NXT TakeOver: The End

NXT TakeOver: The End,[1] also called NXT TakeOver: The End... of the Beginning,[2] was a professional wrestling show and WWE Network event in the NXT TakeOver series that took place on June 8, 2016. It was produced by WWE, showcasing its NXT divisions and streamed live on the WWE Network. The name "The End" stemmed from this being the final TakeOver event to take place at NXT's long time home at Full Sail University in Winter Park, Florida, until NXT returned to the venue for NXT TakeOver: In Your House in June 2020.[3][4]

NXT TakeOver: The End
Promotional logo
PromotionWWE
Brand(s)NXT
DateJune 8, 2016
CityWinter Park, Florida
VenueFull Sail University
Attendance400+ (Sold Out)
WWE Network event chronology
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NXT TakeOver chronology
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Production

Background

TakeOver is a series of professional wrestling shows that began on May 29, 2014, as WWE's then developmental league NXT held their second WWE Network exclusive live broadcast billed as TakeOver.[5] In subsequent months, the "TakeOver" moniker became the brand used by WWE for all of their NXT live specials. The End was the 10th NXT TakeOver event.

Storylines

The card comprised five matches. The matches resulted from scripted storylines, where wrestlers portrayed heroes, villains, or less distinguishable characters that built tension and culminated in a wrestling match or series of matches. Results were predetermined by WWE's writers on the NXT brand, while storylines were produced on their weekly television program, NXT.[6][7]

On April 21, at a house show in Lowell, Massachusetts, Samoa Joe defeated Finn Bálor to win the NXT Championship.[8] On the May 11 episode of NXT, NXT General Manager William Regal scheduled a rematch at TakeOver: The End.[9] Throughout various house shows, the duo were unable to refrain from engaging in all out brawls, and on May 17, during a contract signing at WWE Performance Center, the match was made a Steel Cage match.[10] This marks the first ever steel cage match in NXT history.

At TakeOver: Dallas, American Alpha defeated The Revival to capture the NXT Tag Team Championship.[11] On the May 18 episode of NXT, William Regal made the rematch official at TakeOver: The End.[12]

On the May 18 episode of NXT, Nia Jax defeated former NXT Women's Champion Bayley. Following Bayley's loss and her inability to perform at 100%, on the May 25 episode of NXT, Jax defeated Carmella and Alexa Bliss in a Triple Threat #1 contender match, and would face reigning champion, Asuka, at TakeOver: The End.[13]

On the May 25 episode of NXT, Austin Aries declared his intention to become the next NXT champion, which prompted a response from Shinsuke Nakamura. William Regal would then schedule a match between Nakamura and Aries at TakeOver: The End.[13]

On June 2, William Regal announced that Tye Dillinger would face Andrade Cien Almas at TakeOver: The End.[14]

Event
Other on-screen personnel
Role Name
Commentators Tom Phillips
Corey Graves
Ring announcer Greg Hamilton
Pre-show panel Renee Young
Lita
Corey Graves
Referees Drake Wuertz
Shawn Bennett
Eddie Orengo
Danilo Anfibio

Preliminary matches

In the first match, Andrade Cien Almas faced Tye Dillinger. In the end, Almas performed a running double knee smash on Dillinger, who was cornered, to win the match.[15][16]

Next, American Alpha (Jason Jordan and Chad Gable) defended the NXT Tag Team Championship against The Revival (Scott Dawson and Dash Wilder). In the end, The Revival executed the "Shatter Machine" on Jordan to regain the title. Post-match, American Alpha were ambushed and attacked by two men wearing black (later to referred to as "The Authors of Pain"). Paul Ellering emerged and accompanied the duo backstage.[15][16]

After that, Shinsuke Nakamura faced Austin Aries. During the match, Aries applied the "Last Chancery" but Nakamura reached the ropes to break the hold. After Aries executed a Death Valley driver on the ring apron on Nakamura, he attempted a suicide dive but Nakamura avoided Aries, who collided with the guardrail. In the end, Nakamura executed a "Kinshasa" off the middle rope, an inverted powerslam and a "Kinshasa" on Aries for the win.[16][17][18]

In the fourth match, Asuka defended the NXT Women's Championship against Nia Jax. In the end, Asuka executed a roundhouse kick, a spin kick and two more kicks on Jax to retain the title.[15][19][20]

