Survivor Series 2021

By Steve Ward

WWE returned to the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY this evening for the longstanding Thanksgiving Day/Week tradition - Survivor Series. The theme of brand supremacy that has established itself in recent years returned tonight as RAW was pit against Smackdown (may as well have been Team FOX vs. Team USA Network). This not only meant no clashes like the classic showdown of The Hulkamaniacs vs. The Warriors at the 1990 installment of the show, but also, no titles would be contested as we would only witness some champion versus champion encounters. Following another round of performers receiving their walking papers this week including John Morrison, Isaiah “Swerve” Scott, and Jaxson Ryker, not to mention the incredible AEW Full Gear event last weekend, WWE really needed a big show tonight. The card tonight featured a modest six matches which included two “classic” Survivor Series matchups - both Team RAW vs. Team Smackdown.

Becky Lynch vs. Charlotte Flair

Winner: Becky Lynch via pinfall

The opening bout pit RAW Women’s Champion Becky Lynch against Smackdown Women’s Champion Charlotte Flair in our first match for brand supremacy. With rumors swirling that Charlotte has been unhappy with her recent booking, one has to wonder how she felt about opening the show. Mr. McMahon seems to be playing a dangerous game with arguably his biggest draw in the Women’s Division - especially when her fiancée, Andrade El Idolo, left for AEW in the past year. In the definition of a back and forth encounter, this contest ended in a series of roll up pin attempts that finally saw Becky come out victorious with an assist from holding the middle rope.

Traditional Survivor Series Elimination Match

Team RAW (Bobby Lashley w/ MVP, Austin Theory, Finn Balor, Kevin Owens, & Seth Rollins) vs. Team Smackdown (King Woods, Jeff Hardy, Sheamus, Happy Corbin w/ Madcap Moss, & Drew McIntyre)

Sole Survivor: Seth Rollins

The first of the “classic” Survivor Series match-ups began in underwhelming fashion as Kevin Owens who started the match for Team RAW immediately left the ring after the opening bell, walked up the ramp, was counted out, and left the arena to stick it to his team. This apparently was a recurring theme in the bout as Lashley and McIntyre got carried away while embroiled in combat outside the ring and were both counted out. Late in the match, Sheamus was rolled up for the pin and eliminated by Austin Theory. Jeff Hardy was then left in seemingly dire straits as he was leveled by his own partner Sheamus as he departed the ring. Hardy quickly turned the tables and finished off Theory with the Swanton Bomb leaving Rollins and himself as the final two combatants. Hardy attempted another Swanton Bomb moments later only to be unmercifully met with Seth Rollins’ knees in the small of his back. Rollins capitalized with the Curb Stomp to solidify the win for Team RAW.

The Rock’s 25th Anniversary 25-Man Battle Royal

Winner: Omos

With all of the recent releases, I was impressed that a battle royale could be assembled but in all seriousness, some of the notable participants included AJ Styles, Cesaro, Omos, Bobby Roode, and Jinder Mahal. At one point, the crowd was so disinterested in this card-filler, that they began chanting, “We want pizza” as the match was sponsored by Pizza Hut. The final four participants in this match were The Street Profits, Omos, and Ricochet. This was no contest as Omos disposed of all three men with little to no effort.

The Usos vs. RK-Bro (Randy Orton & Matt Riddle)

Winners: RK-Bro via pinfall

The Smackdown Tag Team Champions, The Usos, squared off with the RAW Tag Team Champions, RK-Bro, in the next clash of champions this evening. In the closing moments of the match, Jimmy Uso had not realized that Orton had blind tagged himself into the match before he was super kicked off of the ring apron. Jimmy, believing the legal man was still in the ring, proceeded to maintain his focus on Riddle which would prove to be his downfall. Jimmy ascended to the top rope to finish Riddle off with a splash, however, he was greeted with an RKO Out of Nowhere which allowed Orton to secure the pinfall for his team.

