Take Over XXV vs Double Or Nothing

[Bob-O]

Professional Wrestling has made the last few Saturdays pretty fun, ya?

Hunter's chance to answer the critics, NXT's chance to display why they were sought out by WWE in the first place, and I can't be alone going into this show wondering if it'd feel like the heat was turned up a little bit.

I'll give Hunter some credit, I was wondering if there'd be return fire for Cody's entrance among other things, but he was the bigger person here not taking the bait. The trained eye might have caught AEW's Britt Baker sitting with Steph in the front row, but no attention was she given. As much fun as the jabs are, I much prefer the attempt of raising the bar so high the other guy can't get over it. Obviously AEW went first here, so Hunter and Co knew where the bar was set going in, but it was set pretty f'ing high.

Obviously Take Over wasn't going to match the energy of a highly anticipated debut show, but I'm interested on how you guys think the two compare. AEW made good on their word, where wins/losses felt like they mattered and every match felt like it meant something. You're not going to top the emotion of Cody/Dustin, and from a Marquis perspective, there isn't the firepower in NXT's locker room to promote a match that could be billed over Kenny Omega vs Chris Jericho. Then with Jon Moxley's debut... there's nobody left for WWE to do that with! STEPHANIE got their "look who's in the crowd" spot! Hunter responded by putting the pedal to the floor. When you open up with that Riddle/Roddy match... the night's either going to go one of two ways - and they went the drag race route. We had feuds to address tonight, but nothing with the weight DoN brought, but when our only cooldown is a Baszler/Io match involving kendo stick beat downs, I'm not sure you really need all that weight.

All I know is that it's been a pretty great two weekends, and I'd love to talk about it.

[cero2k]

Hunter is smart enough to not take jabs during his shows, he protects NXT beyond everything. It's not really being the bigger man, but being smart enough to not do anything to trigger AEW chants. He'll take his jabs at press conferences like he has before.

As for raising the bar, NXT's bar was raised a LONG time ago, this show. I wouldn't say the 'stepped up their game' simply by what i've been hearing that Brooklyn III was better than XXV. I know people are gonna hate to hear this, but WWE and the wrestlers are not gonna step up their game against AEW, at least not until the actual TNT vs USA war starts.

[Big Red Machine]

Hunter is smart enough to not take jabs during his shows, he protects NXT beyond everything. It's not really being the bigger man, but being smart enough to not do anything to trigger AEW chants. He'll take his jabs at press conferences like he has before.

As for raising the bar, NXT's bar was raised a LONG time ago, this show. I wouldn't say the 'stepped up their game' simply by what i've been hearing that Brooklyn III was better than XXV. I know people are gonna hate to hear this, but WWE and the wrestlers are not gonna step up their game against AEW, at least not until the actual TNT vs USA war starts.

I agree with everything you've written here other than the wrestlers not stepping up their game unless there is a USA vs. TNT war, and that's because I don't think there is much for the wrestlers to step up (maybe Randy, but that's about it). I think everyone is trying their best, but they're being limited by creative failings and time restrictions.

[Big Red Machine]

The two shows aren't quite comparable for several reasons. First, they are doing different things. Double or Nothing was an introductory show while TakeOver was part of a continuing story. Yes, Double or Nothing had stories, but by virtue of having stories that have built from previous matches, TakeOver has motifs already in place that can be used to enhance the stories told in the ring, whereas AEW doesn't quite have that in the same way.
Secondly, AEW is, for the moment, operating in an indy style where each show needs to have some direct hook for the next (while also building one or two things up for down the line), whereas TakeOver does not have to devote time and resources to that kind of thing because they have about ten weeks of NXT to build up to their next show.
TakeOver also had a lot less time allotted to it, and also had its storyline/build schedule screwed up by WWE moving the show date and also likely by the Viking Raiders getting called up unexpectedly, whereas AEW had all of their ducks in a row for a while, with only the PAC thing (whatever you believe the reality of the situation to be) being the only complicating factor.

Both were awesome shows. TakeOver was better in terms of in-ring consistency, but that's also because they went for an all-killer, no-filler format, which AEW couldn't really do because of the reasons I stated above. I thought the commentary on TakeOver was far-and-away better as well. I think AEW's accomplishment was more remarkable, but that's probably because I wans't expecting much out of Cody vs. Dustin and the Best Friends match.

[cero2k]

Hunter is smart enough to not take jabs during his shows, he protects NXT beyond everything. It's not really being the bigger man, but being smart enough to not do anything to trigger AEW chants. He'll take his jabs at press conferences like he has before.

As for raising the bar, NXT's bar was raised a LONG time ago, this show. I wouldn't say the 'stepped up their game' simply by what i've been hearing that Brooklyn III was better than XXV. I know people are gonna hate to hear this, but WWE and the wrestlers are not gonna step up their game against AEW, at least not until the actual TNT vs USA war starts.

I agree with everything you've written here other than the wrestlers not stepping up their game unless there is a USA vs. TNT war, and that's because I don't think there is much for the wrestlers to step up (maybe Randy, but that's about it). I think everyone is trying their best, but they're being limited by creative failings and time restrictions.

that's kind of what i meant. I think some won't care, and some will be motivated, but they're all limited to what they can do and not do. I think a lot of the wrestlers would love to do something special, but they won't. Wrestling wise, how more motivated can they be, NXT at least is self-motivating in-ring anyway.