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NXT TakeOver: Orlando was finally upon us and fans were in store for an incredible night of wrestling from WWE’s developmental brand. Before the show, No Way Jose was attacked by SAnitY and he was removed from the 8-person tag match.

Related Article: Former NXT Champion Reportedly On SmackDown Next Week

So, Tye Dillinger, Roderick Strong, and Ruby Riot need to find a new partner. We wonder who it will be. Our money was on Kassius Ohno, but you never know what to expect when you’re so close to WrestleMania.

Before the event, Triple H’s voice said that tonight they are home. This is true. NXT is rooted in Orlando. You can’t find a more dedicated NXT fanbase than the people of Orlando. This show was guaranteed to be in front of an incredibly hot crowd.

SAnitY vs Tye Dillinger, Roderick Strong, Ruby Riot, and ???

SANity came out looking as scary and intimidating as ever with their raccoon eye makeup and everything. They are one of the best groups of wrestlers put together in recent memory. Really, they’re amazing. People were very interested in seeing what babyface the other team could pull out of their hats that would want to take on this formidable faction.

Tye Dillinger is so freaking over, seriously. He’s ready to move up the main roster already. It’s only a matter of time. This was Tye Dillinger’s 6th NXT TakeOver event and he was looking for his first win during an NXT special.

Guess what? We were right when it came to their mystery partner because Kassius Ohno took the spot and he fit in just fine. Kassius received a great pop from the crowd who was excited to see the former Chris Hero get to work on SAnitY.

Nikki Cross and Ruby Riot started things out and Cross got the upper hand quickly and made a tag to Alexander Wolfe. Ruby tagged in Kassius Ohno and it was on from there. Ohno took some pain to Wolfe early on, but SAnitY used their cohesiveness to take advantage.

Roderick Strong got the tag and started running through Alexander Wolfe and Eric Young until the numbers got the best of him. Soon it was up to Killian Dain to pick Strong apart while the crowd chanted “shave your back” at Dain.

They isolated Roderick Strong for a bit and didn’t let him get to his corner by using some classic tag team strategy. Roderick Strong eventually battled back, but time and time again his attempts seemed futile.

Tye Dillinger finally got the hot tag and started running a clinic on SAnitY. Nikki Cross ran in to stop him, but she was cut off by Ruby Riot. Dillinger hit a cross body off the top rope and followed it up with a suicide dive through the ropes onto the floor. However, he was hit from behind by Dain.

Kassius Ohno executed an incredible flip the outside and landed on his feet to attack Killian Dain. Ruby Riot and Nikki Cross were left in the ring to has it out and they tore each other up for a bit.

Tye Dillinger ended up in the ring with Eric Young but just as it looked like he had the win, the rest of SAnitY came to his aide. Roderick Strong hit the Sick Kick on Eric Young and soon he was left alone in the ring with Killian Dain.

Nikki Cross jumped on Strong, and Riot jumped on Killian Dain. Soon the two women were taking each other out on the outside. Dillinger went for the Tye Breaker, but he was stopped in the midst of the move. Dain hit him with his finisher and got the win over the Perfect 10. Looks like Tye Dillinger is still looking for a win at a TakeOver event.

The match ended with SAnitY in the ring looking as incredible as every as they celebrated another decisive victory.

Andrade “Cien” Almas vs Aleister Black

 

It’s time for Aleister Black’s debut at an NXT TakeOver event and the former Tommy End was more than ready to prove why he’s made it as far as he has. But first he had to topple the former La Sombra, and Andrade Almas didn’t plan on going down without a fight. Aleister Black seemed to rise up like Frankenstein’s Monster during his entrance and he looked ready to battle.

First off, let’s just get this out of the way: Aleister Black could give anyone a run for their money in a “cool tattoo contest.” Once the bell rang, it was all game time.

Andrade tried to top Black with his speed, but Aleister Black didn’t look amused whatsoever. Aleister countered by showing off his own speed and agility. Andrade stopped mid run while Black was laying in the corner and opted to just slap him across the face, that wasn’t the best move because it just made him angrier.

