NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn 4 Results – Aug. 18, 2018 – Ciampa vs. Gargano

August 18, 2018
Brooklyn, NY – Barclays Center
Commentary: Mauro Ranallo, Nigel McGuinness, Percy Watson


NXT Tag Team Championship
Undisputed ERA (c) vs. Moustache Mountain

In a cool spot, Kyle O’Reilly climbed on Tyler Bate’s back, but Bate was able to pick up Roderick Strong and do his swinging move on him while simultaneously giving O’Reilly an airplane spin, then Bate gave Strong a German suplex while O’Reilly was still on his back.

Undisputed Era were able to take control and they pounded on Bate for a while until he finally made the hot tag to Seven, who came in and hit a series of sweet moves on Undisputed Era.

Later, Tyler Bate hit the Tyler Driver on Strong, but only got a near fall. He went to the top rope, but O’Reilly slammed his knee into the post and Bate sold being “injured.” O’Reilly locked on a leg lock on Bate. Seven looked on, then grabbed a towel and looked like he was going to throw it in, but threw it outside of the ring instead and Bate was able to crawl his way over to make the tag. Seven picked O’Reilly up on his shoulders and Bate hit him with a top rope knee, but O’Reilly kicked out at 2.9.

Bate did his bounce off the ropes, but was immediately met with a knee to the face by Strong. O’Reilly then took out Seven’s knee from behind and they hit their leg sweep / kick combo finisher on Seven for the win.

A good match that was not as good as their NXT TV match last month.

Winners: Undisputed ERA (~18 minutes)

After the match, War Raiders ran into the ring and took out Undisputed Era as they celebrated with their titles. They hit them with a big double team powerslam, then middle rope leg drop. The hot crowd gave them a lukewarm reaction.


EC3 vs. Velveteen Dream

The ass of Velveteen Dream’s tights say “CALL ME UP VINCE.”

Dream controlled the match early on, hitting a DDT on EC3 on the outside, leading him to sell a “neck injury” throughout the match. Dream then hit a Rude Awakening, attacking the neck some more. Dream went to the top, perhaps for his elbow, but EC3 grabbed him and threw him down, then hit a top rope crossbody block.

EC3 took control for a while, but Dream fought back, hitting a Dream Valley Driver on the apron. He then went to the top and hit a top rope elbow drop onto EC3, while he was still laid out on the apron. 1-2-3.

Not a great match, mostly because I find EC3 pretty boring.

Winner: Velveteen Dream (~15 minutes)


Matt Riddle

Matt Riddle was shown in the crowd. :-) He got a huge pop and the crowd chanted “bro.” Mauro Ranallo announced that Riddle has signed with NXT.


NXT North American Championship
Adam Cole (c) vs. Ricochet

The story of the match was Cole repeatedly shouting “you’re not special!” at Ricochet. Ricochet hit a series of rapid fire high flying moves on Cole, taking control of the match until Ricochet tried another high flying move but landed into a backstabber by Cole.

Cole tried a superkick, but Ricochet blocked it. Ricochet tried a springboard moonsault off the middle rope, but was nailed with a superkick to the face by Cole, then Cole dropped Ricochet on his knee, but only got a near fall. They then exchanged kick after kick until they knocked each other down, with Cole landing on Ricochet… 1-2-no. Crowd chanted “mamma mia.”

Reverse frankensteiner spike by Ricochet… He went to the top rope, but Cole rolled out of the ring and onto the apron. Ricochet then jumped over the top rope and gave Cole a hurricanrana off the apron to the outside! Back in the ring, Ricochet went to the top rope and hit an absolutely incredible 630… 1-2-3. Sweet… Excellent match.

Winner and New NXT North American Champion: Ricochet (~15 minutes)


NXT Women’s Championship
Shayna Baszler (c) vs. Kairi Sane

Ronda Rousey, Marina Shafir and Jessamyn Duke were shown at ringside, in support of their fellow “Horsewoman” Shayna Baszler.

Baszler attacked Sane’s knee and pounded away at it for a good portion of the match as Sane sold being “injured.” Feel like 98.5% of WWE PPV matches have an “injured body part” thing now. Sane finally fought back with a spear out of nowhere, then hit a middle rope elbow drop. She then went to the top, but Baszler rolled out of the ring… But Sane hit a top rope diving crossbody to the outside instead. She rolled Baszler into the ring and nailed her top rope “Insane Elbow,” but Baszler kicked out.

