PWInsider - WWE News, Wrestling News, WWE

CAN JOE TAKE THE BELT FROM KROSS, BEST OF THREE FALLS TIME, I JUST WATCHED THE MATCH OF 2021, IT'S TIME FOR WALTER-ILJA 2, WILL KAI GET WHAT SHE HAS COMING, WHO IS KNIGHT'S BUTLER, A STATEMENT ON WHAT I THINK IS ABOUT TO BECOME THE SAD STATE OF NXT AND WHOSE FAULT IT IS (HINT, IT’S NOT HHH) - FULL NXT TAKEOVER 36 BLOG

OK, so this is a blog and that means I give my thoughts so before we get into the show, I need to say this.  I think the changes to NXT that Mike Johnson reported a month ago and were confirmed by Nick Khan are going to suck.  We already have two WWE style shows.  That is more than enough.  WWE couldn’t turn ECW fans into customers when they tried it over a decade ago and they won’t do it with AEW fans in 2021.  Those fans like their product because it’s NOT Vince’s vision.  Paul Levesque is being blamed for NXT not beating AEW in the ratings when the finger of that blame should be pointed squarely at Vince McMahon and the horrible way he has used the talent that Levesque groomed and got ready for him.  It’s also his fault that people won’t watch NXT because he owns it and they would rather miss a good product than support him.

But, it’s never Vince’s fault, so it has to be someone else’s.  That’s you son-in-law.  You did a great job but we need a fall guy, so it’s you.

Well, I hope AEW makes Vince really sorry he made the decision to do what he has done to NXT.  The fact that this may be the last Takeover as we know it makes me both sad and angry.  There is one problem in WWE and that’s the senior citizen who destroyed SummerSlam with his horrible “creative” decisions and now it seems he will do the same to NXT…. and it sucks.  I needed to get that off of my chest.

Ridge Holland destroyed Trey Baxter in the pre-show match, as he should have.

We are opening with LA Knight defending the Million Dollar Championship against Cameron Grimes.  If Grimes loses, Ted DiBiase becomes Knight’s butler.

Grimes started out hot, with a little help from Ted but it didn’t last long as Knight took over.  The crowd thinks he sucks.  They want him to lose, as they should.

Beth just referenced Ted breaking Bullet Bob Armstrong’s jaw in 1983.  Damn, you go Beth! It kind of feels like the last Nitro.  Hope I am wrong.

Grimes is coming back and the crowd is chanting “To The Moon”.  The crowd is live and our boy Richard Trionfo is there.  Knight is trying to stay in control but Grimes is fighting back.  He has to win here.  If he doesn’t they will kill the crowd.  You know, like having Becky Lynch heel Bianca Belair and squash her, like last night.

Knight is largely in control here.  Grimes has some blood on his nose.  He just locked on the Million Dollar Dream. LA thought he got out but Grimes held on.  And he did it again when he tried for a cheap pin.  He held on to the Dream until LA posted him.

I already care way more about this than I did on anything last night.  LA tried to use his belt but the ref stopped him and Grimes kicked him.  He fell to the floor where Ted hit a perfect punch, as he always did.  Ted through in the belt to get the ref distracted.  He put the Dream on LA and then threw him in and Grimes pinned him, winning the Million Dollar Belt.  It was exactly what it should have been.  Everyone did a great job.

After the match Ted presented Grimes with the Title. The fans chanted that he deserved it.

They are promoting Dakota Kai vs. Raquel Gonzalez so it looks like that is next.

This is good placement.  I love Kai but she shouldn’t win the Title.  Since I don’t expect that to happen going on early before the other three matches matches sense.

Kai out first.  The pink hair makes her look kind of like a different person.

Raquel go the pop coming out.  Big pop at the bell.  Kai got a good reaction.  The champ got more negative.  Vince is saying. “See Pal, that’s why I need to fix this!”

The champ is largely tossing Kai around early.  Then Kai caught her from behind and went to work.  She kicked the champ to the floor.  Raquel is selling it like she is out.  She rolled her in at nine and got a two count.  The kicked looked stiff.  She may only been partly selling.  Kai in control now.

The champ is coming back with power moves, and she is powerful for sure.  Two count off of an elbow off of the second ropes.  She went for the bomb but Kai locked the arm.  So, the champ rag dolled her into the corner.  Kai went for the Scorpion Kick but she got caught in a sit out powerbomb for two.  This is good stuff.

Kai got up and started throwing kicks and did a head scissor.  I love when the smaller person uses legs against the bigger person.  It makes perfect sense.

Ouch, Kai just got dumped belly first on the top rope.  It gave Raquel time to recover.  They are facing off.

Kai gets a two after kicks and a backcracker.  Fans are loving it.

Kai hit the Coup for a two.  Kai is a machine.  She can really go.

Kai did the running Yakuza while Raquel was on the second rope.  She got caught and choke slammed.  No kicking out of that.  Gonzalez retained.  Great match!  This show is already better than SummerSlam.

After the match, SHE’S HERE!  Kay Lee Ray just showed up and the fans in attendance know her, which is awesome.  Damn, I hope they don’t screw up NXT because she is awesome and her and Raquel will be a lot of fun.

Please click to Page 2 for more thoughts from tonight's show!

If you enjoy PWInsider.com you can check out the AD-FREE PWInsider Elite section, which features exclusive audio updates, news, our critically acclaimed podcasts, interviews and more by clicking here!

• Tweet