It's Takeover time! As we've mentioned before, NXT Takeover's are the Quixo offices' favorite shows because they knock it out of the park every time. Hopefully this will be the last NXT Takeover that is in the Capital Wrestling Center and we can go back to NXT Takeover [insert city here]. I kind of appreciate that the first #quixotine-era Takeover was In Your House and we're (hopefully) closing the time out with another In Your House - it really was the best show name to dust off and use again in the last year. NXT Takeover Armageddon would have been too on the nose.
The most recent big news of the wrestling world was the WWE release of several workers - including Braun Strowman, Aleister Black, Ruby Riott, Lana, Buddy Murphy, and Santana Garrett. While Garrett (who never got her footing in NXT) and Buddy Murphy (despite his awesome run as WWE Cruiserweight champion and as Seth Rollin's disciple) aren't sadly surprises, the rest are. Lana has been built up over the last year and had a pretty high profile feud with the former WWE Women's Tag Team champions despite not winning the belts herself with a partner. Ruby Riott never got much success but seemed to be a steady and reliable member of the dwindling women's tag team division on Raw and Smackdown. Aleister Black just finally returned from exile to start a feud with Big E literally a week earlier - if he had been released a month ago it would have been far less surprising. And Braun Strowman was in the semi main event of WWE (WrestleMania) Backlash in a WWE World title match! The hell? All of this brought quick rumors to Wrestling Twitter than WWE was preparing to sell. The hell? WWE is not going to sell, at least while Vince is alive. One day he will retire and leave the company to Stephanie and Triple H. And by retire, I mean die. We all know he will die in the chair, that is not a question. So sell? Bitch, please.
I found a listing of all 28 (!!) workers that have either been released or had their contracts expire just in 2021 - almost enough for a non-WWE rumble! Let's kill time and see where we'd send everyone!
Lars Sullivan (released January 2021) - no idea
Steve Cutler (released January 2021) - already in Impact Wrestling as Steve Machlin
Big Show (expired January 2021) - already in AEW as Paul Wight
Andrade (released March 2021) - already in AEW as Andrade el Idolo
Mojo Rawley (released April 2021) - Impact Wrestling or ROH
Wesley Blake (released April 2021) - no idea
Bo Dallas (released April 2021) - NWA
Kalisto (released April 2021) - MLW or ROH
Tucker (released April 2021) - NWA
Chelsea Green (released April 2021) - Impact Wrestling or ROH
Mickie James (released April 2021) - already in NWA
Peyton Royce (released April 2021) - AEW or Impact Wrestling
Billie Kay (released April 2021) - AEW or Impact Wrestling
Samoa Joe (released April 2021) - AEW or NJPW
Daniel Bryan (expired April 2021) - NWA/NJPW/AEW/everywhere
Kavita Devi (released May 2021) - no idea
Alexander Wolfe (released May 2021) - MLW
Ezra Judge (released May 2021) - no idea
Skyler Story (released May 2021) - no idea
Vanessa Borne (released May 2021) - no idea
Jessamyn Duke (released May 2021) - no idea
Velveteen Dream (released May 2021) - no idea
Santana Garrett (released June 2021) - Impact Wrestling
Buddy Murphy (released June 2021) - AEW or NJPW
Lana (released June 2021) - AEW
Ruby Riott (released June 2021) - ROH
Aleister Black (released June 2021) - AEW
Braun Strowman (released June 2021) - NWA
Well that was fun! Will we be right on any of them? Technically we're right on the ones who've already reappeared! Let's check in with the results from the second round of the all-new all-different Quixotronic Wrestling Shame Challenge!
