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The 25th edition of NXT TakeOver took place out of Bridgeport, Connecticut today, as the WWE's 'developmental' territory put forth another argument yet again why they have grown to become something bigger. WWE NXT TakeOver XXV saw 5 matches on the card.
The NXT Championship and the NXT Women's Championship were both up for grabs. The NXT North American Championship was defended when Velveteen Dream took on the determined Tyler Breeze in the latter's attempt to prove his abilities. The vacant NXT Tag Team Championships were up for grabs in a Fatal Fourway Tag Team Ladder Match. Finally, the 'Original Bro' Matt Riddle took on Roderick Strong to settle their differences.
Without any further ado, let's find out what happened on the night at NXT Takeover 25.
Matt Riddle vs Roderick Strong
Matt Riddle and Roderick Strong began the night, exchanging wrestling holds with each other. Matt Riddle hit Roderick Strong with a Triple Gutwrench Powerbomb.
However, Strong took back the initiative with a back suplex on to the apron. The two exchanged strikes in the middle of the ring, but Strong took Riddle down with a Backbreaker. Strong continued to put the pressure on Matt Riddle with an Olympic Slam, but Riddle was able to kick out.
Riddle came back with a kick taking Strong off-guard, something that Riddle utilised with a Broton (Senton) Splash and a near-fall attempt. Matt Riddle hit Roderick Strong with several kicks but Strong reversed and hit him with a knee strike.
Riddle came back with a knee strike which was then followed up by a German Suplex for a near fall. Riddle went to the top rope, but Roderick Strong climbed the top rope as well and hit a Superplex. They exchanged blows in the middle of the ring. Both had several reversals, but Strong hit a Step-Up Enzuigiri followed by knees and elbows, before Spiking Matt Riddle in the ring. Somehow, despite that, Riddle was able to kick out.
Riddle came back seemingly out of nowhere, and hit Roderick Strong with a V-Trigger, a Powerbomb followed by a Final Flash but still Strong kicked out.
Strong went for the modified DDT Slam, but Riddle kicked out and immediately Strong transitioned to a form of the Liontamer.
Riddle got out and instead got Strong in an Anaconda Choke, but his back pain made him let go. Riddle instead caught Strong after a sequence of reversals and hit him with a modified Cradle Tombstone Piledriver Slam.
Result: Matt Riddle defeated Roderick Strong
NXT Tag Team Championships (Fatal Fourway Tag Team Ladder Match): Street Profits vs Forgotten Sons vs The Undisputed Era vs Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch
The Undisputed Era, Street Profits, Oney Lorcan and Danny Burch and The Forgotten Sons faced each other for the vacant NXT Tag Team Championships at the NXT TakeOver XXV PPV.
The action immediately descended into chaos with everyone battling for supremacy. Somehow, Undisputed Era and Lorcan and Burch were left in the ring, as the two teams exchanged huge strikes.
The Undisputed Era cleared the ring again and again, making their aim to climb the ladder and get the titles known. They were brought down when collecting the ladders, as Wesley Blake of the Forgotten Sons took them both out with a Suicide Dive. As the other three teams were battling on the outside, Angelo Dawkins of the Street Profits dove to the outside taking everyone out.
Kyle O'Reilly tried to climb the ladder, but Wesley Blake threw him off, and he landed back-first on the ladder. The Forgotten Sons were using the ladder as a Battering Ram, but Lorcan and Burch hit them with a Double German suplex, with the ladder flying away and hitting Kyle O'Reilly.
The Street Profits double teamed Wesley Blake and hit him with a Leap Frog on the ladder, before a Flapjack put Cutler on the ladder.
The Undisputed Era hit a combination DDT-into-a-German Suplex on Montez Ford. The Undisputed Era tried to go for the titles, but Cutler picked up Kyle O'Reilly, and hit a powerbomb on the ladder, landing Bobby Fish on top of him.
Cutler tried to climb the ladder, but O'Reilly put the kneebar on him through the ladder. He was taken out, but Bobby Fish hit him with two Roundhouse kicks. Cutler, in reply, hit Bobby Fish with a Stomp.
Lorcan and Burch and the Street Profits came back taking out the others. Kyle O'Reilly emerged and tried to go for the titles. However, Jaxson Ryker, came out to help the Forgotten Sons and hit everyone in his way. He used the ladder to batter Angelo Dawkins and then catapulted Oney Lorcan into the ladder.
The Undisputed Era, Street Profits, and Danny Burch and Oney Lorcan came together to beat down Ryker and then batter him with the ladder bouncing it off him. Montez Ford jumped over the ladder onto Ryker on the outside. He was taken out by Lorcan, followed by Dawkins getting taken out by Undisputed Era.
They were taken out in turn and Lorcan and Burch cleared the ring. They battled on the top of the ladder with Undisputed Era, but Forgotten Sons came out of nowhere and threw them off the ladders. It looked like they would get the titles, but Angelo Dawkins came out of nowhere taking out Cutler, while Montez Ford jumped on the ladder and took the titles.
Results: Street Profits are the new NXT Tag Team Champions
NXT North American Championship Match: Velveteen Dream vs Tyler Breeze
Velveteen Dream and Tyler Breeze faced off, as Breeze returned to NXT to prove he still had enough ability at the NXT TakeOver XXV PPV.
Breeze mocked Velveteen Dream early on, as he took advantage of the Superstar's indignation. Given a second's time to recover, Dream came back, laid Breeze out and hit a Lionsault. Tyler Breeze came back by wrapping Dream's leg around the ring post.