Almas hit a missile dropkick off the top rope, but Black kicked out at two. Almas immediately slapped on an armbar in an attempt to slow the match down a bit. “Delete” chants started to ring out for some reason as Aleister Black started mounting a stiff offense of knee strikes and kicks. He completed his sequence by hitting Almas with a beautiful moonsault on the outside.

Cien later went for another missile dropkick, but Aleister Black countered into a brutal powerbomb. However, Almas recovered and started mounting, even more offense. Almas nearly had Black pinned with a roll up but he kicked out at the last millisecond.

The finish of the match came when Aleister Black started kicking the life out of Andrade Almas’ skull. It was quite still looking. Aleister hit Cien with the Black Mass and got the three count. That was a very good debut for Aleister Black as he sat in the middle of the ring and appeared to meditate instead of celebrating.

Triple Threat Elimination Match For The NXT Tag Team Championships

Authors Of Pain vs Team DIY vs The Revival

The Authors Of Pain have been running roughshod over the NXT Tag Team division since debut, but they certainly had their hands full at NXT TakeOver: Orlando. The Revival and Team DIY are both former NXT Tag Team Champions and both teams were hungry to add to their number of title reigns. The Revival wanted badly to become the first ever three-time NXT Tag Team Champions and Team DIY wanted to become two-time champions just as badly.

Of course, The Authors Of Pain wanted to keep their NXT Tag Team Championships too. Moreso, they wanted to keep their manager Paul Ellering happy, or as happy as he can be. But before the match, William Regal showed off the new NXT Tag Team Championships and they are epic looking. How odd NXT is getting new titles all around by the way. We wonder if a recent scandal influenced that.

The match started by The Revival and Team DIY taking out the Authors Of Pain early on. Team DIY quickly set up a table, but Akam countered their attempt to send him through it. But a table had been set up on the outside.

Team DIY and The Revival started wearing each other out on the inside while AOP remained on the outside. These two teams won match of the year in the NXT Year End Awards, and it was easy to see why. Akam soon got the tag and started dismantling DIY.

Authors Of Pain continued to look very strong during this match even through the amazing offense they were taking. You could put them on their ground, but they alway seemed to get up. They were also powerhouses delivering punishing offense and good tag team skills.

DIY jumped down and both refused a tag in to take on Akam which was funny, but Gargano soon got a tag in on Akam and Johnny Wrestling gladly started taking on Scott Dawson. After a great sequence as Gargano ended up hitting Dawson with a stunning DDT and got a two count as the crowd chanted “Johnny Wrestling.”

At one point, AOP threw Johnny Gargano into Tommaso Ciampa while he was going for a suicide dive like a sack of potatoes. Both members of #DIY were out and it was all due to the Authors Of Pain’s punishment. This team looked fierce and unbeatable.

They continued their assault on Johnny Gargano and almost had him pass out in a torture rack until he came back and got to his tag team partner. Tommaso Ciampa ended up getting one of the big men down with 2 tight German suplexes and after a knee, he still couldn’t seal the deal with a three count.

Just as Rezar was coming in to save his partner, Ciampa leaped over him and positioned himself for a powerbomb through the table that was still outside. With the help of Gargano and The Revival, they sent Rezar through the table and the big man was out.

Dawson ended up slapping a figure-four on Akem and he struggled on the inside while Gargano was puzzled on if he should break it up. Johnny Gargano ended up leaping onto Akem’s hear and applying his own submission move, and his partner followed suit. But, just before he could tap, his tag team partner jumped in for the save. What does it take to take AOP out?

Rezar was finally downed by a forearm by Dawson and a kick from Gargano. Then they both hit a double kick on Rezar. It was amazing to see these two teams team up like this. But finally, it was down to the two of them and they had to fight it out once more.

Dash Wilder and Johnny Gargano hit double suicide dives on AOP on the outside and Tommaso Ciampa followed it up by climbing to the top rope. Dawson cut him off and hit with a super-duperplex to the outside from the top rope. It’s a good thing everyone was up to catch him or that could have been bad.

AOP soon got together and hit The Last Chapter on Tommaso Ciampa and got the three count to eliminate Team DIY. The crowd was heavily booing this booking decision and followed it up with a thunderous “bulls—” chant.

Team DIY was gone and the crowd soon started to chant “delete” over and over again as AOP began to punish The Revival. Dawson and Wilder took advantage and got a close kick out after a great double team move.