Main event

In the main event, Samoa Joe defended the NXT Championship against Finn Bálor in a steel cage match. During the match, Bálor executed a super Sling Blade for a near-fall. Joe executed a muscle buster on Bálor for a near-fall. Balor executed a "Coup de Grâce" on Joe for a near-fall. In the end, Bálor attempted to escape the cage after escaping the "Coquina Clutch", but Joe executed a super muscle buster to retain the title.[15][17]

Reception

NXT TakeOver: The End received positive reviews. Professional wrestling commentator Jim Ross described the event as "compelling" and "entertaining" television, with positives in several aspects: booking, "in ring action", move execution and TV production. Ross was "proud of" the "efficient" commentary by Philips and Graves, which helped by "focusing in the action and diligently trying to get the talents over". For the matches, the main event was "classic", the women's title match showed off engaging "physicality", Nakamura-Aries "was one of the best TV matches on WWE TV in recent memory", and finally, "NXT has done a notable job making their tag team scene have significant meaning."[21]

James Caldwell of Pro Wrestling Torch reviewed each match out of 5 stars. The "surprisingly quick" match for Almas-Dillinger was the poorest rated 2.0 stars. Caldwell commended Almas for "a money look and tons of charisma". The "super-hot tag match" was rated 3.75 stars; Caldwell described the outcome as "stunning" and praised all four men's work in the match. Aries-Nakamura was the best rated match at 4.25 stars: although "methodical early on", it reached "an epic conclusion". Aries was highlighted for "fire and in-ring ability", while Nakamura had "superior skills" and an "amazing" entrance. Asuka-Jax was rated 2.75 stars as both women gave a "fine display", with Asuka showing "underdog fire" and Jax "as a dominant force ... done in by her hubris". Bálor-Joe was rated 3.5 stars, "a very good main event", but due to a predictable match result, the "tired concept" of cage matches, and "close camera work" without "intimacy", it "just didn't seem to come together as the total package to 'end an era' for NXT."[18]

Jim Varsallone of the Miami Herald wrote that the event was "another action-packed, crowd-pleasing NXT TakeOver special" in front of a "very amp'd crowd". Ultimately, The End showed how NXT "continues to develop and grow into its own white hot brand". Varsallone credited how "those who started the NXT phenomenon" (examples include male wrestler Kevin Owens, female wrestler Sasha Banks, tag team Enzo Amore and Colin Cassady, manager Lana and referee Jason Ayers) have already transitioned to WWE's main roster, so now "it's time for the next group to step up, and they are" indeed shining. For the matches, the tag title match was "stellar", Aries-Nakamura was a "dream matchup", while Almas-Dillinger was "really good" and enhanced by the crowd supporting both wrestlers. Varsallone also listed a variety of chants for each match by fans.[22]

Jason Powell of Pro Wrestling Dot Net thought that The End was "another excellent NXT Takeover special", "never a dull moment" despite less "buzz". Powell thought that the "strong, dramatic" main event had enough uncertainty as to its outcome to make "the near falls count". For the other title matches, the women match was "entertaining" although it "won't compete for best of the night", while the tag match was "excellent" and even better than their previous matchup at NXT TakeOver: Dallas. As a sidenote, Powell wrote, "As a longtime fan, I love the use of Ellering, who looks tremendous for his age." Meanwhile, Aries-Nakamura was "a hell of a match" with Powell enjoying how "Aries looked so strong in defeat". Lastly, in the opener, "Almas showed some tremendous athleticism, and Dillinger played his part in the match very nicely".[17]

Results
No. Results Stipulations Times[18]
1 Andrade Cien Almas defeated Tye Dillinger Singles match[23] 5:22
2 The Revival (Dash Wilder and Scott Dawson) defeated American Alpha (Chad Gable and Jason Jordan) (c) Tag team match for the NXT Tag Team Championship[24] 16:00
3 Shinsuke Nakamura defeated Austin Aries Singles match[25] 17:05
4 Asuka (c) defeated Nia Jax Singles match for the NXT Women's Championship[26] 9:12
5 Samoa Joe (c) defeated Finn Bálor Steel Cage match for the NXT Championship[27] 16:10
  • (c) – refers to the champion(s) heading into the match
gollark: !rules
gollark: Poor Cyfnos.
gollark: !help
gollark: !help ref
gollark: It should say "I'm sorry, [USER]. I'm afraid I can't do that for you", when you try and run a command.

