NXT TakeOver: XXV Recap, Grades & Opinion

NXT TakeOver XXV: June 1, 2019

A.K.A. The One Where Breeze Took A Selfie With The Champ

Results:

• Matt Riddle def. Roderick Strong
• Street Profits def. Forgotten Sons, Undisputed Era, and Oney & Lorcan to win the vacant NXT Tag Team Championships
• Velveteen Dream (c) def. Tyler Breeze to retain the NXT North American Championship
• Shayna Baszler (c) def. Io Shirai to retain the NXT Women’s Championship
• Adam Cole def. Johnny Gargano (c) to win the NXT Championship

Match of the Night: Adam Cole def. Johnny Gargano (c) to win the NXT Championship

What a battle. The storytelling of this match was just as strong as their match at TakeOver: New York. Gargano played a great babyface in peril, and looked to have it won multiple times. Cole will instead rule Wednesday nights and Gargano will go back to a role he excels in: chasing the title.

Three Thoughts:

Hot Open

It’s hard to think of the last time an NXT TakeOver has opened with a downer of a match. This card was no exception, as Matt Riddle and Roderick Strong put on a technical clinic to start this show. Both the Original Bro and the Undisputed Era member looked incredible in the match. Strong had a ton of offense and looked like an absolute killer. Riddle is not long for NXT since he’ll be very popular on the main roster and he’s ready. A battle with Adam Cole could be on the horizon before heading to the main roster after Summerslam.

The Arrival of Montez

For wrestlers whose gimmicks are described as fun, one of the hardest things to do can be to be taken seriously. After tonight, no one should sleep on the Street Profits, especially Montez Ford. While the Street Profits are extremely fun, they also turn it on in the big moments. Angelo Dawkins was great in the match, but Ford stood out. His facial expressions, his athleticism, it all came together. The ending moment of him leaping onto the ladder to get the titles was his biggest moment to date. Ford has the mic skills and mat skills to be a success, and the Street Profits are ensuring the NXT tag division are in good hands.

Undisputed

Adam Cole is NXT Heavyweight Champion. The Undisputed Era only went one-for-three on the night, but they have the most important prize of all. Cole has become the second NXT triple crown winner, and will rule over the black and gold brand. Will he have a long reign with success for the rest of Undisputed Era? They seem to be avoiding giving them a moment with all the gold, but Cole’s reign will keep Undisputed Era at the top of the card for now.

SYSTEM = SHOCKED.#NXTTakeOver #NXTChampionship @AdamColePro @roderickstrong @KORcombat @theBobbyFish pic.twitter.com/5aV1EYEiFW

— WWE Network (@WWENetwork) June 2, 2019

Grade: A

An excellent show from top to bottom. The tag titles, opener, and main event were all tremendous. The women’s championship felt like a rerun of other Baszler title matches, but that isn’t a bad thing. Io Shirai’s post match snapping and kendo stick beating was a refreshing change. The battle between Velveteen Dream and Tyler Breeze was good but felt restrained in some ways. Still like pretty much all of the 24 TakeOvers before it, this one was an excellent show.

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One More Thing:

If you had said that there would be a new King Pretty after Prince Pretty left for the main roster and they’d meet in a match, I wouldn’t believe you.

RESPECT.

@VelveteenWWE & @MmmGorgeous both deserve the spotlight. #NXTTakeOver pic.twitter.com/Dn3SaqT0EV

— WWE (@WWE) June 2, 2019