Welcome to the Mastermind Analysis review of NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn II. The thoughts and opinions expressed below are those of The Mastermind only, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts and opinions of the entire F4R team. Let us know what you think in the comments, or by getting involved on Facebook! But for now, on with the show...
Pre-PPV Thoughts
We are barely 2 months on from the only TakeOver show of 2016, but I can safely say the mood has changed in Camp Mastermind. Before TakeOver: The End, I was complaining about how the Main Roster had stolen the majority of NXT talent, leaving a depleted roster to fill out the show. Since then, NXT has once again done a stellar job of building interesting characters for the viewed to invest in. Combined with the jaw-droppingly good Cruiserweight Classic (potentially the ‘new’ NXT?), the WWE Underground scene has had a much needed shot of adrenaline and I am looking forward to what this year’s Brooklyn show has to offer!
No Way Jose vs Austin Aries
Prediction: When Austin Aries debuted in NXT, I was hoping they would choose a side for him and stick to it. Unfortunately he’s been with the company a handful of months and has already had his first turn. Whilst he is equally brilliant at both, I fear they may start using him in the same vein as Big Show and just turn him to suit whoever he is paired with. I like the fire that NWJ has shown recently on NXT TV, but I am going for an A Double win this time out.
Match Analysis: Not a bad match, but not a strong match either. There was a few clunky spots in the middle section of the match, and the crowd completely lost interest in the match when Ric Flair turned up halfway through. The crowd were hot for the finish, but I can't help but feel sorry for No Way Jose. As the babyface the crowd should be behind you in the match but he just hasn't got over as much as Aries has in his career. If you ask me, Aries needs to channel Attitude Era Stone Cold, maintain his bad-ass sensibilities but let the crowd have a genuine chance to cheer for him, for the right reasons. The post match angle with Hideo Itami was well placed. If Aries is to continue as a heel, then Itami could be the best fit as the crowd are bound to cheer for him.
[**1/2]
Ember Moon vs TBC (Billie Kay)
Prediction: At the time of writing, there is no challenger for the debuting Ember Moon. In my typically honest fashion I will admit to not having a clue who Ember Moon is. I’ve loved the video packages hyping her debut, I like the mystic vibe both her name and the VPs have had. I am fully expecting her to beat whoever she is up against – my guess is Billie Kay who has been pushed on NXT TV recently. It depends if Ember is going to be face or heel really – although pretty much every debutant starts as a face. If she comes in as a heel, I’d expect her to face Liv Morgan.
Match Analysis: Wow, I wasn't expecting to be impressed by Ember Moon, but I was actually blown away by her debut. She was athletic, sold well, and unveiled an awesome finishing move that the crowd wasn't expecting. Billie Kay held her own quite well, but the outcome was never in doubt.
[***]
Andrade ‘Cien’ Almas vs Bobby Roode
Prediction: For any non-muso’s reading this, Bobby Roode is the perfect example of how important Entrance Music is in professional wrestling. The guy hasn’t competed in NXT yet, but he is already more over than half of the roster on his music alone! As a long time TNA fan, I am more than aware of what B-Roo is capable of. Much like Aries, I feel he had achieved everything he could have possibly achieved in TNA, so hopefully NXT will prove to be a healthy challenge. Unlike Aries however, I feel Bobby has definite Main Roster potential given the right opportunities to shine in NXT. I am 100% behind Roode on this one. I’m just glad he’s started off heel in the company – even if that did mean a terribly awkward (and obviously over-scripted) opening promo in front of the Full Sail crowd a few weeks ago.
Match Analysis: This match was #Glorious right up until the final move of the match - more on that in a minute. Bobby Roode proved tonight that everything he is every bit of the superstar he threatened to be in TNA. His entrance was a perfect embodiment of his charachter. He started off above everyone and was brought down to everyone elses level, a king among men if you will. He looked a million dollars, he walked like a million dollars, I would not be suprised if we see Roode walking out at the next Wrestlemania. Now, after all that... Why the fuck give anybody the finishing move of a fucking Pump Handle Slam?!?!?! It was a terrible finisher for Road Dogg, but it's even worse for Bobby Roode. I hope they fix it, and I hope they fix it soon because that match deserved a better ending than that. And is it just me, or are the 2 ex-TNA guys the most over wrestlers on the show so far...?