It seemed like everything The Revival tried was stopped by AOP as they used their brute strength to dominate them. Dawson took a ton of punishment but was still able to get a roll-up pin but it only spelled for a quick kick out.

Authors Of Pain set Dawson up for the Super Collider and hit him with their finishing move for the win. Looks like those new NXT Tag Team Championships were staying with Paul Ellering’s boys.

Asuka vs Ember Moon (NXT Women’s Championship)

 

Asuka is a dominant champion, but Ember Moon wanted to change that fact. Moon came out looking ready for war with her sky blue contacts in. Those have to be contacts, right? Asuka came out looking like a warrior princess with her sick mask on. As much as we love the mask gimmick, we’d still love to see all the crazy faces Asuka has to be making under it during her entrance.

The “Asuka’s gonna kill you” chants were going on before the bell actually rang. William Regal came in to unveil the new NXT Women’s Championship and the crowd was in awe about how awesome that belt looked. We wonder if WWE called “Leather By Dan.”

Asuka and Ember Moon wrestled around for a bit to feel each other out. But the intensity soon exploded between these two. It ended up as a shoving match and they got in each other’s face and yelled challenging words. Asuka hit her version of the Rear End, but Moon followed it up with her own offense.

Ember Moon ended up on the outside, and Asuka hit her with her Rear End hip attack when she was on the apron to send her flying into the metal barricade. When the action got back in the ring, Asuka hit her with some stiff kicks that sent Moon to the ground.

Ember Moon countered a kick from Asuka to send her to the mat hard, but Asuka soon hit her with another hip attack to take back control. Asuka tried to go for the Asuka Lock, but Ember Moon hit her with a stiff forearm and The Empress Of Tomorrow went to the outside. Moon followed it up with an amazing springboard dive to the outside and the crowd popped hard.

Once they got back inside, Asuka hit Moon with a shining wizard and got a two count. Asuka then began gearing up to end the match. She tried to get in the Asuka Lock, but Moon kept blocking her from locking it in all the way. Asuka jumped up and wrapped her legs around Moon’s back to add leverage and Moon almost dropped to her knees, but she stayed on her feet to fight on.

Moon finally looked out on her feet and dropped to one knee. Then she sprung up and dropped to her back, breaking the hold and sending Asuka crashing to the mat. Asuka misses a hip attack and Moon countered with a kick to the face. Both women fell to the mat.

They both got up at the same time and took the fight to each other. Moon hit Asuka with a low dropkick to the face as Asuka was on her knees and followed it up with a fallaway slam. Moon hit Asuka with a flipping splash in the corner, but Asuka blocked her next move and smashed her with a German suplex for a close two-count.

Moon hit Asuka with a forearm but the Japanese superstar wouldn’t stay down. Even after an amazing suplex that followed Asuka wouldn’t stay down. Ember went to the top rope for her Eclipse finisher, but Asuka jumped up to stop her. Moon knocked Asuka down, but the Empress Of Tomorrow pushed the referee into the ropes and sent Moon to the mat.

Asuka hit a kick to the head and won the match. It looks like Asuka is going to continue in her winning ways, but she’s starting to employ a little bit of a heel offense to the equation. One thing is for sure, Ember Moon is incredible and brought one hell of a match to Asuka in Orlando.

Bobby Roode vs Shinsuke Nakamura (NXT Championship Match)

 

Before the main event match started they showed Drew McIntyre in the crowd just smiling away. That is very interesting indeed. Holy crap.

 

It was time for the main event of the evening at NXT TakeOver: Orlando and fans were ready to see what The King Of Strong Style and The Glorious One could do. The crowd had already seen an amazing night of action, so there was a lot to do in order to top the previous matches.

Shinsuke Nakamura came out looking like a red striped Japanese Jesus and the Amway Center was packed with his followers. Everyone yelled along to the tune of his entrance music and it is undeniable that his charisma is destined for great things on the main roster soon. In fact, this very well could have been Nakamura’s final NXT match.

Bobby Roode’s entrance was epic AF. It started off with a beautiful rendition of his theme song on two grand pianos that would make Broken Matt Hardy cry. Then the piano player hit the drumroll on the keys as the crowd exploded. Bobby Roode came out looks as Glorious as ever. He’s a star, no matter where he hangs his hat. It’s a wonder he didn’t make it to WWE sooner.

