By John Moore, ProWrestling.net Staffer (@liljohnm)
NXT Takeover: WarGames Pre-Show
Aired on WWE Network and social media
Chicago, Illinois at Allstate Arena
The Pre-Show panel, Charley Caruso, Sam Roberts, and Pat McAfee checked in at the top of the ramp in the Allstate Arena. They cut to “breaking news” where Mia Yim was attacked backstage and being checked in by doctors. Charley questioned if this would end up taking Yim out of the WarGames match. The panel discussed the mystery over who attacked Yim. The crowd booed McAfee for botching Rhea Ripley’s name by calling her Rhea “Shipley”…
John’s Thoughts: They throwing Dakota Kai’s name in the hat again?
The panel ran through the Takeover WarGames card. Team Ciampa still has a mystery man silhouette. Charley said that some news on the fourth man on Team Ciampa will be revealed on the pre-show….
Mauro Ranallo, Nigel McGuinness, and Beth Phoenix were on commentary. Isaiah “Swerve” Scott made his entrance to his not-as-good-as-Chaka-Khan entrance theme. Since this is the WarGames show, the double rings was set up. ..
John’s Thoughts: Knowing Scott’s work in “The Temple” of Downtown Los Angeles, it would be cool to see him use the double rings. Sadly, he probably won’t…
1. Isaiah “Swerve” Scott vs. Angel Garza. The match started off with your usual cruiserweight stalemate sequence. Scott hit a unique flip dive, into a handstand, into a huracanrana at ringside. Garza kicked out in the ring at two. Scott hit Garza with a front suplex and slingshot flip for a two count. Scott caught a flying Garza with an uppercut. Garza reversed a High Fly Flow into an ugly but effective Gutwrench Exploder. The stunned Scott allowed Garza to rip of his pants as he does. He threw his pants at Scott to allow him to superkick Scott.
Garza bounced Scott on the top rope into a front suplex and hit him with a superkick for a two count. Garza dropkicked Scott’s “huevos” (as Mauro put it) into the ringpost when Scott was trapped in the corner. Scott dodged Garza’s moonsault and converted a butterfly into a power bomb for a two count. The commentators were really putting over the handsome looks of Garza. Scott and Garza traded strong style chops. Garza did a cool flip over Scott, up and around, almost turning a Code Red into a German Suplex.
Garza reversed Scott’s palm strike on the top rope. Scott pulled Garza to the apron and hit him with an Attitude Adjustment. Scott hit Garza with the Kill Stomp at ringside. A “you got swerved” chant ensued. Scott hit Garza with the Killshot Kick for a two count. Garza shoved Scott into the referee and went for a kick to the balls. Scott blocked it. Even though, Garza ended up blocking Killshot’s kick. Garza then hit Scott with the raised knee followed by a Wing Clipper (Butterfly Atomic Drop) for the victory.
Angel Garza defeated Isaiah Scott via pinfall in 7:35.
Mauro noted that NXT is “poppin” and he went into the advertisement plugs…
The commentators cut to a Finn Balor vs. Matt Riddle hype package. Nigel noted that it’s been four years since Finn Balor wrestled in NXT. The panel gave their thoughts on the match after, complete with Pat McAfee being as animated as he usually is. Since the panel is still standing at the top of the ramp, McAfee is showing off is jorts… [c]
John’s Thoughts: A fun match by the end of it with some really innovative stuff used. Nothing you’ll remember a few weeks from now, but a fun pre-show thirst quenching type of match. Scott’s matches tend to really stand out if he’s given over ten minutes. That said, good win for Garza and Garza has “star” written all over him.
During the commercial, a very good Shayna Baszler ad aired where she was advertising Kraken Spiced Rum…
John’s Thoughts: A good trial as to how Shayna would look pimping out merch with WWE’s advertising partners. Also, an Alcohol ad? Does WWE still do those? They do now. And I actually want to try some of that 94 proof spiced rum, maybe.
The panels cut to the parking lot where Mia Yim was being put in an ambuelence. Dakota Kai was around, worried about Yim. Regal asked Rhea Ripley what she was going to do for WarGames. Ripley tapped Kai on the back and said that Kai was in the match. Kai said she wasn’t ready. Ripley said that Kai has been preparing and is ready…
The commentators discussed the last scene. Sam Roberts went heel and said that Ripley made a bottom of the barrel pick. Roberts actually made good points in saying that Kai admitted she wasn’t ready and Ripley even brought over Toni Storm instead of Kai to her on Smackdown…
A men’s WarGames hype package aired…
John’s Thoughts: In all honesty, they should have brought Toni Storm over. Storm is a top tier star in the waiting. Anyway, they are definitely planting the seeds that Kai took Mia Yim out of commission. Is Kai the red herring again? Probably a less chance of that happening this time.
Pat McAfee was gone from the panel. Charley and Sam discussed the mystery fourth member of Team Ciampa. They cut to a Ciampa tweet. Ciampa said he talked to a potential fourth member. Ciampa said he sent an invitation and if the guy doesn’t show up his team is still ready for war…
For some reason, Pat McAffee made an entrance and cut a hype promo to hype up the crowd. Closing the pre-show…
Be the first to comment