[***1/2]
The Revival © vs Johnny Gargano & Tomasso Ciampa
Prediction: The NXT Tag Team roster is arguably the worst hit part of NXT as far as Main Roster call ups go. American Alpha, Enzo & Cass, The Vaudevillains… all solid players in the division, who have been called up. Blake & Murphy – although not serious contenders – are in the process of being split up… This leaves the relatively new and unestablished TM61 and Authors of Pain as the only other dawgs in the yard. I would fully expect Roode & Aries to team up sometime in the near future to rekindle the magic they had in TNA as the Dirty Heels. Despite Gargano & Ciampa’s recent rise to internet stardom thanks to their #GloriousBomb (which I fucking LOVE!), and their Match of the Year contender on the CWC, I don’t think The Revival are ready to lose their belts just yet. I’m not sure if these 4 will have the same chemistry as The Revival had with American Alpha, but this certainly going to be a match I am watching very, very closely…
Match Analysis: Another brilliant NXT Tag Team Title match. The Revival are just so damn good at everything they do. They are so good at cutting off hot tags and finding ways to distract the referee. It took a while to get going, but the false finishes down the home stretch had me on the edge of my seat, which is exactly where you should be during wrestling matches. THe night so far has started off ok, and has steadily improved with each match. Great night so far, but is the best still to come...?
[****]
Asuka © vs Bayley
Prediction: Much like No Way Jose, I loved the edgier attitude that Bayley showed in the recent contract signing with Asuka on NXT TV. While Bayley may have peaked in NXT, I would still fully expect her to put on another Brooklyn performance for the ages here. We all know Asuka has the skills to pay the bills, and while I should expect her to retain the title, there’s a small seed of doubt in the back of my mind, given Bayleys no-show in the WWE Draft recently. To me, it makes sense for her to head straight to Raw or Smackdown, but if the rumours are to be believed, her recent appearance at Battleground was a one-off for the time being. Despite my heart saying Bayley, I am going to stick with my head telling me that logically, Asuka will retain here.
Match Analysis: Another strong womens match, but I don't think Asuka and Bayley have the same chemistry as Sasha and Bayley. It was a good back and forth contest but it didn't seem to ever break out of 3rd gear. There were a handful of strong near-falls, but for me there was a lack of big spots to really make it a memorable match. Could this have been Bayleys swan song in NXT?
[***]
Samoa Joe © vs Shinsuke Nakamura
Prediction: On the recent Draft episode of Figure 4 Radio’s podcasts, I picked both Joe and Nakamura for my own brand and immediately booked them in a match against each other (Last Man Standing for those interested). I am thrilled to see my own personal match pairing come to life here. While it may not be of any special stipulation, this match has definite Match of the Year potential – and that is not a phrase I throw around lightly! After watching Joe for what feels like eternity in TNA, I’m finding his matches are becoming rather predictable. He’s falling into the John Cena style, but instead of 5 Moves of Doom, he does 5 Spots of Doom. Luckily, Shinsuke Nakamura is able to provide a new challenge for many high profile wrestlers. His style in the ring gives an abundance of opportunity to do new things. Their recent confrontation on NXT was one of the intense match set-ups I’ve seen since the massive pull-apart brawl between Brock Lesnar and the Undertaker. Shinsuke isn’t just poking a sleeping bear… he is leaning through the bars with a tazer despite the bear being awake and roaring in his face. In my recent fantasy draft, I booked these 2 to reach a double elimination and in fact I wouldn’t be surprised to see some sort of technical draw here. If I had to pick a winner, I would go with Shinsuke as it doesn’t feel like he is ready to take a major loss… But in this instance I would love the night to end with a double knockout, both guys lying motionless on the canvas after going toe-to-toe for 30 minutes.
Match Analysis: The opening 2 or 3 minutes of the contest were exactly what I was expecting from the entire match but they seemed to cool off for the rest of the match. I was expecting the whole match to be 100mph for the entirity, putting on a match of violence to rival that of UFC. But after a tense pre-match face-off, and a few strong shots thrown to open the contest, they just seemed to settle back into a normal wrestling match. I missed the fire and the tenacity between the 2 that was shown in the build up. Still, not a bad match but once again nothing too memorable as far as big moments or spots go - apart from the kick-outs of the Kinshasa and Muscle Buster, maybe?
