NXT Takeover 36 results: Moore’s live review of Karrion Kross vs. Samoa Joe for the NXT Championship, Raquel Gonzalez vs. Dakota Kai for the NXT Women’s Title, Adam Cole vs. Kyle O’Reilly in a best of three falls match, Walter vs. Ilja Dragunov for the NXT UK Championship

By John Moore, ProWrestling.net Staffer (@liljohnm)

NXT Takeover: 36
Streamed live August 22, 2021 on WWE Network
Orlando, Florida at Capitol Wrestling Center (WWE PC)

Pre-show notes

Sam Roberts and McKenzie Mitchell checked in as the hosts of the pre show. The hosts ran through the advertised matches for the show. The first hype package was the Prime Target video for Adam Cole vs. Kyle O’Reilly…

Kyle O’Reilly and Adam Cole were shown entering the WWE Performance Center at different times of the day. The hosts gave their thoughts on the Cole vs. O’Reilly matchup. McKenzie sent the show to hype for the Raquel Gonzalez vs. Dakota Kai match…

A hype video aired for the WALTER vs. Ilja Dragunov match followed by the hosts giving their thoughts. Rob Armstrong of BT Sports in the UK joined the hosts to give his additional thoughts on the Walter vs. Ilja match…

A hype video aired for the LA Knight vs. Cameron Grimes match…

Vic Joseph, Wade Barrett, and Beth Phoenix checked in from the commentary table to introduce the pre-show match…

Pre Show Match: Ridge Holland (w/Pete Dunne) vs. Trey Baxter. Baxter gave Holland a flurry of strikes to start the match off, but Holland shrugged it off and launched Baxter with a suplex. Baxter leapt at Holland, but Holland caught him and tossed him with a Belly To Belly Suplex. Baxter caught Holland with a enzuigiri. Baxter hit Holland with a handstand into a Pele Kick. Holland slowed Baxter with a headbutt. Holland hit Baxter with a Brainbuster for the victory.

Ridge Holland defeated Trey Baxter via pinfall in 1:45.

Ridge Holland called out Timothy Thatcher and said that Baxter rolling in pain is a look into Thatcher’s future. The commentary team sent the show back to Roberts and Mitchell, who discussed the Karrion Kross vs. Samoa Joe match. A hype package aired for the Kross vs. Joe match. This concluded the NXT Takeover Pre-Show…

Main Show

The Takeover show started off with a cold open to hype up the matches on the show…

Vic Joseph, Wade Barrett, and Beth Phoenix were on commentary. The commentary team checked in from ringside…

Alicia Taylor introduced the opening match as the Million Dollar Championship match. Ted DiBiase made his entrance first and stood next to a trash can. Cameron Grimes made his entrance in his butler suit. He ripped off his butler outfit and tossed it in the trash can. Grimes had bedazzled ring gear…

1. Cameron Grimes (w/Ted DiBiase) vs. LA Knight for the Million Dollar Championship. Knight pressured Grimes into the corner with the opening collar and elbow. Grimes gave Knight a slap and made a comeback. Grimes gave a PK to Knight’s calf. Grimes gave Knight roundhouse kicks and a backdrop. Knight used his arms to block Cameron’s Million Dollar Dream attempt. Grimes got on the apron and gave Knight a PK. Grimes followed up by tossing Knight into the plexiglass barricade. DiBiase Irish Whipped Cameron into Knight, who gave Knight a Shotgun Dropkick. Grimes gave Knight a Yakuza Kick from the apron.

Grimes went high risk, but was tripped off the top rope by Knight, sending Grimes to ringside. Knight put the boots to Grimes. Knight gave Grimes a catapult into the bottom rope. Grimes got a two count after hitting night with a crossbody. Grimes went for a Frankendriver, but Knight reversed it into a power bomb for a two count. Knight locked Grimes in a cravate. Grimes escaped, but Knight planted him back to the mat with a tilt a whirl body slam. Grimes rallied back with a few axe handle strikes and a Face Wash dropkick.

