WWE NXT Takeover: New Orleans Match Ratings And Podcast Notes From Sean Ross Sapp

Pre- Show

• Excited to see Pat McAfee on the NXT pre-shows, as he's an entertaining guy and confusing Baszler's line with "tap snap or crap" was kind of funny. 
• I thought Kayla Braxton did great when they threw it to her asking the fans for predictions.
• There are good interviews with Adam Cole and Candice LeRae.

NXT North American Championship
Ladder Match
Adam Cole defeated Ricochet, EC3, Lars Sullivan, Killian Dane and Velveteen Dream
10/10

• EC3 looks READY TO GO. I love Lars' theme, Velveteen's hair is hilarious, and it's cool to hear someone on WWE TV being billed from Kentucky and not be a hillbilly, a hunter, or Eugene.
• Ricochet is amazing, and hits a springboard shooting star on Lars and Dane.
• EC3 is on fire, and is jacked. Lars pop up powerslams Cole, then regular powerslams EC3, then eats a suicide dive from Dane.
• EC3 just saved that sunset flip ladder spot. Sullivan AND the ladder were about to fly.
• Cole and EC3 start working together until EC3 steals his catchphrase. Fireman's carry slam into a ladder, then a Superkick Party. Cole is hugely over. 
• Velveteen Dream lands flying elbow drops everywhere. Including a perfect one off the top of the ladder on Lars.
• EC3 with a TKO on Cole off the ladder!!!
• Ricochet is about to get pushed off a ladder, but moonsaults to the outside on Dane and Cole. 
• Dane and Cole with a double Vader Bomb on EC3 on a ladder. Later, Ricochet hits a Shooting Star Press on EC3 on the ladder too.
• A ladder bridge is set up, and Velveteen Dream lands a rolling Death Valley Driver on Ricochet on it.
• Lars Sullivan sends EC3 off the apron through Velveteen and a ladder with the Freak Accident. 
• Dane powerslam/sentons Cole and Ricochet through the ladders.
• This is NXT's Edge & Christian, Dudley Boyz, Hardy Boyz. It's that good
• Ricochet crashes and burns as he leaps onto Lars Sullivan on a ladder. Cole dumps Ricochet over the top and wins it!!!
• That was a perfect ladder match, and among the best I've ever seen, if not the best. Wrestling in 2018 is special.

NXT Women's Championship
Shayna Baszler defeated Ember Moon (c) to win the NXT Women's Championship
7.75/10

• Shayna sidesteps a dropkick and cracks Ember with a big punch. 
• After a series of counters, Ember is caught with a huge knee.
• This is a slower paced, methodical match that Baszler is really playing to perfection by stalking Ember and countering her attempts.
• Baszler tries to break Ember's arm with a stomp, but has it done to her instead. Shayna pops her shoulder back in!
• Eclipse to the outside of the ring!! They both make it back into the ring.
• Baszler applies the rear naked choke, but Moon cranks the injured arm of Baszler. Baszler into a triangle, but it's countered into a sitdown powerbomb for two.
• Baszler countered the Eclipse with the rear naked choke! She wins the NXT Women's Championship!

WWE NXT Tag Team Championships
Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic
Undisputed Era (c) defeated Roderick Strong & Pete Dunne and the Authors of Pain (w/ Paul Ellering)
5.75/10

• Authors of Pain immediately take Adam Cole out of the match with a double powerbomb through the announce table.
• O'Reilly has Strong in a triangle and Akam in an ankle lock, but Dunne gets powerbombed on top of him by Rezar.
• O'Reilly hilariously tried to no sell an AOP German suplex, but fell out of the ring instead.
• Dunne and Strong have some nice tag team offense, but can't get it done with their finish as the pin is broken up. One of the AOP members is sent into the stairs.
• Roderick Strong turns on Dunne after a Bitter End and joins Undisputed Era after he hits Dunne with an End of Heartache!!! They win!!!!!!!!
• Strong puts on an Undisputed Era armband. Huge ovation for this! They're joined by Bobby Fish on the ramp.

NXT Championship
Aleister Black defeated Andrade Cien Almas (c) (w/ Zelina) to become NXT Champion
8.5/10

• I think the build for this NXT Title match has been straight doody, but the match itself will be great.
• Alistair Black almost ATE IT flipping back into the ring, but hits a moonsault anyway.
• Zelina goes all Lita with a Zelinacanrana on Black into the stairs.
• Almas keeps going back to the hanging triangle, but has to give it up. 
• For several minutes the two strike it out, and Almas scores with a big corkscrew plancha!!
• Zelina and Almas use the championship to distract the ref, and then a spiked Zelinacanrana hits for a two count!!
• Aleister Black cracks Almas with Black Mass, and for the third time Zelina gets involved and puts Almas' foot on the ropes. She goes for number four and distracts Black again.
• Double knees in the corner, but Black is able to kick out. A big dropkick to the back of Black's head puts them both down.
• Double knees into the post! Almas isn't able to capitalize and Black gets a tope con hilo. Almas reacts quickly with the hammerlock DDT, but can't get the pin!
• Zelina goes to the well one too many times. Black Mass! Black wins!!

Unsanctioned match
Johnny Gargano defeated Tommaso Ciampa
10/10

• Ciampa comes out to no music, but a giant heel reaction. Real heat here for something everyone in that building knows is a storyline.
• There's a lot of brawling in the opening minutes until Gargano sends Ciampa flying over the table into the announcers.
• Ha! The crowd chanting "mama mia!" 
• Ciampa superplexes Gargano off the announce table into the floor, and then belly to back suplexes him through a piece of the table.
• Ciampa applies a submission, but Gargano drags himself out of the ring. I know there will be people questioning the rope break thing in this match. It doesn't break up a submission, but when Gargano reaches the ropes, he can't be submitted there, either. It's out of the field of play.
• Ciampa goes after Gargano with a crutch, but Gargano is able to avoid it!
• Gargano powerbombs Ciampa onto exposed concrete!!!
• Back in the ring, they both go for the crutch, but Gargano gets it and busts Ciampa with it and follows up with a slingshot DDT for two!
• Gargano goes back to the slingshot, but flies into a knee. A spinning rack powerbomb and a big knee to the head both get two counts.
• They mess up a spiked reverse rana, and then go into Gargano Escape. After a solid minute, Ciampa digs at Gargano's eyes. Mauro calls Ciampa a son of a bitch.
• Ciampa grabs his own wrist tape and they end up tethering each other by it and teeing off. Crutch shots and a Project Ciampa only get two for Ciampa!
• A lawn dart and superkicks don't finish it for Gargano either! They're up on the top rope and Super Project Ciampa, but Gargano kicks out!!
• Ciampa takes off his knee brace and Gargano hits him with it! Gargano breaks off the crutch, but hesitates to hit Ciampa with it. Ciampa is swollen up, one eye closed. He feigns mercy and applies an STF with the brace and wins!!!