NXT Takeover: Philadelphia

NXT Takeover: Philadelphia
1/27/18
Wells Fargo Arena, Philadelphia, PA

Quick Results:

1. NXT Tag Team Championship: Bobby Fish and Kyle O'Reilly (c) defeated Authors of Pain (Akem and Rezar) w/ Paul Ellering to retain. 
2. Velveteen Dream defeated Kassius Ohno. 
3. NXT Women's Championship: Ember Moon (c) defeated Shayna Baszler to retain. 
4. Extreme Rules: Aleister Black defeated Adam Cole. 
5. NXT Championship: Andrade "Cien" Almas (c) w/ Zelina Vega defeated Johnny Gargano to retain.

Blog:


NXT Takeover events are shows that never seem to drag. While the weekly show is usually a hit or miss (more often a "hit"), the Takeovers always deliver. Takeover Philadelphia was no exception. The quality of this show was enhanced by a great crowd in Philadelphia that showed genuine appreciation for the wrestlers, rather than chanting out of boredom.

The "roll-up" finish for the tag title match made perfect sense, as a way for the Authors of Pain to retain credibility while losing to the much smaller Fish and O'Reilly. The match was really good, as O'Reilly and Fish bring a sense of legitimacy to their moveset with their "mma" style. They are able to successfully incorporate that style into pro wrestling and make it look convincing. I was surprised by the dueling chants, as Authors of Pain have really grown on the NXT audience. This was a great way to kick off the show.

While Velveteen Dream did technically "knock out" Ohno within thirty seconds, I do not see how anyone gained from that little angle. It served no purpose for the rest of the match. Dream needed a rebound win following losses to Aleister Black and Johnny Gargano and this was it. Ohno is not going to win the NXT title in the near future so Dream is the clear priority here. While some spots were botched, as Dream seemed to have trouble lifting up Ohno, this was another good match.

The women's title match was one where I did not like the roll-up finish. It made sense within the match, as Ember Moon was selling a shoulder/arm injury and could not outpower Baszler, but the whole storyline was based on Baszler dominating the division and Moon planning to stop her. This will most likely lead to a rematch but Moon needs to look a little stronger in the coming weeks. 

The Extreme Rules match would have been the match of the night had it not been for the main event. The interference was expected but it was kept very minimal, as Fish and O'Reilly were quickly taken out by Sanity (including a great Suicide Dive by Dane to the outside). Adam Cole and Aleister Black put on a great match that featured too many spots to name, including two that really stood out. Black tossed Cole. back first onto 2 steel chairs that were set up, causing Cole's back to hit the top of the chairs. The other main spot saw Black drive his knees onto Cole through the announce table. The only downside here was how quick Cole recovered to Superkick Black but Cole won with the Black Mass. 

Gargano and Almas put on an excellent main event. I did not expect Gargano to win here but the nearfalls were so believable. The most convincing being when Vega hit a hurracanrana to Gargano, sending him into the steps, followed by a Hammerlock DDT by Almas for a nearfall. This also led to Candice LaRae (Gargano's wife) making her debut, attacking Vega after she tried interfering again. There was a sick spot where Almas hit the double knees on Gargano, who was seated on the apron with his head against the post. Almas got the win soon after. This was an excellent match and one that is worth seeking out if you do not watch the entire show.

EC3 was shown at ringside and this might confirm that his fate will be NXT rather than the main roster. Whether this was a red herring so people do not expect him for the Rumble remains to be seen, but he will be successful no matter where he ends up.

Match of the Night: Andrade "Cien" Almas vs. Johnny Gargano

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UFC on Fox: Jacare vs. Brunson 2 - 1/27/18

UFC on Fox: Jacare vs. Brunson 2
1/27/18
Spectrum Center, Charlotte, NC

Main Card

1. Frank Camacho (12-5) vs. Drew Dober (18-8, 1NC) - Welterweight Division

Round 1: Camacho scored two takedowns during the round by inside trip, making me see the fight 10-9 for Camacho. 

Round 2: This round consisted of striking by both fighters but Dober was able to outland Camacho. 10-9 round Dober. 

Round 3: Camacho scores another takedown but Dober escaped. Dober landed significant strikes but Camacho dominated the final minute. 10-9 round for Camacho. 

Decision: Drew Dober wins via Unanimous Decision after 3 rounds. 

2. Jordan Rinaldi (13-5) vs. Gregor Gillespie (10-0) - Lightweight Division

Round 1: Gregor Gillespie scored a takedown and landed strikes for the TKO win in the final 15 seconds. 

Decision: Gregor Gillespie wins via TKO in the 1st round. 

3. Andre Fili (17-5) vs. Dennis Bermudez (16-7) - Featherweight Division

Round 1: Fili landed significant strikes followed by a single leg but Bermudez was able to escape. Bermudez landed leg kicks but gets taken down by Fili. Bermudez was able to escape before the round ened. 10-9 Fili. 

Round 2: Fili lands a double leg but Bermudez immediately escapes. Bermudez lands more leg kicks but gets caught with a left hook by by Fili. Fili is able to secure another takedown by Bermudez once again escapes. 10-9 Fili. 

Round 3: Fili lands a big uppercut. Bermudez accidentally knees Fili in the groin. Bermudez lands strikes and secures a takedown to win the round. Bermudez 10-9. 

Decision: Andre Fili wins via Split Decision after 3 rounds. 

4. Jacare Souza (24-5) vs. Derek Brunson (18-5)

Round 1: Souza lands a head kick and strikes on the mat for the Knockout win. 

Decision: Jacare Souza wins via KO in the 1st round. 

Blog:

The announcers noted that the judges at cageside were boxing judges and questioned if they had ever seen a takedown following the decision of the Camacho/Dober fight. I had scored that fight for Camacho and the takedowns were a big part of that. 

Gregor Gillespie remained undefeated here and will definitely be a featherweight contender in the near future. 

Andre Fili had a good performance during the first two rounds, reading the leg kicks and timing his takedowns accordingly. He seemed to be tired out during the third round, so the cup shot might have been a lucky break. I was afraid the results would be similar to the Camacho/Dober fight, with the judges disregarding takedowns, but the right fighter won here. 

Jacare looked happy and calm going in to the cage today. His confidence was evident in his performance. While I guessed he would win, I did not think it would be a first round knockout. Tough break for Brunson but this was a dominant performance by Jacare. 

Fight of the Night: Andre Fili vs. Dennis Bermudez

Performance of the Night: Jacare Souza

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