Traditional Survivor Series Elimination Match

Team RAW (Bianca Belair, Carmella, Queen Zelina, Liv Morgan, & Rhea Ripley) vs. Team Smackdown (Natalya, Shayna Baszler, Toni Storm, Shotzi, & Sasha Banks)

Sole Survivor: Bianca Belair

The penultimate bout of the evening pit the women’s teams from RAW and Smackdown against each other as the battle for network…or rather brand…supremacy rattled on. Late in this contest, it appeared that the numbers would be insurmountable for Bianca Belair as she was the lone participant remaining for Team RAW against Shotzi, Banks, Baszler, and Natalya for Smackdown. Following some dissent in the Smackdown ranks, Sasha Banks was counted out and thus eliminated. Belair then proceeded to make quick work of Natalya and Baszler leaving her alone with Shotzi. Shotzi posed some resistance but found herself succumbing to the Kiss of Death shortly thereafter.

Roman Reigns w/ Paul Heyman vs. Big E

Winner: Roman Reigns via pinfall

The main event of the evening presented a showdown between the Universal Champion, Roman Reigns, and the WWE Champion, Big E, in the final encounter for brand supremacy. What began as a rather pedestrian match certainly built momentum as it progressed towards the closing moments. First, Big E withstood three consecutive Superman Punches and answered with the Big Ending, however, he was unable to secure the pinfall as Roman grasped the bottom rope. The two then erupted into a brawl outside the ring which finally culminated when the men returned to the ring and Roman delivered a brutal spear to put Big E away.

The closing moments of the event were certainly awkward as the entire show celebrated the 25th anniversary of The Rock’s debut at Survivor Series 1996, was sponsored by The Rock’s new Netflix movie Red Notice, and Paul Heyman was informed that Brock Lesnar’s indefinite suspension would be coming to an end soon yet neither man made an appearance at the end as the commentators sounded distracted by someone speaking to them in their earpieces…makes you wonder.

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Results from Brooklyn

By Luis A. Cortes III, Ringside

A boisterous crowd of 8,811 jammed into the bottom bowl of the Barclays Center to cheer on the current heavyweight fighting pride of Poland Adam Kownacki (20-1)(15 KO's).  Robert Helenius (30-3)(19 KO's), the former European champion, looked to play major spoiler and derail the Kownacki express.

Helenius shocks Kownacki in four

It took just one semi feel out round before the action started in round two. Both Kownacki and Helenius were more than happy to please the enthusiastic crowd by exchanging bombs.  This continued in the third round as Helenius was clearly hurt by a stabbing right hand to the body.  He was able to circle away and survive the incoming bombs from Kownacki.

As round four started, Helenius continued to circle away from the pressure of Kownacki, but Kownacki attacked when he felt he had Helenius trapped in the corner.  During their exchange, Helenius landed a straight right and Kownacki went down.  Quickly rising to his feet, the referee ruled it a slip.  As the action continued, Helenius landed another right hand but followed it with a straight left that floored Kownacki.

The ending came at the 1:08 mark of the fourth round when Kownacki wasn't able to avoid the barrage of power punches that followed from Helenius.  With Kownacki having his back on the ropes and resorting to covering up for protection, the fight was called off.

Ajagba stops Cojanu in the ninth to stay perfect

Entering the seventh round, Efe Ajagba (13-0)(11 KO's) was happy with not allowing Razvan Cojanu (17-7)(9 KO's) inside of his range.  Continuing to improve his boxing skills and not wanting to be known for his power punching alone, Ajagba landed clean shots at will.  Cojanu to his credit, tried to force a slugfest to try and land clean on Ajagba.

Towards the end of the eighth round, Ajagba landed a left hook and looping right hand that hurt Cojanu and forced him to take knee.  Cojanu rose to his feet, but the ending was all but decided.  Cojanu earned the right to give it one last chance in the ninth round, but more power shots from Ajagba almost closed his left eye and forced him to wilt from the punishment.  The fight was waved off at the 2:46 mark of round nine.

