NXT TakeOver: Phoenix Live Results

NXT TakeOver: Phoenix Full Results

• War Raiders def. Undisputed Era (c) – NXT Tag Team Championships
• Matt Riddle def. Kassius Ohno
• Johnny Gargano def. Ricochet (c) – NXT North American Championship
• Shayna Baszler (c) def. Bianca Belair – NXT Women’s Championship
• Tommaso Ciampa def. Aleister Black – NXT Championship

Tommaso Ciampa (c) vs. Aleister Black – NXT Championship

It’s main event time, as the NXT Champion Tommaso Ciampa defends his title against former champ Aleister Black. Prepare for another corker.

Mind games early on as the pair sit across from each other in the ring. Ciampa takes the opportunity to strike though, and tries to take the initiative, but Black dives over the top rope to the outside and takes him out.

Aleister’s on top for a bit after this, with some springboard offense causing Ciampa to roll to the outside in search of a breather. Black meets him though, but Ciampa chucks the challenger into the steps… and soon suplexing him into them, injuring Black’s leg. Will this come into play later if Black attempts the Black Mass?

Is @ProjectCiampa making good on his promise to take #BlackMxss away from @WWEAleister?#NXTChampionship #NXTTakeOver pic.twitter.com/U7ImwE4jH0

— WWE Network (@WWENetwork) January 27, 2019

Ciampa continues to focus his work on the left leg that took the blow on the stairs and sustains dominance for a short while, using submissions, strikes, and the ropes for leverage and the ringpost to do damage to the left leg of Aleister. He even drove the knee into the Spanish announce table, sadistically smiling about the damage he’s inflicted.

He gets a bit cocky and grabs a bottle of water, but Black manages a wild kick to strike Ciampa. Black hobbles his way back into the ring, and Ciampa once again takes out the leg and continues working over it.

Black begins to fight back once more with a flurry of clotheslines. A little side note, the top Ciampa’s head is absolutely terrifying.

Black attempts Black Mass but misses, but then does manage to twice block Ciampa’s Fairytale Ending. The challenger hits a German suplex for a nearfall.

He tries for the Black Mass again, but his leg gives way, and Ciampa locks in a single-leg Boston crab again targeting the leg. Black gets out and then locks Ciampa in a single-leg crab of his own.

An 👁️ for an 👁️. #NXTChampionship #NXTTakeOver pic.twitter.com/chRDYI2NSz

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) January 27, 2019

The two make their way into the corner, and Ciampa nails a cutter on the apron for another two-count. I really like that move for some reason.

The mind-game master Ciampa sets up for a Black Mass of his own, but Black counters out of it with a knee strike, but the champ hits one of his own and the two exchange strikes in the center of the ring with increasing pace and aggression. A sequence of roll-ups follows.

Black goes for a brainbuster, but his leg gives way. He manages to drive his knee into Ciampa’s back, and then does nail the brainbuster. Ciampa rolls to the outside, but Aleister dives outside with a roll-up. Unfortunately for the challenger, he slipped on the water that had been spilled earlier. On his return to the ring, he is greeted by a Fairytale Ending but kicks out at two.

The floor exposed once again! @ProjectCiampa is relentless. #NXTTakeOver #NXTChampionship pic.twitter.com/roEQX0UQVI

— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) January 27, 2019

Ciampa pulls the padding up on the outside in the exact same place Gargano did earlier in his match with Ricochet. The ref tries to calm Ciampa, which allows Black enough time to recover and hit the Black Mass. Before he can get into the pin though, Ciampa rolls over so he can’t be pinned.

Black goes for another Black Mass, but Ciampa pulls the ref in the way. Aleister manages to stop himself. However, the hesitation allows Ciampa to hit another Fairytale Ending, but again, Black kicks out.

Ciampa hits it a third time, but instead of going for the pin, goes for a fourth. Black counters out of it and goes for the Black Mass, but his leg gives way, allowing Ciampa to hook him back in for the Fairytale Ending and eventually pick up the win.

After Ciampa walks up the ramp and the end watermark is show, new NXT North American Champion Johnny Gargano walks out and joins him at the top of the stage. DIY are atop NXT!

The tale of two champs…

…is a new chapter about to begin?@ProjectCiampa @JohnnyGargano #NXTTakeOver pic.twitter.com/EGhah7sKWn

— WWE (@WWE) January 27, 2019

Shanya Baszler (c) vs. Bianca Belair – NXT Women’s Championship

During the pre-show, Sam Roberts said Bianca Belair “isn’t TakeOver-worthy” and that this was a “waste of a match.” What a massive weirdo.

The two have a bit of a shouting match early on, both showing their cockiness with Belair exclaiming that she’s “un-de-fea-ted”, but Baszler retorting, claiming that she’s actually “o-ver-ra-ted”.

Some impressive athleticism from Belair is counteracted by the viciousness of Baszler, who uses the former’s colossal ponytail to yank her into the cornerpost on the outside.

