A hype video plays to advertise Wrestlemania 31 before we look at what brought us to our main event. At NXT TakeOver R: Evolution, Kevin Owens debuted. He went in with a plan that went spectacularly. He was happy for Sami winning the NXT Championship that night, but he isn't waiting for his shot. Until Sami Zayn came to NXT they had parallel careers, and Sami stopped them coming in together. Zayn blames the fact that Owens got married and had a kid. Wow... This feud has gotten pretty intense over the last two months, and Kevin Owens intends on making the gap between his debut and crowning moment two months to the day. Kevin Owens enters the match first and he looks ready for his shot. Sami Zayn looks anxious to be facing his longtime friend but he has to consider this every other championship defence. Sami Zayn takes a second to soak in the crowd chants before getting in the ring for the BIG FIGHT in-ring introductions. “Fight Owens Fight” chants are heard during the challenger's introduction, but “Sami” chants blow the roof off the place for the champ.
MATCH 5: SAMI ZAYN (C) VS. KEVIN OWENS (NXT Championship)
More “Fight Owens Fight” chants break out before an “Ole” chant fends it off. They look like they might lock up but Owens bails out of the ring. Kevin Owens takes his time as Jason Albert compliments Zayn for keeping his cool. Owens breaks the count and drops back to the floor, getting back in the ring at 6. Sami Zayn charges but Owens rolls back out. These guys haven't touched yet and the fans are going crazy. The referee tells Owens to stop fucking about, and Zayn flies over him with a suicide Swanton! OK, now they have. Zayn sends Owens back into the ring and blocks a right hand. Sami hits one of his own sending Owens into the corner. Zayn beats on Kevin Owens in the corner, only stopping momentarily to stop himself getting disqualified. Kevin Owens lifts Zayn and sends him crashing back down on the turnbuckle. Kevin Owens almost takes Zayn's head off in the corner before stomping him on the mat. Owens puts Zayn in the corner again for a second charging clothesline before asking the fans “how's that?”
Kevin Owens launches Sami Zayn into the corner as we see a replay of the corner clothesline again. Owens brings Zayn to his feet for a right hand, Kevin Owens chops Zayn's chest, sending him back down to the mat. Owens covers but only gets 2, so he kicks Zayn out of frustration. Kevin Owens hits Zayn with a forearm, but Zayn bounces back off the ropes with a reply. Owens turns Zayn's legs to jelly with a second forearm shot. Kevin Owens slams Zayn in the middle of the ring and covers, this time only keeping Zayn down for 1. Kevin Owens wrenches back at Zayn's neck on the mat, before driving his knee into Sami's spine. He goes back to the chinlock but Zayn makes it to his feet after what feels like forever. Zayn swings rights and lefts, connecting with Owens' midsection, but Owens shoves him into the ropes putting a stop to any momentum, Zayn runs into a back elbow Owens jaw-jacks with the crowd before covering and Sami kicks out after 1. Owens rubs his forearm in Sami's face on the mat before telling the ref he doesn't care. Sami Zayn fights back to his feet but Owens drapes him ribs first over the top rope, Zayn bounces down to the mat! Owens covers, but Zayn is still able to kick out.
Kevin Owens goes back to a chinlock on the mat as we see a replay of Zayn bouncing off the rope, Owens makes Zayn carry both mens' weights in the hold. Zayn makes it back to his feet in a headlock, a pair of right hands breaks him free but Kevin Owens avoids a third and drops Sami with a back suplex. Kevin Owens covers for another nearfall. Jason Albert says Owens is just doing what he wants with Zayn in this match as Zayn gets dumped outside. A chop by Owens lights up Zayn's chest against the barricade. Owens beats Zayn around ringside but as Brennan reminds us he needs Zayn in the ring to win the title. Zayn desperately swipes at Owens but there isn't much in it, so Owens sends him down with a forearm before breaking the referee's count. A clothesline sends Sami stumbling into the steps with a second dropping him to the mat. Kevin Owens rolls Zayn back in the ring and covers, but Zayn is able to lift his shoulder before 3. Kevin Owens asks the referee if he can count before going back to toy with Zayn. He lifts Zayn onto his shoulders and drops him with a gutbuster, immediately following with a back senton. 1, 2, no! Zayn's started kicking out with more fire again.
