NXT TakeOver: XXV, out of the Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, Connecticut, just wrapped up. We’ve got the match results, as well as our overall thoughts on the show, for you to check out below. Let us know what you thought about TakeOver by tweeting us, @TheRumbleRamble.
Roderick Strong vs. Matt Riddle
BRO! The athleticism of @SuperKingofBros is off the charts! #NXTTakeOver @roderickstrong pic.twitter.com/8ahnwLmHPg
— WWE (@WWE) June 1, 2019
From the second the match started, Matt Riddle did everything he could to ground Roderick Strong, and though he succeeded a couple of times, Roderick was able to power out quickly enough that he didn’t suffer any serious damage.
With three gut wrench suplexes, Matt Riddle may have gotten close to a pinning opportunity, but Roderick rolled out of the ring before he could try.
The two traded forearms on the apron, and Riddle followed up with a knee strike, but Roderick’s follow up was just a little more brutal, backdropping Matt Riddle directly onto the hardest part of the mat.
Roderick tossed Riddle out of the ring, but he wasn’t down for long, getting back in the ring to continue the strike exchange. Strong then hit a uranage on Riddle onto his knee, because he’s extra brutal, and from there Matt Riddle’s grip on the match continued to lessen.
Strong rained down punches on Riddle until Riddle was able to get Roderick on the ground, coming close to a win with a sort of roll-up clench. Matt tried for the Bromission, and when Roderick escaped, he went for a second attack, this time going for a brainbuster.
Matt Riddle continued to gain momentum with various strikes, finishing off with a pele kick and running forearms in the corner. With a Broton followed by a kick to the face, Riddle again came close to victory, but Strong powered out of the pin.
Riddle threw a barrage of kicks, sending Roderick Strong to the mat, coming for a second attack with a Go To Sleep followed immediately by a german suplex, but Roderick again powered out.
Roderick Strong caught Riddle in the side of the head with an enziguri on the top rope, following it up with a superplex, but Matt Riddle kicked out of the pin. Riddle and Strong exchanged strikes for the last time, both clearly worse for wear at this point in the match, but Roderick Strong got the upper hand with a ferocious knee strike and multiple forearms.
And somehow Matt Riddle found the strength to continue.
Roderick Strong tried to set himself up for a Boston crab, but Matt Riddle powered out, throwing a knee strike, a powerbomb, and another knee strike, and Roderick made it through.
Matt Riddle flew from the top rope, landing directly on Roderick Strong’s lifted knees, Roderick Strong took advantage of the moment with a Lion Tamer, but Riddle rolled over, kicking Strong in the face until he was able to lock in the Bromission.
Roderick tried to avoid the Bromission, but Riddle pummeled him with elbows until he was knocked out, hitting a Gotch Style Piledriver just to ensure the victory, and won the match.
Winner: Matt Riddle
Street Profits vs. Forgotten Sons vs. Danny Burch and Oney Lorcan vs. Undisputed Era (Bobby Fish & Kyle O’Reilly)
Tonight is @AngeloDawkins‘ first #NXTTakeOver. #LadderMatch
— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) June 1, 2019
Go big or go home, right? pic.twitter.com/8Oy2H9dRsL
The eight men in this match wasted absolutely no time going after each other, a brawl breaking out the moment the bell rang. Bobby Fish and Kyle O’Reilly got the early advantage, becoming the only ones left in the ring post-brawl. However, Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch took advantage of the quiet, doing their best to take out The Era, but Fish and O’Reilly once again stood tall.
They carried a ladder together toward the ring when they were hit by a flying Wesley Blake, closely followed by Steve Cutler. Undisputed Era quickly regained their footing, but were almost immediately floored once again by a dive from Angelo Dawkins off the top rope.
Back in the ring, Blake and Cutler held a ladder over their heads, ramming it into anyone within reach until Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch german suplexed them, throwing the ladder directly into Kyle O’Reilly.
Montez Ford frog splashed Steve Cutler, after which he and Angelo continued the destruction of one half of the Forgotten Sons, pummeling him until Undisputed Era jumped back in the ring to grab the upper hand.
