NXT TakeOver: XXV

NXT TakeOver: XXV was a professional wrestling show and WWE Network event produced by WWE for their NXT brand division. It took place on June 1, 2019, at the Webster Bank Arena in Bridgeport, Connecticut.[1] It was the twenty-fifth event under the NXT TakeOver chronology.

NXT TakeOver: XXV
Promotional poster featuring Johnny Gargano, Adam Cole, Shayna Baszler, and Io Shirai
PromotionWWE
Brand(s)NXT
DateJune 1, 2019
CityBridgeport, Connecticut
VenueWebster Bank Arena
WWE Network event chronology
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NXT TakeOver chronology
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Toronto

Seven matches were contested at the event, including two taped for the following week's episode of NXT. In the main event, Adam Cole defeated Johnny Gargano to win the NXT Championship. The undercard saw NXT Women's Champion Shayna Baszler and NXT North American Champion Velveteen Dream defeating Io Shirai and Tyler Breeze respectively to retain their titles, and Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford) won the vacant NXT Tag Team Championship in a fatal-four-way ladder match.

Production

Background

TakeOver is a series of professional wrestling shows that began on May 29, 2014, as WWE's then developmental territory NXT held their second WWE Network exclusive live broadcast billed as TakeOver.[2] In subsequent months, the "TakeOver" moniker became the brand used by WWE for all of their NXT live specials. TakeOver: XXV was aptly named as it was the 25th NXT TakeOver event.

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.[3][4]

At TakeOver: New York, Johnny Gargano defeated Adam Cole in a two-out-of-three falls match to win the vacant NXT Championship.[5] On the May 15, 2019, episode of NXT, a rematch between the two for the title was scheduled for TakeOver: XXV.[6]

During the 2019 WWE Superstar Shake-up, NXT Tag Team Champions The Viking Raiders (Erik and Ivar) were drafted to Raw.[7] They then voluntarily relinquished the titles on the May 1, 2019 taping of NXT (aired May 15), though had one final title defense against Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford) that ended in disqualification after The Forgotten Sons (Wesley Blake and Steve Cutler) and Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch got involved.[6] A four-way tag team ladder match was later scheduled for TakeOver: XXV between Lorcan and Burch, Street Profits, The Forgotten Sons, and The Undisputed Era (Kyle O'Reilly and Bobby Fish).

Event
Other on-screen personnel
Role: Name:
English commentators Mauro Ranallo
Nigel McGuinness
Beth Phoenix
Ring announcer Alicia Taylor
Referees Drake Wuertz
Eddie Orengo
Darryl Sharma
Pre-show panel Charly Caruso
Sam Roberts
Pat McAfee

In the opening match, Matt Riddle faced Roderick Strong. Riddle performed a Cradle Belly to Back Inverted Mat Slam on Strong to win.

Next, The Undisputed Era (Bobby Fish and Kyle O'Reilly), The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford), Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch and The Forgotten Sons (Steve Cutler and Wesley Blake) competed in a Ladder match for the vacant NXT Tag Team Championship. Ford retrieved the belts to win the title.

After that, The Velveteen Dream defended the NXT North American Championship against Tyler Breeze. Dream performed a Purple Rainmaker on Breeze to retain the title. Following the match, the two would earn each other’s respect and take a selfie together.

In the penultimate match, Shayna Baszler defended the NXT Women's Championship against Io Shirai. Baszler forced Shirai to submit to the Kirifuda Clutch to retain the title. After the match, Shirai struck Baszler with a kendo stick and performed a Moonsault on Baszler. Shirai then performed a Moonsault with a chair on Baszler.

Main event

In the main event, Johnny Gargano defended the NXT Championship against Adam Cole. Gargano performed a Slingshot DDT on Cole for a near-fall. Cole performed a "Panama Sunrise" off the ring apron on Gargano and scored a near-fall. Cole applied the "Garga-No-Escape" but Gargano escaped. Gargano performed a "Last Shot" on Cole for a near-fall. Cole performed a Last Shot on Gargano for a near-fall. Gargano inadvertently performed a Suicide Dive on Drake Wuertz, the referee, and then performed a Superkick into a chair on Cole. Gargano applied the Garga-No-Escape but Cole escaped. Cole performed a second Panama Sunrise and a second Last Shot on Gargano to win the title. As the show closed, Cole, Kyle O'Reilly, Bobby Fish, and Roderick Strong posed and celebrated Cole's victory.

