NXT Takeover Brooklyn III (Discussion/Predictions)

Bosch will you be doing the predictions for NXT as well as Summerslam? If so, just add them on to this if you like, and if you're not on until late we can skip the bonus questions. Thought i'd add this incase people want to do match predictions anyway and then carry on in to discussion, as this is a landmark show for NXT.

The line up:

Johnny Gargano vs. Andrade "Cien" Almas
Aleister Black vs. Hideo Itami
The Authors of Pain vs. Sanity (NXT Tag Team Championship)
Asuka vs. Ember Moon (NXT Women's Championship)
Bobby Roode vs. Drew McIntyre (NXT Championship)

I suspect there could be more with both Pete Dunne and Trent Seven attending, so maybe predict that match in case it happens.

Pete Dunne vs Trent Seven
Pete Dunne

Johnny Gargano vs. Andrade "Cien" Almas
Andrade Almas

Aleister Black vs. Hideo Itami
Aleister Black

The Authors of Pain vs. Sanity (NXT Tag Team Championship)
AOP

Asuka vs. Ember Moon (NXT Women's Championship)
Asuka

Bobby Roode vs. Drew McIntyre (NXT Championship)
Drew McIntyre

i forgot bout it tbh nut its here so will added it up from this

Pete Dunne vs Trent Seven
Pete Dunne

Johnny Gargano vs. Andrade "Cien" Almas
Andrade Almas

Aleister Black vs. Hideo Itami
Aleister Black

The Authors of Pain vs. Sanity (NXT Tag Team Championship)
Sanity

Asuka vs. Ember Moon (NXT Women's Championship)
Ember Moon

Bobby Roode vs. Drew McIntyre (NXT Championship)
Drew McIntyre

I'm watching it at the moment, and I think I'll be watching in bits and pieces over the next few days...

Almas vs gargano - great opening match. Really enjoyed it, only criticism is the number of kick-outs. It just seems that it went down the RoH 'epic' match lay-out with huge moves, kick-out, huge move, kick-out, repeat. Gargano is a natural face, really like his work, and the slingshot DDT he pulled off from the apron was a thing of beauty. I couldn't help thinking it should be his finisher, though, and not a transition move.

Authors of Pain vs Sanity - watching as I type. I've not watched NXT in a while, but the improvement in AoP is stunning. They look like pro's now, and green as hell anymore. Without questoin, their best match - and the table spot with Nikki Cross is great. And shit, they (AoP) just lost!

2 matches in, this has been great so far. Summerslam is going to have to go some to top this so far.

Big interference afterwards! Bobby Fish and Kyle Reilly are out, the tag division suddenly got really interesting again! Apologies for not knowing which is which, but the guy in red trunks throws some fantastic looking punches.

Stopping now, but Itami vs Black is a war. Hadn't realised Itami is supposed to be a heel now? But bloody hell, the kick Black wins either looks like it connected and knocked him out. First time I've thought Itami lived up to his reputation.

I finished watching it SS will have to do something special to beat that show as usual another great NxT PPV which was outstanding.

As for the ending don't look inside

Spoiler:

Considering I've not watched NXT for a good while that was a good PPV. There is something so simple and effective about NXT. It's starting to even look better than regular WWE as well (WWE have cut production values while NXT still improves). And the fact they don't fight each other every week, but mostly save it for the PPV makes every match mean more and every wrestler seem more like a legitimate fighter. The video packages set everything up that you need to know, and the execution of the stories within the matches were everything they needed to be without going too far.

I like Almas, from what I've seen he has grown into looking like a real sleeper talent, possibly overlooked, but will probably be a big star in WWE. The addition of a manager is probably all he needed, and they didn't over book the ending, it was just a simple, quick, and relevant to another storyline distraction to give Almas a few seconds to turn the tide. It was a bit ROH, at times it looked like it had been drilled in to Gargano to do that kind of thing, instead of drawing it out for a moment.

the Itami character development makes sense and works. I had no idea he'd be heel, but after failing while everyone else moves on, getting injured, resentment building, it just made sense and both of those guys looked like stars, Black looks like a mega star though. Black probably came out of the show with the most gained, apart from Asuka and Moon, who just stole the show especially with the crowd reactions.

Speaking of stars, Roode and his entrance... He just can't miss time anything. It was stupidly long, and he milked every second, and on every musical marker he nailed his positioning and poses, He is ready. A few Ric Flair nods more than usual with the odd strut, and even a faceplant outside the ring. Roode just has that feel about him that he is the most important guy in the room at the moment.

Mcintyre. The crowd aren't that bothered, which is funny if a they are the more "indy" crowd. They sure seemed to care more about 3MB than the work he did outside of WWE. He has a hybrid style now, and is currently in absolute beast mode. That dead lift suplex throw was Cesaro like strength, real strength backed up by looking strong is a good sign. Some guys in WWE look strong but aren't really that good at lifting people, and Cesaro is superhuman but doesn't have the mass. If Vince liked him back in the day, he will love him now.

It was just a good event though. Every match had it's own worth, everything mattered to everyone involved, and now the production value is at least on par with WWE, and talent all look comfortable with the cameras and hit their marks. I imagined if SANITY were called up to WWE, someone would mess it up with something really simple like, they come out in the dark so you can't really pick out much and the lights just catch them right so they have an aura, but in WWE it would be tweaked so the entrance was too well lit and it would just look stupid lol. That's what I feel is one difference in the way they do the shows, WWE over tweaks things that already work to try and squeeze something more out of something, (Finn when he came out with tassels on Raw for an old example)

Ready to be disappointed by most of Summerslam now, unless they just let the talent (that is capable) do what they can do to top NXT without too much interference. New Day vs Uso's on the Pre show we learned on NXT too haha?

Haven't watched NxT since nakamaura lost the title to roode. A mate told me about it saw give it another go. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Willing to start watching it again.

Not sure WarGames is worth another thread lol.

Alexander Wolfe is still awesome though haha.

It was a good PPV. Not the best takeover event but watchable. Black v Dream was match of the night in my opinion.

It was good, yeah. It didn't draw me in like the others have though.

Black vs Dream did great things for both guys. Showed Black also has the character, and Dream also has the physicality. Mirrored each others stronger traits well.

I really quite liked the Almas match too. (I'm an Almas mark anyway, and I have a feeling hhh is grooming him to be the next Eddie) I felt it was the best overall wrestling match, even though there were a few things off and at the end Drew kept hold of the rope and fucked his arm up. Before the injury I was hoping someone got on the refs earpiece to change it to an Almas win (if Drew was set to retain), as it just felt right he should win, but we sort of got that shock moment anyway. His face is priceless. If Drew is out, they could even use the momentum to position Almas as the top face. It felt like a natural face turn in a way, the fans definitely turned.

Bit late to the party on this one, but watching it in bits.

Velveteen Dream is awesome. I really hope he doesn't make it to the main roster anytime soon, I can't see that he'd be used well in any way. He'd end up the next Tyler Breeze after a month.