Welcome to the Barclays Center for NXT Takeover: Brooklyn III, the most-awaited NXT event of the year. This is NXT’s “WrestleMania” so to speak.
The show starts with a live performance from Code Orange, whose song Bleeding In The Blur is the official theme song for the event. Rocket League is the sponsor for the show.
Mauro Ranallo, Nigel McGuinness and Percy Watson are on commentary.
JOHNNY GARGANO VS ANDRADE “CIEN” ALMAS
Zelina Vega looking pretty fantastic tonight, as always! When Almas chopped Gargano, the fans had pretty loud “Wooos” as Ranallo wished all the best for Flair on commentary. Gargano had some fantastic moves, including a slingshot spear and a slingshot DDT that got great reactions from fans. Almas had its own good spots, especially the tornado inverted DDT. Gargano hits the Gargano Escape but Almas turned it into a turnbuckle bomb for one of the closest two-counts you’ll ever see. Almas won the match after Zelina Vega distracted Gargano with a DIY shirt and Almas hit the hammerlock inverted DDT for the pinfall.
Kurt Angle and Daniel Bryan are shown in the sky box with several NXT stars chatting with them. Or trying to land a job.
AUTHORS OF PAIN VS SANITY (NXT TAG TEAM TITLES MATCH)
Corey Graves is introduced as special guest commentator as fans give the former NXT man a warm welcome. Authors of Pain – in Ninja Turtles outfits – quickly attack their opponents before the bell rings. Eric Young replaced Killian Dain. Dain never got tagged in, so we guess that was legal. AOP dominated most of the match until Alexander Wolfe recovered, hitting a German on Rezar and a frankensteiner as well. The big spot came with Nikki Cross going for a plancha from the top rope and out of the ring but gets caught mid air by Rezar. Killian Dain then just smashes through both of them and through a table outside. Wow! Sanity then hits their finisher and Alexander Wolfe gets the pin. New NXT Tag Team champions.
After the match, Bobby Fish and Kyle O’Reilly, the former Ring of Honor tag team champions known as reDRagon, viciously attack the new and former champions. ROH chants from the fans.
Neville, the former NXT champion, is shown sitting at ringside looking not so happy. Nakamura and Kalisto are also at ringside, looking very happy. WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross is introduced as the special guest commentator for the next match. Big pop for JR.
HIDEO ITAMI VS ALEISTER BLACK
Aleister Black gets the live performance treatment for his entrance by Code Orange. Lots of kicking in this match from two of the best strikers on the NXT roster today. Black was bleeding from his nose thanks to one of the kicks from Itami. The two traded some heavy kicks and strikes throughout the match and eventually Black hit the Black Mass – which made a huge sound – for the cover. Black did not stop bleeding from his nose.
SummerSlam fatal 4-way promo airs. Sasha Banks, Bayley, and Becky Lynch are shown at ringside.
ASUKA VS EMBER MOON (NXT WOMEN’S TITLE MATCH)
Asuka has been champion for over 500 days which is impressive in its own right during these fast-changing times. And still undefeated too. Asuka was sporting some funky headgear…and then mimicked the ring announcer during her entrance. Funny. Moon came out like a bullet as soon as the bell rang but Asuka quickly worked on Moon’s injured shoulder to gain advantage. Crowd was split with “Let’s go Ember / Let’s go Asuka” chants. Moon hits the O-Face…or Eclipse…but Asuka kicks out in the very last millisecond! Moon goes for the second one but Asuka uses the ref as a shield then goes for a roll-up and Asuka holds the tights. The referee notices it and breaks the count. Moon superkicks the lights out of Asuka but Asuka kicks out again. Asuka locks in the Asuka Lock and Ember Moon taps out to finish off an amazing match.
After all the replays are done, Ember Moon, who is crying, receives a standing ovation from the Brooklyn crowd. And then she cries some more on the way to the back.
Nakamura vs Mahal SummerSlam promo airs. Kevin Owens and Samoa Joe are shown at ringside. Both get a great pop.
BOBBY ROODE VS DREW MCINTYRE (NXT TITLE MATCH)
The NYPD Pipes & Drums of the Emerald Society come out and help play Drew McIntyre’s theme song. They also walk down the ramp with him. Pretty cool. The entrance ramp fills up with thick smoke for the glorious entrance of Bobby Roode as the crowd sings along. Lots of knife-edge chops to start the match and a lot of “Wooo” chants again. Dana Warrior, Stephanie McMahon, and Dany Garcia are shown on TV sitting at ringside but not acknowledged by the commentary team. The match went back and forth for most of the time and reached one of the high points when Drew McIntyre delivered a Tope Con Hilo to the outside. Roode then hit the Glorious DDT but McIntyre kicked out. Roode went for two more DDTs, but McIntyre recovered before the third one and hit the klaymore boot for the pin. New champion crowned.
After all the replays finish and McIntyre celebrates in the ring, Bobby Fish and Kyle O’Reilly return and out of nowhere, Adam Cole attacks McIntyre from behind and delivers a superkick to the new NXT champion. The Ring of Honor trio reign supreme to end the show.
