-RIP Don Coss and welcome new listeners.
-Today we look at NXT Takeover: Rival from the WWE.
-NXT Takeover: Rival was shown on the WWE Network on February 11, 2015 from Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida. There were 400 plus in attendance.
-WWE and Takeover Intros.
-Rich Brennan, Corey Graves, and Jason Albert welcome us to Takeover as we start with a Flashback to what led up to our first match. Hideo Itami vs. Tyler Breeze: Breeze booed when he came out. Liv Morgan plays a planted fan who jumps on Breeze's back as he comes to the ring. The bell rings and Itami comes out hot. Breeze avoids kicks. Breeze comes back with punches and strikes. Itami with a corner clothesline. They fight to the outside. Back in, Itami with a combo of kicks. Breeze comes back by attacking Itami's legs. He drops a series of elbows on the legs. Breeze wraps Itami's legs around the ring post and puts the figure four on Itami around the pole. Breeze with a version of the Sharpshooter. Itami gets to the ropes. They both have a series of close counts. Itami comes back with a combo of moves. A series of kicks to Breeze. Itami hits the running kick to get the pin.
-William Regal checks Kevin Owens to make sure he stays away from Sami Zayn.
-No Disqualification Match. Bull Dempsey vs. Baron Corbin: Flashback to what led up to the match. Corbin comes out and attacks Dempsey right away. Dempsey suplexes Corbin on the ramp and into a ring post. He beats Corbin down. They get into the ring and Corbin hits a spinebuster for a two count. They fall out of the ring as Dempsey hits a clothesline. Dempsey powers Corbin down. Back in, Dempsey hits a diving headbutt for a two count. Dempsey kicks Corbin out. He runs Corbin into the ring steps and grabs a chair. He comes in, and Corbin hits the End of Days out of nowhere to get the pin. Corbin sets the chair up and sits on it over the fallen Dempsey.
-Regal shown talking with Sami Zayn, followed by a WWE Network ad, and then Becky Lynch and Bayley shown getting ready for their match later on.
-NXT Tag Team Championship Match. Blake and Murphy vs. The Lucha Dragons Kalisto and Sin Cara: Lucha Dragons are popular with the crowd. The belts are presented, and the bell rings. Sin Cara and Blake start. Sin Cara with the early advantage. Blake comes back with kicks. Back and forth. Sin Cara with chops and a running forearm. All four men in. Kalisto hits a dive on Murphy on the second attempt after botching the first. Sin Cara puts Blake on the top rope and hits an enziguri. He hits a top rope victory roll for a two count. Kalisto and Murphy tagged in. They trade moves. Blake tagged back in, and they double team Kalisto. Murphy is now in, and the tag champions are quick tagging. Kalisto comes back, but hesitates. He gets a variety of two counts from covers. Murphy and Sin Cara both tagged in. Sin Cara with a variety of counters, but he can't get the pin. Blake hits a frog splash after a tag to get the pin.
-Feature on the number one contenders tournament.
-Tournament Final. Adrian Neville vs. Finn Balor: Balor comes out in his Demon persona. The best thing I can say about it is the crowd is into it. The bell rings, and they go at it. Neville with a side headlock. Back and forth. Balor hits a dropkick and Neville rolls out. He comes back and gets another dropkick. He hits a springboard dropkick of his own. Neville with a side headlock takeover. Neville kicks Balor in the corner. Neville with a rear chin lock. Balor tries to get out. He does and hits a chop. Neville comes back with a dropkick. He hits a suplex and gets a two count. Neville goes back to the chin lock. Neville goes up top and Balor hits him with an enziguri and hits Neville with a tope. Neville keeps away from Balor. Balor with a running dropkick and kicks Neville through a barricade. He hits a double stomp from the top for a two count. Neville comes back with strikes. They trade kicks. Neville hits a pair of German suplexes. A corkscrew from the top rope gets another two count for Neville. Balor keeps kicking out. Balor hits a Slingblade. Balor gets a reverse DDT for a two count. Balor goes up top, but Neville grabs his leg and hits an enziguri. Neville hits the Red Arrow, but Balor gets the knees up and rolls Neville up for a two count. Balor hits the Coup De Grace to get the pin. This was a fantastic match. Neville shakes Balor's hand and then leaves.