Grimes gave Knight a German Suplex and Frankendriver for a two count. Knight turned the tables again by tripping up Grimes with a low dropkick. Knight gave Grimes a boot and a top rope bulldog. Knight gave Grimes a Burning Hammer for a two count. Grimes escaped a Blunt Force Trauma attempt and gave Knight a few kicks. Knight tossed Grimes over the top rope, but Grimes skinned the cat. Grimes hit Knight with the Spanish Fly Power Slam. Knight kicked out of the pin at two. Grimes gave Knight Muay Thai roundhouses.

Knight managed to lift Grimes and put him on the top rope. Knight gave Grimes a few clubbing blows. Grimes shoved Knight away. Knight ran right back and gave Grimes a Super German Suplex for a nearfall. Grimes was bleeding around the nose at this point. Grimes reversed the Blunt Force Trauma into the Million Dollar Dream. Knight tried to ram Grimes into the buckle, but Grimes wouldn’t let go. Knight reversed the move into a pin attempt, but Grimes did a flip right back into the Dream. Grimes used his momentum to drag Grimes into the bottom buckle to break the hold.

Knight dragged the Million Dollar Championship into the ring. The referee argued with Knight. Grimes gave Knight a roundhouse kick. Knight rolled to ringside and ate a punch from Ted DiBiase. The referee handed DiBiase the title belt, but DiBiase tossed it to Grimes to distract the referee. This allowed DiBiase to lock in the Million Dollar Dream on Knight. Knight was tossed back in the ring. Grimes hit Knight with the Cave In Stomp for the victory.

Cameron Grimes defeated LA Knight via pinfall in 16:31 to become the new Million Dollar Champion.

Highlights from the match aired…

John’s Thoughts: A really good match. Grimes is know for having great matches in the ring, but I still would never sell Knight short by any means because Knight tends to shine when in the ring with talented opponents. The sequence involving the Million Dollar Dream reverseals was pretty fun (though I thought the timing on the pinfalls were a tad bit off. That’s just nitpicking though). The match was given plenty of time and didn’t drag. Definitely worthy of a Takeover and a feel-good payoff to the Knight and Grimes feud. Bonus points for Ted DiBiase being utilized well at ringside.

A video package aired to hype up the NXT Women’s Championship match…

Dakota Kai made her entrance first, sporting the new hairstyle she debuted on the last episode of NXT. Raquel Gonzalez made her entrance in all-red ring gear. Alicia Taylor handled the formal in-ring introductions for the women’s championship match…

2. Raquel Gonzalez vs. Dakota Kai for the NXT Women’s Championship. Kai started out the match with a slap which fired up Gonzalez. Gonzalez lifted Kai and tackled her into the corner. Kai gave Gonzalez a body scissors into the buckle. Kai used a baseball slide to avoid Gonzalez. Gonzalez deadlifted Kai back in the ring, but Kai reversed the move into a Juji Gatame. Gonzalez powered out and gave Kai a knee to the gut. Kai came back with a Scorpion Kick on Gonzalez. Kai used a baseball slide again to recover at ringside. Gonzalez gave Kai a series of Fallaway Slams in the ring.

Kai went for a crossbody on Gonzalez but Gonzalez rolled through and gave Kai a Military Press on the top buckle. Barrett noted that Gonzalez may have pulled a muscle during the press slam. Gonzalez went for a Vader Bomb, but Kai tripped up Gonzalez. Kai gave Gonzalez a Yakuza Kick to send Gonzalez to ringside. Kai rolled Gonzalez’s dead weight back in the ring because Gonzalez was knocked out. Kai worked on Gonzalez with a few bicycle stomps. Kai gave Gonzalez a draping Codebreaker for a two count. Gonzalez fired up and gave Kai a press slam.

Gonzalez gave Kai a sidewalk slam and twisting Vader Bomb for a two count. Gonzalez went for the Uranage, but Kai reversed it into an armbar. Gonzalez broke the hold by slamming Kai’s head into the second buckle. Gonzalez blocked Kai’s scorpion kick and gave Kai a spinning sitout power bomb for a two count. Kai got a two count after a jackknife pin. Gonzalez backdropped Kai, gut first, into the top rope. Gonzalez blocked a meteora.

