Championships
for the legendary Nature Boy Ric Flair. Will it lead to Adam Cole
being coronated here tonight?
[Nigel] The torque on the cruciate ligaments now--
-One, two-- -[Mauro] Gargano shoulders down
but he pops up.
[Nigel] You said Gargano would never tap out, Mauro.
He might pass out if he stays in this hold much longer.
I can't. I can't! Give up, Johnny.
[Mauro] Putting all the pressure
on that injured right leg with the figure-four.
Shoulders down again and Gargano able somehow--
Still has the wherewithal to follow the cadence on the referee's count.
[Beth] You know, this is such a painful position to be in,
the sharp part of your ankle bone across the knee,
-everything about this hurts. -[Mauro] Incredible.
[Nigel] This is one of the holds that stood the tide of time.
-[Mauro] Oh, my god. -[Nigel] Oh, this is bad for Adam Cole.
[Mauro] Fortuitous break for Cole to be so close to that bottom rope.
[Nigel] But more damage done to the right knee of Johnny Gargano.
[Mauro] And to the left arm of Adam Cole.
[Nigel] When you reverse a figure-four leg lock,
it actually puts more pressure on the front of your knee, the patella.
[Mauro] But there are no victims here, only volunteers in order to become
or to retain the NXT Championship.
[Nigel] Both superstars now.
[Mauro] Oh! And oh--
[Nigel] Cole, first dive to the leg.
[Mauro] Bad knee to bad shoulder.
There's a relatively healthy right hand and a healthy left leg in there.
-[unintelligible] -[Nigel] Vicious.
-[Beth] This-- -[Mauro] …pound by Cole.
-[Beth] This just became a scram. -[Mauro] Oh, my god.
Spike-- Spiking the injured knee.
-[Beth] The referee checking on Gargano. -[Mauro] Oh, Cole exposing the knee now.
-Removing the pad. -[all] Oh!
-[Johnny groans in pain] -[Nigel] Vicious strike to the knee joint.
-[Mauro] Oh, my. -[Nigel] And again.
Johnny Gargano is a wounded man.
[crowd cheering]
[Nigel] And the NXT Universe trying to win on the Champion.
[crowd cheering]
[Mauro] And again, [unintelligible]. Looking for that spinning toe hold,
Adam Cole gets kicked out to the ring buying Johnny Gargano some time.
Oh, my god. Spike DDT. The impact DDT by Johnny Gargano.
[Nigel] But again, Cole rolls to the outside.
[Beth] Gargano could take the count-out.
-But that's not-- -[Nigel] Look at the impact
-on top of the spine. -[Mauro] I'd normally say
return your setbacks to their full upright and lock position.
-Is Johnny Gargano gonna fly? -[all] Oh! Oh!
[Mauro] Oh, my god!
Crash and burn big time.
[crowd cheering]
[Mauro] Man, the timing of Adam Cole indeed makes [unintelligible] jealous,
catching Gargano in the middle of that tope suicida.
[Nigel] Might've destroyed Gargano's face.
[Mauro] Oh, and there's the sunrise, Panama's sunrise.
Are we seeing the sunset of the Championship reign
of Johnny Gargano?
[Nigel] He has to get Gargano in the ring.
He has to get Gargano in the ring.
[Mauro] A Panama's sunrise on the outside.
[Nigel] This is it. New Champion.
-New Champion. -[Mauro] One, two-- Oh, my god!
Are you kidding me?
[crowd cheering]
[Mauro] What the hell is Johnny Gargano made off?
[Nigel] Wham! The impact with the Panama's sunrise
and the wherewhital of Adam Cole to get his opponent back in the ring.
[crowd cheering]
Johnny, it's over. You had your moment.
You had your special moment. Now, it's time for mine.
[Mauro] Adam Cole telling Gargano he had his special moment.
Now, it's time for Adam Cole's last shot. Oh, Gargano avoided it.
