NXT TakeOver: WarGames (2018)

NXT TakeOver: WarGames was a professional wrestling show and WWE Network event that took place on November 17, 2018 in the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.[2] The event was produced by WWE for the NXT brand division that was streamed live on the WWE Network.

NXT TakeOver: WarGames
Promotional poster featuring various NXT wrestlers
PromotionWWE
Brand(s)NXT
DateNovember 17, 2018
CityLos Angeles, California
VenueStaples Center
Attendance13,598[1]
WWE Network event chronology
← Previous
Crown Jewel		 Next →
Survivor Series
NXT TakeOver chronology
← Previous
Brooklyn 4		 Next →
Phoenix
NXT TakeOver: WarGames chronology
← Previous
2017		 Next →
2019

Five matches were contested at the event. In the main event, Pete Dunne, Ricochet, and War Raiders defeated The Undisputed Era in a WarGames match. In the penultimate match, Tommaso Ciampa defeated Velveteen Dream to retain the NXT Championship and Aleister Black defeated Johnny Gargano.

Production

Background

TakeOver is a series of professional wrestling shows that began on May 29, 2014, as WWE's then developmental league NXT held their second WWE Network exclusive live broadcast billed as TakeOver.[3] In subsequent months, the "TakeOver" moniker became the brand used by WWE for all of their NXT live specials. The 2018 WarGames was the 22nd NXT TakeOver event and the second in the TakeOver: WarGames chronology.

Storylines

The card comprised five matches. The matches resulted from scripted storylines, where wrestlers portrayed heroes, villains, or less distinguishable characters that built tension and culminated in a wrestling match or series of matches. Results were predetermined by WWE's writers on the NXT brand, while storylines were produced on their weekly television program, NXT.[4][5]

On the July 25 episode of NXT, Aleister Black lost the NXT Championship to Tommaso Ciampa due to interference from Johnny Gargano.[6] On the August 8 episode of NXT, Black and Gargano fought to a no contest when Ciampa attacked both men. A triple threat match between the three for the title was scheduled for TakeOver: Brooklyn 4.[7] After the show was over, Black was later found unconscious in the parking lot (This was done to allow Black to recover from a groin injury he underwent surgery for).[8][9] With Black out of action after a groin injury, the match was changed to a Last Man Standing match between Ciampa and Gargano,[10] which Ciampa won. On the October 24 edition of NXT, Gargano was revealed as the one who attacked Black before their original TakeOver: Brooklyn 4 title match, turning heel in the process.[11] The following week, a match between the two was scheduled for the event.[12]

On the October 31, 2018 episode of NXT, Adam Cole and Bobby Fish of The Undisputed Era were scheduled to face War Raiders (Hanson and Rowe) in the main event. However, Hanson and Rowe attacked the group during a backstage promo. The fight ended up in the ring, where the Undisputed Era got the upper-hand. Ricochet entered on the War Raiders' behalf, but was ultimately overtaken. Pete Dunne evened the odds for Hanson, Rowe and Ricochet. During the brawl, NXT general manager William Regal announced that the two sides would face each other in a WarGames match.[13]

At Evolution, Shayna Baszler won the NXT Women's Championship back from Kairi Sane after interference from Baszler's fellow and former MMA Four Horsewomen Jessamyn Duke and Marina Shafir, becoming the first two-time NXT Women’s Champion.[14] On the November 7 episode of NXT, as Sane was invoking her rematch clause, a two-out-of-three-falls match between the two for the title was scheduled for TakeOver.

Event
Other on-screen personnel
Role: Name:
English commentators Mauro Ranallo
Nigel McGuinness
Percy Watson
Spanish commentators Carlos Cabrera
Marcelo Rodríguez
Ring announcer Kayla Braxton
Referees Tom Castor
Drake Wuertz
Eddie Orengo
Darryl Sharma
Pre-show panel Charly Caruso
Sam Roberts
Pat McAfee

Preliminary matches

The event opened with Matt Riddle facing Kassius Ohno. Riddle immediately performed a jumping high knee on Ohno to win in only six seconds.

