All images courtesy of the WWE Network streaming service

OFFICIAL RESULTS

• Kairi Sane VS Lacey Evans; Kairi wins.
• Heavy Machinery VS Tino Sabbatelli & Riddick Moss; no contest.

PLAY BY PLAY

NXT TakeOver: New Orleans succeeded in making history!

The North American Championship Ladder Match rocked the Smoothie King Center and the winner was ADAM COLE BAYBAY! Ember Moon brought the war to Shayna Baszler, but her fire was snuffed out by the Queen of Spades’ resilience. The NXT Tag Team Champions are still Undisputed, but with a surprise: Roderick Strong betrayed Pete Dunne to join up! El Idolo would #FadeToBlack, and we have a NEW champion in Aleister Black! But best of all, the Unsanctioned grudge match, while brutal on top of personal, ended with Johnny Freakin’ Wrestling getting back his dream! What does all of this mean for the future of the brand?

Kairi Sane VS Lacey Evans!

The Pirate Princess, the winner of the inaugural Mae Young Classic, sets sail once again to rise up the ranks of the NXT Women’s Division. But against the Model Soldier’s mission to make said division a place of proper, elegant ladies, will Kairi be able to find the treasure she’s after?

The bell rings and the two tie up. Lacey powers Kairi to a corner and grinds in a forearm, but the referee backs her off. Kairi comes out to tie up again, but Lacey gets the waistlock. Fans chant for Kairi as she works to pry her way out. Kairi wrenches Lacey’s arm but Lacey reverses back. Lacey whips but Kairi stops herself on the ropes. Kairi uses an imaginary telescope to tell Lacey she’s got her eyes on her. Lacey swings on Kairi but Kairi slips around for the waistlock. Kairi whips Lacey, runs parallel and evades to springboard up to a headscissors. She dropkicks Lacey down and covers, TWO.

Kairi keeps on Lacey with a whip into a corner, but Lacey gets to the apron to send Kairi into buckles. Lacey drags Kairi down by her hair, then slingshots over for the elbow drop. Cover, TWO, but Lacey keeps her cool while she wrenches Kairi’s arm and kicks her in the ribs. Kairi rolls her up, ONE, Lacey runs Kairi over with a lariat. Cover, TWO, but Lacey keeps on Kairi with a cobra clutch. Fans rally for Kairi while Lacey thrashes her around. Kairi gets up but Lacey brings her down, cover, TWO. Lacey grows frustrated but keeps going as she whips Kairi to a corner. She throws a rough right forearm, then another, mockingly asking, “Are you okay?” Lacey gives Kairi a stiff overhand chop, then stands on her at the ropes. Kairi gets away but Lacey is back on her with the cobra clutch.

Fans rally again while Lacey thrashes Kairi. Kairi stands up but Lacey swings her out for another cover, TWO. Lacey grows frustrated with Kairi, but still has confidence while we go to break.

NXT returns and Lacey stomps a mudhole into Kairi. She runs in, for a wrecking ball bronco boster! Cover, TWO, and the frustration returns. Lacey brings Kairi up, but Kairi chops back. Kairi fires up with double hand chops, then runs, but Lacey catches her into a shoulder breaker! Cover, TWO, and Lacey scowls down at Kairi. She drags Kairi back up, and chops her bluntly in the chest. Lacey prepares another, but Kairi blocks and counters with forearms. Lacey shoves Kairi, but Kairi comes back with the Interceptor!

The fans applaud while both women are down. The fans rally while they stir, and Kairi crawls her way back to Lacey. Lacey and Kairi stand, Kairi blocks a kick into a takedown, ax kick to Lacey’s back. Kairi keeps moving and hits a blockbuster! She’s all fired up while Lacey gets to a corner. Kairi marches the plank, then runs corner to corner for the Sliding D! Lacey stands up, but Kairi hits her with the Flying Kabuki forearm! Cover, TWO, and now Kairi grows frustrated. She goes after Lacey with a take on the Cloverleaf, but Lacey powers out. Lacey drags Kairi up, pumphandle lift, but Kairi silps out to backhand Lacey down! Kairi climbs up and sets sail for the Seven Seas elbow!