Previously on Fanboy Wrestletronic…
Standings going into AEW Double or Nothing 2021 :
First Place: Tim 100% (6-0)
Second Place: Kyle 83.3% (5-1)
Second Place: Ryan 83.3% (5-1)
Third Place: Andy 0% (0-6)
AEW Double or Nothing 2021 results :
NWA Worlds Women's Title Match : Riho vs Serena Deeb ©
Your Winner, and STILL NWA Worlds Women;s Champion : Serena Deeb
Andy: n/a (0-0)
Kyle: n/a (0-0)
Ryan: n/a (0-0)
Tim: n/a (0-0)
Adam Page vs Brian Cage
Your Winner : Adam Page
Andy: Brian Cage (0-1)
Kyle: Adam Page (1-0)
Ryan: Adam Page (1-0)
Tim: Brian Cage (0-1)
AEW Tag Team Titles Match : Eddie Kingston & Jon Moxley vs the Young Bucks (Matt & Nick Jackson) ©
Your Winners, and STILL AEW Tag Team Champions : the Young Bucks
Andy: Eddie Kingston & Jon Moxley (0-2)
Kyle: Young Bucks (2-0)
Ryan: Eddie Kingston & Jon Moxley (1-1)
Tim: Young Bucks (1-1)
Casino Battle Royal
Your Winner : Jungle Boy
Andy: n/a (0-2)
Kyle: Penta el Zero Miedo (2-1)
Ryan: n/a (1-1)
Tim: n/a (1-1)
Anthony Ogogo vs Cody Rhodes
Your Winner : Cody Rhodes
Andy: Cody Rhodes (1-2)
Kyle: Cody Rhodes (3-1)
Ryan: Cody Rhodes (2-1)
Tim: Anthony Ogogo (1-2)
AEW TNT Title Match : Lance Archer vs Miro ©
Your Winner, and STILL AEW TNT Champion : Miro
Andy: Rusev (2-2)
Kyle: Miro (4-1)
Ryan: Rusev (3-1)
Tim: Rusev (2-2)
AEW Women's Title Match : Dr. Britt Baker vs Hikaru Shida ©
Your Winner, and NEW AEW Women's Champion : Dr. Britt Baker
Andy: Dr. Britt Baker (3-2)
Kyle: Dr. Britt Baker (5-1)
Ryan: Hikaru Shida (3-2)
Tim: Hikaru Shida (2-3)
Darby Allin & Sting vs Ethan Page & Scorpio Sky
Your Winners : Darby Allin & Sting
Andy: Darby Allin & Sting (4-2)
Kyle: Ethan Page & Scorpio Sky (5-2)
Ryan: Darby Allin & Sting (4-2)
Tim: Darby Allin & Sting (3-3)
AEW World Title Match : Orange Cassidy vs PAC vs Kenny Omega ©
Your Winner, and STILL AEW World Champion : Kenny Omega
Andy: Kenny Omega (5-2)
Kyle: Kenny Omega (6-2)
Ryan: Kenny Omega (5-2)
Tim: Kenny Omega (4-3)
Stadium Stampede Match : Inner Circle (Chris Jericho, Jake Hager, Sammy Guevara, Santana, & Ortiz) vs The Pinnacle (Cash Wheeler, Dax Harwood, MJF, Shawn Spears, & Wardlow)
Your Winners : Inner Circle
Andy: Inner Circle (6-2)
Kyle: Pinnacle (6-3)
Ryan: Inner Circle (6-2)
Tim: Inner Circle (5-3)
And now the conclusion…
New standings after AEW Double or Nothing 2021 :
First Place: Tim 78.6% (11-3)
First Place: Ryan 78.6% (11-3)
Second Place: Kyle 73.3% (11-4)
Third Place: Andy 42.9% (6-8)
Who will survive!?
If you want to watch NXT Takeover In Your House 2021 live on Sunday, you’ll want to subscribe to Peacock (not WWE Network - it is off on a farm upstate where it can finally give the Shockmaster a worthy entrance). Until then, here’s your Quixotronic preview of the show.
NXT Takeover In Your House 2021
Mercedes Martinez vs Xia Li (w/ Boa & Mei Ying)
The Background: Mercedes Martinez called out the new NXT Women's Champion Raquel González after González's big win at NXT Stand & Deliver 2021. Unfortunately for Martinez, she did not beat the new champion when she received a title shot on the May 11th NXT. To make matters worse, the evil Chinese supernatural team of Xia Li and Mei Ying have set their sights on Martinez, first making a spooky smoke show on the May 25th NXT and then formally attacking her on the June 8th NXT. Now they will fight in a match, possibly with more spooky nootchies.