Beware the hair? Not in @QoSBaszler's world. #NXTTakeOver pic.twitter.com/oa6jrwg6Da

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) January 27, 2019

Belair is favoring her arm, making it a bullseye for the offense of Baszler, who has repeatedly injured colleagues by targeting their arms. Baszler uses this to her advantage and dominates for quite a few minutes, with the match almost halting completely.

Belair launches a comeback though when Baszler again calls her overrated. Bianca slaps the champion and follows it up with some impressive agility and a spear for a nearfall.

The challenger follows up with some stomps, and attempts a splash. Baszler manages to get her knees up to block it though, and hits a knee for a two-count.

The ‘EST’ of NXT looks desparate, favouring her arm and floundering with strikes. She’s down and Baszler goes to attack, but Bianca’s hair whip leaves a VERY gnarly mark on Baszler.

You never forget your first @BiancaBelairWWE hair-whoopin'.#NXTTakeOver pic.twitter.com/aLIY11ojgx

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) January 27, 2019

Shayna knocks Belair into the ref, and Belair hits the KOD, but the ref is down. Guess who’s here… Marina Shafir and Jessamyn Duke come to the ring. Belair fights them off, but Shayna has enough time to recover and locks Bianca in the Kirifuda Clutch. Amazingly, Belair powers herself out of it and slams Baszler down, leading to “EST” chants from the crowd. What a great moment.

With Baszler down, Bianca goes to the top rope. Duke tries to knock her off but is kicked away. Belair attempts a 450, but the champ manages to counter it into another Kirifuda, which Belair once again tries to power out of. She drops back down, but tries a second time and Belair gets back to her feet. Baszler still has it locked in though, and eventually they drop back down and Bianca is out. Baszler retains in a great match.

Ricochet (c) vs. Johnny Gargano – NXT North American Championship

Is everyone ready for an early match of year candidate? Because I think that’s exactly what’s in store for us here.

We start off pretty slowly with Gargano utilizing some submission offense and the pair showing some excellent technical prowess and impressive chemistry, dodging and flipping each other all over the shop.

Ricochet takes the upper hand next, hitting a step-up moonsault from the corner to Gargano on the outside. The champion looks to be attempting a hurricanrana off the top rope, but Johnny manages to escape it and drops Ricochet onto the turnbuckle face-first.

Johnny slows the match back down, with Johnny taking a methodical and conservative approach in his offense, very much working as the heel grounding the high-flying Ricochet.

Keeping @KingRicochet grounded is always 🔑.#NXTTakeOver @JohnnyGargano pic.twitter.com/JDyI1SJzyV

— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) January 27, 2019

Ricochet powers his way out of Gargano’s submissions, and lands a standing moonsault on Johnny’s back. The pair trade strikes in the center of the ring, after which, Ricochet picks up the pace with a headscissor take down, tiger feint kick, and a couple springboard manoeuvres followed up by a suplex for a nearfall.

Gargano follows up a nearfall of his own by locking the defending champion in a crossface, looking for the Garga-No Escape, but Ricochet powers his way out, and soon dumps Johnny out the ring, before flying out the ring with a Fosbury flop to take his challenger out.

Gargano attempts a frankensteiner from the top rope, but Ricochet amazingly flips his way out and lands on his feet. The two trade quick counters before a handspring from Ricochet is countered straight into a Gargan-No Escape, but once again, Ricochet powers his way out, chucking Johnny into the corner.

TFW #JohnnyTakeOver takes over.#NXTTakeOver @JohnnyGargano pic.twitter.com/ONVcoBzawo

— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) January 27, 2019

Ricochet attempts a diving move from the top, but Johnny rolls out the ring. That’s no issue for Ricochet though, as he flies right over the top rope onto Gargano, followed by a 450 splash for a fantastic nearfall.

Gargano then counters a shooting star press into a cradle pin but Ricochet got out at two.

Johnny then hits the DIY superkick, but can’t capitalize as Ricochet agonisingly falls to the outside. An outside dive from Johnny is caught by Ricochet, but Johnny counters it into a gnarly reverse spike-rana, before rolling Ricochet back in for a slingshot DDT, leading to another close two-count.

Johnny then goes back to the outside, tears up the padding on the outside – reminiscent of what Ciampa did to him at TakeOver: New Orleans – and goes to DDT Ricochet onto the concrete. He fights the urge, and Ricochet goes to the top to attempt a Phoenix splash, misses, but eventually recovers and locks Johnny in the Garga-No Escape.

🚨 WARNING 🚨

This is really, really painful to watch.#NXTTakeOver @JohnnyGargano pic.twitter.com/DtuRzk9yhI

— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) January 27, 2019

The pair find themselves on the apron by the exposed concrete again, and this time Gargano hits a suplex on the outside. He rolls Ricochet back into the ring, hits a second slingshot DDT and picks up the win. We have a new North American Champion!

Matt Riddle vs. Kassius Ohno

The “shiny new toy” against the NXT veteran is our second clash of the night, and something tells me it’ll go at least slightly longer than their match at TakeOver: WarGames II.

Riddle started hot, but after an attempted sunset powerbomb to the outside backfires and Ohno manages to smother the ‘Original Bro’ in the apron and take the initiative with some strong strikes.