Ajgaba -

Cojanu has a lot of experience. When I threw my jab, he used his right hand to block my vision, so I couldn't throw as many combinations as I wanted. It was a good challenge.

Ronnie told me to attack the body behind the jab. It was very effective and it started to slow him down. When he got close to me, I knew to throw more and punish him.

Sanchez wins ten round decision over Dawejko

After two rounds of feeling each other out, Frank Sanchez (15-0)(11 KO's) started to establish his jab a bit.  Joey Dawejko (20-8)(11 KO's) continued to stand his ground and chase Sanchez, who was happy with boxing from a safe distance.  Dawejko was able to slip most of the power shots from Sanchez, but wasn't active enough with counter shots to win the rounds clearly.

The action picked up some in the fifth round after Dawejko landed a left hook to the body, and Sanchez responded with a hard straight right.  After the exchange, the fighters were in a clinch and there was blood coming from over the left eye of Dawejko.

Heading into the tenth and final round, the fight continued to have the same pattern. Dawejko followed Sanchez around trying to start a fight, and Sanchez was content to box in circles behind a jab, with the occasional right hand.  The fight wasn't in question with Sanchez winning a unanimous decision by scores of 98-92 and 100-90 twice.

Dawejko - 

I knew he was going to fight on the outside and he stayed on the outside. Not much to say, he just did what he had to do.

He was scared that's why he was running around. He kept jumping back and staying away, so I guess he made it easy on the judges.

Sanchez -

I was well prepared and I thought I fought very well tonight. I dominated the fight. I showed good footwork and movement and did exactly what we worked on.

I didn't want to fight Dawejko's fight, and he realized that and it frustrated him. He might have thought he's faced guys like me, but there's no other heavyweight like me.

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Showtime Stumbles in 2020 Barclays Debut

By Milo Taibi

Showtime executive Stephen Espinoza came under heavy scrutiny in 2019 for the network's boxing coverage. Desirable PBC events went to Fox pay-per-view or Fox cable networks, while Showtime had to settle for pedestrian fight cards. In the wake of HBO's departure from the sweet science, it was fair to wonder if premium TV wasn't long for boxing.

To Espinoza's credit, he and the network remained steadfast in their dedication to boxing, rolling out a stellar schedule for the first quarter of 2020. By the time Showtime arrived in Brooklyn for its Jan. 25th broadcast, the network had already staged two previous events in the year. Claressa Shields kicked the year off with a Jan. 10th title defense over Ivana Habazin, and Shohjahon Ergashev headlined a Jan. 17th ShoBox from Sloan, Iowa. These entertaining events provided upsets- such as Elin Cederroos' triumph over Alicia Napoleon Espinosa- and viral knockouts, like Ergashev's sickening body shot stoppage of Adrian Estrella.

However, it would be a herculean task to maintain this success throughout the year. And indeed, Showtime's momentum fell flat at the Barclays Center. The night featured a triple-header of Stephen Fulton vs. Arnold Khegai, Jarrett Hurd vs. Francisco Santana, and Danny Garcia vs. Ivan Redkach. Many in boxing circles had correctly predicted that Fulton vs. Khegai would steal the show; what pundits didn't anticipate was the co-main and main event being comprised of 22 uncompetitive rounds of boxing.

The super bantamweight scrap between "Cool Boy" Fulton and Khegai offered a terrific clash of styles. Khegai, the bruiser, used relentless pressure and dirty tactics to bully Fulton in early rounds. A pure boxer, Stephen survived these scares and used his superior footwork to claim a wide decision. Similar to fellow Philadelphian Jaron "Boots" Ennis, Fulton used Showtime's exposure to put himself on the map with an early 2020 victory.