Fanboy Fantasy: We want to make Li a credible threat with a win over a credible threat. Plus her group Tian Sha, if am to understand correctly, includes a member (Mei Ying, formerly Karen Q of ROH) who is a reincarnated dragon-powered warrior queen? Fuck yes, more of this please. Martinez starts out strong as Mei Ying and Boa stay near the entrance way to allow Xia Li conduct her own business. Li and Martinez trade advantage for a few minutes but Martinez begins to look like she’ll win, and this displeases Tian Sha. Just as Martinez is going to go for a pin, the lights go out for a moment and when they return, Li is laying on the other side of the ring and Martinez is pinning nothing. Nothing! We cut to Boa and Mei Ying and Ying is… slightly smiling? Martinez argues with the referee and can be heard asking for a DQ because she shouldn’t have to deal with spooky shit. Seriously, this whole time and she’s the first one to acknowledge that all of that should cause a DQ. The referee, which Wade Barrett notes has referred his fair share of Bray Wyatt matches, lets it go. Li attacks Martinez from behind and goes for multiple quick pins but can’t close the deal. Martinez goes for a pin again, lights go out, and this time the referee is on the outside of the ring. Martinez is now clearly frustrated and lunges at Li who is able to reverse it into her Cyclone Kick to drop Martinez. Suddenly Boa (on order from Ying) motions to Li to do it… again. Li picks up up Martinez who tries to fight out but gets hit with the Cyclone Kick for a second time. Li goes for the pin, but Boa says once more: again. Li picks up Martinez who is out at this point and hits a third Cyclone Kick for the pin. Lights go out and come back up and Martinez is gone - all that’s left is ash and the smell of brimstone. The next week on NXT, William Regal fines Tian Sha for murdering a fellow competitor since we can’t do that every match. Martinez reappears on Raw to help Shayna Baszler deal with her own spooky shit that Alexa Bliss and Lily are putting her through because I really want a Baszler/Martinez team, plus both Raw and Smackdown women’s rosters need a few call-ups now. Martinez is great, but not essential to NXT?
Quixotronic Bullpen Predictions:
Kyle: Xia Li - as above, this has to be more about establishing Xia Li than Mercedes Martinez. Plus, spooky powers!
Ryan: TBA
Tim: Xia Li
Andy: Mercedes Martinez
Million Dollar Title Ladder Match : Cameron Grimes vs LA Knight
The Background: Cameron Grimes and LA Knight (formerly Impact Wrestling and NWA's Eli Drake) both competed in the Gauntlet Eliminator match at NXT Stand & Deliver 2021, losing a chance to compete for the NXT North American title. Cameron Grimes, while living his million dollar hillbilly life outside of the NXT locker room, has been running afoul of the Million Dollar Man Ted DiBiase. Because money. This led to DiBiase showing up at the Capital Wrestling Center and distracting Grimes, causing him to lose to Jake Atlas on the May 18th NXT, who LA Knight was able to defeat the previous week. Grimes confronted DiBiase on the May 25th NXT while Knight stepped in not so much to defend DiBiase but definitely so much to attack Grimes. Jake Atlas returned to get a win over Knight after Grimes distracted him on the June 1st NXT so now Ted DiBiase will bring back the Million Dollar Championship (which don't forget, has prestigious former champions such as DiBiase obviously, the Ringmaster Steve Austin, and Soul Train Jones himself Virgil!). Grimes and Knight will face off in a ladder match for the title! Ignore that the last NXT Takeover had a ladder match!
Fanboy Fantasy: Ted DiBiase joins commentary while Knight and Grimes do battle. They do fun stuff with the ladder that I can’t book in my head so feel free to fill in whatever spots you want. We just want the ending - the two eventually make it to the top of the ladder and each grab the Million Dollar title. They slug it out but neither let go of the belt. LA Knight is able to drop Grimes and grab the title. As Knight celebrates and DiBiase proclaims him the new Million Dollar champion, Grimes grabs his hat and and pulls out a disgusting wad of money and offers to buy the title. Knight entertains the idea and starts counting. It’s not enough, so Grimes pulls out two more wads of cash for Knight to count as DiBiase starts doing a second-count. The referee tries to get them out of the ring because there’s other matches on the card, but all three ignore him. Grimes pulls out two more wads and starts counting himself DiBiase starts rubber banding clean stacks. The three are finally moved to the commentary booth as Bronson Reed and MSK come out for their match. Throughout the next match we hear over commentary that Knight wants $1,000,000 for the Million Dollar title, and Grimes (now safely off camera) keeps pulling more money out of his magic hat. Once Reed/MSK/Legado is finished, Grimes has pulled out the one million and officially buys the belt from Knight. DiBiase proclaims the transaction legal just as it should have been when he bought the title from Andre the Giant, so Cameron Grimes is your new Million Dollar champion. All three go on an Atlantic City trip and have the best time as three friends should over the next few weeks before returning to defend the Million Dollar title - against Virgil! To the moon!
