NXT AUGUST 16TH 2017
The show began with Regal hosting the contract signing between Asuka and Ember for Takeover. Ember put over Asuka and her undefeated streak, but said in all that time she’d only taken shortcuts against one person, her. Ember said she was better than she’d ever been because of her shortcuts and she’d thank her by ending her reign of dominance and becoming NXT Women’s Champion. They both signed the contract, before Asuka shouted at Ember in Japanese and held the belt up in her face.
They showed footage from earlier in the day of Lars Sullivan asking Regal for another tag team match and promising he’d be good this time. Sullivan is the big dude who’s had a couple of tag matches where his other enhancement partner lost and he beat them up post match. He insisted that wouldn’t happen this time and Regal reluctantly agreed.
Street Profits vs. Lars Sullivan and Chris Silvio
Interesting that Street Profits had matches on consecutive episodes. I don’t feel like they do that with people very often. Perhaps they’re eager to build some momentum for them. The match started with Sullivan insisting he’d start. Instead, when the bell rang, Silvio jumped in and ran straight into a punch from Dawkins, which prompted one of the best celebrations ever from Ford. Street Profits prevented Silvio from tagging Sullivan in and quickly finished him off with the sky high/frog splash combo, without Sullivan ever tagging in. Entertaining and like Sullivan’s previous matches, they managed to progress three people at once.
They heavily teased Sullivan attacking Silvio post match. He carried Silvio to the back, seemingly doing as he promised, but then he ended up attacking Silvio outside the building instead and chucking him in a bin.
Ruby Riot vs. Billie Kay w/Peyton Royce
This stemmed from Iconic making fun of Ruby last week. Iconic mocked her at the start, but Riot forced Kay to get serious after catching her with a number of rollups. Ruby made a comeback and kicked Peyton off the apron, before catching Billie with a pele kick for the win. Post match, Peyton told Ruby all she’d proven was lightning struck once, even for a gross tattooed loser like her and she’d never be Iconic. The crowd seem on the verge of getting behind Ruby, they certainly chanted for her a few times, but they’re not fully there yet.
Hype video for Sanity and AOP at Takeover.
Drew McIntyre vs. Roderick Strong
No surprises here, this was really good and obviously these two work really well together and have a fair bit of experience doing so. They kept a quick pace to start, with Strong being launched into the ring post, but responding soon after by dropping Drew on the apron with a back suplex. Strong controlled for a while from there, with commentary selling how this worked in Roode’s favour for Takeover. Drew fought back and scored a few nearfalls, before Strong intercepted the Claymore kick with a knee. As they set up for something in the corner though, with Drew in the tree of woe and Strong over him, Roode would run out and knock Strong off the top rope for the DQ.
Roode attacked McIntyre and threw Strong into the ring steps, hitting Drew with the Glorious DDT and blowing a kiss to Strong before posing with the title to close the show. This was a decent way to end things before Takeover and it does kinda put the result in doubt, because you’d assume McIntyre being left laying going in gives him a chance, but the DQ means Strong gets his match with Roode after Takeover.
RECOMMENDED VIEWING: Strong and McIntyre did some good work before the Roode run-in and Roode’s beatdown got a strong reaction. The Street Profits/Sullivan and Silvio match and angle achieved it’s aim as well and Ford in particular is very quickly standing out.