-Sasha Banks and Charlotte shown in the back.
-Flashback to what led to the next match. Fatal Four Way for the NXT Women's Championship. Charlotte Flair vs. Sasha Banks vs. Bayley vs. Becky Lynch: Bayley out first to a great ovation. Sasha Banks out next followed by Becky Lynch. Charlotte finally comes out. The crowd woos. Charlotte attacks the others as the match starts. It quickly goes outside, and Lynch throws Charlotte into the apron, causing the LED display to go out. Lynch and Banks attack Bayley. They throw her into a corner. Lynch then hits a pump handle suplex on Banks. She covers Bayley for a two count. She puts a submission move on Bayley, but Banks breaks it up. Lynch with a top rope dropkick to Banks. Charlotte comes in and hits a neck breaker on Banks. Then one to Lynch. Banks breaks up the cover. A series of big moves by Bayley and Charlotte. Banks runs Lynch and Charlotte into the corner and hits the double knees on both, but can't get the pin. Bayley hits a series of back elbows to Charlotte. She then hits a top rope hurricanrana and a Bayley to Belly to Charlotte, but Lynch breaks up the cover. Bayley attacks Lynch. Banks hits both of them with a tope. Charlotte then takes it up a notch with a tope of her own. Charlotte throws Lynch into the ring. Lynch reverses for a two count. Bayley in and hits a top rope Bayley to belly. Banks breaks up the cover and gets a two count on Charlotte. Banks puts on a crossface to Charlotte. Charlotte tries to get out. Banks reverses to a roll up and gets the pin, and we have a new Women's Champion, and that honestly surprised me. Banks celebrates and holds the belt high. Charlotte offers her hand to Banks, and then they hug.
-Flashback to what led to the main event. NXT Championship Match. Sami Zayn vs. Kevin Owens: Owens out first and gets a decent reaction, which surprised me. Zayn out to a fantastic reception. They stare at each other across the ring as the introductions are made. Owens looks intense. Zayn looks relaxed. The belt is presented. The bell rings. They continue to stare. Owens goes to the outside. He takes his time getting back in. As Zayn goes to lock up, Owens bails out to the floor. Zayn hits a suicide dive over the referee to hit Owens on the outside. Zayn throws Owens in and attacks Owens. Owens comes back with a corner clothesline. He hits a second one, and Zayn falls to the mat. Owens with a corner whip, and Zayn falls again. Owens chops Zayn down. He continues the attack as the crowd does an Ole chant for Zayn. Owens gets a two count. Owens with a rear chin lock. Zayn fights to get out. He does and Owens with a double sledge to knock Zayn back down. They trade moves. Owens gets a two count. He goes back to the chin lock. Zayn fights the pain. Owens with a back suplex for a two count. He throws Zayn out. He runs him into the ring. Owens with a series of clotheslines to Zayn. he throws Zayn into the ring. He hits a gut buster and a senton and gets a two count. Zayn comes back with a jaw breaker. Zayn will not stay down. He starts a comeback. He runs Owens into the ring steps. He clotheslines Owens. They trade moves. Zayn with a Blue Thunder Bomb for a two count. Owens with a cannonball for a two count. Owens hits a shoulder breaker for a close two count. A series of close counts by both men. Owens guillotines Zayn on the top rope. Owens goes up top, but gets caught. They fight on the top rope. Owens with a swanton, but Zayn gets his knees up. Zayn hits an exploder suplex, but Owens rolls out as Zayn goes for the Helluva kick. Zayn with a springboard moonsault, but Zayn hit his head on the ramp. They get back in the ring, and Zayn seems out of it. Owens hits a pop up powerbomb for a two count. Owens goes after Zayn hard. The referee tries to get Owens away from Zayn. He continues the assault. The NXT trainer comes out to check on Zayn. Owens hits two pop up powerbombs for a two count. He then hits two more powerbombs. The referee rings the bell. The crowd boos as Owens is declared the champion. Officials check on Zayn. They highlight the match as Owens holds the championship high on Zayn and they sign off from Full Sail.
-Final Thoughts: Fantastic show with the last three matches highlighting the best of NXT.