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Welcome to PWInsider.com’s coverage of WWE’s NXT Takeover Brooklyn III from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Make sure to check out all coverage for Takeover including the live coverage, blogs, live thoughts, and audios about the show.
The Kickoff Show panel is Charly Caruso, Corey Graves, Lita, and Sam Roberts.
We see people entering the building before we go to the panel.
Charly mentions that there will be some former NXT stars who have made it on to the main roster on tonight's show.
Corey says that Brooklyn and Takeover is a special combination.
Lita says the first Brooklyn Takeover was a benchmark. This is a big moment for NXT.
Sam says that people are talking about NXT Takeover as much as SummerSlam.
They run through the card for tonight's Takeover.
Corey mentions that he will be calling the NXT Tag Title Match tonight.
Charly asks which match the panelists are looking forward to. Corey mentions Itami versus Black while Sam and Lita feel that the Women's Title Match will be the one that impresses them the most.
Renee Young is in the back and she wonders why Byron is not here tonight.
Renee brings out Kurt Angle and Kurt says he is happy to be here. Renee asks why would Kurt be here. Kurt says he is here to enjoy the show and see the title matches. Renee asks if Kurt is doing some scouting tonight. Renee asks Kurt about SummerSlam and Kurt mentions the Universal Title Match.
Corey points out that Kurt Angle is scouting the future. He mentions that Shinsuke Nakamura versus Samoa Joe was the main event last year for Takeover in Brooklyn and they are wrestling for the titles on Raw and Smackdown.
Lita says Kurt is a horrible liar and he is here to scout talent for Raw.
Corey asks if Daniel Bryan will be around to try to add to the Smackdown roster.
We have a video package for the NXT Tag Title Match between The Authors of Pain and Sanity.
Big E appears on the panel. He says it is great to be at the Barclays Center and they love it here. Corey asks Big E about winning the NXT Championship from Seth Rollins. He says it was a big thing for his career. He mentions using the five count like King Kong Bundy. He says that led to the nonsence that he became. It started with the FIVE. Big E says that they learned at FCW but NXT gave you the main roster feel with the cameras. It was a WWE product. By the time you get to Raw and Smackdown, the scale is bigger. The ring is still the same size. NXT prepared him for all of the nonsence.
Corey says that Dr. Tom did not teach them about hip gyrations. Big E says he will start a wrestling school and only teach hip gyrations. He is asked about the Usos on Sunday. Big E says they are his biggest competition. Big E says people complain about them being on the Kickoff Show, but they are going to start it off right.
Corey asks Big E about the NXT Tag Title Match. Big E says Sanity has been on a tear but the Authors of Pain are big. He says it is going to be a meaty match. He picks the Authors of Pain. Sam asks Big E what does it take to stop a team like The Authors of Pain and Big E says a pin or submission.
Charly asks if the fact that neither team fears the other will affect things. Big E is also asked about Paul Ellering. Big E says all of the super villains were bald and can eminate their brain waves without hair. Sam asks which team would the New Day rather face. Big E says there are fewer people in the Authors of Pain. Big E says Nikki Cross is a frightening person.
Big E does not want to leave the panel and he puts his feet on the table.
We go to commercial.
Renee Young is with Shinsuke Nakamura.
Nakamura says he is happy to be back. He is asked about his match tomorrow night and he says he is ready for the match. He is asked about the NXT Title match. He has faced Bobby Roode and lost the title to him, but he likes Drew because he says it is Our NXT.
Neville has joined the panel.
Corey mentions that they were former tag team champions together. He knows that Neville is a little despondent about losing the Cruiserweight Title.
Neville says he is predisposed so he apologizes for not being overly thrilled to be in Brooklyn. Neville says he is excited for tomorrow. This is Christmas Eve for the King of the Cruiserweights. Neville says he will do what he has done on 205 Live and that is domination, domination.
Charly asks how NXT prepared him for tomorrow. Neville says NXT is a prominent part of his work, but it is hard to look back on NXT without a little resentment. Corey asks why is there resentment. Neville says NXT built him for success but he did not have that same success when he went to the main roster.
Neville says he is pround of what he achieved in NXT and it made him who he is today. He was someone who had a lot to learn at that time.
Corey asks Neville about Aleister Black and Hideo Itami. Neville says he knows both of them well and faced them in the ring. They are dangerous and they kick very hard. He says he looks forward to seeing each man knock each other's blocks off. Neville says it is silly to negate emotion when you consider what happens in the squared circle. You need to embrace that emotion to take advantage of your opponents.
Corey asks Neville about his match against Aleister Black in the UK and what Itami has to look out for. Black is a proficient striker and he was aware of that proficiency so his defense was something he focused on. Neville reminds Corey that he won that match.
Charly mentions that Itami is very frustrated while Black is very calm. Neville says emotion can be a problem if you cannot harness it properly.
Corey asks about the Gargano/Almas match.
Neville says he sees Johnny Gargano trying to bounce back after betrayal from his tag team partner. Neville says he knows how that feels and things get a little awkward between Neville and Corey. He wonders if Gargano can bounce back like the King did in that situation. Neville tells Johnny Wrestling not to trust anyone.
We go to commercial.
We are back with a look at the Women's Title Match.
Carmella and Sasha Banks join Lita and Charly.
Sasha says it is crazy to be back for the third one after being in the first one.
Carmella says she has never been on a Takeover and it means a lot to see how the Women's Division has evolved.
Sasha mentions all of the women who have gone from NXT to the main roster.
Charly asks what is in Ember's head to make her be the champion. Carmella says everyone wants to be the one to knock off the champion. Carmella says if Ember wins, she will go down as the one to beat Asuka.
Sasha says Asuka is a beast and she is picking Asuka to win. Carmella picks Ember because she wants to see someone dethrone Asuka.
Lita is asked about the Mae Young Classic. Lita talks about the women from NXT and her matches with Trish as things that have led to the Mae Young Classic. Carmella says it is an honor to see how things have grown for the women.
We go to Renee Young with Bayley and Becky Lynch. Becky says it is amazing to be back in Brooklyn for Takeover. Bayley says she has never really left NXT and she talks about facing Asuka and continuing to train at the PC. Bayley says she has undergone some physical therapy and she is doing better and hopes to know more in a month.
Renee asks for predictions. Becky says Asuka has been dominant but she thinks Ember can win. Bayley says Asuka has been the champion for a long time and forced Bayley out of NXT. She wants to see Asuka continue the streak to see how long she can go as the champion.
The original panel is back for the WWE Network plug.
We have a video package for the NXT Heavyweight Title Match.
Baron Corbin joins the panel to talk about the Roode/McIntyre match and Charly brings up the failed cash in.
Corey asks Baron about his time in NXT and competing against Samoa Joe at a Takeover in Brooklyn. Corbin says it was great to have people like Undertaker and Razor in the back. Now NXT is doing shows all over the world but they come back to Brooklyn each year. Corey brings up how Baron did not have a wrestling career before coming to NXT. Baron says he just made a phone call to get into NXT while others took so long to get to NXT. You get everything you need to succeed at the Performance Center. He says he came in with a purpose and not to make friends.
Sam asks Baron about facing John Cena on Sunday. Baron says he owes John Cena a beating. Baron talks about what he has achieved. Corey asks Baron about Drew and Roode. Corbin picks Roode and he says he likes people with the confidence and swagger. Roode says it is his show and he backs it up.
Corey predicts Bobby Roode while Sam picks Drew McIntyre.
Takeover Coverage Continues on Next Page
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