Hanley! wrote:I liked some of the other matches better, honestly, but I was sleepy by the main event so that might have had something to do with it. Very strong Takeover though. WALTER vs Dunne was one of my most anticipated matches for the weekend, and it delivered.
I thought Cole/Gargano started off slow-ish/underwhelming (but hard to blame NXT or either guy much; they had to scramble to create a story for this because of Ciampa's injury). However, I thought the third fall was FANTASTIC. Some of the most fun I've had watching wrestling in a long time. Everyone knows I hate false finishes as much as the next guy, but this was one of the rare instances where it worked to perfection. I was convinced Gargano had lost the match after the Undisputed Era's interference and Cole's finisher, but alas. I thought they did a good job (Ranallo on commentary especially) pushing the story that Gargano just wasn't going to lose that night. It wasn't that Adam Cole wasn't good enough, it was that he fought Gargano on the wrong night. I liked that. I'd definitely re-watch it again to see if you like it more a second time around.
WALTER vs Dunne was good too, but I actually think my second favorite match of the night was the Fatal 4-Way. I love Lynch, I loved Banks (still do, but they have done a terrible job with her on the main roster), I love Charlotte, but in my opinion, the best woman in the company right now is Shayne Baszler. She's flat out one of the best performers in the company, WWE or NXT. She is so fucking vicious, like I thought Asuka was a bad-ass but it really feels like Baszler is going to beat the shit out of someone when she is in the ring. I was rooting hard for Bionca in that match but I couldn't even get mad at Baszler winning, she's just too damn good. A Baszler vs. Lynch feud could be MONEY.
Someone said it somewhere else but man if Baszler had Rousey's popularity? I like Rousey but Baszler >>>>.