WWE NXT TakeOver: Toronto Review - November 19, 2016

Shinsuke Nakamura finally falls to Samoa Joe.

By Graham "GSM" Matthews

Bobby Roode def. Tye Dillinger

You probably could have stopped watching the show after Roode's absolutely amazing entrance and still you would have gotten your money's worth. The guy is a total star, what else can I say? Dillinger was also mega over in his home country of Canada. A lot of the little things that they did, including when it appeared Roode was doing the "10" gesture with his hands, were great, and I had a feeling they would repeat those same spots from the Boston live event in this match (which I reviewed here). The match was very fun and perfectly positioned as the opener. The crowd was engaged in the action the entire time, and the final few minutes were especially enjoyable. Roode was the right guy to win considering he is on the ascent, but I hope Dillinger continues to be prominently featured in the future.


The Authors of Pain def. TM-61 to Win the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic

This was likely the least anticipated match on the card because neither team had too much momentum coming into the contest, so with that in mind, I thought this exceeded expectations. Paul Ellering being caged above the ring wasn't too goofy (although he attempted to aid Authors of Pain anyway with the chain) and TM-61 won over a portion of the audience with their exciting offense. I had a feeling they would win, but no such luck. Perhaps DIY can get some good matches out of Authors of Pain if they feud soon.

---

DIY are the new NXT Tag Team Champions!

DIY def. The Revival in a 2-out-of-3 Falls Match to Win the NXT Tag Team Championship

These two teams have such unbelievable chemistry with each other it blows my mind, and I honestly didn't think it could get any better after their Match of the Year candidate in Brooklyn. NXT has a rich history of tremendous 2-out-of-3 Falls matches and this was no exception. The first fall was a bit quick, but at least that Shatter Machine looked beautiful. They maintained that pace heading into the second fall before tearing the house down in the third and final fall. Tag team wrestling at its finest. I figured Revival would retain to set up a DIY split, but I'm glad they went with the title change. The story with this feud has been super well done and the payoff was phenomenal. Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Sami Zayn might have new competition for Match of the Year.


NXT Women's Champion Asuka def. Mickie James

There might have been some skepticism among fans regarding James potentially having ring rust, but she has been fairly active since leaving WWE over six years ago and that showed here. Not only was it a very well-wrestled match, but I loved the psychology more than anything else. The Toronto crowd welcomed back James with open arms and the former Women's and Divas Champion had a praiseworthy performance that should convince officials to sign her to a full-time deal. Of course, Asuka was the right winner, and the subtle teases at a heel turn afterward by disrespecting James were a nice touch that should come into play for a future feud with Ember Moon.


Samoa Joe def. Shinsuke Nakamura to Win the NXT Championship

I couldn't tell you which was better between this bout and their initial encounter in Brooklyn, but this was pretty damn good in that it was highly physical and hard-hitting. Nakamura looked more vulnerable here than he has at any other point in his NXT tenure, which is what might have made this match so intriguing and different. Joe regaining the gold genuinely surprised me, but it sets up several interesting possibilities. Will Nakamura get the belt back in Japan next month? Could he be main roster bound? I'm sure only time will tell.


Overall Show

It gets more and more difficult with each event that passes to rank them among the best ever. This was another exceptional installment from a fantastic tag team title match that stole the show, an awesome opener, James looking great in her long awaited return, and a shocking conclusion. Even the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic match was solid, so there is anything to complain about? To boot, the Canadian atmosphere was outstanding. TakeOver: Toronto was every bit as excellent as I assumed it would be and then some. NXT knocks it out of the park yet again.

---