Kai gave Gonzalez a superkick that Gonzalez no sold. Kai gave Gonzalez a Code Red Lungblower for a two count. Gonzalez went for her finisher, but Kai gave Gonzalez a huracanrana to send her outside. Kai gave Gonzalez a top rope double stomp for the two count. Gonzalez reversed Kai’s gutwrench and sent Kai into the top buckle. Kai punched Gonzalez away, but Gonzalez got back on the top rope. Kai slipped out the top rope and gave Gonzalez a pump Cheeky Nandos. Kai tried to hit Gonzalez, who was seated on the top rope, with a Yakuza Kick, but Gonzalez caught the kick and dragged Kai to the top rope for a Super Uranage for the victory.

Raquel Gonzalez defeated Dakota Kai via pinfall in 12:24 to retain the NXT Women’s Championship. 

After the match, Gonzalez’s celebration was cut short by former NXT UK Women’s Champion Kay Lee Ray making her entrance to the stage to stare down Raquel. The show cut to an Applebees ad.

John’s Thoughts: A great women’s championship match and I saw this match as Kai showing that she can carry a top level match as a top level heel. She looked very credible here and I liked Kai countering Gonzalez’s power with her strikes and elusiveness. Those strengths made Kai look very credible and believable as a championship threat. I would like to see more between these two, but it sadly looks like they might be moving on to Kay Lee Ray and Raquel. That should be an amazing feud, but I would have preferred a longer program between Kai and Gonzalez given the potential for an extended story there (maybe when both women are called up to the main roster, they can revisit this modern day Diesel and Shawn Michaels feud?).

A hype video aired for the WALTER vs. Ilja Dragunov match aired…

Entrances for the NXT UK Championship match took place…

3. WALTER vs. Ilja Dragunov for the NXT UK Championship. Walter tried to go for chops on Ilja early on, but Ilja evaded all of them and gave Walter his own loud chops. Walter and Ilja traded advantages on the ground. Walter came out on top with knees to Ilja’s gut. Ilja reversed a German Suplex into a heel hook. Walter tried to tackle Walter, but Ilja reversed the move into a Judo trip. Ilja dragged Walter into a snug headlock. Vic Joseph pointed out the stitches on Ilja’s face from Ilja’s match against Roderick Strong.

Ilja kept Walter under control for a few minutes with a side headlock. Walter tried to break the hold with a Back Suplex, but Ilja kept the hold locked in after getting suplexed. Walter escaped the hold by punching Ilja a few times, but Ilja came back with his own right hands. Ilja used a key hold to drag Walter back to the mat. Walter got a vertical base and deadlifted Ilja to the top rope. Walter swatted Ilja off the top rope with one of his signature bear chops. Walter gave Ilja a power bomb on the apron. Walter folded Ilja with a German Suplex.

Ilja tried to block it, but Walter managed to roll Ilja into a Boston Crab. Barrett noted how Walter’s size makes the hold worse. Walter converted the move into a STF. Ilja got out, but Walter gave Ilja a PK to the shoulder. Walter and Ilja got to their feet and traded strikes to showcase their fighting spirit. Walter went for a sleeper. Walter then went for a Pile Driver, but Ilja backdropped Walter. Ilja hit Walter with a few lariats. Walter reversed the Constantine Special into a T Bone Suplex for a two count.

Walter kicked around Ilja, who was playing defense from the Octopus defense position. Walter managed to stay focused and continue to kick Ilja around. Walter gave Ilja a Yakuza Kick. Ilja and Walter traded stiff slaps with each other. Ilja dragged Walter to the mat, but Walter managed to get to a knee. Ilja pummeled Walter with shortarm knees. Ilja gave Walter stiff chops to the side of the neck. Ilja put Walter in a hammerlock and gave him elbows to the back of the neck. Ilja reversed Walter’s lift and hit Walter with a knee to the jaw. Ilja’s chest looked like hamburger meat at this point.

Ilja tried to get a breather, but Walter turned Ilja inside-out with a lariat. Ilja’s second wind kicked in as he caught Walter’s kick. Ilja planted Walter with a Suplex. Ilja hit Walter with a jump kick. Ilja lifted Walter and gave him an arm trap suplex. A “this is awesome” chant ensued. Ilja hit Walter with a missile dropkick. Ilja then got back on the top rope to hit Walter with a top rope senton. Ilja went for the Torpedo Moscow, but Walter dragged Ilja into a sleeper. Walter hit Ilja with a German Suplex. Ilja fired up and hit Walter with a Torpedo Moscow to the back of the head. Ilja hit Walter with another Torpedo Moscow for a great nearfall.