Tyler Breeze's aggressive side came out when Dream mocked him, as he stomped a mudhole in him and then went for vicious strikes. However, Dream was able to reverse Breeze on the outside, where Dream took control again, hitting his head on the announce desk.
Inside the ring, the two continued to reverse each other's moves. Dream tried a Dream-DT but it was reversed with a Super Model Kick by Tyler Breeze for a near fall.
Velveteen Dream finally hit the Dream-DT for the near fall, but it was close. Tyler Breeze's ear was cut, with blood trickling down.
Velveteen Dream was stuck on the top rope by Breeze, who then was going for a DDT, but he was launched across the ring. Tyler Breeze was looking for the Tombstone, but Dream reversed, and then Breeze reversed, followed by another reversal by Dream.
After a sequence, Dream hit the Unprettier, stealing Breeze's move.
Tyler Breeze hit a Super Model Kick followed immediately by the Unprettier, but Velveteen Dream was still able to kick out. Dream escaped pin attempt after pin attempt, with Breeze hitting him with a Beauty Shot. Velveteen Dream rolled out of the ring and Breeze went back to get him in.
Velveteen Dream caused a distraction by bringing in the North American Championship, which allowed him to hit the Dream Valley Driver and then the Purple Rainmaker for the win.
Result: Velveteen Dream defeated Tyler Breeze
NXT Women's Championship: Io Shirai vs Shayna Baszler (c)
Io Shirai had a lot to prove when she faced Shayna Baszler at NXT TakeOver 25. The NXT TakeOver XXV PPV saw Shirai attempt to bring an end to the dominant Championship reign of Shayna Baszler.
Baszler focused on Shirai's left hand and went for her methodical approach in trying to injure Io Shirai's elbow further. Shirai was able to get a reversal in and hit a German Suplex followed by the 619. However, her arm was affecting her. A Springboard Dropkick saw Shirai get a near fall. She applied the Crossface on Baszler, but her injured arm was causing her problems.
Baszler got out, but Shirai sent her to the outside, where she tried to follow her and did so with a Moonsault. Shirai finally managed to get back to flying and avoided being grounded. She hit a Double Knee and then took to the ropes. However, Jessamyn Duke and Marina Shafir came out to cause a distraction. Candice LeRae stopped them from interfering with a Kendo Stick.
Shirai and Baszler brawled in the ring, but Shayna Baszler got the Kirifuda Clutch. Io Shirai struggled to get to the rope but minute after minute she faded, until she had to tap out.
Result: Shayna Baszler defeated Io Shirai to retain her NXT Women's Championship
However, after the match was over, Shirai attacked Shayna Baszler repeatedly with the Kendo Stick and then used a steel chair to beat Baszler down in a vicious post-match segment. It appears the duo will be continuing their feud at the SummerSlam weekend TakeOver.
NXT Championship Match: Johnny Gargano (c) vs Adam Cole
Johnny Gargano and Adam Cole went against each other at NXT TakeOver XXV in a rematch from their match during WrestleMania weekend. Cole was immediately looking the Last Shot, but Gargano avoided it.
The two exchanged holds in the ring, as they tried to gain the advantage over the other. Gargano hit the double stomp on the left arm of Cole. He focused on Cole's arm.
Johnny Gargano went for a top rope move, but Cole slipped out and took out Gargano's legs from under him, damaging the right knee. He then focused on Gargano's knee, hitting his knee with a Missile Dropkick, followed by a Dragonscrew Legwhip.
Gargano came back with a Sitout Powerbomb as a reversal from Cole's Dropkick attempt. The two exchanged shots in the middle of the ring.
Gargano hit a Flatliner for a near fall. Adam Cole went for a Sunset Flip Powerbomb but hit Gargano with a Backstabber instead.
Both wrestlers were pretty tired, as both exchanged blows in the middle of the ring. However, Cole went for a diving move and Gargano hit him with a Superkick in the middle of his dive.
They hit each other with Superkicks at the same time outside the ring.
They both got in and Gargano hit a Slingshot DDT for a near fall. Adam Cole hit a huge UshiGiroshi on the outside followed by another one in the ring for a near fall.
Gargano hit a Hurricanrana into a Gargano Escape in the middle of the ring. Cole somehow got out and locked in the Figure Four Leglock instead. Johnny Gargano reversed the pressure by turning the move around.
Cole tried for another Figure Four but got pushed away and hit with a DDT. Gargano went for a Suicide Dive but was hit with a Superkick mid-flight. He then hit the Panama Sunrise on the outside. By the time he got Gargano inside, he had enough energy to kick out.
Cole went for the Last Shot, but Gargano escaped it only for Adam Cole to lock in the Gargano Escape. Gargano reversed and hit the Last Shot for a near fall. Both of them used each other's moves with the same skill as if it were their own.
The two kept going at each other, with Adam Cole hitting the Reverse-Rana followed by the Last Shot, but it was still not enough, with Gargano still kicking out.
Cole was arguing with the referee. Gargano tried a Suicide Dive to take out Cole, but hit the referee instead. Cole had the steel chair but Gargano Superkicked it into his face. Unfortunately with no referee, Cole did not have to kick out.
Adam Cole hit a DDT with a modified rope Pedigree, but Gargano was able to kick out. Gargano locked in the Gargano Escape, but Adam Cole got out. Cole took out Gargano's knees, and the two started reversing each other's moves.
Adam Cole hit the Panama Sunrise and then the Last Shot. That was all he needed for a 3-count.
Result: Adam Cole defeated Johnny Gargano to become the new NXT Champion
