NXT TakeOver: Portland Results, Grades, and Analysis; Cole retains thanks to Gargano

The NXT Championship match between Adam Cole and Tommaso Ciampa headlines this six-match event that emanates from the Moda Center.

The show opened with the usual well-produced WWE video introduction, which led to a live performance by Poppy. Side note, I like how NXT uses their musical guests at the beginning of the show to hype it up instead of awkwardly sticking it in the middle of the PPV like we often see on main roster cards.

We then got the proper intro from the announcers before segwaying to our opening contest. Keith Lee entered first followed by Dominik Dijakovic, who wore a Kobe & Gianna Bryant hoodie to the ring.

Keith Lee (c) vs. Dominik Dijakovic- NXT North American Championship

Both men soaked in the crowd chanting “Bask in his Glory” before staring down for a few moments. They start with a lockup and showed off their athleticism before Lee hit a hurricanrana. Thet then traded shoulder tackles with limited effect.

Lee applied a knuckle lock and lifted Dijakoic in the air. They did the duck down/leapfrog sequence before Dijakovic hit a discus kick. He then went for a corkscrew moonsault to the outside, but Lee caught him! Lee went for a powerbomb, but Dijakovic slipped out.

He tried to send Lee into the ring post, but the champion stopped that with his brute strength. Dijakovic landed a back elbow to stagger him. Then he executed a suplex to the edge of the ring, with Lee’s momentum causing him to roll back down to the floor.

Back in the ring, Dijakovic landed some kicks, strikes, and several forearms, talking trash in the process. He went for another suplex, but Lee blocked it and muscled out of the hold. Left hands from Lee sent Dijakovic staggering to the corner, where Lee landed a running forearm. More strikes from Lee before his hit a backbreaker and a standing German Suplex(!) for a nearfall.

Lee went for the Big Bang Catastrophe, but Dijakovic hit some elbows and wiggled out. Back in the corner, Lee charged in, but Dijakovic slowed him with another big boot. Lee sent him into the opposite corner, but Dijakovic shot right out with another discus boot.

Dijakovic then stepped over Lee, drawing boos, and hit a corkscrew moonsault for a nearfall. He then went for Feast Your Eyes, but he couldn’t get Lee up. Another strike exchange ended with a massive Dijakovic clothesline that sent Lee to the edge of the ring.

They ended up in the corner again, where Dikakovic hit an avalanche Death Valley Driver for a big pop from the crowd and a nearfall. “This is awesome” chants rose as both men rose to their feet. They hit each other some more in the corner, and when Dijakovic charged in, Lee responded with a pounce that sent Dijakovic out of the ring.

Outside, Lee delivered a nasty forearm near the announcer’s table. He then shushed the crowd before delivering a Grizzly Magnum and capitulated when the audience asked him to do it again. Dijak tried to get away, but Lee brought him back out only to eat some forearms from the challenger.

While seated, Lee got another Grizzly Magnum in, but Dijakovic responded with a superkick. Lee still in the chair, Dijakovick nails a springboard cannonball to the floor! Back in the ring, Dijakovic sets up for another move, but Lee picks him up in the Fireman’s Carry.

Dijakovic tries to fight out, but Lee powers through and goes for his finisher, but Dijakovic lands on his feet and hits another superkick. Dijakovic then goozles Lee, but the champion powers out and tries for his own chokeslam. But Dijakovic flips out of that, and Le responds in kind when the challenger tries another chokeslam attempt!

Lee then Spirit Bombs Dijakovic so hard that it brought the challenger to his feet! Dijakovic then fired up, but Lee school-boyed him and hit another Spirit Bomb for a nearfall. Lee then dragged his opponent to the corner and went up top, but Dijakovic shoves him to the outside.

The challenger then tries and hits a top rope Spanish Fly for a nearfall! He then tries the Argentine Backbreaker twice, but fatigue finally set in, allowing Lee to hit the Big Bang Catastrophe for the win.

Winner: Lee via pinfall; retains the NXT North American Championship

After the match, Lee helped Dijakovic to his feet and both men hugged.

Rating: *****. A classic and a darkhorse Match of the Year contender. These two gave us everything we expected from them: amazing high spots and unbelievable power moves. As much as I enjoy seeing these two link up, I’m glad this was the final chapter in this feud, as both men can move on to fresh feuds for a while. 

We see Tommaso Ciampa staring blankly at nothing and Bianca Belair pacing back and forth before transitioning to a Dakota Kai/Tegan Nox video package.