Ilja hit Walter with a series of knife edge chops. Walter came back with a singular strong chop for a two count. Walter went high risk, but Ilja ran up the top rope and gave Walter a superplex. Ilja gave Walter a top rope dropkick. Big man Walter gave Ilja a dropkick and a folding power bomb to get a two count on Ilja. Walter gave Ilja a running knee strike and a power bomb. Walter hit Ilja with a top rope splash for a good nearfall. Joseph noted that Walter won the championship with that top rope splash.

Ilja reversed Walter’s sleeper with an armdrag. Dragunov hit Walter with a springboard shoulder block. Ilja hit Walter with elbows to the back of the neck. Ilja locked Walter into a sleeper. Walter dragged Ilja to the top rope and fell back to break the hold. Ilja didn’t relent and went back to the elbows to the neck. Ilja locked Walter back into the sleeper. Walter fell on top of Ilja to try to break the hold, but Ilja kept the sleeper locked in. Walter was about to escape, so Ilja went at Walter with clubbing blows and strikes. Ilja let out a roar and put Walter in the sleeper again for the quick tapout.

Ilja Dragunov defeated WALTER via submission in 22:03 to become the new NXT UK Championship.

Beth Phoenix noted that Ilja’s son Constantine will be proud of his father, the new UK Champion. Highlights from the match aired.

John’s Thoughts: A great showcase of professional wrestling. I did prefer their first match a bit more, due to it being more of just two tough dudes beating the snot out of each other, but this one did have a bit more technical showcase in it. Walter is my favorite wrestler to watch in modern pro wrestling and that’s simply due to his brutal and very practical in-ring style. Ilja has been a perfect foil for Walter. Ilja’s a living version of a Shonen Anime Protagonist, very plucky, and very endearing. While I like the story they told leading up to Ilja’s title win, I wouldn’t have minded if Ilja lost here to stretch their feud out to one more match between Walter and Ilja, presumably in the UK with Nigel McGuinness (who is great with a sportscaster call) calling the action. Ilja winning here was great, but his pluckiness actually makes him gain sympathy in his losses, building up the crowd respect for him. As good as the next two matches are going to be, it’s going to be tough for them to surpass the pure technical entertainment put forth by this match (though, Kross vs. Joe has the potential to be a sleeper hit because Kross tends to shine when wrestling more of a MMA style).

McKenzie Mitchell interviewed Cameron Grimes about winning the Million Dollar Championship. Grimes said his late father is watching from heaven,  and proud that his son is a champion, the Million Dollar Champion. Ted DiBiase congratulated Grimes for winning and said it was a time for celebration. DiBiase gave both Grimes and Mitchell a stack of hundred dollar bills. Grimes said they will celebrate and all go “to the moon”…

William Regal met up with Samoa Joe backstage. Regal thanked Joe for his service as a NXT official and how Joe’s back to being a wrestler. Regal said while he has to be unbiased, he really hopes that Joe both entertains the fans and kicks Kross’s ass…

Vic Joseph, Wade Barrett, and Beth Phoenix checked in from the commentary table. They sent the show over to a hype package for the Adam Cole vs. Kyle O’Reilly match…

Entrances for the Adam Cole vs. Kyle O’Reilly match aired…

4. Adam Cole vs. Kyle O’Reilly in a best of 3 falls match. Cole hit O’Reilly with a series of kicks. O’Reilly reversed a suplex at ringside with his own suplex. O’Reilly rolled Cole into an ankle lock. Cole got out and hit O’Reilly with a leg lariat for a two count. Cole hit O’Reilly with an enzuigiri and O’Reilly came back with a rebound discus lariat. Cole caught O’Reilly with a superkick. O’Reilly reversed a panama Sunrise by sitting down pinning Cole to pick up the first fall.

Kyle O’Reilly picked up the first fall in about 3:24 to lead the match 0-1. 

The next fall will be a street fight. O’Reilly put a trash can on Cole and hit Cole with a shotgun dropkick. O’Reilly went high risk, but he was hit by Cole’s superkick. O’Reilly awkwardly on his hand on the apron. Cole tossed O’Reilly into the announce table. Vic noted that O’Reilly was selling the rib. Cole hit O’Reilly with a chair into the ribs. Cole set up a chair in the corner. O’Reilly went for a punch, but his ribs gave up on him. O’Reilly held on to the top rope to block a whip. Cole pried away O’Reilly and Irish Whipped O’Reilly rib first into the ringpost.