Quixotronic Bullpen Predictions:
Kyle: LA Knight - while both are heels, I think Knight is the less sympathetic heel? And the Million Dollar belt belongs with a true dick. Sorry, Grimey.
Ryan: TBA
Tim: Cameron Grimes
Andy: LA Knight
NXT North American & NXT Men's Tag Team Titles Winners-Take-All Match : Legado del Fantasma (Santos Escobar, Joaquin Wilde, & Raul Mendoza) vs Bronson Reed © and MSK (Nash Carter & Wes Lee) ©
The Background: At NXT Stand & Deliver 2021, Santos Escobar unified the NXT Cruiserweight and NXT (UK) Cruiserweight titles in a Ladder (ignore this!) match and MSK won the vacant NXT Men's Tag Team titles, but Escobar's compatriots Joaquin Wilde & Raul Mendoza lost in the same NXT Men's Tag Team titles match and Bronson Reed lost in his bid to claim Johnny Gargano's NXT North American title. Escobar, now the unified NXT/NXT(UK) Cruiserweight champion celebrated by... losing his title(s?) to KUSHIDA on the April 13th NXT. The full team of Legado del Fantasma got a taste of revenge against KUSHIDA and NXT Tag Team champions MSK on the April 27th NXT, which also so Bronson Reed defeat The Way's Austin Theory to earn another shot at Gargano's NXT North American title. Escobar failed twice more to win the NXT Cruiserweight title back when he lost a Best Out of Three Falls match to KUSHIDA on the May 11th NXT, but Bronson Reed finally defeated Johnny Gargano to win the NXT North American title in a cage match on the May 18th NXT. Obviously Escobar took this title lose as an opportunity to... challenge for a different title! See, it all connects! Legado del Fantasma called out MSK and Reed, though lost to the men's Tag Team champions on the June 1st NXT that also saw Reed attack Escobar. With momentum on their side, Legado del Fantasma challenged MSK & Bronson Reed for all the gold in a 6-man tag team match.
Fanboy Fantasy: This match gets interrupted on commentary a few times while DiBiase, Knight, and Grimes are counting all the money when various participants jump to the outside and almost hit the commentary booth while the three rush to hold all the counted money - Escobar also steals a few bucks on camera while the three are distracting each other. Back to the actual match though, it’s mostly MSK against Wilde/Mendoza with Escobar tagging in but tagging out once Reed is in. In the end Escobar is able to make the pin on Nash Carter to win all the gold for Legado del Fantasma. The faction holds a celebration on the next NXT but of course Reed and MSK interrupt but pointing out that Escobar did not pin the NXT North American champion. Mendoza and Wilde did not pin the NXT Men's Tag Team champions. They are all false champions! MSK get a rematch, but it's with Wilde and Escobar using the Freebird rule (which should probably be the New Day rule at this point?) while Mendoza claims he's still recovering from an injury, but MSK are able to regain the tag team titles on another episode of NXT against the "true champions." How about at the next NXT Great American Bash special? Reed regains the NXT North American title at NXT Takeover: Las Vegas, the first Takeover in front of a fully-live crowd on SummerSlam weekend. At this point though Escobar is now able to claim he is a Triple Crown champion, having won (or at least defended) the NXT Cruiserweight, North American, and Tag Team titles - and he wants to be NXT's first Grand Slam champion. But who will he being facing to complete the Grand Slam? Who, indeed.
Quixotronic Bullpen Predictions:
Kyle: Bronson Reed & MSK - NXT is typically all about the long title reign and its too early for all three champions to lose their belts just yet.
