NXT TakeOver: Portland Results, Grades, and Analysis; Cole retains thanks to Gargano
https://twitter.com/WWENXT/status/1229218809707474945
Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Bianca Belair- NXT Women’s Championship
The two powerhouses began proceedings with a collar-and-elbow tie-up that ended in a stalemate. The second lockup saw Ripley work Belair’s arm before the challenger worked out of that early trouble.
After some more feeling out stuff, the champion took control with some clotheslines. Belair retreated to the corner, but Ripley followed her in and delivered some overhead chops.
Belair eventually regained the advantage and applied a cravate to Ripley. The champion tried to punch out of it, but Belair took her down by the hair before that happened and hit a standing moonsault for a one count. Belair then tried a suplex; Ripley floated out of the first attempt but Belair’s second attempt was good for a nearfall.
Belair then applied a Full Nelson. Ripley backed Belair into the corner and backdropped Belair back into the middle of the ring. She then got into her comeback, which was capped off with a basement dropkick for a nearfall. Ripley then followed up with an electric chair facebuster for another nearfall.
She locked in her inverted cloverleaf, but Belair kicked her way out yanked Ripley into the ring post. This led to a rollup that scored a nearfall for the challenger, as did the subsequent spinebuster.
They eventually made their way to the corner, where they traded slaps to the crowd’s appreciation, but Belair ended that exchange with her hair braid across Ripley’s gut. Belair then pressed Ripley over her head and slammed her mid-ring. She tried for a handspring moonsault, but Ripley got the knees up.
Ripley then went for the Riptide, but Belair slipped out. Belair went for the K.O.D., but Ripley slipped out. Ripely then connected with a boot on a leapfrogging Belair, but the challenger popped right back up and hit a spear that left both of them lying.
More strikes from these two; Belair briefly got the better of the exchange, but Ripley reversed an Irish whip and connected with a kick after missing a roundhouse kick. Belair then hit a forearm on a running Ripley and tried for the Glam Slam, but Ripley powered out.
Belair tried to use her hair again, but Ripley avoided it and hit another kick. With Belair leaning against the ropes, Ripley charged in, but Belair back body dropped Ripley feet-first to the outside. She then surveyed the situation and scored with a tope con hilo to the outside!
Belair tried to toss Ripley back in the ring, but Ripley got her boot up and sent Belair into the steps head first. They fought some more on the apron before Ripley tried for a superplex to the outside that Belair blocked. Belair then attempted her own superplex, but Ripley caught her arm and hit the Riptide for the win.
Winner: Ripley via pinfall; retains the NXT Women’s Championship
https://twitter.com/WWE/status/1229225099150184448
After the match, Charlotte Flair blindsided a celebrating Ripley! She got a mic and told Ripley that she would see her at WrestleMania before hitting Natural Selection on the champion. As she left, she threw Belair into the steel steps.
Rating: ****1/4. Another excellent match. Kudos to Belair and Ripley for keeping the crowd’s attention following the awesome Gargano/Balor match. The post-match stuff was expected, but it was effective in getting heat on Flair ahead of her match with Ripley and a possible singles match with Belair in the near future.
Before the NXT Tag Title Match, Matt Riddle and Pete Dunne, who drove in on a golf cart wearing “How much fish could Bobby Fish fry if Bobby Fish could fry fish?” shirts, asked that very question to the audience with subtitles.