Sane tried to lock on a submission, but Baszler suddenly caught her with a chokehold. Sane was fading, but was able to stay alive and grab the bottom rope. Baszler locked on a leg lock on Sane’s injured leg as she screamed in pain. Sane suddenly reversed the hold with a submission of her own, but Baszler grabbed the rope.

Sane went to the top for another elbow, but Baszler put her feet up and blocked it, then locked on another chokehold! But Sane fell backwards on top of Baszler, pinning her shoulders down for the 1-2-3. New champ! A surprisingly really great match after a slow start.

Winner and new NXT Women’s Champion: Kairi Sane (~13 minutes)


NXT Championship – Last Man Standing Match
Tommaso Ciampa (c) vs. Johnny Gargano

Gargano came out first, then Ciampa came out with no theme as usual, showered by boos and a “fuck you, Ciampa” chant. Gargano attacked Ciampa before the bell rang and the match was underway. Only way to win this match was to keep your opponent down for a ten count. No pinfalls or submissions.

Gargano pulled off the padding on the outside early in the match, exposing the concrete floor. He then grabbed Ciampa and was going to put him through the announce table, but Ciampa picked him up and drove him through the other announce table.

Later, Gargano set up a chair in the corner and lawn darted Ciampa into it face first. He then set up a table on the outside, and stacked another table upside down on top of it. But when he returned to the ring, Ciampa hit him with a series of German suplexes, followed by several chair shots to the back. Then three Project Ciampas in a row (powerbomb onto Ciampa’s double knees). The ref counted to 9, but Gargano got up and immediately superkicked Ciampa.

Later, Ciampa hit Gargano with the “fairytale ending” on top of the steel steps (double underhook, with Gargano’s head landing on the steps), but Gargano got up at 9 again. Gargano pulled out scissors and cut around the ring mat, then pulled off the padding on one side again, exposing the wooden boards underneath, just like their last match. Suddenly, Gargano blasted Ciampa in the face with a fire extinguisher, temporarily blinding him. Gargano then nailed him with a crutch, breaking it over his back. DDT by Gargano onto the exposed wood of the ring, as Ciampa was draped over the middle rope. That’s how Ciampa beat Gargano last time. The ref counted to 9, but Ciampa rolled out of the ring and landed on his feet.

On the outside, Gargano went for a superkick, but Ciampa ducked and Gargano took out a member of the ring crew. Ciampa then put Gargano threw the ringside barricade, then dumped the ring crew guy on top of Gargano, then put a chair on him, then part of the barricade and various items at ringside, burying him. The ref counted to 9 but Gargano was able to escape again.

Ciampa pulled out handcuffs and tried to handcuff Gargano, but Gargano escaped and put the handcuff on Ciampa’s hand… but Ciampa fought him off. They fought on the apron next to the double tables at ringside, and Gargano nailed him with a superkick, knocking Ciampa through the tables… but Ciampa got up at 9.

They fought down the entrance ramp and Gargano threw Ciampa into the entrance area wall, like when Ciampa turned on him. He locked on the Gargano Escape and Ciampa tapped, but there’s no submission. Gargano then handcuffed Ciampa to the side of the entrance area, then superkicked him. Ciampa said, “Johnny, I’m sorry,” but Gargano superkicked him again and again. Ciampa again shouted that he was sorry and begged Gargano to stop. Gargano pulled off his knee pad and hit Ciampa with a running knee, but wiped himself out in the process, smashing his knee into a big black box and falling down off the stage area (around four feet high). The referee counted… Ciampa got on his feet at 9, but Gargano was still down grabbing at his knee… The ref counted to 10 and Gargano was down… Ciampa was the last man standing.

Winner: Tommaso Ciampa (~34 minutes)

Mauro Ranallo said that Gargano “may have dislocated his knee” as medical officials checked on him. Ciampa stood up over him on the stage and grabbed his NXT Championship. Officials continued to check on Gargano as the copyright graphic came on in the corner. Ciampa suddenly re-emerged from the back, but he just raised his championship as the show went off the air.

Really great match with nonstop action, though the finish seemed to deflate the crowd. Overall another excellent TakeOver.