Cole tossed O’Reilly’s rib into the barricade. Cole hit O’Reilly in the rib with a kendo stick. Cole baited O’Reilly with a fake Last shot attempt, and then hit O’Reilly in the back with a kendo stick. Cole hit O’Reilly with a Kendo Stick assisted backstabber on O’Reilly. Cole gave O’Reilly elbows to the back of the neck. Cole and O’Reilly traded standing forearms. Cole got the upper hand by kicking O’Reilly in the ribs. O’Reilly came back with a jumping knee, but Cole came right back with a pump kick. O’Reilly reversed Cole with a German Suplex.

O’Reilly sold his rib after trying to run the ropes. O’Reilly suplexed Cole’s knee into a chair and then gave Cole a Dragon Screw into the chair. Cole sidestepped O’Reilly to send O’Reilly into the chair set up at ringside. Both Cole and O’Reilly took each other out with pump kicks. Cole found a dog chain from under the ring and wrapped it around his fist. O’Reilly found his own chain and wrapped it around his fist. O’Reilly and Cole traded chain punches. Cole ended up winning the exchange with a superkick for a two count. Cole caught O’Reilly at ringside with a superkick to the rib.

O’Reilly pulled Cole in with a guillotine choke. O’Reilly tossed Cole off the stage into the ringside barricade. Cole reversed O’Reilly’s suplex into a neckbreaker. Cole set up chairs back to back in the ring. O’Reilly reversed a suplex into a backbreaker. O’Reilly put Cole’s head on the spine of the chairs. Cole recovered and tossed O’Reilly off the top rope, spine first, into the  set up chairs. Cole hit O’Reilly with a last shot to pick up the second fall.

Adam Cole pinned Kyle O’Reilly in about 16:54 to pick up the second fall to tie the match up 1-1. 

Before the cage could descent, Cole dragged O’Reilly to ringside and power bombed him on the table. Joseph noted that O’Reilly hasn’t moved for a while. Vic Joseph narrated highlights from the match while the ring crew set up the cage for the next fall. Cole gave O’Reilly a big boot and tossed him into the steel cage several times. O’Reilly recovered and catapulted Cole into the steel cage. O’Reilly gave Cole a series of forearms into the steel cage. O’Reilly hit a draped Cole with a diving knee. Cole avoided a second diving knee.

Cole missed a last shot and O’Reilly hit Cole with a last shot for a two count. Cole turned the tide of the match by giving O’Reilly a low blow. Cole tried to escape the cage, but O’Reilly met him at the top rope. Cole punched O’Reilly to crotch him off the top rope. Cole turned around and hit O’Reilly with a Panama Sunrise for a nearfall. Cole found handcuffs and handcuffed O’Reilly to the top rope. Cole superkicked O’Reilly several times while O’Reilly was handcuffed to the top rope. Cole said he was the king of the Undisputed Era. O’Reilly dragged Cole down with a heel hook and made Cole tap out to the submission.

Kyle O’Reilly picked up the third fall over Adam Cole via submission to win the best of three falls match 1-2 in 25:20 of total match time.

John’s Thoughts: Great match and presumed end to this O’Reilly and Cole feud. I believe that Cole’s contract was reportedly set to expire after this match so we’ll either see him on Raw, Smackdown, or even AEW Dynamite in the near future depending on what Cole decides to do. I’m still going with WALTER vs. Dragunov being the better match on this show for now, but I can see some people preferring more of the high-spot and false finish style showcased in this match. I’ve just seen so much between these two that I’m ready for them to move on for now. The first fall was a bit anticlimatic, but the two subsequent falls were pretty epic.