Ryan: TBA
Tim: Bronson Reed & MSK
Andy: Legado del Fantasma
NXT Women's Title Match : Ember Moon (w/ Shotzi Blackheart) vs Raquel González © (w/ Dakota Kai)
The Background: Raquel González defeated long-time NXT Women's champion Io Shirai at NXT Stand & Deliver 2021 while Ember Moon (along with Shotzi Blackheart) retained her NXT Women's Tag Team titles against The Way's Candice LeRae and Indi Hartwell. González then dipped into a brief feud with Mercedes Martinez, defeating her in a title match on the May 11th NXT. Ember Moon & Shotzi Blackheart didn't fare as well as they lost the NXT Women's Tag Team titles to The Way on the May 4th NXT. Moon and Blackheart were able to get back onto the winning side by defeating Dakota Kai & Raquel González, but González murdered Blackheart after the match while Kai forced Moon to watch on the May 25th NXT. Moon got revenge on Dakota Kai on the June 8th NXT and will face off now against Raquel González for the NXT Women's title hoping to become a two-time champion.
Fanboy Fantasy: Moon charges at Gonzalez to start the match and beats the champion with a flurry of strikes. Gonzalez is able to power out and the match becomes annoyingly even. As the match progresses, Gonzalez can be seen sneaking glances at the entryway enough times that the announcers call her on it, and they quickly assume Gonzalez is waiting for Kai to interrupt if needed - and the longer the match goes on, she may be needed. Ten minutes later you can see something click in Gonzalez as she decides Kai isn’t coming and she bulldozes through Moon nearly disqualifying herself. Gonzalez rips a hard Tequila Shot on Moon for the pin to retain her title. While she celebrates, the camera cut to backstage - where Shotzi Blackheart is seen smiling and sitting on top of her little tank - with Dakota Kai sticking out from underneath it. Gonzalez rages as we cut to the video package for the main event. The point is clear though - Gonzalez did not actually need Kai to defeat her opponent, and once she decided in the ring that she didn’t need her, it was over for Moon.
Quixotronic Bullpen Predictions:
Kyle: Raquel González
Ryan: TBA
Tim: Raquel González
Andy: Ember Moon
NXT Men's Title Fatal 5-Way Match : Adam Cole vs Johnny Gargano vs Kyle O'Reilly vs Pete Dunne vs Karrion Kross © (w/ Scarlett)
The Background: At NXT Stand & Deliver 2021, Pete Dunne defeated KUSHIDA, Johnny Gargano retained his NXT North American title against Bronson Reed, Karrion Kross won the NXT Men's title back by defeating Finn Bálor, and Kyle O'Reilly defeated former Undisputed Era teammate Adam Cole in an unsanctioned match. On the following April 13th NXT, Karrion Kross vowed that he would defeat everyone in what we will call foreshadowing. On the May 4th NXT, O'Reilly, Dunne, and Bálor all made their title intentions known and they all brawled with the champion, while Johnny Gargano and his son Austin Theory attacked Kross later on in the show because they're sneaky. However Kross murdered Theory on the May 11th NXT while Bálor formally requested his rematch. Gargano, still mourning the death of his son, lost his NXT North American title to Bronson Reed on the May 18th NXT, while Kross retained his NXT Men's title in Bálor/Kross II on the May 25th NXT. NXT General Manager William Regal realized he had to book a supercard soon had Dunne, Gargano, and O'Reilly face off in a #1 Contenders match on the June 1st NXT, but Adam Cole returned and ruined everything. #baybay. Karrion Kross took this all in stride and demanded he face all three men. Cole, seeing his hard work not being appreciated, called out Kross and politely explained to him that he his also a former champion and is good at wrestling. Kross agreed at this proclamation and invited Cole into his title match despite the urgings of General Manager Regal. So now we'll have a fatal five way where the first man to get a pin wins the match and the title! Screw that elimination shit! Fatal! Five! Way!