Owens goes back to a chinlock as we get an instant replay, Zayn breaks it with a jawbreaker but Owens quickly kicks him in the back. Corey Graves compares this match to Brock Lesnar facing John Cena at Summerslam 2014 as Kevin Owens stands over Zayn. Zayn fights back with a forearm from his knees, but Owens forearms him back down to the mat. Kevin Owens runs across the ring, right back into a clothesline by Zayn! Zayn hits a second even though he can barely stand. A third clothesline sends Kevin Owens over the top to the floor. Sami Zayn follows outside and sends Owens' head into the steel steps. Sami Zayn breaks up the referee's count, giving Owens that second to catch Sami with a forearm shot. Kevin Owens sends Zayn back into the ring so he can shake the cobwebs off, but Zayn rolls all the way back out, clothesline sends Owens down! Sami Zayn sends Owens back in the ring, but Owens is ready with a back elbow. Kevin Owens misses a clothesline Blue Thunder Bomb connects! 1, 2, 2.5 no!
Kevin Owens gets to his feet in one corner, Sami's waiting for him across the ring. Kevin Owens anticipated the Helluva kick and sends Zayn into the corner! Owens hits a running cannonball across the ring! Owens covers but Still Zayn kicks out after two, Kevin Owens brings him back to his feet and drops him neck-first across the knee with a Fisherman's buster! Kevin Owens covers for another nearfall. Owens brings Zayn to his feet to reminisce and shoves him against the ropes setting up for the Pop-up powerbomb but Zayn dropkicks him! Zayn hits a half-dragon suplex and Owens lands on his neck. Kevin Owens rolls out to the apron. Zayn sends Owens' head off the turnbuckle, but can't decide what to do next so Owens helps him by bouncing the champ's jaw off the rope. Kevin Owens climbs to the top rope but Zayn cuts off any ideas with a right hand. Zayn climbs to the middle rope but Owens blocks a superplex with a pair of rights and a headbutt, sending Sami to the mat. Owens dives with a Swanton but SAMI'S KNEES ARE UP!
Jason Albert becomes the pot calling the kettle black on commentary, talking about Owens' weight as Zayn gets to his feet in the corner. Owens is also on his feet across the ring and charges with a lariat, but Zayn catches him with an Xploder suplex into the corner! Sami Zayn sets up for a Helluva Kick but Owens rolls to the outside. Zayn follows and Owens has him up for a powerbomb on the apron, but Zayn is able to grab the ropes and block it. He kicks away at Owens from the apron and hits a sit down springboard moonsault! They both looked to have hit their head, and Sami checks for blood and lets the fans know he's OK, of course getting a cheer. Kevin Owens is sent back in the ring as the fans chant “Ole” Sami Zayn stumbles charging for the Helluva Kick, so has to start again, this hesitation allows Owens to catch him with a Pop-up powerbomb! Kevin Owens covers but Zayn's still able to save his title! Sami Zayn gets back to his feet in the corner, but Owens stays on him with right hands. Zayn fights out of the corner and is sent crumbling to the mat.
The referee keeps backing Owens off, but Zayn's still seemingly wanting to continue. A European uppercut against the ropes slumps Sami's dead body back down. Owens just keeps Beating Zayn up near the ropes as Jason Albert thinks the referee should be thinking about Zayn's condition here. The trainer comes out but doesn't call the match off. Owens drops Sami Zayn with two consecutive powerbombs and covers, 1, 2, Zayn turns his shoulder, that's all he does. He didn't lift it from the mat he just turned it enough to stop the pinfall. The trainers talk to Sami again, and confer with the referee before Owens drops Zayn with a pair of powerbombs I don't even think he feels at this point. The referee's finally seen enough and calls the match to Owens.
WINNER: KEVIN OWENS (NEW NXT CHAMPION – Ref Stoppage)
This was an awesome showcase match for Kevin Owens, much better than last time. These guys work well together and by no stretch was this even close to their best work, it was a nice taster of what they could do. Kevin Owens looked like a dominant monster, with Zayn getting in enough to keep the fans invested and not make him look like a total loser. The referee having to stop the match was a good finish because it was used well and with two performers people enjoy seeing the work of. Just a shame it was a “best of” moves show with chinlocks thrown in. WORKRATE: 3.75/5 PERSONAL ENJOYMENT 3.75/5 OVERALL 7.5/10
Kevin Owens celebrates in the ring with tears in his eyes as the trainers and referee see to Zayn and we get highlights of the match. Kevin Owens stands victorious over Sami Zayn to end the show.
SUMMARY: This was another decent NXT Takeover show. They are consistently easy to watch and seem to naturally segue between the matches and segments, making them incredibly review-able also. Owens and Zayn had a decent showing in front of a hot crowd, and although that story isn't over Kevin Owens already has a number one contender in Finn Balor, ushering in a new era of NXT for the new year. Sasha Banks was able to dethrone Charlotte, even if it was a pretty cheap victory. Baron Corbin and Bull Dempsey disappointed me but you can't have everything on a show. OVERALL RATING: 6/10
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