After a well regarded Takeover in Houston in November, there was surprisingly little hype coming into this show. On paper, the card was very solid, but there just wasn't quite the level of fan interest. But when has that ever held NXT back before?
- I feel like I say this every review, but it is really impressive just how far the Authors of Pain have come in the time they've been on the roster. At this point, it seems like they might be being held back by continuing to wrestle on NXT, so you have to wonder when they will get the call up. This was a fine opening match, but like most matches on the card, had very little heat, with the crowd not fully into AoP as faces. I did like the finish, with Akam's leg so crucial in the loss, but it's a shame the announcers didn't really bother to try and sell it. Oh well.
- Forget Bray Wyatt, The Velveteen Dream truly has the whole world in his hands. The heel/face dynamic was all out of whack, with the crowd having no reason to care about Kassius Ohno, throwing their full support to Velveteen. Some of the strikes in this match looked quite good, but I can't say I was a huge fan. It got quite ugly toward the end, with a few noticeable botches as well, probably one to forget for both guys. I don't know what's it's going to take to get people to start caring about Ohno, but what he's doing right now absolutely isn't working.
- It's long been said that a great entrance and a great finisher is all you need in wrestling, but Ember Moon is proof that that mantra isn't always accurate. Her promo work leaves so much to be desired, that it really does take away a lot of heat from her matches. Her match with Shayna Baszler was fine, nothing special, and the finish felt very John Cena-esque, surviving an armbar that lasted full minutes to get the win. The women's division on NXT just doesn't feel as revolutionary and game-changing as it used to be, which is a shame, although predictable given the amount of talent they've lost over the years.
- I didn't have super high expectations for Cole vs Black, and I really thought the Extreme Rules stipulation would hold both guys back, in addition to being unnecessary. Sometimes, you have to admit you're wrong, and I'm happy to say that I most definitely was. This was a brutal match, showcasing some of the best each man had to offer. Adam Cole proved that he really is a tough son of a b****, fighting on through some nasty cuts. Some of these spots were very inventive as well, particular that chair bump that Cole took, and Black's double knees through the table. Really good, riveting stuff, made more impactful by NXT's relative lack of these style of matches. Both guys came across like stars, and their stock will be elevated by taking part in this match.
- Do I really need to tell you how good this main event was? Fans have already been hailing it as a potential Match of the Year, and for good reason. It's the type of match that if you haven't watched it yet, you really should. Both Gargano and Almas looked great, with their offense looking both crisp and impactful, and the pace of the match was perfectly done. They hit all the right notes, from the multiple near falls, to the Candice/Zelina Vega brawl and the overall psychology. From start to finish, it was as close to a perfect match as you might ever see, and the crowd ate up every second. I don't really have anything more to add, to be honest. To go through this match blow for blow would take far more time than I have, considering just how much happened. I loved it, plain and simple, and it was the easy winner for match of the night.
- The real question is not the quality of the main event, but whether the right man went over. Gargano's story could've reached the crescendo here, and perhaps it was the right time to pull the trigger. Personally, I didn't feel that either man winning was a bad call, since they are both great. The decision to have Tommasso Ciampa attack Gargano to end the show was.......................odd. Ciampa's not that close to being cleared, and the moment didn't really feel impactful in any way. Perhaps it would've been better if Johnny had just won the belt, I don't know.
8/10
This was really a tale of two shows. The first three matches were decent at best, with the tag match as a clear highlight. The final two were some of the best NXT has ever put on, which makes grading this show fairly difficult. I thought WarGames was a better overall experience, but it's incredibly hard to not give a show with Cole/Black and Gargano/Almas any higher grade. I do grade NXT different than main roster shows, so in the end, I think a 7.5 is fair. Did you enjoy Takeover: Philadelphia? What would be your final grade? Feel free to leave a comment either here or on my Twitter page(@htk0215), and I'll catch you soon for the Royal Rumble.
- I feel like I say this every review, but it is really impressive just how far the Authors of Pain have come in the time they've been on the roster. At this point, it seems like they might be being held back by continuing to wrestle on NXT, so you have to wonder when they will get the call up. This was a fine opening match, but like most matches on the card, had very little heat, with the crowd not fully into AoP as faces. I did like the finish, with Akam's leg so crucial in the loss, but it's a shame the announcers didn't really bother to try and sell it. Oh well.
- Forget Bray Wyatt, The Velveteen Dream truly has the whole world in his hands. The heel/face dynamic was all out of whack, with the crowd having no reason to care about Kassius Ohno, throwing their full support to Velveteen. Some of the strikes in this match looked quite good, but I can't say I was a huge fan. It got quite ugly toward the end, with a few noticeable botches as well, probably one to forget for both guys. I don't know what's it's going to take to get people to start caring about Ohno, but what he's doing right now absolutely isn't working.
- It's long been said that a great entrance and a great finisher is all you need in wrestling, but Ember Moon is proof that that mantra isn't always accurate. Her promo work leaves so much to be desired, that it really does take away a lot of heat from her matches. Her match with Shayna Baszler was fine, nothing special, and the finish felt very John Cena-esque, surviving an armbar that lasted full minutes to get the win. The women's division on NXT just doesn't feel as revolutionary and game-changing as it used to be, which is a shame, although predictable given the amount of talent they've lost over the years.
- I didn't have super high expectations for Cole vs Black, and I really thought the Extreme Rules stipulation would hold both guys back, in addition to being unnecessary. Sometimes, you have to admit you're wrong, and I'm happy to say that I most definitely was. This was a brutal match, showcasing some of the best each man had to offer. Adam Cole proved that he really is a tough son of a b****, fighting on through some nasty cuts. Some of these spots were very inventive as well, particular that chair bump that Cole took, and Black's double knees through the table. Really good, riveting stuff, made more impactful by NXT's relative lack of these style of matches. Both guys came across like stars, and their stock will be elevated by taking part in this match.
- Do I really need to tell you how good this main event was? Fans have already been hailing it as a potential Match of the Year, and for good reason. It's the type of match that if you haven't watched it yet, you really should. Both Gargano and Almas looked great, with their offense looking both crisp and impactful, and the pace of the match was perfectly done. They hit all the right notes, from the multiple near falls, to the Candice/Zelina Vega brawl and the overall psychology. From start to finish, it was as close to a perfect match as you might ever see, and the crowd ate up every second. I don't really have anything more to add, to be honest. To go through this match blow for blow would take far more time than I have, considering just how much happened. I loved it, plain and simple, and it was the easy winner for match of the night.
- The real question is not the quality of the main event, but whether the right man went over. Gargano's story could've reached the crescendo here, and perhaps it was the right time to pull the trigger. Personally, I didn't feel that either man winning was a bad call, since they are both great. The decision to have Tommasso Ciampa attack Gargano to end the show was.......................odd. Ciampa's not that close to being cleared, and the moment didn't really feel impactful in any way. Perhaps it would've been better if Johnny had just won the belt, I don't know.
8/10
This was really a tale of two shows. The first three matches were decent at best, with the tag match as a clear highlight. The final two were some of the best NXT has ever put on, which makes grading this show fairly difficult. I thought WarGames was a better overall experience, but it's incredibly hard to not give a show with Cole/Black and Gargano/Almas any higher grade. I do grade NXT different than main roster shows, so in the end, I think a 7.5 is fair. Did you enjoy Takeover: Philadelphia? What would be your final grade? Feel free to leave a comment either here or on my Twitter page(@htk0215), and I'll catch you soon for the Royal Rumble.
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