WWE NXT TakeOver: Phoenix Results: Winners, Grades, Reaction and Highlights

NXT has a long history of stealing entire weekends from the WWE main roster, and Saturday night in Phoenix, it would attempt to do so again with a TakeOver card that ranked as good as any ever, at least on paper.

Tommaso Ciampa defended his NXT Championship against Aleister Black in the main event, but it was The Blackheart's former partner, Johnny Gargano, and his quest to dethrone North American champion Ricochet that had dominated television in the lead-in to the event.

Would the teases of a DIY reunion between Ciampa and Gargano come to fruition, both men leaving Arizona with championship gold around their waists, or would Black and Ricochet save the brand from the inconceivable?

The undefeated "EST of NXT" Bianca Belair had her first title opportunity against "Queen of Spades" Shayna Baszler, The Undisputed Era's Kyle O'Reilly and Roderick Strong defended the NXT Tag Team Championships against The War Raiders and the culmination of the rivalry between Matt Riddle and Kassius Ohno rounded out another extraordinary night of action.

The NXT Tag Team Championships were up for grabs in the night's opening contest, as Rowe and Hanson, The War Raiders, challenged The Undisputed Era's Kyle O'Reilly and Roderick Strong for the title.

The champions attacked their opponents from the opening bell.

It was unsuccessful, as the powerful, explosive challengers rolled over their smaller opponents to cut off their onslaught.

The champions finally slowed Hanson and Rowe's momentum and isolated the former from his partner, cutting off the ring and showcasing some of that tag team expertise that earned them the titles in the first place.

The challengers fought back, culminating with a tope suicida attempt by Hanson, but the big man crashed and burned at ringside, leaving O'Reilly and Strong to isolate Rowe this time. Everything the massive competitors attempted, the smaller Superstars cut off until a big knee to the face from Rowe stunned O'Reilly and allowed him to create separation.

Rowe made the hot tag to Hanson, who exploded into the match and brought the crowd to life. His size and agility captivated the audience. The action broke down late, each team throwing proverbial bombs at each other in order to emerge victoriously.

Drama was high as each team broke up deciding pins, ensuring the match continued.

O'Reilly and Strong unleashed a superplex/flying knee drop combo, but Hanson still managed to kick out before two as "this is awesome" chants filled the arena. The champions tried their high-low finisher, but Hanson again kicked out. A handspring double back elbow from Hanson halted Strong and O'Reilly's fight.

Fallout earned them the win and titles.

   

Result

War Raiders defeated Undisputed Era to win the NXT Tag Team Championships

   

Grade

A

   

Analysis

The story of this one was simple: The powerful onslaught of the challengers was too much for the skilled technicians to overcome. No matter what O'Reilly and Strong threw at them, Hanson and Rowe came back with a slam or strike that cut off their momentum and kept their championship aspirations alive.

By the time Hanson essentially shook off minutes of punishment and delivered that handspring elbow, the champions had nothing left and succumbed to the renewed energy and fury of their opposition.

That story, the extraordinary athleticism of all involved and the strong finish all made for an extraordinary opener that had the crowd invested from the opening bell.

No longer willing to sit back and watch as new faces come into NXT and opportunities pass him by, Kassius Ohno looked to reverse his fortunes Saturday as he battled a Matt Riddle that had defeated two times before.

A motivated Riddle took the fight to Ohno right out of the gate, firing off with a series of open-hand strikes and a running senton. The veteran Ohno, crafty and resourceful, used the ring apron to blind his opponent and stomped on his face to gain control of the bout.

Riddle tried to come back with those same strikes, but Ohno unloaded with a series of backfists that neutralized his opponent. The OG K.O. sent Riddle into the ring post and then the steel stairs as he continued his assault, which included a sickening stomp on his opponent's exposed foot.

Ohno attempted a senton, but Riddle countered with a rear-naked choke. The heel made the ropes, though, forcing the break.

Riddle, fueled by anger, rage and frustration, caught Ohno with a knee to the face and delivered a sleeper suplex. He mounted his opponent's back and obliterated him with a series of forearms to the head and neck, which drew a tapout.

    

Result

Riddle defeated Ohno

   

Grade

A

   

Analysis

We needed to see that Riddle was not all about having fun, bro-ing and wearing flip-flops. We needed to know there was depth to him, that he could channel his anger and unload when necessary. We got that here, as he turned weeks of rage into an ass-kicking that Ohno will not forget.

The ability to relay those emotions is key to connecting with the WWE Universe, and Riddle proved he can do that.