Bobby Fish threw Montez Ford into Kyle O’Reilly’s knees before suplexing him backwards into a ladder. Bobby FIsh did his best to play defense while Kyle O’Reilly climbed the ladder toward the titles, but there were just too many attackers, and Kyle was eventually knocked down.
They tried the same tactic again, this time stopped by Wesley Blake powerbombing Fish into the ladder, knocking Kyle down in the process. The Forgotten sons cleared out the ring, Bobby Fish still trying to prevent anyone but his teammate from climbing the ladder, but was ultimately held down by Cutler while Blake flew from the ladder into his chest.
A few more minutes of carnage later, Kyle O’Reilly was the only one left, preparing to make the climb, but Jaxson Ryker appeared on the stage, storming down to the ring to clear the way for his teammates.
After taking care of O’Reilly, Ryker pummeled Angelo Dawkins with a ladder before back dropping Oney Lorcan into it. This attack backfired on Ryker when the other three duos teamed up on him, beating him down with their fists and boots before slamming a ladder repeatedly into his back.
The alliance over, a brawl broke out between the three teams, O’Reilly and Fish standing tall in the end, and they could have climbed the ladder then and probably won the match, but instead decided to close the ladder and beat Jaxson Ryker down with it.
Montez Ford and Oney Lorcan both dove onto Ryker at ringside while Undisputed Era looked on, but they let their focus slip away from the action for a second or two too long, losing their top spot in the match to Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch.
Lorcan and Burch made their way up the ladder but were taken down by Undisputed Era, who set up a ladder of their own and began the ascent. The Era and Burch and Lorcan made their way up their respective ladders, brawling the entire way.
Members from both teams brushed the titles with their fingers, but before they could take them, The Forgotten Sons knocked all four men from the ring. Cutler and Blake climbed the ladder, but before they made it very far, Angelo Dawkins flew out of nowhere, spearing Steve Cutler out of the way, allowing Montez Ford to catch up with Wesley Blake, knocking him from the ladder and taking the championships for his team.
Winner: Street Profits
Velveteen Dream (c) vs. Tyler Breeze
NXT North American Championship Match
A #DreamDT isn’t enough to @mmmgorgeous to 😴!#NXTTakeOver @VelveteenWWE pic.twitter.com/oSo4Zo29HO
— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) June 2, 2019
After taking a few moments to size each other and their fashion choices up, Dream and Breeze traded not strikes, but taunts. Breeze ended the interaction when he went for the Unprettier, apparently thinking he could take Dream down easily, but Dream dodged.
Breeze threw several brutal strikes, flipping Velveteen out of the ring completely at one point, but Velveteen came back with a double axe handle and a lionsault.
Dream tried to follow it up with a top rope attack, but Tyler Breeze rolled out before he could throw himself from the ropes, coming back with a flying forearm from the apron after wrenching Dream from the ring.
Breeze launched himself from the apron with a flying forearm in mind, but Dream caught him in mid-air with a punch. Breeze back in the ring trapped Velveteen in a single leg Bostom crab, but Velveteen made it to the ropes to break the pin.
This escape only made Breeze more vicious, almost disqualifying himself with stomps to Velveteen in the corner. Breeze dropkicked Velveteen from the ring, but nearly lost by countout after Dream superkicked him into the announce table. Dream did not want to win that way, however, and jumped back out of the ring to continue the match – and bash Breeze’s head into the announce table.
To add insult to injury, Velveteen grabbed Tyler’s phone, copying his signature selfie gimmick, but took a little too long taunting Breeze, allowing the challenger to catch him off guard with a Supermodel Kick.
Dream jumped in the ring to escape, and Breeze quickly followed but was caught with a Dream Valley Driver. Breeze kicked out, so Velveteen climbed the ropes for an elbow, but Breeze rolled away.
Dream came after him, catching an enziguri when he got close enough. Tyler Breeze climbed the ropes, going for a crossbody, but Dream caught him, transitioning into a roll-up. Breeze broke free and hit a Supermodel Kick, but it didn’t win him the championship.
Breeze came back with his Unprettier, but Velveteen was able to avoid it. Velveteen then trapped Breeze in the corner with a flurry of strikes but was hit with a dropkick the instant he relented.