Ohno goes off on one, absolutely destroying Riddle, and chucking him into the ring steps on the outside. The flurry of offense serves to only fire Riddle up, who tries to build some momentum, but Ohno simply stamps on Riddle’s bare foot, which, to be honest, is his own fault for not wearing boots the absolute plonker.

If this doesn't make you feel his pain, you're lying. 😥 @SuperKingOfBros #WWENXT pic.twitter.com/cgHg1i9tXm

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) January 27, 2019

Riddle manages to build the strength to deliver a German suplex to the bigger man though and OH MY GOD OHNO JUST BIT RIDDLE’S TOES. That is absolutely disgusting.

A couple of big moves from Ohno, including a moonsault, lead to some nearfalls. Ohno attempts his finishing rolling elbow, Riddle dodges, and manages to lock Ohno in a rear naked choke, but the veteran manages to make it to the ropes to break the hold.

Ohno’s down, and rather weirdly, extends his fist to Riddle, but Riddle uses it to pull Kassius into a knee strike, followed up with repeated elbow strikes which forced Ohno to tap out.

Undisputed Era (c) vs. War Raiders – NXT Tag Team Championships

We’re kicking the show off with Tag Team Title action, as Hanson and Rowe of the War Raiders challenge the Undisputed Era’s Kyle O’Reilly and Roderick Strong.

The Raiders got a really cool viking-themed entrance, as is customary for TakeOvers. Bobby Fish is accompanying Strong and O’Reilly at ringside, but no sign of Adam Cole as this one kicks off…

War Raiders dominate in the early stages, chucking each other around like something you’d see on 205 Live. Strong and O’Reilly’s attempts at a comeback were often thwarted by the power of Hanson, but some double-team and submission-based offense managed to subdue the bigger men.

#UndisputedERA @KORcombat & @roderickstrong want to leave their opponents out to dry! #NXTTakeOver pic.twitter.com/IQC1eKMn3C

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) January 27, 2019

A missed suicide dive from Hanson put him out of the match for a short while, and after a short burst from Rowe, Strong and O’Reilly managed to take the initiative.

After Hanson recovers, he tries to get at the UE in the ring, but the ref prevents him which allows the Era to double-team Rowe… until Rowe hits an exploder suplex on O’Reilly knocking Strong off the apron.

NOOOO! @KORcombat @roderickstrong #NXTTakeOver pic.twitter.com/IIZvAU5Q5T

— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) January 27, 2019

Strong recovers allowing O’Reilly to gain the upper hand, but after Kyle and Rowe go at it for a short while, both men are left down in the ring until they tag in their partners. Hanson shows off his extremely impressive athleticism, and dodges an O’Reilly big boot which inadvertently strikes Strong, which Hanson follows up with a pin for a nearfall.

O’Reilly and Rowe come back into the match, leading to bedlam between all four men in the ring. War Raiders come off better with a tandem pop-up powerslam to O’Reilly and a Hanson suicide dive on Strong.

Hanson hits a massive splash on Kyle for yet another two-count, this time the pin was broken up by Strong. Strong hits a superplex on Hanson, followed up by a top-rope knee drop from O’Reilly for another brilliant nearfall.

No big deal… @roderickstrong just superplexed 300 POUNDS of War Raider.#NXTTakeOver pic.twitter.com/p9Vq47PuUU

— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) January 27, 2019

Strong tags in and hits a brilliant Olympic Slam on Hanson for a count of two, prompting “fight forever) chants from the crowd.

Strong and O’Reilly hit the Total Elimination (now named the High-Low for some reason) on Hanson, who amazingly kicks out at two. Hanson then hits an amazing handspring attack on both Undisputed Era members.

Rowe takes out both Strong and O’Reilly, before Hanson hoists Kyle up, the Raiders hit the Viking Fallout, and we have new NXT Tag Team Champions – Hanson and Rowe, the War Raiders!

Watch The NXT TakeOver: Phoenix Pre-Show Live:

We’re kicking the night off with the TakeOver: Phoenix pre-show, during which the 2018 NXT End of Year Awards will be revealed.

You can watch the pre-show live and for free here via WWE’s YouTube channel:

There’s a common saying in life – “the calm before the storm”. If you thought that applied to Royal Rumble weekend, you are very mistaken. “The storm before the storm” would be a far more apropos phrase to describe tonight’s NXT TakeOver: Phoenix show.

As we say every time a TakeOver event rolls around, the card looks very, very tasty indeed:

• Matt Riddle vs. Kassius Ohno
• Shayna Baszler (c) vs. Bianca Belair – NXT Women’s Championship
• Undisputed Era vs. War Raiders – NXT Tag Team Championship
• Ricochet (c) vs. Johnny Gargano – NXT North American Championship
• Tommaso Ciampa (c) vs. Aleister Black – NXT Championship

We’ll be providing live coverage of the entire show right the way from the start of the pre-show at 6pm ET/11pm GMT, so bookmark this page and refresh throughout for live match-by-match results and opinions!

What are your predictions for NXT TakeOver: Phoenix? Let us know in the comments, on Twitter, or on Discord!

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