References
  1. "Don't miss NXT TakeOver: The End… Pre-Show tonight!". WWE. June 3, 2016. Retrieved June 11, 2016. Don't miss a second of the action when NXT TakeOver: The End... airs live on the award-winning WWE Network.
  2. Melok, Bobby (June 8, 2016). "Why is Paul Ellering in NXT?". WWE. Retrieved June 11, 2016. NXT TakeOver: The End of the Beginning was a night full of surprises...
  3. Martin, Adam. "WWE announces next live NXT TakeOver special for this June, viewer numbers for "American Grit" premiere on FOX". wrestleview.com. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
  4. "NXT TakeOver: In Your House to take place Sunday June 7". WWE. May 13, 2020. Retrieved May 13, 2020.
  5. Howell, Nolan (May 29, 2014). "Neville tops Kidd at NXT Takeover". canoe.ca. Retrieved September 21, 2017.
  6. Grabianowski, Ed. "How Pro Wrestling Works". HowStuffWorks. Discovery Communications. Archived from the original on November 18, 2013. Retrieved March 5, 2012.
  7. "Live & Televised Entertainment". WWE. Archived from the original on February 26, 2009. Retrieved March 21, 2012.
  8. "Samoa Joe captures NXT Championship at Live Event in Lowell, Mass". WWE. Retrieved April 22, 2016.
  9. James, Justin. "5/11 WWE NXT Results – James's Report on Finn Balor's NXT return, Joe-Balor feud, Shinsuke Nakamura singles match, Ellering, American Alpha, Aries, more". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved May 13, 2016.
  10. Caldwell, James. "WWE announces steel cage title match at "Takeover" special". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved May 18, 2016.
  11. Caldwell, James. "4/1 "NXT Takeover: Dallas" Results – CALDWELL'S Complete Live Report". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved April 1, 2016.
  12. Namako, Jason. "WWE NXT Results – 5/18/16 (Bayley vs. Nia Jax in the main event, Aries and Nakamura vs. Blake and Murphy)". wrestleview.com. Retrieved May 20, 2016.
  13. James, Justin. "5/25 WWE NXT Results – James's Report on Aries-Nakamura promo, #1 contender Women's main event, TMDK vs. Gargano & Ciampa, more". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved May 25, 2016.
  14. Caldwell, James. ""NXT Takeover" update – Andrade gets debut opponent for "The End" special". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved June 2, 2016.
  15. Namako, Jason. "NXT TakeOver: The End results – 6/8/16 (Samoa Joe retains the NXT Title, Austin Aries vs. Shinsuke Nakamura, lots of debuts)". wrestleview.com. Retrieved June 12, 2016.
  16. Trionfo, Richard. "WWE NXT TakeOver report: first ever NXT cage match, a Legend debuts, American Alpha versus Revival, is Cien greater than Ten?, and more (page 2)". pwinsider.com. Retrieved June 12, 2016.
  17. Powell, Jason. "6/8 Powell's NXT Takeover: The End live review". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Retrieved June 11, 2016.
  18. Caldwell, James. "6/8 "NXT Takeover" Results – Caldwell's Complete Live Report on "The End"". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved June 8, 2016.
  19. Plummer, Dale. "NXT Takeover: The End: Samoa Joe survives the steel cage and Finn Bálor". Canoe.ca. Retrieved June 12, 2016.
  20. James, Justin. "6/8 WWE "NXT Takeover: The End" – James's Report". PWTorch.com. Retrieved June 12, 2016.
  21. Ross, Jim. "NEW JR'S BLOG, NXT DELIVERS, WWE & UFC Tag Team, Brock the Underdog, The Ross Report Podcast!". J.R's Family Bar-B-Q. Retrieved June 11, 2016.
  22. Varsallone, Jim. "Fans chant, enjoy NXT TakeOver: The End of The Beginning". Miami Herald. Retrieved June 11, 2016.
  23. Melok, Bobby. "Andrade "Cien" Almas vs. Tye Dillinger". WWE. Retrieved June 2, 2016.
  24. Melok, Bobby. "The Revival def. NXT Tag Team Champions American Alpha". WWE. Retrieved June 8, 2016.
  25. Melok, Bobby. "Shinsuke Nakamura def. Austin Aries". WWE. Retrieved June 8, 2016.
  26. Melok, Bobby. "NXT Women's Champion Asuka def. Nia Jax". WWE. Retrieved June 8, 2016.
  27. Melok, Bobby. "NXT Champion Samoa Joe def. Finn Bálor (Steel Cage Match)". WWE. Retrieved June 8, 2016.
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