WWE NXT TakeOver: Phoenix Results, Highlights, And Grades

Tommaso Ciampa (c) vs. Aleister Black for the NXT Championship

Result: Four Fairytale Endings later, and Ciampa retains

Rating: Good, Enjoyable story-telling and solid in-ring action ensured that the main event once again delivered, even if Gargano did steal the show again. I mean, that’s just inevitable. 

The match begins as the two brawl, heading to the outside of the ring as neither could gain an early advantage. Tommaso Ciampa hit Aleister Black with a heavy chop, and Black immediately responded with a takedown as the two started grappling to another draw inside the ring.

Black’s strikes and grappling seem to be superior, but Ciampa showed off his own in-ring prowess, locking in on the left arm as he sought to cement an early advantage.

But Black started getting into the match, going for an early cover before grounding Ciampa. It didn’t take too long for Ciampa to reassume an advantageous position, though he was put back into a hold after teasing his finisher.

The mindgames began with Black sitting right in Ciampa’s face after gaining the upper hand, and Ciampa’s response was classic; he just kicked Black right in the face Ciampa thought he had thrown Black to the outside, but Black stayed in, caught Ciampa off-guard, and sent the champ packing to the outside, following up with a tope con hiro.

We got our first nearfall off of Black’s springboard moonsault, and the two started to take the fight to the outside. Black avoided going head-first into the steel steps at first, but Ciampa drove his left knee into the steps and sent him flying into them for a second time.

Ciampa noticed the weakness and kept going right after the left leg. Steel steps again? Elaborate submissions? It was all part of the dastardly Ciampa’s gameplan here.

“Blackheart” started going to work, slamming Black’s left knee into the ring post multiple times to continue methodically breaking down the former NXT Champion. Black was in a bad way, and Ciampa made it worst by throwing Black knee-first onto the announce table as he proudly clapped for himself.

Taking a few sips of water, Ciampa walked over to Black and ate a monstrous kick that sent the water flying. Black hobbled into the ring and was quickly brought back to the mat again, and Ciampa just kept coming for the babyface’s injured knee.

Black got the momentum to turn into his favor with a MASSIVE kick to Ciampa on the top rope that sent BOTH men flying outside the ring. Now, Black has some life in this match, and while it took a lot out of his already-hobbled left knee, he has a glimmer of hope against the WWE NXT Champion after his first big move in some time.

Though Ciampa went for the knee again, Black countered, desperately kicking Ciampa away whenever the champ went for his injury. Black didn’t have enough power on his left leg to drive into big moves, but he could still hit strikes with his right leg and use his fists. That’s exactly what Black did as he came back, going for a cover that induced an easy kick out from Ciampa at two. But it was important for Black to even get a cover, as he now has his lifeline in the match due to his huge kicks.

Ciampa went for a sudden victory with a small package and teased his finisher, ducking a Black Mass counter. Black barely countered the “Fairytale Ending” again despite being weakened, and it was just Black desperately avoiding that move while getting some kicks of his own. Black hit an impressive one-legged bridging German, but he was never going to pin the champ with that.

After kicking off Ciampa while in a single-legged crab on his injured knee, Black went for a single-legged crab on Ciampa but couldn’t lock it in for long due to his knee. Black was trying everything, but that knee injury prevented him from hitting those big moves. The “Black Mass” is still always there, but it’s desperate times for Black, who barely kicked out of the Tower of London and a running knee strike.

Cocky with his taunting, Ciampa got hit with a huge knee from Black. Though Ciampa hit a knee strike of his own afterwards, he was too worn-out to follow up with that, still dazed from Black’s strong knee. And then the two traded strikes again, going blow-for-blow with wild energy to pick up the crowd.

The counters and pinning combinations came in, as both men found their second wind to put together a couple of awesome sequences. Black countered a running knee from a desperate Ciampa and exposed his own knee in the ring, but could “only” hit a double-stomp. Once again, though, Black’s knee gave out until he finally found the inner strength to hit a big vertical suplex for a two-count. Though the knee damage has been done, Black was finally able to find a way to shake off the pain enough.

Like Ricochet, Black hit a huge moonsault to the outside, but he slipped on the spilled water! That stumble gave Ciampa a brief advantage, and he nearly capitalized with the “Fairytale Ending”. But Black kicked out after his unfortunate slip! The fairytale isn’t over for Black! (Also credit to Percy Watson for the save, not calling the move Ciampa’s “finisher”!)

Ciampa went to the well after that display of resiliency from the challenger, exposing the concrete on the outside, just as Gargano did to win the North American Championship earlier tonight.

It was Ciampa, however, who got caught out. As he argued with the ref, Black hit double-knees to Ciampa on the outside! This could be it! Black hit a PERFECT Black Mass from out of nowhere! This really could be it! But Black didn’t have the energy to get to his feet, and in the time it took for him to crawl to the cover, the “Greatest Sports Entertainer of All-Time” wisely rolled to his stomach to spare himself losing “Goldie”.

Black stood up and put Ciampa in position for a second Black Mass, but Ciampa nefariously pulled the ref in the way. He then rolled through, hit the elevated DDT perfectly, and then hit the Fairytale Ending…it’s over…

But Black kicked out of the Fairytale Ending for a second time! WHAT? HOW?

Stunned, Ciampa hit a third Fairytale Ending…but his ego got in the way. He went for a third instead of being satisfied with three and the cover. Black hit a kick and went for another move, but the knee gave out…and Ciampa hit a fourth Fairytale Ending.

It’s over. Ciampa retains. WWE NXT remains in a dark place.

This was a great back-and-forth match, and the nearfalls ended up making sense. The story-telling around the knee was nice, but it didn’t evoke enough emotions for me. Overall, this was a good match and story, but it just never hit that level of passion that I wanted. Still, I loved the finish, enjoyed the match, and it was another quality main event for the Black and Yellow brand!

And after Ciampa’s win, guess who appeared to raise his title with the Blackheart? Yup, the former “Rebel Heart”. It truly has happened.