The night's malaise started with Jarrett Hurd's tune-up fight with Francisco Santana. A journeyman who was fighting up a weight class, Santana posed no threat to Hurd. The fight amounted to a 10-round sparring session; an opportunity for Hurd to shake off the ring rust after he'd been unseated for the WBA and IBF titles by Julian "J Rock" Williams. As Paulie Malignaggi astutely pointed out on the Showtime Boxing Podcast, there's nothing wrong with Hurd taking this type of fight to ease himself back into contention. The problem is subjecting premium TV viewers to a fight devoid of stakes. Whereas Fulton's fight whetted the public's appetite for a world title shot, Hurd's fight had an opposite effect. Rather, many fans wondered aloud what happened to the old Jarrett Hurd.

Accomplished welterweight Danny "Swift" Garcia closed the show with a stay-busy fight against Ivan Redkach. While not an ideal main event, the fight was practical as each boxer had more preferable matchups fall through in a similar timeframe. Garcia had been slated to face Errol Spence Jr. before "The Truth" was injured in a car crash. Meanwhile, Redkach was reportedly set to fight Adrien Broner, before myriad legal issues sidelined the Cincinnati native.

Redkach's cagey nature, coupled with Garcia's counter-punching prowess, ostensibly could have led to fun exchanges and an early night. This was not to be, as Redkach's inability to close distance led to a shutout decision win for Garcia. The only memorable moment from the fight came when Redkach bit Garcia's shoulder in the eighth round.

Garcia did all that he could to finish Redkach, and in his post-fight interview cited frustration with referee Benjy Esteves for not stopping the fight. The remark was warranted. Following a brutal 2019 which saw two boxers in US events succumb to injuries suffered in the ring, a sport-wide priority needs to be circumventing senseless punishment. After the 7th or 8th round, when it was plainly obvious that Redkach had no path to victory, either Esteves, a ringside physician, or trainer Jack Mosley should have stepped in to stop the contest.

Though the fight won't be remembered as a fan favorite, Garcia's win left him well-positioned for a potential pay-per-view showdown with Manny Pacquiao. And, similarly, Showtime remains primed for a bounce-back 2020 despite Saturday's misfire. ShoBox has two events scheduled through February, and Gary Russell Jr.'s Feb. 8th featherweight title defense against Tugstsogt Nyambayar has the potential to be a Fight of the Year candidate. Boxing is better off with Showtime at the top of its game; let's hope Saturday night proved to be an anomaly.

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ANGEL GARCIA "WE WANT THURMAN REMATCH! ITS A PERFECT FIGHT FOR US WE NEED THAT REMATCH!"

Video by Luis A. Cortes III

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IVAN REDKACH "I'M GONNA BEAT DANNY GARCIA DOWN!" - GARCIA VS REDKACH

Video by Luis A. Cortes III

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The Devil is in the Details: Wilder Returns to Showtime May 18th

By Luis A. Cortes III

To say that the rumors swirling around the next fight for WBC Heavyweight Champion Deontay Wilder (40-0-1)(39 KOs) were too many to count would be an understatement.  The biggest rumor circulating was that DAZN and Matchroom Boxing USA had offered a three fight deal worth upwards of $100 million to the Wilder camp.  When it became apparent that Wilder, who is a promotional free agent and is managed by the legendary Shelly Finkel, would not take the large offer, outcry against the champion began to occur from many boxing insiders and fans throughout the world of social media.

Involved in the proposed deal was $20 million for a first fight in May against a top contender and his mandatory challenger Dominic Breazeale (21-1)(18 KOs), as well as two fights against the unified WBA/WBO/IBF champion Anthony Joshua (22-0)(21 KOs), with a reported $40 million for the first fight and a subsequent rematch being offered.  What was not accounted for was the fact that while the numbers were high and there were guarantees from the streaming service DAZN, the fights against Joshua would determine who the best heavyweight in the world is and would be tantamount to the largest business that the sport.  It would be the type of financial gain that would make past super fights like Lewis vs. Tyson look small.  These super fights between the two champions would no doubt equal a huge bump in terms of paid subscriptions to DAZN.  Something that Wilder in this first offer would not have any percentage of.

