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WWE NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver Night 2 will follow a tremendous night of action just 24 hours prior. Finn Balor will defend his NXT Title in the main event against Karrion Kross. The Undisputed Era will explode as Adam Cole and Kyle O’Reilly go to battle in an unsanctioned match. The NXT Women’s Tag Team Titles and North American Title will be on the line, as well as the cruiserweight title in a ladder match.
Every match on WWE NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver will include highlights, what the storyline progression is, and a final analysis. Each match will be given a star rating and be ranked from worst to best.
Matches Ranked from Worst to Best
5) NXT Women’s Tag Team Championship: Shotzi Blackheart & Ember Moon (c) d. The Way (Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell)
Highlights: Brawl with all four women to start as The Way corner Shotzi Blackheart to start the match. Ember Moon with the hot tag as she cleans house on both Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell. All four women head to the corner as a superplex-powerbomb combo takes out both teams. Blackheart hits a suicide dive onto The Way but crashes into the barricade. Escobar hits a sloppy eclipse cutter onto Hartwell before Blackheart finishes it with a top rope senton.
.@WWEEmberMoon & @ShotziWWE are in a battle to retain their #WWENXT Tag Team Championships against @CandiceLeRae & @indi_hartwell! #NXTTakeOver pic.twitter.com/y2qhrm2fty
— WWE (@WWE) April 9, 2021
Storyline Progression: After Blackheart and Moon became NXT Women’s Tag Team Champions last month, it didn’t take The Way long before they stepped up as their first challengers.
Final Analysis: Decent NXT TakeOver match but it felt sloppy at times and just didn’t click like you’d hope it would. Skim it. **3/4
Johnny TakeOver defends
4) NXT North American Championship: Johnny Gargano (c) d. Bronson Reed
Highlights: Bronson Reed absorbs Johnny Gargano’s offense before connecting with an elevated fallaway slam. Gargano is able to avoid an attack from Reed, before getting caught on a slight shot plancha to the outside. Reed injures his ribs after getting pushed onto the announce table as Gargano works him over back in the ring. Reed catches Gargano coming off the second rope with a powerslam. Death Valley Driver by Reed is only able to get a two-count. Gargano counter’s a Reed attack with a poisonrana before locking in a crossface.
There's the #JohnnyTakeOver we know and love. #NXTTakeOver @JohnnyGargano @bronsonreedwwe pic.twitter.com/eDOXelwpte
— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) April 9, 2021
The action spills to outside where Reed hits a Razor’s Edge on Gargano back into the ring before missing a top rope splash. Gargano attempts a top rope hurricanrana but Reed counters in sloppy fashion before hitting a powerbomb. Austin Theory assists Gargano on a kick out before getting taken out by Reed on the outside. Gargano walks into a Reed superkick but dodges a moonsault. With Reed dazed, Gargano hits two One Final Beats for the win at NXT TakeOver.
Storyline Progression: Despite Johnny Gargano’s desperate attempts to avoid a match against a surprise challenger at NXT TakeOver, his efforts were not successful. Bronson Reed won a gauntlet match on Night 1 and got his shot at the North American Title on Night 2.
Final Analysis: Good match just didn’t reach that final gear that Gargano is known for at TakeOver events. Still a solid outing by both guys. Worth a Watch. ***1/2
NXT TakeOver: Ladder Match
3) NXT Cruiserweight Championship: Santos Escobar (c) d. Jordan Devlin (c) (New Champion)
Highlights: Chain wrestling to start as the action spills to the outside before Jordan Devlin takes out Santos Escobar with an Asai moonsault. Devlin brings a ladder into the ring but Escobar rushes back inside to pull him down. Escobar reverses an Irish whip as Devlin crashes into the ring and over the top rope. Escobar attempts to launch Devlin into the ladder, but Devlin counters by climbing the ladder and nearly grabs the title belts. Outside the ring, Escobar connects with a suicide dive that sandwiches Devlin and the ladder into the barricade. Devlin connects with a standing Spanish fly in the ring followed by a springboard cutter.
Legado Del Fantasmo run to the ring to attack Jordan Devlin allowing Escobar Santos to climb the ladder. Devlin rushes back in the ring to block Escobar’s attempt before hitting a Spanish fly from the top of the ladder. Both men climb back up and battle before Escobar knocks Devlin off the ladder through another ladder in the corner. Escobar claims the belts and the title as NXT Cruser Weight Champion.
Storyline Progression: Following the COVID pandemic, an interim NXT Cruiserweight Champion was crowned in the US in the form of Escobar Santos. The reigning champion in the UK, Jordan Devlin, finally made his way to the US to confront Santos over who is the rightful holder of the title. During a face-to-face confrontation earlier this month, Shawn Michaels appeared at ringside and slid a ladder into the ring to confirm the unification match at NXT TakeOver.