Gargano's looking for the Gargano escape.
What the hell? What the hell?
[Nigel] Oh. What a way.
What a way to win the title.
[Mauro] Adam Cole has the Gargano escape on Johnny Gargano.
But Gargano rolls through the escape. Oh, my god. Gargano just hit the last shot
and will this be it?
Another epic encounter here at TakeOver XXV.
[crowd cheering] NXT! NXT!
-[Nigel] Two-- -[Beth] These two men have set out
-to absolutely destroy each other. -[Nigel] Two gladiators
meeting in the center of the ring.
[Mauro] The NXT Universe in full-loaded excitement.
They may have to fight forever to determine who walks out NXT Champion.
What an-- And they say the sequel never lives up to the original.
Not tonight. A scintillating, sublime sequel, scintillating strikes.
[Nigel] Neither superstars willing to quit.
[Mauro] Oh, what a front kick to the face, on the rebound,
another kick and making a-- Oh! What a lariat by Gargano.
[Beth] Bodies are not supposed to bend in that way.
[Mauro] Forget the-- Oh, superkick by Cole, Cole has--
Now Gargano with the superkick.
Reverse rana, reverse rana spike. Now, he's back to--he's back to his feet.
-[Nigel] What? -[Mauro] Last shot. Oh, my god!
-Last shot, Adam Cole. -[crowd] One, two, thr--
-Oh, Gargano escapes. -[crowd cheering]
[Mauro] The energy in this building, it's electric.
[Nigel] Take a look here. Reverse rana,
an adrenaline spike is the only explanation.
Wham! Driving the last shot to the back of the neck.
Somehow, out the back door.
[Beth] And the look on Cole's face says it all.
-[crowd chanting] -[Beth] Absolute shock.
-[Mauro] This-- -I had him pinned.
-It was over and you know it. -[referee] No, it wasn't.
[unintelligible]
-You know what, Drake? -[Mauro] Cole having issues
-with the referee. -Okay, Drake. That's fine.
You want me to beat Johnny?
I'll beat him then.
-[Mauro] He's gonna risk disqualification. -I'll beat him for you.
Hey, you can't take that in the ring. -I can smell--
What you are doing? Come on. You cannot take that in.
-Hey, hey, hey. -[Beth] Cole's not thinking clearly.
No. You can't take it in the ring. I'm a referee. Do you think I'm crazy?
[Mauro] Oh, wow.
Gargano was looking to take out Cole, he just took out the referee.
[crowd cheering]
[Nigel] This changes things.
[crowd chatter]
[Mauro] Oh, Gargano avoids that chair strike and a superkick
with the chair in the face of Cole.
Rolls him back in the ring, but there's no referee.
[crowd chanting] One, two, three, four,
five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten!
Instead of "fight forever," they may be able to count for him,
but the referee is out of commission.
[Nigel] It was not a mistake from Johnny Gargano,
he had to know the official was down.
[Mauro] In the heat of the competition, he was looking to out Cole.
-Referee was collateral damage-- -Wait a second.
[Mauro] What-- What's Adam Cole doing?
Is he summoning the rest of the Undisputed Era?
Oh, Gargano is gonna be ready for them.
[crowd chatter]
Of course, it's a shade of what went down in TakeOver: New York
where the numbers advantage almost cost Johnny Gargano the title then.
[Beth] Gargano said, "Walking into this, I need to be ready for four-on-one."
[Mauro] Oh, wow.
Mind games has caught-- Suckered Gargano in.
-Is he gonna vacuum up the title? -[crowd] One, two--
Oh, wow. So close.
[Nigel] What a brilliant maneuver from Adam Cole
to trick Johnny Gargano to think that the rest
of the Undisputed Era were coming out here.
And as soon as Gargano realized he's being tricked, it was too late.
[Mauro] Johnny Gargano barely stirring in a supine position,
Cole looking to cover and look-- Or is he?