Guarantees from DAZN, while large, do not account for all the other revenue that would be generated.  Revenue from things like sponsorships, possible percentages from the purchases of pay-per-view buys, as well as the live gate.  While $80 million for two fights with Joshua sounds like a no brainer, in terms of where Wilder is as a brand name as the only current American heavyweight champion, the possibility to make more money and upwards of $50-$75 million for a single fight with Joshua, if it were broadcasted on pay-per-view, would make any fighter consider alternate routes.

DAZN, for their part will continue to broadcast title defenses from Joshua. However, until a business model is created where fighters who are not signed to Golden Boy Promotions or Matchroom Boxing can reap benefits from the revenue generated aside from a guarantee, such as the possibility of a percentage from new subscriptions generated from the announcement of the mega fight, or the monthly fee being raised from $9.99 a month to $25-$30 for the months that a Wilder-Joshua fights would be scheduled for, they will struggle to attract talent like Wilder.

With the monthly cost returning to its original $9.99 once the fights and months they are scheduled for are completed, these suggestions are just food for thought at this point and are things that will be kicked around by the brass and decision makers.  One thing is clear though, top tier champions and independent fighters like Wilder will continue to compete away from signing to streaming services if the details of super fights are not ironed out.  Wilder for his part is making it clear that like several past big named champions in the sport (Sugar Ray Leonard, Mikey Garcia, and Floyd Mayweather) is adamant that he will retain his independence from any promotional outfit, electing instead to continue to work with established relationships (PBC), unless an offer is made that he can’t refuse.

This brings us to the announcement today from Brooklyn that Wilder will indeed return to the ring on Saturday, May 18th against Breazeale.  While this seems to be a fight that can turn out to be entertaining, Breazeale, unlike Wilder's last opponent Tyson Fury does not carry a name large enough for the fight to be carried on pay-per-view.  As a result, and to the credit of Wilder, a deal was struck for the fight to be broadcasted live on Showtime.  Details of this deal have not been released, but it proves that Wilder is once again banking on himself as the premier heavyweight name (especially in America) as he continues to build his name and brand.  It’s a gamble on himself that if he continues to be victorious can pay off in the end when the eventual negotiations between the Wilder camp and Matchroom Boxing, the promoter of Joshua, start up again after Joshua’s title defense in June.

How this all plays itself out will be interesting to see.  One thing is for sure though, however this type of mega business is done to satisfy all parties involved could lead to a trickledown effect that will benefit boxing and its fans.  Other less lucrative super fights in the sport, such as Crawford-Spence or Lomachenko-Garcia, could in turn be figured out by the parties involved based off how Wilder-Joshua is eventually made.    

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Strolling Along Flatbush Ave.

By Frank Bartolini

All the marquee arenas in the western hemisphere that host boxing are located in cities of reputed glamour and glitz. London’s Wembley Stadium, Manhattan's Madison Square Garden, and any large arena in Las Vegas are renowned for different reasons. Las Vegas' lights and glitter, Madison Square Garden’s illustrious history plus it’s midtown address, and Wembley’s enormity and raucous fans within a gentlemanly behaved London, England. Brooklyn, New York is not as cultured as London or glamorously Manhattan trendy. “Forget about it!”, Brooklyn will never match the gilded gaudiness of Vegas. With its endemic personality Brooklyn can boast, there is no other place like it on the planet. Located in ethnically diverse Downtown Brooklyn, the Barclays Center holds its own at hosting pro prizefighting events with any of the aforementioned sites. A walk up crowd on the evening's affairs, always fills any remaining seats with enthusiasm. 

The lobby at the Hampton Inn filling up with undercard prizefighters and their crews awaiting to grab shuttle ride to the Barclays Center. Striding through the revolving doors onto the concrete, in front of me an idling mini bus AKA “The Shuttle”, to my right a block away, the Manhattan Bridge that crosses the East River connecting Downtown Brooklyn to what was formerly known as the “Five Points District” and currently named “China Town.” Google Maps informs, in the opposite direction from that span, it is just over a mile and a half down Flatbush Ave onto Atlantic Ave for a pedestrian to arrive at the Barclays Center. I forsook a free lift and decided to hoof it. A blatant lie about this choice would suggest getting some fresh air, but the soot stained facades of the tall buildings would imperiously disprove that phrase. 

