WWE NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn 4 Results, Highlights, And Grades

Shayna Baszler (c) vs. Kairi Sane For The NXT Women’s Championship

Result: Kairi Sane Wins In Dramatic Fashion (Watch it, the finish was marvelous)

Rating: Best Women’s Match In WWE This Year

With the other three of the Four Horsewomen of MMA there to support her, Shayna Baszler is ready to prove to the NXT Universe that she can defeat Kairi Sane on the big stage. Baszler went for a quick submission hold, and that was just to get into Sane’s head. On the go-home show, Sane showed off her submissions to Baszler, who was on commentary (per usual), in a match against Aliyah, but “The Queen of Spades” is the one who always wants to be the “Queen of Submissions”.

It didn’t take long for Sane to pull out a “Stretch Muffler”, and that likely pissed Baszler off. Sane isn’t backing down from Baszler, going strike for strike with Shayna, clearly sending a message that she’s just as much of a bad-ass.

Sane is rolling, and it seems like for the first time in her career, Baszler doesn’t have the mental edge in a match. A classic bully, Shayna can’t really intimidate Sane, who is both extremely resilient and already has that Mae Young Classic Finals victory over Shayna.

That said, Shayna is the NXT Women’s Champion for a reason; she’s a monster. Baszler asserts an advantage in an instant, and she starts trying to break down Sane with some kicks to the back of the knee.

Baszler’s attacks on Shayne’s right leg become increasingly more brutal, and one of WWE’s greatest heels always has a way of making her matches uncomfortable with her limb targeting. This was no exception, and Sane is in a dire position as Shayna starts mocking her.

Sane’s screams become disconcerting, as Shayna relentlessly attacks that leg, simply toying with the Pirate Princess. But Sane doesn’t quit, as she screams in Shayna’s face repeatedly, accepting every punch in the face as a way of firing her up.

Now, Sane has the advantage. Her screams are infectious, as the crowd starts screaming and clapping along with one of WWE’s greatest pure babyfaces. Sane is standing up to NXT’s paramount bully, and she’s rallying the entire NXT Universe behind her to do it.

But Shayna kicks at Kairi’s injured leg again when Kairi ascends the top rope. A gut-wrench superplex sends Sane crashing to the canvas, but, again, Sane has no quit. She and Shayna trade punches as both get up from the floor, and the crowd is FIRED UP for each of these strikes.

Kairi hits an Interceptor and then an Insane Elbow on Shayna’s back. But she makes a mistake, going for a second one on Shayna, who rolls out of the ring to avoid surefire defeat. Sane, however, hits a crossbody to the outside and follows that up with another Insane Elbow.

BUT BASZLER KICKS OUT! HOW! HOW DID SHE KICK OUT OF THE INSANE ELBOW AFTER TAKING A CROSSBODY ON THE OUTSIDE? IS SHE EVEN HUMAN?

Baszler locks in the Kirifuda Clutch out of nowhere, and Sane starts fading…but she grabs the ropes to avoid defeat to the devastating submission hold!

It becomes a contest to see who can lock in the big-game submission in first. Will Sane win with the Anchor, or will she tap out to Shayna’s Kirifuda Clutch?

Baszler blocked the Insane Elbow and transitioned into the Kirifuda Clutch…but Sane countered it into a roll up for 3! We have a new NXT Women’s Champion! The witch is dead!

Rating: NXT Match of the Year Candidate, Best women’s match in WWE this year. These two women may have stolen the show, as this match told the best story of the night thus far and was the most consistently great from bell-to-bell. Given the caliber of competitors in this match, I am NOT surprised.