Johnny Gargano vs Andrade Cien Almas
Both of these world-traveled entertainers were set to take each other on in Brooklyn. Johnny Wrestling needed to prove himself as a singles star after the sudden destruction of Team DIY.
When you’re talking about a match that delivered in technical ability this one covered many categories on that checklist. “The is awesome” and “Johnny Wrestling” chants were rampant and the action was intense.
Johnny got the crowd going with their first “NXT” chant of the night after a nice suicide dive and got a couple near falls. Johnny pulled one slingshot spear off but Almas caught the second one to deliver a punishing inverted tornado DDT for a near fall of his own.
These two took each other to the limit with several near falls and Johnny locked on the Gargano Escape only to be lifted up into a bucklebomb. Finally, Gargano tossed Almas like a lawn dart into the corner and Zelina Vega provided a distraction by tossing Johnny a Team DIY t-shirt.
Almas hit his opponent with a stiff dropkick into the corner and the hammerlock ddt to steal this one.
Winner: Andrade Cien Almas
Authors of Pain vs SaNITy
Corey Graves joined the commentary booth for this match and received an amazing reception from the Brooklin crowd.
These two teams have been at each other’s throats and if there ever was a team to topple AOP, it might as well be those crazy SaNITy guys. But with Paul Ellering had more than a few tricks up his sleeve and the veteran manager had prepped his boys for this match the best he could.
This match was intense and full of several false finishes. It wasn’t a real walk in the park for anyone involved which isn’t a huge surprise. One interesting thing is that Eric Young jumped up and replaced Killian Dane before he could get tagged in.
After an intense match up full of many near falls and brutal moves AOP had cut the ring in half as they isolated Eric Young. Rezar missed an elbow and provided the chance for Young to tag Wolfe. Once he was in the match Alexander cleaned house and took out Akam with an exploder suplex and a release german suplex on Rezar.
EY got caught on the top rope and AOP accidentally powerbombed each other. Young hit a nice elbow drop for a two count and followed it up with a suicide dive while Wolfe hit a dive on the other side. Nikki Cross got in the ring and so did Paul Ellering. The ref held these two back from each other while Cross climbed to the top. But Akam caught her and Killian Dane hit a sick cross body while he held Cross through a table!
SaNITy hit a double-team move on Rezar and won the NXT Tag Team Championships!
Winner and new NXT Tag Team Champions: SaNITy
After the match was over Bobby Fish and Kyle O’Reilly jumped SaNITy and left them a broken mess in the middle of the ring. reDRagon certainly made a big impression in Brooklyn.
Aleister Black vs Hideo Itami
Jim Ross joined the commentary booth for this one which was a real treat.
These two have a lot to prove for themselves and their individual life stories brought them to Brooklyn. Aleister Black didn’t taste defeat going into NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn III and the former Tommy End didn’t plan on changing his winning ways either.
This match was stiff and those kicks from the educated feet of both competitors was felt through the screen. Aleister’s nose was busted open at one point causing the referee to throw on some white gloves. Itami tried to slow down Black and keep his feet to himself. Itami focused his attack on Black’s head and shoulders and mocked Black by mimicking his taunt.
Aleister’s nose was really pouring the blood and the guys on the announce table commented that his nose might have been broken.
Itami hit Black with everything he had but Black kept kicking out. Aleister hit a sick roundhouse kick and climbed to the top rope. But Itami blocked him and climbed up to join Aleister. He fought Itami off but got knocked down with a knee to the head. Finally, Itami hit an avalanche falcon arrow but he couldn’t get the pin in time. Itami hit another falcon arrow for a two count.
These guys took each other to the limit. Itami tried to hit a GTS but Black fought him off. But in the end, Aleister hit the Black Mass for the win.
Winner: Aleister Black
Asuka vs Ember Moon
Asuka walked into Brooklyn as the longest-running champion in WWE and was dangerously close to having NXT just rename the division the “Nobody Can Beat Asuka” division. Even though Kurt Angle called her “Asooka” during the kickoff show, The Empress of Tomorrow knew exactly who she was when she arrived in Brooklyn to claim another victim with Ember Moon.
Moon got things started in a big way with a kick, drop kick and top rope cannon ball to the floor. But Asuka would soon turn things around for herself by driving Moon into the ring steps and then suplexing her on the entrance ramp.
When they returned to the ring Asuka really worked on Moon until Ember countered out of an arm submission with a teardrop suplex. Moon hit a nice enziguri for a two count on Asuka.
Asuka got on an Asuka lock but Moon fought out of it. They ended up on the top rope but Asuka held on to block a powerbomb from the top. Moon turned it around though and just stomped on Asuka’s face.
Finally, Moon hit the Eclipse but Asuka kicked out at two! Ember went up for another one but Asuka pulled the ref in between them so Ember just hit a cross body over the ref. Asuka tried to pin Asuka by grabbing the tights but the ref caught her and stopped the count.
Asuka soon caught Ember in the Asuka Lock and she had no choice but to tap out.
Winner: Asuka
Bobby Roode vs Drew McIntyre
It was time for The Glorious One vs the former Chosen One. The Barclays Center was full of excitement to see who would be walking out of Brooklyn with NXT’s top prize.
Drew was accompanied to the ring by a group of bagpipe players to go along with his entrance and he looked more than ready to fight. Bobby Roode got the “turning the entrance ramp into a giant piano keyboard” treatment for his intro and every voice in the crowd sang his entrance music loudly.
These two felt each other out in the beginning and after a shoulder block, Bobby rolled out of the ring to collect himself. Roode would return to the ring and almost pull off a Glorious DDT but Drew countered out of it and ended up hitting Roode out of the ring. Roode jumped onto McIntyre on the outside but was caught. He tried tojump on him again but ate a tilt-a-whirl slam on the apron.
They returned to the ring and Bobby would later get the advantage. Roode hit a neckbreaker of fthe apron to the floor and then Drew got thrown into the barricade. Roode maintained control once they got back in the ring for a while as he hit some kicks, neckbreakers, and then he grounded Drew with a headlock to tire him out.
The two ended up on the top rope and Drew was hanging upside down but threw Bobby across the ring with the power of his legs. Bobby played opossum for a bit to surprose McIntyre but it didn’t work.
Drew hit a Future Shock DDT for a two count.
This match more than delivered and had plenty of terrific drama throughout. Both Roode and McIntrye tasted plenty of punishment during this brutal encounter.
Drew hit Bobby with a scary dive and then got back in the ring. Bobby reversed Drew’s move for a Glorious DDT attempt but it was blocked. He finally hit the Glorious DDT but Drew kicked out. Bobby looked furstrated so he hit Drew with another Glorious DDT and held on for a third one but Drew McIntyre reversed out of it and hit the Claymore Kick. 1-2-3 and Drew McIntyre is the new NXT Champion!
Winner and New NXT Champion: Drew McIntyre
After the match was over Drew turned around and saw reDRagon standing on the apron. Suddenly Adam Cole blindsided Drew and beat him senseless. NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn III ended with the three former ROH stars standing over a new but freshly defeated NXT Champion.
Click here for complete NXT Takeover: Brooklyn III results.
If you haven’t heard, there’s been a TON of news during the last 24 hours. Here are some links that will help you get caught up on the big stories:
- MAJOR name spotted in New York City. Will he appear at SummerSlam?
- SPOILER: Former ROH World Champion spotted in Brooklyn
- CM Punk’s legal fight against WWE doctor is costing him a lot of money
- Former Intercontinental Champion signs deal to return to WWE
- Click here for the latest updates on Ric Flair