Lights changing, voices rising, humans strutting and jogging, as automobiles roll in both directions. Downtown Brooklyn is in constant motion. 

A twenty something guy approaches me from the rear, “excuse me sir. I’m sorry to bother you. My mother is sick and I have to see her. I lost my wallet with my paycheck in it. Could you please give me fifteen dollars for the bus to Long Island?” 

I examine a lucid, cleared eyed inquisitor, and deduced he was no junkie. Further inspection found him wearing a pair of suede, leather accented Timberland boots. My thoughts, were that this grifter did have a job and his billfold, and scored chump change scheming. Interesting that a cheap flim flam artist chose me as an easy mark. A bit insulted, I replied “NO” and brushed off this millennial conman. 

As always, I purchased a pretzel and diet coke from a Kurdish looking street vendor, and sat in front of the arena and chowed, as a queue formed outside of the Barclays Center. 

DiBella Entertainment in association with Premier Boxing Champions put on aa night of fights here. Assuredly these two associates are always going to deliver a quality slate. 

Polish countrymen come in multitudes to Barclays supporting any native who climbs between the ropes. When heavyweight Adam Kownacki of Poland crushes foes, the P.A. system churns out Poland’s national anthem, initiating a resounding vocal harmonizing in unison among the faithful. 

The pound-for-pound coronation of Errol Spence Jr., as the best in the land, has been supported by this venue. Deontay Wilder has also proven before the Barclays' faithful he can whip anyone he hits with his concrete shattering right hand. 

Brooklyn has a unique style and it’s residents have an accented speech that is recognized globally. Sporting fans world wide should acknowledge the Barclays Center importance to paid fist trading. 

The following morning…...Bumps, bruises, scratches, stitches, and hurt ego’s indulged in the Hampton Inns' continental breakfast. Managers and trainers discussed future moves and possibilities over syrup soaked waffles and sausages. Some defeated boxers smile and enjoy the meal with friends. Other conquered pugilists chew their food with bowed heads until some good natured fellows see their discourse and pull up next to him with assuring words, that everything will be alright. Within moments this beaten man sits up in his seat and grins as he shovels grub through a pair of fat lips. When it is time to leave, the victors jump up and rush to the shuttle anxious to get home and tell tales of grandeur. Boxing close knit fraternal members bid adieu to one another. Back through the revolving doors for the last time this weekend, carrying a suitcase and briefcase, I walk to a fifty dollar a night parking garage, get my car, pay my fee, and eventually cross the Verrazano Bridge on my way home to “Champions Rest,” as Brooklyn maintains it’s perpetual motion. 

I finished 2018 where I started it at the Barclays Center. I began 2018 last January, when Errol Spence defended his welterweight world championship laurels throwing Lamont Peterson a beating. I have ended the year watching the Charlo twins fill the venue with a near sellout crowd that booed disputed decisions in both their bouts. 

The boxing future is bright as the blue lettered marquee of the Barclays Center. The sport is filled with talent globally and a billion dollars of revenue is being invested from media outlets DAZN, Fox network, ESPN+, and Showtime cable. All this cash makes bouts happen and combatants will square off in first rate matchups. No need for a fortune teller's crystal ball to see 2019 will be a great year for pugilism…...Until next time...Keep Punching!

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Danny Garcia Post-Fight Press Conference Featuring Angel Garcia and Luis Cortes

Luis Cortes made a guest appearance at the 4:34 mark of the Danny Garcia post-fight press conference, following Danny's unanimous decision loss to Shawn Porter on Saturday night. Check out the below video for insight into Danny's defeat, Angel's future "green" business plans, and yet another example of Cortes' fine journalistic abilities.

Stay tuned to The Weigh-In for the best coverage in the industry on the Garcia's future business ventures in medical and recreational marijuana!