Next, Shayna Baszler defended the NXT Women's Championship against Kairi Sane in a two-out-of-three falls match. Baszler scored the first fall by making Sane submit to the "Kirifuda Clutch" after interference from Jessamyn Duke and Marina Shafir. Sane scored the second fall after an "Insane Elbow" on Baszler. Duke and Shafir tried to interfere again only for Dakota Kai and Io Shirai to stop them. Sane attempted the "Insane Elbow" but Baszler countered into a roll up to retain the title.

After that, Aleister Black faced Johnny Gargano. Gargano performed a slingshot DDT on Black for a near-fall. Black performed a diving meteora on Gargano for a near-fall. Gargano applied the "Garga-No Escape", but Black touched the ropes. In the end, Black performed two consecutive "Black Masses" on Gargano to win.

In the penultimate match, Tommaso Ciampa defended the NXT Championship against Velveteen Dream. Ciampa performed a "Project Ciampa" on Dream for a near-fall. Dream performed the "Purple Rainmaker" on Ciampa for a near-fall. Dream attempted a second "Purple Rainmaker" again on the ring apron but Ciampa avoided. Ciampa performed an elevated DDT on Dream onto the metal divider between the rings to retain the championship.

Main event

The main event was a WarGames match between The Undisputed Era (Adam Cole, Bobby Fish, Kyle O'Reilly, and Roderick Strong) and the team of WWE United Kingdom Champion Pete Dunne, NXT North American Champion Ricochet and War Raiders (Hanson and Rowe). The match began with Cole and Ricochet in the ring. After 5 minutes, O’Reilly of The Undisputed Era joined the match. Three minutes after, Hanson would join the match, and following a further three minutes, Strong joined the match. After another three minutes, Rowe joined the match and simultaneously performed a powerslam and powerbomb on O’Reilly and Strong respectively. After another 3 minutes, Fish escaped and locked Dunne in a cage, throwing the key lock into the audience. Fish then retrieved chairs for the Undisputed Era who struck Ricochet, Hanson and Rowe with the chairs. Three minutes afterwards, the referees attempted to unlock Dunne's cage, but failed to do so as The Undisputed Era's and Dunne's cages used different keys for the individual locks and thus a bolt-cutter had to be used to open the cage. Dunne struck Fish and O’Reilly with a kendo stick and retrieved tables, trash cans, a steel chain and kendo sticks for his team. During the climax, Cole reversed the "Bitter End" into a DDT and performed the "Last Shot" on Dunne for a near-fall. Ricochet and Cole went up to the top of the cage, and all competitors climbed up with them to help their team gain momentum. Cole got suplexed and everybody was left lying, and Ricochet performed a double Moonsault onto the pile. Cole went for another attempt at the Last Shot, but Dunne reversed it into the "Bitter End" and Ricochet executed a springboard 450° splash and both of them pinned Cole for the win.

Results
No. Results Stipulations Times[1]
1N Keith Lee defeated Fidel Bravo Singles match[15] N/A
2N Lars Sullivan defeated Keita Murray Singles match[15] 1:30
3N Nikki Cross defeated Candice LeRae Singles match[15] 12:30
4 Matt Riddle defeated Kassius Ohno Singles match[16] 0:06
5 Shayna Baszler (c) defeated Kairi Sane 2–1 Two-out-of-three falls match for the NXT Women's Championship[17] 10:55
6 Aleister Black defeated Johnny Gargano Singles match[18] 18:10
7 Tommaso Ciampa (c) defeated Velveteen Dream Singles match for the NXT Championship[19] 22:25
8 Pete Dunne, Ricochet, and War Raiders (Hanson and Rowe) defeated The Undisputed Era (Adam Cole, Bobby Fish, Kyle O'Reilly, and Roderick Strong) WarGames match[20] 47:10
  • (c) – refers to the champion(s) heading into the match
  • N – indicates the match was taped for broadcast on a future episode of NXT