Cover, Kairi wins!

Winner: Kairi Sane, by pinfall

The Lady of NXT did a lot better than you’d expect, but the Pirate Princess was still too good. With wins like this, can Kairi find her way to the X on the map that is the NXT Women’s Championship?

Exclusive interview with the Undisputed Era after TakeOver.

It was a huge night for them, as Adam Cole became the inaugural North American Champion, then they retained the NXT Tag Team Championships, thanks to Roderick Strong. Can they explain what happened? Strong tells Cole something in secret, then all four men of the UE leave. There won’t be an explanation yet, so when will we learn the answer behind “Why, Strong, Why?”

The Authors of Pain debuted on Raw!

Akam & Rezar dominated Heath Slater & Rhyno like they have so many other teams, but surprised even Paul Ellering by saying they’re doing this on their own now. Exclusive footage gives us their explanation, as they tell the WWE Universe, “This is not about Paul. This is about how we just destroyed the world’s first SmackDown Tag Team Champions.” Ellering would appear to confront them on the issue, reminding them he developed the plans behind their dominance. Rezar speaks up, repeating that this is not about Ellering. His chapter ended with NXT, but now they’re on the main roster. The Authors of Pain are writing this next chapter on their own, but will it be the same as the first?

Exclusive interview with Shayna Baszler.

The Queen of Spades is the NEW NXT Women’s Champion, and she’s ready for the congratulations. But she’s not going to let this be a bandwagon, it’s a “war wagon”. You don’t just jump on or off based on who has the title. She knows who was on her side from the start, and who wasn’t. Then how does it feel to win this the same weekend Ronda Rousey debuts at Wrestlemania? They’re just doing the same things they’ve always done. But it does feel right. What are her plans going forward? “Things are gonna change.” Shayna says the Women’s Division won’t be about who looks good, but who can wrestle. Her mission statement has been issued, who will fall in line with the new regime? And who will just fall?

Meanwhile, Ember Moon debuted on Raw!

The former NXT Women’s Champion would hep out the new Raw Women’s Champion, Nia Jax, in dealing with Alexa Bliss & Mickie James. The War Goddess would Eclipse the Mean Girl Goddess for a major debut victory. Exclusive footage has Ember’s backstage interview alongside the Irresistible Force.

What a great debut for the Prophecy of Flame, she’s excited to have another dream come true. She’s ready to start a new chapter, even though she’s leaving unfinished business behind in NXT. “That monster” is now in charge, but Ember has faith in the strength of the other NXT women and is sure they’ll find a way to overcome Shayna. As for Ember on Raw, will she set it ablaze and rise above the ashes?

More main roster debuts!

The Fighting Fiesta brings his conga line to the main roster, and was victorious in his first match. Meanwhile, Peyton Royce & Billie Kay, the Iconic Duo, debuted on SmackDown! They didn’t have a match, but they made an iconic impact by beating down Charlotte Flair and costing her the SmackDown Women’s Championship! Will either of these superstars find their way to a title in the near future? Will they be swapped via the coming Superstar Shake-Up?

Heavy Machinery VS Tino Sabbatelli & Riddick Moss!

Tucker Knight & Otis Dozovic return from having a round of #Steaks&Weights to have another match with the Blue Chip Boys. With a void in the Tag Team Division left by the Authors of Pain departing, can one of these two teams step up to fill it?

The bell rings and it’s Tucker starting with Tino. Fans chant for “Steaks and Weights!” while they circle and tie up. Tucker powers Tino to a corner but Tino shoves Tucker away. Fans chant “Tino Sucks!” at the pretty boy former NFL player. They tie up again, Tino puts Tucker in the corner now but Tucker shoves him out! Tino is shocked, but he still hits Tucker back with a knee to the stomach. He brings Tucker over and tags in Moss but Tucker gets free and Dozer backs him up. All four men stare down, tension building, and they start brawling!