Fanboy Fantasy: As the five men start circling each other when the bell rings, Karrion Kross grabs Johnny Gargano and hits the Doomsday Saito for a pin, ending the match 30 seconds after it began. Gargano has the best/worst temper tantrum we’ve ever seen as Kross celebrates his victory. Cole attacks O’Reilly while Dunne shrugs. Out from the back emerges NXT General Manager William Regal followed by the members of the Way as they are all arguing with him. Regal announced (because of the Way) that the NXT Universe is watching and a 30 second match, while impressive is unacceptable - the match will be restarted (The Way celebrates) as an ELIMINATION MATCH, and Mr. Gargano is the first eliminated (The Way goes back to arguing). As referees drag Gargano out of the ring kicking and screaming, the match restarts and Kross and Dunne pair up as O’Reilly and Cole never actually stopped fighting. They spill to the outside as Kross and Dunne have a pretty even go of it. Dunne does his standard break-the-fingers attacks which both injure and enrage Kross further, forcing him to avoid using his hands in further attacks because he’ll sell the shit out of these broken fingers. Cole and O’Reilly spill back into the ring and O’Reilly suplexes Cole into Kross - which you guessed it, just pisses him off enough to regain use of his hands to slam him with a Doomsday Saito. Instead of pinning him, Kross motions to O’Reilly - Cole is his prey, he can have him. O’Reilly slowly goes for the pin and Cole stays down for the 1, 2, 3. Because guys, if it’s elimination style there is no reason to break a pin. Kross nods respect to O’Reilly and O’Reilly nods back as Dunne takes the opportunity to attack both. Kross and O’Reilly team up a little on Dunne but it turns into a true triple threat for the next ten minutes. O’Reilly eventually hits the Nigel onto Dunne and before he makes the pin, he turns to Kross. Kross nods, makes the pin, and we’re down to two men. The two go for another 15 minutes and are evenly paced - Kross hits power moves while O’Reilly counters with strikes and submissions. Neither can pin the other for more than a 1-count and they both seem to be… laughing while the fight? Kross busts O’Reilly open, and true two simply nod again. O’Reilly is able to sneak in a surprise Nigel for a solid 2-count. Kross eventually hits the Doomsday Saito for a 1, 2– but O’Reilly gets his leg on the ropes as the two burst out laughing. The announcers are unnerved by the comradery that has developed between the two. O’Reilly busts Kross open and hits him with a barrage of strikes and slides into a Nigel, hits a few more strikes, and then another Nigel to pin Kross 1, 2, 3. Kyle O’Reilly is your new NXT Men’s Champion and the first man to pin Karrion Kross. The ref tries to hand him the title but Kross rips it from him and hands it to O’Reilly himself, the then wipes blood from his head and offers his bloody hand to O’Reilly. O’Reilly wipes blood off his head and shakes Kross’s hand, securing the blood respect between the two. On the next NXT we get the parade of jerks - Dunne says he wasn’t pinned by O’Reilly. Cole claims O’Reilly got a free pin off him and didn’t deserve it. And obviously O’Reilly wouldn’t be champion of Gargano hadn’t forced it into an elimination match. We get a 6-man tag main event: Adam Cole, Johnny Gargano, and Pete Dunne vs Karrion Kross, the new NXT Champion Kyle O’Reilly, and his reDRagon partner Bobby Fish. Gargano pins Fish and works his way into a Way vs reDRagon feud for the title. O’Reilly and Fish eventually vanquish him, but then by the fall, Santos Escobar comes calling with Grand Slam dreams.
Quixotronic Bullpen Predictions:
Kyle: Karrion Kross (+ Johnny wears Ship-of-Theseus, Theory wears Vision, and most importantly Candice wears Scarlet Witch. Do not ruin this. Also Hartwell wears Wiccan and Dexter Lumis appears and wears Speed - it's funny because he slowly stalks people.)
Ryan: TBA
Tim: Johnny Gargano (+ Johnny wears Loki)
Andy: Adam Cole
That's it for our NXT Takeover In Your House 2021 preview and fantasy booking. We'll be back next week with WWE Hell in a Cell 2021 (June 20th). After that it looks like WWE Money in the Bank 2021 is finally on July 18, 2021 in front of a live crowd in Texas, and then WWE SummerSlam (and hopefully an NXT Takeover?) on August 21, 2021. And sometime before that, we may just close out the first version of Quixo-WWE with its own SummerSlam. If we get to it. I think we will?
In the meantime, if you haven't already, please checkout the our version of WWE, first in Quixo-WWE WrestleMania 37 and next in Quixo-Great American Bash 2021! What's better than some fantasy booking? All fantasy booking.
Thanks for joining us again and be sure to subscribe on Facebook and follow https://www.quixotronic.com/ for more questionable content.