Happy Thoughts – NXT TakeOver 36 (8/22/21)

It’s TakeOver 36, which means if there is one more there will have been as many TakeOvers as WrestleManias – and now I’m not confident that actually happens. As they used to say, what a time.

0. Ridge Holland w/ Pete Dunne vs. Trey Baxter
TakeOver Buy In featured newcomer Trey Baxter bumping all around for Ridge Holland, who has been put right back into the big spot he was in before the injury. Ridge seems impressive, let’s see if he can go. *

1. If Grimes Loses, DiBiase Becomes Knight’s Butler – Million Dollar Title: LA Knight [c] vs. Cameron Grimes w/ Ted DiBiase
This match had a Burning Hammer and German suplex off the top rope; it had Cameron Grimes moving all over the place and Ted DiBiase throwing a punch. After 15 minutes though, they ended up just moments that couldn’t distract from the fact that this was a competently delivered but boring and unconvincing 15-minute match. The Million Dollar Championship’s legacy stays average. **3/4

2. NXT Women’s Title: Raquel Gonzalez [c] vs. Dakota Kai
Hey there, it’s the match that should’ve happened months ago. They kept a good pace all match, Dakota rocking and rolling around Gonzalez who I still don’t really get. It’s probably to her detriment but Dakota’s bumps stood out here, especially when she got absolutely slaughtered being tossed gut-first on the top rope. The match just kind of felt short and, despite a year-long partnership, rushed and unimportant. ***

3. NXT U.K. Title: WALTER [c] vs. Ilja Dragunov
They pulled it off last year in an empty arena, pulled it off a few times before WWE rang, and pulled it off again here: epic, MOTY-caliber championship match that seemed to both transcend what modern WWE (even pro wrestling) offers while really keeping it pretty easy.

Sometimes this great sport is just hitting and shoving and kicking and taking damage and a hero willing his way into victory — actually that’s probably what it should be most of the time, but here’s a high-level example of it by two of the best (and most interesting!) wrestlers working today.

WALTER and Ilja are known psychopaths for the damage they can both take and dish out, but matched with each other there is even more intensity and insanity in every move. In addition to what at the end of the day is just a non-stop awesome ass-kicking, there’s extra cool stuff like big WALTER getting wrecked by a judo takedown and even begging off like a common fool.

Another special one, maybe moreso because they were able to just go on third at the Capitol Wrestling Center in the middle of all this and still get it done. ****3/4

4. 2/3 Falls – Singles Match, Street Fight, Steel Cage: Kyle O’Reilly vs. Adam Cole
I like Marvel movies, but I understand people that don’t. I don’t share their feelings — even if you weren’t bit by the bug early, how can you not at least just give in to the big budget and accessible wonder?!?! But I mostly understand, especially with so much wrestling around me — I appreciate what Cole and O’Reilly did to get this spot and how it may accomplish something for someone, but I’m just not into it.

I’ve enjoyed these two before and probably will again, but in the right situation — the factory-made 2/3 falls TakeOver match is not that situation. This had chinlocks, chains, and chairshots — plus obviously a steel cage — but I didn’t see much that could’ve spoken to anyone but the already initiated. Maybe not even them. If this was it for Adam Cole in WWE… well OK then. ***

5. NXT Title: Karrion Kross [c] vs. Samoa Joe
The main event felt more like a SummerSlam match than TakeOver match for many reasons, but one of the good reasons was they kept it simple. Joe and Kross worked a fast-paced 12-minute main event that didn’t try to be anything it couldn’t be. It’s not going to rank high on the best TakeOver matches or even wrestling matches this week, but for the awkward spot it was in it delivered just enough. ***