Was the match pretty? Not by any means, but it accomplished everything it needed to, and the result was a second consecutive "A" grade for this show.

Johnny Gargano vowed during the TakeOver: Phoenix Kickoff Show that he would win a championship in 2019, something that eluded him in 2018. To do so, he would have to defeat Ricochet, a man who had passed every test placed before him en route to Breakout Star of the Year honors.

Dueling chants gave way to "both these guys" chants as champion and challenger engaged in chain wrestling to start. That gave way to a stunning series of reversals and counters that left Gargano seated in the ring, shocked by Ricochet's ability to stave off punishment and remain upright. A cheap shot reflected Gargano's frustration.

A technically sound and incredibly focused Gargano grounded Ricochet and worked him over, taking away his greatest weapon: his ability to fly. Gargano cut off every attempt at building momentum until an ill-advised slingshot spear missed and allowed the champion to deliver a standing moonsault to the back.

Ricochet somersaulted right into a sit-out powerbomb from Gargano, who followed a near-fall right into a cross-face. The One and Only countered a slingshot DDT from Gargano and sent Johnny Wrestling to the floor, following up with a huge dive to the outside that wiped out his opponent.

Gargano sat Ricochet up top for a super headscissors attempt, but the champion landed on his feet and shot his opponent a look of disdain. He looked for a handspring elbow, but Gargano caught him in a leg sweep and applied the Gargano Escape. Ricochet escaped that and sent his challenger into the corner with a fallaway slam.

Realizing how much trouble he was in, Gargano rolled to the floor, only for Ricochet to wipe him out with a senton over the ring post. A springboard 450 splash earned him a near-fall as the fans popped for the false finish. Another near-fall ensued as Gargano got his knees up on a shooting star press attempt and cradled Ricochet for two.

On the arena floor, Gargano delivered a reverse rana and followed up with the slingshot DDT, which still only kept the champion down for two. Frustrated, Gargano removed the mat from the arena floor but thought better of capitalizing on it.

Back in the ring, Ricochet countered Gargano, slamming him to the mat and applying his own Gargano Escape. The heel managed to escape to the sanctuary of the ropes. Back on the floor, Gargano delivered a brainbuster on the concrete. After a year of frustration and disappointment, Gargano delivered the springboard DDT and scored the win and title.

    

Result

Gargano defeated Ricochet to win the NXT North American Championship

    

Grade

A+

   

Analysis

What. A. Match.

The athleticism and agility showcased by Gargano and Ricochet were amazing, by any standard. The story weaved in and out of it, though, was what made this the first legitimate Match of the Year candidate of 2019.

Gargano had experienced so much professional and personal disappointment over the last year that he turned to the dark side, becoming a cruel-hearted individual who did what was necessary to get ahead. That was on display here. Just when it looked like the Johnny of old may prevail, a two-count reignited his desire to win at all costs and led to that sickening brainbuster and the long-awaited championship victory.

What a match! What a moment!

Good luck to the four remaining Superstars tasked with following it.

Undefeated, Bianca Belair entered Saturday's match the brightest young star in the NXT women's division.

She also entered untested by the likes of two-time women's champion Shayna Baszler, who has tapped out, choked out and physically punished everyone unfortunate enough to cross The Queen of Spades. Her championship opportunity Saturday came in the biggest match of her young career, just hours after Sam Roberts claimed she was not big enough to be on TakeOver during the Kickoff Show.

Reeling early, Baszler used the trademark ponytail of Belair to pull her shoulder-first into the ring post and seize control of the match. Like a shark sensing blood in the water, Baszler became more aggressive and targeted the arm of her challenger.

Taking a page from her own book, Baszler contorted her opponent's arm and stomped on it, leaving Belair writhing and screaming in pain. The physically dominant and pinpoint precise Baszler toyed with Belair, mocking her as she punished her.

Overconfident, her trash-talking cost her, as Belair answered with a slap and mounted a comeback that included a spear. Baszler bought herself a reprieve, getting her knees up on a split-legged splash attempt and following with a knee strike to the face.

Reeling, her body wracked with pain from an onslaught of strikes, Belair used her ponytail as a whip that left Baszler writhing.

After a ref bump, Belair delivered the K.O.D. and had Baszler pinned for the win. Jessamyn Duke and Marina Shafir hit the ring, but Belair neutralized them. Back in the ring, Baszler applied the choke. The challenger tried to stave it off, fighting her way to her face as the crowd came alive. A snap suplex created separation.