The referee can’t get them to settle down as Tucker clobbers Moss! Dozer feeds Tino to Tucker’s body shot, then Heavy Machinery marches around him before sandwiching him between their bellies! And they celebrate with belly bumps! Dozer goes back to the corner while Tucker focuses on Moss, but Tino tackles Tucker from behind! Tucker tumbles out to the apron while we go to break.

NXT returns to Tucker fighting back on Moss, ducking the clothesline, and jumping for a crossbody, only for Moss to catch him! Moss throws Tucker with a Fall Away Slam!

Cover, TWO, and Moss grows frustrated. He tags in Tino and then whips Tino in for the forearm smash. Moss adds a shoulder tackle then feeds Tucker to Tino’s dropkick. Tino covers, TWO, but Tino keeps his cool. He hears the fans chant, “Tino Sucks!” but he still grins as he puts Tucker in a corner. Tino whips Tucker corner to corner hard, then taunts Tucker, “Who’s tough now?!” He chokes Tucker on the ropes, then backs off to tag in Moss. Tucker fights out with big forearms and knees, but then Tino leaps and tackles Tucker down! Moss covers, TWO! Moss rains rights down on Tucker, then grinds Tucker with a facelock. Dozer and the fans rally for Tucker and Tucker powers Moss backwards, but Moss knees low then swings on Dozer. Dozer dodges and Tucker rolls Moss, TWO!

Moss grabs Tucker’s foot while Tucker reaches for Dozer. Tino distracts the referee so that he doesn’t see Moss yank Tucker’s hair to bring him down. Moss drags Tucker up and punches him to their corner. Tino tags in and Moss whips him at Tucker, but Tucker boots Tino away! Tucker evades Moss’ tackle, then gets past Tino to tag in Dozer! Dozer rallies on the Blue Chip Boys like a runaway train! He gives corner splash after corner splash, and blocks a boot into an overhead suplex! The fans fire up with Dozer as he runs in for one more splash on Tino. Tino flops down, and Dozer pumps up for the Caterpillar and elbow!

Cover, but Moss breaks it with an elbow of his own. Tucker returns and evades Moss, but they take each other out with clotheslines. All four men are down, and a third team appears!?

It’s Ray Rowe & “War Beard” Hanson! And they carve a warpath on both teams in the ring!

No Contest

Fans chant “War Machine! War Machine!” as Rowe & Hanson wipe out Dozer, Tucker, Moss and Tino in turn. They go back to mugging Dozer, then wreck Tucker with a corner splash and shotgun knees, and then combine for the Human Weapon: Hanson Spinebuster Hip Attack on Dozer! That’s not all, but these “War Raiders” heel kick Tino and give Moss the Ace Ten Mao! And to top it all off, Rowe picks Tino up while Hanson climbs to the top rope, and hit FALLOUT!!

The void left by Akam & Rezar has been filled, by Rowe & Hanson! They demolish two teams at once tonight, who else will they mow down on their path to the top of the NXT Tag Team Division?

My Thoughts:

Normally, the first NXT after TakeOver isn’t much of anything, with its recaps, interviews and matches that don’t really mean anything. But I think we all know why this one actually mattered for once. Before that, Kairi VS Lacey was solid, and Lacey really did look good against the more accomplished Kairi, but of course Kairi goes over. Lacey is the Heel and her gimmick is being condescending, so unless she cheats, she isn’t going to win. Heavy Machinery and Sabbatelli-Moss have had a good rivalry and had a good match, and they got everyone pumped up with their match so that when Hanson & Rowe appeared to destroy them all, the fans were at a fever pitch. Debuting like this did away with concerns about the name change, War Raiders will definitely burn a trail right up to the Undisputed Era for a great ROH-in-NXT feud.

My Score: 8/10