The referee getting back up to his feet finally.
-[crowd chanting] This is awesome! -[Mauro] This is awesome, this is NXT!
[Nigel] With one arm,
-here it comes! -[Mauro] Oh, Gargano.
-[Nigel] Wow. He's out. -[Mauro] Wow, that--
[Mauro] He's out, that's right, Nigel. You know what,
that may have been beneficial, him falling face first like this
because he was gonna be on the receiving end of another last shot.
[Nigel] At some point, Mauro,
the referee could stop this thing if he can't intelligently defend himself.
His eyes are open, he's okay for now.
It's over.
[Mauro] Oh, it's not over, but it might be for Adam Cole,
Johnny Gargano has him in the Gargano escape.
[Nigel] Look at the-- Look at that, Gargano using his only good knee to drive.
-[Beth] Is Cole gonna tap? -[Nigel] Brilliant.
[Mauro] Cole trying to crawl, trying to crawl his way to the rope,
Gargano rolls him back into the center of the ring.
-[Beth] He's got it cinched. -[Mauro] Adam Cole in trouble.
-[Nigel] Gargano's legs. Adam Cole. -[Mauro] Oh, look at Cole
targeting the knee, there's the ring IQ of Adam Cole.
There is the high ring IQ of the leader of the Undisputed Era.
[nIGEL] Gargano couldn't plant that knee in the submission attempt,
-Cole took advantage of it. -[Mauro] Cole's going back
to that second turnbuckle, Panama's sun-- No!
Gargano drops down, shoulders down, two count, reversal by Cole.
[Nigel] Oh, his leg gave away completely. Gargano is done.
-Gargano is done. -[Mauro] Panama's sunrise.
-That's it. -[Nigel] That's it.
[Mauro] That sun is gonna set on the title reign of Johnny Gargano.
-Last shot! Last shot! -[Nigel] It's over!
[crowd] One, two, three!
-[bell ringing] -[Mauro] We have a new NXT Champion.
[ring announcer] Here is your winner and new NXT Champion,
Adam Cole!
[Mauro] The golden prophecy has been realized,
the coronation of Adam Cole is complete.
[rock music]
[Nigel] And Adam Cole, the leader of the Undisputed Era,
did it all on his own!
[Mauro] And here at TakeOver XXV,
Adam Cole is dripping in gold.
What another instant classic. It's a broken record then.
But the bar, as Nigel said in the beginning of the night,
continues to be raised higher and higher
and Adam Cole has reached the highest heights
of his already superlative career.
[crowd cheering]
[Beth] What a showing for Johnny Gargano, showed so much heart and passion.
But it wasn't enough to maintain the NXT Championship reign.
[Nigel] This was a pivotal moment in the match here.
The official arguing with Cole, oh, did not see Gargano coming
with that tope.
Did his best to try to get the victory, but look here, Adam Cole acted
like he was beckoning in the Undisputed Era.
Look at the reaction of Gargano. That gave Cole the opportunity,
he took it, and finally, wham!
Panama's sunrise, followed it up, oh! Last shot to the back of the neck,
and with the hook on two legs…
Yes, it is the special moment for Adam Cole.
[Mauro] And in the [unintelligible] of title reign of Adam Cole--
or make that Johnny Gargano, the last shot was the final shot
as the rest of the members of the Undisputed Era storm the ring
to fetch their new Champion.
[rock music]
[crowd cheering]
[Nigel] Talk about coming from behind.
[Mauro] Adam Cole joins Johnny Gargano
as the only triple crown Champions in NXT history.
The inaugural North American Champion,
the same night [unintelligible] injured Bobby Fish won--
Retained the Tag Team titles with Kyle O'Reilly,
and then tonight at TakeOver XXV,
Adam Cole is king.
The Undisputed Era shocks the system again.
Adam Cole is the NXT Champion, baby.
Subtitles by: Maria Virginia Conte & Rocio Sileo h won--