As Belair scaled the ropes, Duke again interfered. The EST kicked her out of the way and tried for a 450 splash, but she whiffed and Baszler applied the choke. Again Belair tried to fight out, but she crumbled and fell to the mat. For the third time, Belair rose to her feet but her body gave out on her and she fell backward.

The referee called for the bell as Belair became unresponsive, awarding the match to Baszler.

    

Result

Baszler defeated Belair via referee stoppage

   

Grade

A

  

Analysis

Aesthetically, there was nothing pretty about this match. From a booking standpoint, it was about as perfect as it gets.

Belair, long portrayed the overconfident and arrogant young future of NXT, showed tremendous guts in overcoming interference from Duke and Shafir and even more resilience in fighting through the pain and agony of the chokehold to nearly emerge victoriously.

Most importantly? She never tapped. She passed out before she gave Baszler the satisfaction of a submission win, and that, in the long run, will earn her the respect of the audience.

While it was no 5-star classic like Steve Austin vs. Bret Hart from WrestleMania 13, it told a similar story and will, one day, serve as a defining moment in her young career.

Kudos to Baszler for another strong performance, the likes of which she would not have been able to deliver just a year ago. She was brilliant here, helping the younger and inexperienced Belair to a quality match in the challenger's first TakeOver outing.

Tommaso Ciampa defeated Aleister Black under controversial methods to win the NXT Championship last summer. Saturday night, Black sought both revenge and a second reign with the title as he battled The Blackheart in the main event of a TakeOver: Phoenix show that set the bar extremely high for the main roster to surpass at Royal Rumble.

Black seized the early upper hand, delivering a tope that wiped out Ciampa at ringside. A series of strikes rattled the champion, and a kick to the chest flattened him at ringside. Black's momentum came to a sudden halt when Ciampa delivered a nasty suplex that sent the challenger's knee crashing into the ring steps.

Ciampa worked the leg for several minutes, taunting his opponent by calling him a "one-trick pony." He wrapped the leg around the ring post, in hopes of taking his kick-based arsenal away from him.

The champion was perched atop the ropes, looking to continue his onslaught, when Black caught him with a big kick from out of nowhere that sent both men tumbling to the arena floor. Commentator Mauro Ranallo put over Black's willingness to do himself damage in pursuit of the title.

Ciampa tried for his Fairy Tale Ending finish, but Black escaped and tried for Black Mass. Ciampa cut it off with a clothesline to the back of his head. Barely stunned, Black answered with a German suplex for two. Ciampa answered with a half crab, but Black fought out and applied one of his own.

Black lost sight of Ciampa at one point, and the champion made him pay with a Tower of London on the ring apron that netted him a two-count.

An exchange of strikes unfolded, each man staggering the other with his own punch- and kick-based offense. Ciampa tried to kick the leg out from underneath his opponent, but Black caught him with a double stomp. He answered moments later with a big moonsault to the arena floor. Black slipped on water spilled on the floor, and the momentary distraction allowed Ciampa to recover and deliver the Fairy Tale Ending for a very close two-count.

Like Johnny Gargano earlier in the night, Ciampa pulled the mats up at ringside, exposing the concrete. A discussion between Ciampa and the referee allowed Black to seize an opening and deliver a double knee. Back inside, Black delivered Black Mass from out of nowhere, but an alert champion rolled onto his stomach to prevent the pin.

Ciampa delivered a DDT and a second Fairy Tale Ending, which Black kicked out of for the second time in the match. A third Fairy Tale Ending followed. Black escaped a fourth, but his knee gave out and he eventually succumbed to that fourth finisher as Ciampa successfully retained his title.

After the match, as Ciampa made his way up the ramp, Gargano appeared and stood side-by-side with his partner-turned-enemy. He raised his newly won North American Championship high overhead, as did the retaining Ciampa. As the show faded to black, Gargano shot a glance at the NXT Championship, teasing that the issues between them may not be over.

    

Result

Ciampa defeated Black

   

Grade

A

    

Analysis

This was completely different than everything else on the show. There were no big high spots; there was no high-flying offense that razzle-dazzled the crowd. This was a good, old-school, psychological wrestling match that told a strong story and gave Ciampa a wholly unexpected clean win to close out the broadcast.

The glare Gargano shot Ciampa at the end of the event was the most interesting part of the entire show in that it suggests their story is not over. Yes, the potential for an unholy alliance is there, but Gargano seemed to hint that, while he is happy to have his North American title, his eyes are on the NXT Championship and taking it away from the man who has made his life a living hell.

Given the quality of the story thus far, including an attention to detail unheard of from the company, it should be a damn fun ride.