McKenzie Mitchell interviewed Ilja Dragunov who was sitting in the locker room with his chest looking like hamburger meat. Ilja said the Ring General has fallen and long live the Tzar…

Santos Escobar, Joaquin Wilde, and Raul Mendoza cut a promo backstage to hype up Legado Del Fantasma’s match against Hit Row on the upcoming NXT show. The announce team also hyped up Odyssey Jones vs. Carmelo Hayes in the Breakout Tournament finals for Tuesday. Joseph sent the show over to a hype package for the Kross vs. Joe match…

Joe and Kross got championship match entrances where the cameras followed them from the backstage area. Vic Joseph noted that this was Joe’s first NXT match since 2017. Kross got his cool black and white entrance, without Scarlett. Alicia Taylor handled the formal in ring introductions for the Championship match. The match started at around 10:15pm EST…

5. Karrion Kross vs. Samoa Joe for the NXT Championship. Kross used Kickboxing to keep Joe at footsie distance. Joe tackled Kross to the corner and went at Kross with punches. Joe gave Kross a chop that Kross no sold. Kross turned the tables and put the boots to Joe. Joe turned the tables and gave Kross a gamengiri. Joe gave Kross a snapmare and front kick. Joe gave Kross a running senton. Kross came back with a forearm. Joe came right back with a sleeper on Kross. Kross reversed the sleeper with a Doomsday Saito. Kross knocked Joe to ringside with a forearm to the back of the neck.

Kross tackled Joe into the barricade and tossed Joe back in the ring. Kross worked on Joe with kicks and elbows. Joe came back with knife edge chops. Kross hit Joe with an Angle Slam for a two count. Kross put Joe in an ankle lock. Joe kicked Kross off the apron and hit Kross with a suicide dive. Kross recovered and hit Joe with a few elbows in teh corner. Kross hit Joe with an Exploder Suplex for a two count. Joe hit Kross with a Power Slam for a two count. Joe hit Kross with a power bomb and then put Kross in a STF. Joe transitioned the move into a Crossface.

Kross managed to get his foot on the bottom rope. Kross hit Joe with a Yakuza Kick and then hit Joe with a shortarm knee for a two count. Kross gave Joe mounted elbows. Kross gave Joe a DDT for a two count. Joe recovered and hit Kross with a forearm and Belly-to-belly suplex. Kross gave Joe strikes and Joe came back with his own strikes. Joe gave Kross an atomic drop and running senton for a two count. Joe gave Kross another running senton. Joe put Kross in the Coquina Clutch. Joe dragged Kross to the mat, but Kross made sure Joe didn’t get the body scissors.

Kross went for the Kross jacket. Joe got to a knee and Kross put Joe in the sleeper. Kross escaped the hold by ramming Kross into the turnbuckle. Kross hit Joe with a forearm to the back of the neck. Joe ducked another forearm shot and gave Kross a Uranage. Joe gave Kross a gamengiri and hit Kross with the Kinniku Buster for the clean win.

Samoa Joe defeated Karrion Kross via pinfall in 12:24 to become the new NXT Champion. 

Vic Joseph noted that Joe has become a 3 time NXT Champion. Joe carried the title to the stage and posed at the top of the stage as pyro shot out. The show closed with Joe standing tall as NXT Champion…

John’s Thoughts: A decent Championship match, but a bit underwhelming by NXT Takeover standards. It might have been the least epic match of the night. That’s not saying that this was a terrible match or anything, it just didn’t live up to the usual storytelling you would expect from NXT Takeover matches. Kross didn’t really stand out in a great way here. He didn’t suck, but he didn’t stand out either. I didn’t think Joe had the same explosiveness that we’ve seen from him in the past too, but this is his first match after a long layoff so I can give him the benefit of the doubt. I did hope that this would be more of an MMA style match given how both men excel at MMA style matches, but this was more of a WWE-Main-Roster style match.

If we get a rematch, I would kinda hope they make it MMA style, either in the Fight Pit or a similar match to Samoa Joe vs. Kurt Angle that we’ve seen in Impact Wrestling. As for the rest of Takeover, a good return to form with all the matches aside from the main event living up to the Takeover standard of great and varied matches. WALTER vs. Ilja Dragunov gets my nod of match of the night. The only downside to this show’s presentation is them being in the WWE Performance Center. Have we’ve seen the end of NXT Takeovers in arenas? I hope not because NXT live events have been my favorite live WWE experiences in the last few years due to the different flavor that NXT gives compared to the more family-oriented main roster shows. I’ll be by in a bit with Jason Powell as we record the member’s exclusive Audio Review for this Takeover show, so you’ll get more thoughts from me there.