References
  1. Powell, Jason. "11/17 Powell's NXT Takeover: WarGames II live review – Undisputed Era vs. Ricochet, Pete Dunne, and War Raiders in a WarGames match, Tommao Ciampa vs. Velveteen Dream for the NXT Title, Shayna Baszler vs. Kairi Sane in a best of three falls match for the NXT Women's Championship". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Retrieved November 17, 2018.
  2. "NXT TakeOver: WarGames returns this November in Los Angeles". WWE. July 20, 2018. Retrieved October 14, 2018.
  3. Howell, Nolan (May 29, 2014). "Neville tops Kidd at NXT Takeover". canoe.ca. Retrieved September 21, 2017.
  4. Grabianowski, Ed. "How Pro Wrestling Works". HowStuffWorks. Discovery Communications. Archived from the original on November 18, 2013. Retrieved March 5, 2012.
  5. "Live & Televised Entertainment". WWE. Archived from the original on February 26, 2009. Retrieved March 21, 2012.
  6. James, Justin (July 25, 2018). "7/25 NXT TV REPORT: Aleister Black vs. Tomasso Ciampa for the NXT Title, Cole vs. Maluta, Evans vs. Price, Ricochet, War Raiders, William Regal". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved August 3, 2018.
  7. James, Justin. "8/8 NXT TV REPORT: Aleister Black vs. Johnny Gargano, Kassius Ohno vs. Adrian Jade, Nikki Cross vs. Amber Mova, Keith Lee vs. Marcel Barthel". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved August 8, 2018.
  8. "Aleister Black found unconscious in the Full Sail Live parking lot after WWE NXT". WWE. Retrieved August 8, 2018.
  9. Johnson, Mike. "SPOILER: NXT TAKEOVER MAIN EVENT UPDATE". PWInsider.com. Retrieved August 5, 2018.
  10. Martin, Adam. "Video: William Regal confirms a new NXT Title main event for NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn 4". WrestleView. Retrieved August 9, 2018.
  11. James, Justin (October 25, 2018). "10/24 NXT TV REPORT: EC3 vs. Adam Cole, Aliyah vs. Mia Yim, plus big angle with Johnny Gargano, Evolution hype with Bazler vs. Kairi". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved November 3, 2018.
  12. James, Justin (October 31, 2018). "10/31 NXT TV REPORT: Matt Riddle vs. Menzies, Nikki Cross vs. Mercedes Martinez, Street Profits vs. The Mighty". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved November 3, 2018.
  13. "A brawl erupted between Ricochet, Pete Dunne & The War Raiders and The Undisputed ERA, culminating in an epic WarGames announcement". WWE.com. Retrieved October 31, 2018.
  14. Powell, Jason. "Powell's WWE Evolution live review: Ronda Rousey vs. Nikki Bella for the Raw Women's Championship, Becky Lynch vs. Charlotte Flair in a Last Woman Standing match for the Smackdown Women's Championship, Mae Young Classic Finals". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Retrieved October 28, 2018.
  15. "WWE NXT results, Nov. 21, 2018: Cross' mind games have LeRae seeing red". Retrieved 23 November 2018.
  16. Bristout, Ralph. "Matt Riddle def. Kassius Ohno". WWE. Retrieved November 17, 2018.
  17. Bristout, Ralph. "NXT Women's Champion Shayna Baszler def. the miz (2-out-of-3 Falls Match)". WWE. Retrieved November 17, 2018.
  18. Bristout, Ralph. "Aleister Black def. Johnny Gargano". WWE. Retrieved November 17, 2018.
  19. "NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa def. Velveteen Dream". WWE. Retrieved November 17, 2018.
  20. Bristout, Ralph. "Ricochet, Pete Dunne & War Raiders def. The Undisputed ERA (WarGames Match)". WWE. Retrieved November 17, 2018.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.