[***1/2]
We are barely 2 months on from the only TakeOver show of 2016, but I can safely say the mood has changed in Camp Mastermind. Before TakeOver: The End, I was complaining about how the Main Roster had stolen the majority of NXT talent, leaving a depleted roster to fill out the show. Since then, NXT has once again done a stellar job of building interesting characters for the viewed to invest in. Combined with the jaw-droppingly good Cruiserweight Classic (potentially the ‘new’ NXT?), the WWE Underground scene has had a much needed shot of adrenaline and I am looking forward to what this year’s Brooklyn show has to offer!
No Way Jose vs Austin Aries
Prediction: When Austin Aries debuted in NXT, I was hoping they would choose a side for him and stick to it. Unfortunately he’s been with the company a handful of months and has already had his first turn. Whilst he is equally brilliant at both, I fear they may start using him in the same vein as Big Show and just turn him to suit whoever he is paired with. I like the fire that NWJ has shown recently on NXT TV, but I am going for an A Double win this time out.
Match Analysis: Not a bad match, but not a strong match either. There was a few clunky spots in the middle section of the match, and the crowd completely lost interest in the match when Ric Flair turned up halfway through. The crowd were hot for the finish, but I can't help but feel sorry for No Way Jose. As the babyface the crowd should be behind you in the match but he just hasn't got over as much as Aries has in his career. If you ask me, Aries needs to channel Attitude Era Stone Cold, maintain his bad-ass sensibilities but let the crowd have a genuine chance to cheer for him, for the right reasons. The post match angle with Hideo Itami was well placed. If Aries is to continue as a heel, then Itami could be the best fit as the crowd are bound to cheer for him.
[**1/2]
Ember Moon vs TBC (Billie Kay)
Prediction: At the time of writing, there is no challenger for the debuting Ember Moon. In my typically honest fashion I will admit to not having a clue who Ember Moon is. I’ve loved the video packages hyping her debut, I like the mystic vibe both her name and the VPs have had. I am fully expecting her to beat whoever she is up against – my guess is Billie Kay who has been pushed on NXT TV recently. It depends if Ember is going to be face or heel really – although pretty much every debutant starts as a face. If she comes in as a heel, I’d expect her to face Liv Morgan.
Match Analysis: Wow, I wasn't expecting to be impressed by Ember Moon, but I was actually blown away by her debut. She was athletic, sold well, and unveiled an awesome finishing move that the crowd wasn't expecting. Billie Kay held her own quite well, but the outcome was never in doubt.
[***]
Andrade ‘Cien’ Almas vs Bobby Roode
Prediction: For any non-muso’s reading this, Bobby Roode is the perfect example of how important Entrance Music is in professional wrestling. The guy hasn’t competed in NXT yet, but he is already more over than half of the roster on his music alone! As a long time TNA fan, I am more than aware of what B-Roo is capable of. Much like Aries, I feel he had achieved everything he could have possibly achieved in TNA, so hopefully NXT will prove to be a healthy challenge. Unlike Aries however, I feel Bobby has definite Main Roster potential given the right opportunities to shine in NXT. I am 100% behind Roode on this one. I’m just glad he’s started off heel in the company – even if that did mean a terribly awkward (and obviously over-scripted) opening promo in front of the Full Sail crowd a few weeks ago.
Match Analysis: This match was #Glorious right up until the final move of the match - more on that in a minute. Bobby Roode proved tonight that everything he is every bit of the superstar he threatened to be in TNA. His entrance was a perfect embodiment of his charachter. He started off above everyone and was brought down to everyone elses level, a king among men if you will. He looked a million dollars, he walked like a million dollars, I would not be suprised if we see Roode walking out at the next Wrestlemania. Now, after all that... Why the fuck give anybody the finishing move of a fucking Pump Handle Slam?!?!?! It was a terrible finisher for Road Dogg, but it's even worse for Bobby Roode. I hope they fix it, and I hope they fix it soon because that match deserved a better ending than that. And is it just me, or are the 2 ex-TNA guys the most over wrestlers on the show so far...?
