Kickoff: Robert Roode and Dolph Ziggler Won a Cross-Branded Tag Team Battle RoyalThis was basically the Battle Royal equivalent to the Gauntlet match we got with most of these same teams for the WWE World Cup at Crown Jewel three weeks ago. In other words, it was completely pointless. NXT didn't have the strongest showing, as The Forgotten Sons, Imperium and Breezango were eliminated fairly quickly, but at least Street Profits lasted until the end. I would have liked to see them win, but I assume Roode and Ziggler will be challenging SmackDown Tag Team Champions The New Day soon enough. Kickoff: NXT Cruiserweight Champion Lio Rush def. Kalisto and Akira Tozawa in a Triple Threat MatchNo reason was provided as to why Tozawa and Kalisto were randomly put in contention for the NXT Cruiserweight Championship, aside from how all three are from separate brands and WWE needed another match on the Kickoff show. That said, this was a treat while it lasted. Rush, Kalisto and Tozawa delivered and obviously there was no reason for Rush to drop the title to either of them (even though I'm sure Kalisto and Tozawa both wish they were back in NXT with him).
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Kickoff: Angel Garza def. Isiah "Swerve" ScottInterestingly enough, in the five-plus years TakeOver specials have been a thing, we have never gotten a match on the Kickoff show until now. Maybe because they felt four matches on the card was too little and wanted to include the Cruiserweights? Regardless of the reason, this was fun. Both guys have been killing it lately on NXT TV, so I was surprised it was as rough as it was at certain points. Garza winning was the right call as his feud with NXT Cruiserweight Champion Lio Rush clearly isn't over yet. Team Ripley (Rhea Ripley and Candice LeRae) def. Team Baszler (NXT Women's Champion Shayna Baszler, NXT UK Women's Champion Kay Lee Ray, Io Shirai and Bianca Belair) in a WarGames MatchI loved almost everything about this as I don't think it could've been executed any better. The early goings were solid, but once it was Dakota Kai's turn to hit the ring, she instead turned on Tegan Nox and viciously targeted her previously injured knees. We all saw the heel turn coming from a mile away (especially after Mia Yim was found laid out backstage beforehand and had to be replaced by Kai), but I was shocked it happened when it did. The rest of the match saw the babyfaces battle back successfully while taking a ton of punishment from heels. These ladies did some insane spots and further proved why NXT has the strongest women's division of any other at the moment. It was slightly unrealistic that they'd overcome the four-on-two odds, but it didn't bother me that much. Plus, Ripley pinning Baszler should set her up for a shot at the NXT Women's Championship sometime soon. My only other nitpick of this was that I would preferred to see it slotted as the main event of the show (though I understand why it wasn't due to the reveal of Team Ciampa's fourth man). What a fantastic piece of storytelling this was.
Rhea Ripley def. Charlotte Flair and Sasha Banks in a Triple Threat MatchSmackDown and Raw's female Survivor Series teams encountered each other, only for Team NXT to join the fray. By the way, we now know Team NXT will officially consist of Ripley, Tegan Nox, Mia Yim, Candice LeRae and Toni Storm. Yes, Storm randomly returned after months of inactivity and is apparently apart of NXT despite still being a member of the NXT UK roster. It was pleasant surprise to see her, but I just think Dakota Kai would have made more sense, especially since she's been a regular on SmackDown as of late, anyway. The match wasn't as great as it had the potential to be due to all the shenanigans going on around ringside, but it was solid for what it was. I loved that Ripley pinned Flair for the victory and the finish was creative. Undisputed Era def. SmackDown Tag Team Champions The New Day and Heavy MachineryBefore this bout, Undisputed Era confronted Shinsuke Nakamura and Sami Zayn, who revealed the brand-new design for the Intercontinental Championship. It's a beautifully looking title, but I'm heartbroken as I've always been partial to the classic white strap. The eight-man tag team match that followed was fun and received an ample amount of time. Undisputed Era going over was the right call and I loved that the AJ Styles vs. Nakamura vs. Roderick Strong Triple Threat at Survivor Series received some extra attention afterward with their brawl. I was looking forward to it regardless, but there had been zero build to it prior to this point.
Trent Seven def. Kona ReevesWe were spared of a Kona Reeves match on Wednesday's NXT, but no such luck on NXT UK. Reeves ran down Seven in a pre-match promo that generated pretty good heat, but I still can't bring myself to care about the dude. He scored some offense, but this was basically a glorified squash match for Seven to allow him to keep his momentum rolling. I appreciated that this kept short and sweet. Eddie Dennis returned in the crowd afterward and grabbed a hold of Seven's hand. I like that as Dennis' first feud back. A-Kid def. Jack StarzA-Kid is a hell of an athlete from what I've seen and should be an exciting addition to the NXT UK brand. This is should have been his official debut as he hit his signature spots, showcased his skills and went over in decisive fashion. Props to Starz for selling his stuff as well as he did. Jordan Devlin issued a challenge to A-Kid later in the night, so I assume that match will take place next week.
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