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NXT delves into its past to redefine its future.
Samoa Joe returned to the ring at Takeover 36 and defeated Karrion Kross to become the new NXT Champion. It was Joe’s first game since the COVID-19 pandemic began over a year and a half ago, as well as his first in NXT since 2017. The game served as a To resume headliner Joe finished it off when he hit a muscle buster, giving Kross his first loss in NXT.
Joe provides a legitimate presence for the brand, with his victory earning him the title of NXT’s first-ever three-time champion. The move also allows Kross to transition and fully establish himself on entirely different ground on Raw.
The show also included a physical masterpiece between WALTER and Ilja Dragunov for the UK Championship. Dragunov ended WALTER’s 870-day reign in an outrageously vicious fight. It was one of the best games of the year, in the entire fight, and served as a reminder of the obvious: if Vince McMahon and Co. are to improve the quality of Raw, then WALTER should be the top priority.
Photo Courtesy of WWE
Here are the results of Takeover 36:
– Cameron Grimes defeated LA Knight to win Million Dollar Title
– NXT Women’s Champion Raquel González defeated Dakota Kai
– Ilja Dragunov defeated WALTER by submission to become the new UK Champion
– Kyle O’Reilly defeated Adam Cole in a two-of-three crash match
– Samoa Joe defeated Karrion Kross to become the new NXT Champion
The show opened with Cameron Grimes gaining the upper hand over his rival, ultimately beating LA Knight. Grimes seems to be improving week by week, benefiting from pairing up with “The Million Dollar Man” Ted DiBiase. He continues to show his charisma and endless athleticism and his willingness to put his body in danger. A product of Cameron, North Carolina, Grimes has mastered the Mid-Atlantic wrestling style. It’s an old-fashioned approach to the craft, with a focus on psychology and precision, and his dedication to the craft caught the attention of Shawn Michaels.
“The key to this job is an emotional connection,” Michaels said. Illustrated sports before Takeover 36. “You need a real love of wrestling to connect the way he does. Look at me. It’s no secret that I’m a wrestling fan. A long time ago, I always thought that I would be the happiest if I had the chance to be a regional wrestler. Dude, being the heavyweight champion of the Southwest, I thought that would be so cool. I didn’t want anything else, that’s how much I loved it. It’s Cameron Grimes, his whole life, that’s all he ever wanted.
Only 27 years old, Grimes has experience across the industry. Yet despite his reservoir of work, he never connected with the general public until this run in NXT.
“He’s always been a hard worker, and now he’s showing another side of his personality,” said Michaels, who works closely with Grimes — Trevor Caddell, 27 — at the WWE Performance Center. “Even his promos, they were more exaggerated before. That’s what got him to this point, but you need those bits of reality as a babyface, and that’s what he’s going to do now. Once people get hooked on him he will get even bigger, he will get huge. “
The To resume The map was full of solid fights, with female champion Raquel González beating Dakota Kai in a compelling match. Kai deserves a run with the NXT title, but the timing has yet to work in his favor. She was replaced as the top title contender by Kay Lee Ray, a former NXT UK champion who returned as González celebrated her victory. While González’s future as champion offers a lot more clarity, it will be very interesting to watch the next schedule for Kai, and I hope she never gets too far away from González or the title.
In a rematch last October, WALTER and Dragunov clubbed each other again. For over 22 minutes it was carnage, Dragunov absorbing a huge amount of punishment. WALTER made another compelling argument that he’s the best professional wrestler on the planet, and the chemistry he shares with Dragunov – who was brilliant too – is amazing. It was a beautiful form of non-stop violence and intensity, and the future is particularly bright for both men.
Another outstanding fight was Kyle O’Reilly vs. Adam Cole. It happened all three falls, with O’Reilly scoring the decisive victory by submission with a heel hook inside a steel cage despite being handcuffed to ropes. While Cole’s future remains unknown, this match was a great indicator of NXT’s belief in O’Reilly, who needs to be propelled into a title program against Joe. If Cole leaves for AEW, that marks the end of his sensational run in NXT. It would bring immediate value to AEW, instantly becoming one of the best free agent acquisitions AEW has ever made.
NXT is in a time of change, but this charge will be led by a very familiar face to Samoa Joe. And on a wrestling-filled weekend that was defined by CM Punk’s debut in AEW, it was fitting that Joe, his former rival, could share a piece of that spotlight as well.
More wrestling coverage:
• The stars shine as WWE and AEW step up the competition
• Ric Flair continues to seize post-WWE opportunities
• Becky Lynch makes surprise comeback after pregnancy at WWE SummerSlam
• Bobby Lashley on the “SummerSlam” match against Goldberg: “I am looking forward to this challenge”
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