[***1/2]
The Revival © vs Johnny Gargano & Tomasso Ciampa
Prediction: The NXT Tag Team roster is arguably the worst hit part of NXT as far as Main Roster call ups go. American Alpha, Enzo & Cass, The Vaudevillains… all solid players in the division, who have been called up. Blake & Murphy – although not serious contenders – are in the process of being split up… This leaves the relatively new and unestablished TM61 and Authors of Pain as the only other dawgs in the yard. I would fully expect Roode & Aries to team up sometime in the near future to rekindle the magic they had in TNA as the Dirty Heels. Despite Gargano & Ciampa’s recent rise to internet stardom thanks to their #GloriousBomb (which I fucking LOVE!), and their Match of the Year contender on the CWC, I don’t think The Revival are ready to lose their belts just yet. I’m not sure if these 4 will have the same chemistry as The Revival had with American Alpha, but this certainly going to be a match I am watching very, very closely…
Match Analysis: Another brilliant NXT Tag Team Title match. The Revival are just so damn good at everything they do. They are so good at cutting off hot tags and finding ways to distract the referee. It took a while to get going, but the false finishes down the home stretch had me on the edge of my seat, which is exactly where you should be during wrestling matches. THe night so far has started off ok, and has steadily improved with each match. Great night so far, but is the best still to come...?
[****]
Asuka © vs Bayley
Prediction: Much like No Way Jose, I loved the edgier attitude that Bayley showed in the recent contract signing with Asuka on NXT TV. While Bayley may have peaked in NXT, I would still fully expect her to put on another Brooklyn performance for the ages here. We all know Asuka has the skills to pay the bills, and while I should expect her to retain the title, there’s a small seed of doubt in the back of my mind, given Bayleys no-show in the WWE Draft recently. To me, it makes sense for her to head straight to Raw or Smackdown, but if the rumours are to be believed, her recent appearance at Battleground was a one-off for the time being. Despite my heart saying Bayley, I am going to stick with my head telling me that logically, Asuka will retain here.
Match Analysis: Another strong womens match, but I don't think Asuka and Bayley have the same chemistry as Sasha and Bayley. It was a good back and forth contest but it didn't seem to ever break out of 3rd gear. There were a handful of strong near-falls, but for me there was a lack of big spots to really make it a memorable match. Could this have been Bayleys swan song in NXT?
[***]
Samoa Joe © vs Shinsuke Nakamura
Prediction: On the recent Draft episode of Figure 4 Radio’s podcasts, I picked both Joe and Nakamura for my own brand and immediately booked them in a match against each other (Last Man Standing for those interested). I am thrilled to see my own personal match pairing come to life here. While it may not be of any special stipulation, this match has definite Match of the Year potential – and that is not a phrase I throw around lightly! After watching Joe for what feels like eternity in TNA, I’m finding his matches are becoming rather predictable. He’s falling into the John Cena style, but instead of 5 Moves of Doom, he does 5 Spots of Doom. Luckily, Shinsuke Nakamura is able to provide a new challenge for many high profile wrestlers. His style in the ring gives an abundance of opportunity to do new things. Their recent confrontation on NXT was one of the intense match set-ups I’ve seen since the massive pull-apart brawl between Brock Lesnar and the Undertaker. Shinsuke isn’t just poking a sleeping bear… he is leaning through the bars with a tazer despite the bear being awake and roaring in his face. In my recent fantasy draft, I booked these 2 to reach a double elimination and in fact I wouldn’t be surprised to see some sort of technical draw here. If I had to pick a winner, I would go with Shinsuke as it doesn’t feel like he is ready to take a major loss… But in this instance I would love the night to end with a double knockout, both guys lying motionless on the canvas after going toe-to-toe for 30 minutes.
Match Analysis: The opening 2 or 3 minutes of the contest were exactly what I was expecting from the entire match but they seemed to cool off for the rest of the match. I was expecting the whole match to be 100mph for the entirity, putting on a match of violence to rival that of UFC. But after a tense pre-match face-off, and a few strong shots thrown to open the contest, they just seemed to settle back into a normal wrestling match. I missed the fire and the tenacity between the 2 that was shown in the build up. Still, not a bad match but once again nothing too memorable as far as big moments or spots go - apart from the kick-outs of the Kinshasa and Muscle Buster, maybe?
[***1/2]