#huntingparkrepresent

MW

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Shawn Porter vs. Danny Garcia: A Family Affair

Luis Cortes' article on the upcoming welterweight bout between Danny Garcia (34-1, 20 KOs) and Shawn Porter (28-2-1, 17 KOs) was recently featured on The Sweet Science website. These two fighters will square off this Saturday, September 8th at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn. This installment of Premier Boxing Champions will air live on Showtime.

Luis' article is available via the below link:

Shawn Porter vs. Danny Garcia: A Family Affair 

-Luis A. Cortes III

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Fighter Stats provided by BoxStat.co

NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn 4 Recap

The black and yellow brand delivered the fourth incarnation of TakeOver Brooklyn this evening from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, NY on the eve of Summerslam. The card boasted five matches with all four NXT championships on the line. In addition to the stacked card, the WWE Network audience was also treated to commentary by, in my opinion, the best commentary team in the WWE comprised of Mauro Ranallo, Nigel McGuinness, and Percy Watson.

NXT Tag Team Championship
Undisputed Era: Kyle O’Reilly & Roderick Strong (c) vs. Mustache Mountain: Trent Seven and Tyler Bate
Winners: Undisputed Era

Invoking their rematch clause, Mustache Mountain came out with a full head of steam to start the match. Their momentum was quickly stifled by the Undisputed Era as they put on a tag team clinic highlighted by the Muay Thai training of O’Reilly. Despite a late flurry by Mustache Mountain, O’Reilly and Strong hit the High-Low on Trent Seven to earn the pinfall.

After the match, the celebration didn’t last long as the Undisputed Era were ambushed by War Raiders leaving them in a mass of carnage.

EC3 vs. Velveteen Dream

Winner: Velveteen Dream

This match pitted two of the most charismatic, polarizing sports entertainers on the NXT roster, who seem destined for a main roster call-up sooner than later, against each other. If one questions this sentiment, then take a second look at the Rick Rude-esque tights that Dream donned which proclaimed, “Call Me Up Vince” across the backside. Velveteen impressed in the closing moments of the match as he first laid out EC3 with the Dream Valley Driver on the ring apron, followed it with an elbow of the top rope, and finished him with the 1-2-3.

NXT North American Championship

Adam Cole (c) vs. Ricochet

Winner: Ricochet

Both of these performers put their extensive ring IQs on full display. Ricochet pulled out his full arsenal of awe-inspiring aerial maneuvers while Adam Cole countered with some devastating strikes and counters. In the end, Ricochet hit the phenomenal 630 to earn the pinfall victory as a new North American Champion was crowned.

NXT Women’s Championship

Shayna Baszler (c) vs. Kairi Sane

Winner: Kairi Sane

Baszler and Sane squared off in the rubber match of their trilogy that began when Sane defeated Baszler in the final of the inaugural Mae Young Classic a year ago. Baszler dictated the pace of this match in the early going as she utilized her extensive MMA striking and submission wrestling background. In the end, it appeared that Sane was doomed as Baszler blocked her third attempt at the Insane Elbow. Baszler quickly sought to seal the deal as she attempted to lock in the Kirafuta Clutch only to have Sane reverse it into a shocking pinfall victory.

NXT Championship-Last Man Standing Match

Tommasso Ciampa (c) vs. Johnny Gargano

Winner: Tommasso Ciampa

Ciampa shocked the NXT Universe as he defeated Aleister Black for the NXT Championship just a few weeks ago due to an accidental assist from Johnny Wrestling. After Black sustained an injury as a result of a backstage attack from an unknown assailant, this bout was changed from a triple threat match to a Last Man Standing match by Commissioner Regal. With this ruling the match marked the third consecutive Takeover main-evented by these two fierce competitors. Just as a refresher, a match contested under Last Man Standing rules essentially means there are no rules and one wins when his opponent is incapacitated to the point that he is unable to answer the referee’s ten count. 