The new NXT Championship is sick too, and worth fighting for. Both of these men were ready to tear each other apart to get their hands on it.

Bobby and Shinsuke felt each other out a little bit in the beginning of the match up. Bobby Roode got mouthy with Nakamura but received a light kick to the chest to stop him in the midst of his Glorious gloating. Nakamura invited him to come get some, then it was on.

Bobby Roode stopped Nakamura’s attempt at offense but received an enzuigiri to the head. The Glorious One soon took control of the match as he sent Nakamura flying off the apron into the metal guard rail.

Bobby threw Shinsuke back inside and kept up the brutal offense. He stomped Nakamura down in the corner and choked him with his boot. Roode pulled off a Glorious taunt and continued the attack to Nakamura with some stiff chops as the crowd “woo” with each thundering blow.

Roode wouldn’t let up on Shinsuke Nakamura and hit him with a neckbreaker for a close two count. But Bobby didn’t let up at all.

The crowd started to rally for Nakamura, but Bobby Roode wouldn’t let Nakamura get any offense in. Bobby hit Nakamura with move after move and punished Shinsuke with a brutal looking neck twisting submission hold that kept his opponent grounded.

Nakamura finally connected with a kick with his left leg and both men were grounded for a moment. Shinsuke got to his feet first and started returning the favor to Roode with several stiff kicks. The King Of Strong Style proved how he got his name by delivering move after move on Bobby Roode.

Nakamura was pumped and ready to deliver more damage. But, Bobby Roode hammered at Nakamura’s neck as he tried to scoop him up and caused some separation. He returned with a clothesline that turned Nakamura inside out.

Bobby hit Nakamura with a chop in the corner and sent Nakamura to the other corner, but he got the leg up and Roode went running into it. Nakamura went for a Kinsasha, but Roode dodged out of the way and ended up grounding his opponent with a shot to Nakamura’s previously injured knee.

Roode followed it up by hitting Nakamura’s knee with some more moved including wrapping it around the metal ring post. Roode got Nakamura back in the ring and began beating and twisting on his knee. Roode locked Shinsuke Nakamura in a figure 4 submission and Nakamura writhed in pain.

Nakamura ended up flipping the figure 4 around and reversed the pressure. Roode got out of it and continued his abuse on Nakamura’s knee. Shinsuke caught Roode in an armbar, Roode picked Nakamura up to send him crashing to the mat, but Nakamura didn’t let go and locked it in even more.

Roode finally got to the ropes to break up the hold. Nakamura started hitting Roode with several stiff kicks and Roode slumped in the corner. Nakamura perched Roode on the top turnbuckle, but when he went for his running knee, Roode moved out of the way and Nakamura smashed his knee into the turnbuckle instead. Shinsuke was hurt and holding his knee as he really sold the pain.

Nakamura ended up finding the courage to get back up and hit Roode with several more insanely stiff kicks, but Bobby countered it with a backstabber for a close two count. These two met face to face as they got up and neither one looked ready for this fight to end.

Roode and Nakamura traded shots for a bit and Shinsuke blocked a Glorious DDT. Nakamura hit Roode with a knee to the side of the face, but Roode kicked out at two. This crowd was pumped. Bobby Roode powdered out of the ring when Nakamura looked like he was going to hit a Kinsasha. Nakamura went outside to throw Roode back in and Bobby caught Nakamura as he re-entered the ring.

Roode hit a Glorious DDT but Nakamura kicked out at two. Roode got frustrated and grabbed the ring bell from the time keeper’s area. The referee grabbed the bell and threatened to DQ him. Roode told the ref to disqualify him. Nakamura hit Roode with a kick and an exploder suplex. Shinsuke geared up for a Kinsasha, but Roode reversed it into a spine buster for another two count.

Nakamura countered Roode’s advances, but Bobby hit him with a tackle to the front of his injured kneecap. Roode hit Nakamura with another Glorious DDT and retained the NXT Championship. This was an outstanding match and very well could have been Shinsuke Nakamura’s last dance in NXT. If this was in face Nakamura’s last NXT match, it was one hell of a way to go out.

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