WWE NXT TakeOver New Orleans: Highlights, Grades, And Analysis
Credit: WWE.com
NXT Championship Match
Andrade “Cien” Almas (c) with Zelina Vega vs. Aleister Black
Result: Aleister Black Wins By Pinfall With The Black Mass After “Cien” Catches Vega
Rating: 5.0 Out Of 5.0 Stars
Watchability Grade: A+
Andrade “Cien” Almas’s title win over Drew McIntyre at NXT TakeOver: WarGames was fantastic, and his NXT TakeOver title defense in Philadelphia was the WWE’s first five-star match from the Wrestling Observer News’s Dave Meltzer since John Cena vs. CM Punk at Money in the Bank 2011.
Even though Almas lost, he once again delivered in a huge way, capping off a title reign that helped turn him into a star, which included a nice appearance in the 2018 Royal Rumble just one night after he defeated Gargano.
Black and Almas worked at a fast pace, with Black determined to vanquish Almas after all of the big talk and beatdowns from El Idolo. He started off the match hot, and Black’s athleticism and quickness always stand out.
Zelina Vega was desperate throughout the entire match, interfering at every possible occasion. She hit Black with multiple hurricanranas, but it was her interference that ended up costing her client. Because after Almas nearly had Black beat with a Hammerlock DDT, Vega perched on the top rope with the intention of hitting Black with a crossbody. Black, however, moved out of the way, and Vega jumped right at Almas. She didn’t knock him down, because Almas caught her in his arms. That didn’t actually help him, because it left him defenseless.
Without his arms available and his mobility restricted, Almas was vulnerable, and Black took advantage with the “Black Mass” to capture his first NXT Championship after a long journey to the title. And Vega costed Almas when he had the advantage in the match. She was his downfall due to her desperation, even though she also helped by interfering and being the motivational voice in his ear throughout. Note that she never, ever sat still at ringside.
I can’t wait to see how Black’s title reign unfolds, and it will be interesting to see what the future holds for Almas. Could he get called up?
Two other big spots from this match were Vega putting Almas’s foot on the rope after the first Black Mass, as well as Almas countering the Black Mass by hitting an absolutely picture perfect dropkick to the back of Black’s head.