Velveteen got a two and half count with a DreamDT, almost knocking Tyler Breeze unconscious, but Breeze stayed in the fight. He hit Velveteen with a nasty knee strike, then the two traded tombstone attempts, flipping back and forth until Breeze shoved Dream into the corner.
Breeze tried for an enziguri, but was simply too exhausted, allowing Dream to hit Breeze with his own finisher – the Unprettier. But Tyler Breeze wasn’t about to lose to his own move and kicked out. Dream went for the Purple Rainmaker but Breeze got hit knee up, following it with a Supermodel Kick and an Unprettier, thinking he won the gold, but Dream kicked out.
Breeze got a Beauty Shot, but before he could grasp Dream in a pin, the champ rolled out. Breeze desperately tried to drag Dream back into the ring, knowing that if Dream lost by count-out, he would remain champion, but couldn’t muster the strength.
When Breeze was distracted arguing with the referee, Velveteen Dream pulled himself back into the ring, hit a Dream Valley Driver and a Purple Rainmaker, and retained the championship.
After the match, Tyler Breeze invited Velveteen Dream to join him for a selfie, and this time letting the champion walk away instead of attacking, showing a bit more respect between the two, but certainly no friendship.
Winner: Velveteen Dream
Shayna Baszler (c) vs. Io Shirai
NXT Women’s Championship Match
🎶 WHO’S THAT JUMPING OUT THE SKY? 🎶
— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) June 2, 2019
Hi, @reymysterio. #NXTTakeOver @shirai_io pic.twitter.com/kM3xMOuaqh
Knowing that her only choice was to bring as much aggression as possible, Io Shirai went straight for Shayna Baszler. Shirai and Baszler disrespected each other early on, setting the tone for the match.
Shayna worked Io’s left arm, stomping it repeatedly before transitioning into joint manipulation. Shirai did her best to avoid further attacks, but Shayna continued, methodically breaking Io down one joint at a time.
After flooring Io Shirai and ruthlessly kicking her in the spine, Shayna tried for a pin, but only managed a two count. She went for another arm stomp, but Io Shirai was finally able to dodge, coming back with a German suplex, but couldn’t hold onto it for the pin due to her injured arm.
Shirai fired off strikes to Shayna, following it up with a 619 and a top rope dropkick, but couldn’t put Baszler away. Shirai trapped Baszler in a crossface, but her injured arm betrayed her once again, and when she couldn’t lock it in tight enough, Shayna Baszler was able to power out, lifting both herself and Io from the mat.
Shayna rolled out of the ring, but didn’t avoid punishment, as Io Shirai flew into her with a beautiful moonsault. Back in the ring, Io Shirai was about to finish Baszler off when Marina Shafir and Jessamyn Duke ran down the ramp.
Luckily, Candice LeRae was there to save the day, beating Duke and Shafir down with a kendo stick and preventing them from interfering. But Shirai took her eye off the prize a little too long, giving Baszler an opportunity to attempt a roll-up.
When that didn’t work, she went for the Kirafuda Clutch, but Io escaped. The two traded near falls, each coming close to victory, but Baszler locked in a second Kirafuda Clutch. Io Shirai held on as long as she could but eventually succumbed to the devastating submission.
But Io Shirai wasn’t going to let Shayna get away that easily, beating her down with a kendo stick while Shayna celebrated, hitting her with a moonsault, then a second while holding a chair, smashing it into Shayna with the full weight of her body, leaving the champion laid out in the ring.
Winner: Shayna Baszler
Johnny Gargano (c) vs. Adam Cole
NXT Championship Match
Truth. #NXTTakeOver #NXTChampionship @JohnnyGargano @AdamColePro https://t.co/ltdFkUqaBJ pic.twitter.com/Eo9nxOsNxO
— WWE (@WWE) June 2, 2019
From the second the bell rang, Cole and Gargano worked at a million miles an hour, Cole doing his best to avoid the results of their last encounter, Gargano doing his best to repeat them.
Cole and Gargano exchanged strikes in the center of the ring until Cole threw Gargano into the corner, but was unable to take the lead. At this point, these two know each other so well that they were able to avoid virtually everything the other could throw at them.