Final Analysis: This started clunky but picked up the pace as it moved forward. Not as good as I was expected, but still a solid ladder match at NXT TakeOver. Worth a Watch. ***3/4
NXT TakeOver: NXT Title Match
2) NXT Championship: Karrion Kross d. Finn Balor (c) (New Champion)
Highlights: Karrion Kross and Finn Balor start with a headlock sequence before the champion gets beaten into the corner. Balor sidesteps a charging Kross who goes shoulder-first into the ring post. Kross regains the advantage, charging into Balor who was tied up in the tree of woe. Balor is able to counter a slam from Kross by locking in an armbar and then a single-arm DDT. Balor works over the ribs of Kross before walking into a stiff sidekick. Kross absorbs a reverse DDT by Balor with a variety of moves including a powerbomb for a near fall. Balor makes a comeback with stiff kicks and targeting the ribs and liver.
Locked and l̶o̶a̶d̶e̶d̶ BLOCKED. ❌#NXTTakeOver #NXTTitle @WWEKarrionKross @FinnBalor pic.twitter.com/nUSXIWs5LQ
— WWE Network (@WWENetwork) April 9, 2021
Kross shakes off Balor’s offense with a doomsday suplex. Balor counter’s a lariat with a running dropkick and a coup de grace before Kross locks in a sleeper. Both men attempt various comebacks before Kross lands another doomsday suplex and a stiff elbow to Balor’s head for the win and championship.
There's no use in fighting it. You 𝖒𝖚𝖘𝖙 fall and pray. ⌛#NXTTakeOver #AndNew #NXTTitle @WWEKarrionKross @Lady_Scarlett13 pic.twitter.com/sPfhuDEcM4
— WWE NXT (@WWENXT) April 9, 2021
Storyline Progression: Karrion Kross never lost the NXT Title after being forced to relinquish the belt due to injury last year. Since then, Finn Balor has been the #1 man on the black and gold brand of the WWE as both men face off in the main event of NXT TakeOver: Stand & Deliver Night 2.
Final Analysis: Great match and the best of Karrion Kross’ career. Balor’s reign was legendary and this match was another example of that. Questions remain if Kross can carry the black ad gold brand, but he’ll get the chance now. Must-Watch. ****1/4
NXT TakeOver: Undisputed Era Implodes
1) Unsanctioned Match: Kyle O’Reilly d. Adam Cole
Highlights: Fists fly in the middle of the ring before the action spills to the outside. Kyle O’Reilly gets the early advantage, tossing Adam Cole into the barricade. Back in the ring, Cole knocks O’Reilly off the top rope back to the outside. Cole works O’Reilly over with a steel chair outside the ring and continuing back inside. O’Reilly makes a comeback, hitting a backdrop on an open chair.
https://twitter.com/WWENXT/status/1380348014640967683
O’Reilly grabs a chain from under the ring but Cole counters with a neckbreaker onto the chain for a near fall. Cole wraps the chain around the top rope and O’Reilly’s leg before locking in a figure four. O’Reilly breaks free but is closelined with the chain followed by a back cracker for a two-count. Cole hits a German suplex and charges with a shining wizard that gets another near fall. Back on the outside, O’Reilly nails a brainbuster to Cole on the announce table that doesn’t break. Cole retreats to the crowd where he smashes O’Reilly with a TV monitor before throwing him back into the ring.
NO give, ALL take. #NXTTakeOver @KORcombat @AdamColePro pic.twitter.com/ROKPKpll8B
— WWE (@WWE) April 9, 2021
Cole brings a toolbox into the ring where O’Reilly bounces back with a rebound lariat off the rope. O’Reilly uses the chain to assist with a triangle sleeper until Cole smashes a tire iron into the ribs. Strike exchange in the middle of the ring that ends with Cole getting a two-count after a superkick. Cole knocks the referee down before hitting the Panama Sunrise on O’Reilly. They battle to the entrance where O’Reilly locks in a front sleeper before Cole pushes forward as they fall through the ramp. Cole drags O’Reilly to ringside and hits a brainbuster on the steps. Back inside, O’Reilly gets a two after a Last Shot knee strike. O’Reilly wraps his knee with a chain and nails a knee drop onto Cole and a chair for the win.
Rivalry tested
Storyline Progression: For years, the Undisputed Era ruled NXT with an iron fist. It wasn’t until earlier this year when Adam Cole turned his back on his partners that the course of NXT changed. As the rivalry grew too personal, NXT GM William Regal made the match between the two unsanctioned so they can settle their differences once and for all.
Final Analysis: Not much more you can ask for in a match like this. Maybe a bit too long and it was begging for blood, but beggars can’t be choosers. Cole and O’Reilly left it all in the ring for nearly an hour. Maybe Cole gets the bump to the main roster as he’s done everything there is to do in NXT. Must-Watch. ****3/4