Gargano didn’t even wait for the introductions to conclude before he ambushed Ciampa to get the fight underway. If you thought these men couldn’t surpass their performances from the last two Takeover events, you were dead wrong. They broke each other’s bodies with tables, chairs, crutches, and ring stairs. Ciampa even attempted to bury Gargano at ringside with anything in sight, including a ringside crewmember, at one point to no avail. The match eventually migrated to the entrance stage where Gargano handcuffed Ciampa to a part of the display.  Gargano attempted to seal the deal with a knee strike to Ciampa’s head which he dodged at the last second. Gargano then slammed his knee into a crate and plummeted off the stage. Johnny Wrestling was unable to answer the referee’s ten count so your winner, and STILL NXT Champion, “The Sicilian Psycho” Tommasso Ciampa!

-The Buckle Bomb with Steve Ward

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Deontay Wilder vs. Luis Ortiz Post Fight Breakdown

Finally! The People’s Red Head has returned to The Weigh-In.

What a fight in the heavyweight division. Deontay Wilder took on Luis Ortiz Saturday night in Brooklyn at the Barclays Center. It was a packed house and the crowd was electric. However, this fight did not get off to a fast paced start, as anticipated. In fact, Wilder showed much maturity throughout the bout. Both fighters overcame adversity, but only one could win.

The opening four rounds were a feeling out process. Every punch Wilder threw was met with a counter from Ortiz. I had Ortiz winning the first four rounds. Wilder was not very active, and I do not blame him. Only Matt Ward likes to be hit cleanly in the face, and that is during his sexual escapades (j/k!). The fans started booing due to the lack of inactivity. However, everyone needs to realize that both fighters have the ability to put the other in airplane mode. Any landed shot can comes with extreme consequences.

Ortiz was busier in the beginning of the fight. In addition, I felt Ortiz landed the more meaningful punches in the first four rounds. Fortunately, this was not a four round bout. The fifth round was everything that the fans hoped for. Wilder put Ortiz on the canvas in the fifth round with a right hand directly to his grill piece. This marked the first time Ortiz has been knocked down in his professional career.

Ortiz seemed to recover fairly quickly from the knockdown. In round six, Ortiz turned the tables on Wilder. I must be honest; I thought Wilder was going down in round seven. Ortiz caught Wilder with a right-left combination while against the ropes. Wilder looked as if his legs were out from under him. Ortiz poured on the pressure and Wilder wobbled more than I do when walking home from my local watering hole. This round could have been scored a 10-8 round and I would have no problem with it. Wilder looked like he was out on his feet.

After round seven, if there were still questions about the chin of Wilder, he answered all of them. I want his chin tested for performance enhancing drugs. He has a chin of steel; there is no doubt of that now. In addition, Wilder should get credit for how he handles adversity. When Ortiz was pouring it on, Wilder recovered and stuck to his game plan.

Not only did Wilder recover, but he appeared to find a different gear. Wilder knocked Ortiz down twice, earning a stoppage in round ten. As many suspected, Ortiz proved to be Wilder’s biggest test thus far. With the win, Wilder moves to 40-0. With the victory, it appears a Wilder vs. Joshua card is inevitable. Joshua will prove to be another great test for the champ.

Following the victory, Wilder was still criticized for his wild style. I thought Wilder remained patient and really showed his maturity in his victory over Ortiz. It goes to show, you cannot please all the fans. For the ones you cannot please, I would not worry about them. As the masses shout obscenities from their mothers’ basements, Wilder is the champ. I would advise the haters to deal with that fact as they also deal with the fact that women are funny. That is right, women are funny, ask Amy Schumer. Congratulations to Wilder on a well-deserved win.

Special Thanks To:

The Jerky Boys, "I was born to dance, you fuck."

Al Bernstein, one of the best in the business.

Joe Tessitore, for being an absolute stud.

Russian Olympic Curler who got popped for PED’s - fucking unreal! Doping in curling...

-Dustin Johnson, The People's Red Head

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