Reception

NXT TakeOver: XXV was met with highly positive reviews among fans and wrestling journalists. Larry Csonka of 411Mania gave the show an 8/10. He described the event by stating "To the surprise of absolutely no one, NXT TakeOver: XXV was another great TakeOver event with all four titles on the line a big moment for some stars that have been waiting for their chance on the big stage, and a new champion being crowned as the power in NXT shifts."[8]

Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter also praised the event with all the matches getting positive ratings. Rating out of a possible 5 stars, he awarded Matt Riddle vs. Roderick Strong and the NXT Tag Team Championship ladder matches 4.5 stars, the NXT North American Championship match of Velveteen Dream vs. Tyler Breeze 3.75 stars, the NXT Women's Championship match of Shayna Baszler vs. Io Shirai 4 stars and the NXT Championship match of Johnny Gargano vs. Adam Cole 5.25 stars, making it only the second WWE match Meltzer has given more than 5 stars.[9]

Results
No. Results Stipulations Times[10]
1N Keith Lee defeated Kona Reeves Singles match[11] N/A
2N Mia Yim defeated Bianca Belair Singles match[11] N/A
3 Matt Riddle defeated Roderick Strong Singles match[12] 14:45
4 Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford) defeated Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch, The Undisputed Era (Kyle O'Reilly and Bobby Fish), and The Forgotten Sons (Wesley Blake and Steve Cutler) Ladder match for the vacant NXT Tag Team Championship[13] 21:30
5 Velveteen Dream (c) defeated Tyler Breeze Singles match for the NXT North American Championship[14] 16:50
6 Shayna Baszler (c) defeated Io Shirai by submission Singles match for the NXT Women's Championship[15] 12:15
7 Adam Cole defeated Johnny Gargano (c) Singles match for the NXT Championship[16] 32:00
  • (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. "NXT TakeOver: XXV tickets available today". WWE. May 6, 2019. Retrieved May 16, 2019.
  2. Howell, Nolan (May 29, 2014). "Neville tops Kidd at NXT Takeover". canoe.ca. Retrieved September 21, 2017.
  3. Grabianowski, Ed. "How Pro Wrestling Works". HowStuffWorks. Discovery Communications. Archived from the original on November 18, 2013. Retrieved March 5, 2012.
  4. "Live & Televised Entertainment". WWE. Archived from the original on February 26, 2009. Retrieved March 21, 2012.
  5. Powell, Jason. "4/5 Powell's NXT Takeover: New York live review – Johnny Gargano vs. Adam Cole in a best of three falls match for the vacant NXT Championship, Pete Dunne vs. Walter for the WWE UK Championship, Velveteen Dream vs. Matt Riddle for the NXT North American Title, NXT Women's Title four-way, NXT Tag Title match". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Retrieved April 5, 2019.
  6. Moore, John (May 15, 2019). "5/15 NXT TV results: Moore's live review of the Viking Raiders addressing their future as NXT Tag Champions, Kushida vs. Kona Reeves, Keith Lee vs. Cezar Bononi, Jessie vs. Vanessa Borne". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Retrieved May 16, 2019.
  7. Powell, Jason (April 15, 2019). "4/15 Powell's WWE Raw TV Review: The 2019 WWE Superstar Shakeup Night One". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Retrieved April 15, 2019.
  8. https://411mania.com/wrestling/csonkas-nxt-takeover-xxv-review/
  9. https://www.iwnerd.com/dave-meltzer-star-ratings-nxt-takeover-xxv-25-2019/
  10. Powell, Jason (June 1, 2019). "6/1 Powell's NXT Takeover: XXV live review – Johnny Gargano vs. Adam Cole for the NXT Championship, Shayna Baszler vs. Io Shirai for the NXT Women's Championship, Velveteen Dream vs. Tyler Breeze for the NXT North American Title, four-way ladder match for the vacant NXT Tag Titles, Matt Riddle vs. Roderick Strong". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
  11. Powell, Jason (June 1, 2019). "NXT TV taping (spoilers): Full results of the matches taped for NXT television prior to NXT Takeover: XXV (spoilers)". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Retrieved June 1, 2019.
  12. Clapp, John (May 22, 2019). "Matt Riddle vs. Roderick Strong". WWE. Retrieved May 22, 2019.
  13. "Danny Burch & Oney Lorcan vs. Street Profits vs. Undisputed ERA vs. Forgotten Sons (NXT Tag Team Championship Ladder Match)". WWE. May 22, 2019. Retrieved May 22, 2019.
  14. Bristout, Ralph (May 22, 2019). "NXT North American Champion Velveteen Dream vs. Tyler Breeze". WWE. Retrieved May 22, 2019.
  15. "NXT Women's Champion Shayna Baszler vs. Io Shirai". WWE. May 15, 2019. Retrieved May 16, 2019.
  16. Bristout, Ralph (May 15, 2019). "NXT Champion Johnny Gargano vs. Adam Cole". WWE. Retrieved May 16, 2019.
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