Finally, Johnny Gargano took the upper hand by double stomping Cole’s arm, then grounding him and locking in a cloverleaf back in the ring. Gargano attempted a top rope attack, but Adam Cole was able to escape, superkicking Gargano in the back of the knee.
The tide shifted in Adam Cole’s favor from here, as he grinded down on Gargano’s knee in the ring before nailing him with a dropkick from the top rope. Cole then drove his boots into Gargano’s knee in the corner until the referee forced them to separate.
Cole went for the Panama Sunrise, but Gargano caught him in mid-air, throwing him down to the mat with a powerbomb. The two traded forearms in the middle of the ring, Adam Cole going for the knee, but Gargano avoided the attack, coming back with a suplex to Cole.
With an enziguri and a tornado flatliner, Gargano came close to retaining his championship, but Cole kicked out of the pin. Gargano kneed Cole, but it was clear that it caused him pain every time he used it, then speared his contender, but again, Cole kicked out.
Cole and Gargano climbed to the top rope, both men trying for a big move, but Cole broke free, hitting Gargano with a backbreaker. Cole nailed Gargano with an enziguri to the side of the head, then got a torture rack face crusher, but Gargano was determined to retain and kicked out of the pin.
Cole and Gargano went after each other with matching moves, each rethinking their decision when the saw their opponent thinking the same thing. Gargano superkicked Cole clear out of the ring, but when he got out to follow up, he and Cole hit each other with matching superkicks, knocking them both to the floor.
This nearly caused a double count-out, but they made it back in at the last second. The moment they were back in the ring, Gargano got a slingshot DDT, but couldn’t keep Cole down.
Gargano kicked Cole’s injured elbow, following it up with a double stomp to the back of Cole’s neck, but Cole rolled out of the ring before he could finish whatever sequence he had in mind.
Outside of the ring, Cole got an ushigoroshi, then another back inside, but Gargano pulled through. Gargano got the Gargano Escape but struggled to lock it in, allowing Cole to come back with a Figure Four.
Gargano escaped by twisting Cole’s arm as far as it would go, essentially leaving both competitors without one of their limbs due to the extent of the damage they had done to their elbow and knee, respectively.
Gargano and Cole brawled in the middle of the ring, Adam Cole yanking Gargano’s knee pad down to stomp his injured knee. Gargano got his DDT through the ropes on Cole and tried to follow it with a dive, but Cole caught him with a superkick to the face.
Cole hit a Panama Sunrise to Cole on the outside, throwing the champion back in the ring for the pin, but Gargano refused to stay down. Cole pulled down his own knee pad, going for the Last Shot, and Gargano avoided it, going for the Gargano Escape, but was caught in his own submission by Cole instead.
Completely out of steam, the two men exchanged forearms, first kneeling in the ring, then standing, Adam Cole finishing it off with three kicks to Gargano’s head, but Gargano came back with a lariat.
Gargano hit a reverse-rana, Cole came back with a Last Shot, and still couldn’t put the champ away.
Throwing caution to the wind, Adam Cole lept from the ring, grabbing a chair from beneath it. The referee followed, urging Adam Cole to rethink his decision, and Gargano flew toward them, aiming for Cole, but hitting the referee instead.
Gargano superkicked the chair into Cole’s face, then threw him back in the ring for the pin. He would have gotten the win here had it not been for the unconscious referee. Gargano helped the referee back into the ring and soon fell victim to Cole’s mind games, who appeared to be summoning the rest of Undisputed Era.
Gargano caught on, but couldn’t avoid the DDT he caught getting back into the ring. Cole went for the Last Shot, but Gargano fell face first to the mat, preventing the attack.
Cole taunted an apparently unconscious Gargano, who used this to his advantage, locking in the Gargano Escape. Cole broke free by elbowing Gargano’s knee, following it up with two Panama Sunrises and a Last Shot, winning the championship.
Post-match, the rest of Undisputed Era ran down to the ring to lift their leader up on their shoulders, celebrating as a unit once again.
Winner: Adam Cole
What letter grade would you give tonight’s show? #NXTTakeOver
— Rumble Ramble (@TheRumbleRamble) June 2, 2019
