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WWE NXT TakeOver: WarGames is all set to pop off tonight (Saturday, Nov. 18, 2017) at 8 p.m. ET, live on WWE Network!
CagesideSeats.com will provide LIVE blow-by-blow, match-by-match coverage of NXT TakeOver: WarGames below, beginning with the first match of the evening and right on through to the main event.
Tonight's show kicks off Survivor Series weekend for WWE from Houston’s Toyota Center, and it's offering up a pretty stacked card.
The big draw is the return of the match which gives this special it’s subtitle. WWE’s version will feature three team of three locked inside the cage which covers two rings. Members of Undisputed ERA, SAnitY and Authors of Pain with Roderick Strong will enter one at a time, unleashing chaos to settle the scores between them.
While WarGames takes the tag belts off the line, it’s a big night for NXT’s other titles. Fighting champion Drew McIntyre will try to have a straight-up battle with Andrade “Cien” Almas, if El Ídolo’s associate Zelina Vega will allow it. And Asuka’s successor will finally be crowned when Peyton Royce, Ember Moon, Kairi Sane and Nikki Cross wrestle in a Fatal 4Way for the vacant Women’s championship
Rounding out the card is non-title action, including the next and possibly final step of Velveteen Dream’s campaign to get Aleister Black to say his name. Kassius Ohno will also attempt to be the man to finally break Lars Sullivan’s win streak, and stop his path of destruction.
While you're waiting for the show to begin, dig into our predictions - as well as a preview of the entire card!
Kick your off your shoes, relax, and enjoy all the action with the best damn pro wrestling community on the interwebs. And remember to keep refreshing!
REMINDER: NO GIFS OR PICS ARE ALLOWED IN THE COMMENTS SECTION. OFFENDERS WILL BE BANNED.
WWE NXT TAKEOVER: WARGAMES QUICK RESULTS
Lars Sullivan def. Kassius Ohno
Aleister Black def. Velveteen Dream
Ember Moon def. Kairi Sane, Nikki Cross, and Peyton Royce
Andrade “Cien” Almas def. Drew McIntyre
Undisputed ERA (Adam Cole, Bobby Fish and Kyle O’Reilly) def. SAnitY (Eric Young, Killian Dain & Alexander Wolfe) and Authors of Pain (Akam & Rezar) and Roderick Strong
WWE NXT TAKEOVER: WARGAMES LIVE BLOG & MATCH COVERAGE
Ridin' down the highway, goin' to a show. Stop in all the byways, playin' rock & roll. Gettin' robbed, gettin' stoned, gettin' beat up, broken-boned. Gettin' had, gettin' took-- I tell you folks, it's harder than it looks, liveblogging this here pro wrestling show for y'all.
The pre-show kicks off with Carly Caruso introducing her co-hosts, Sam Roberts and Booker T. Booker talks about his own history with WarGames as they hype the show and shill for the WWE Network. This leads to a video package for Andrade "Cien" Almas vs. Drew McIntyre and panel discussion of the match. Next up is a video package for the NXT Women's Championship four-way and Peyton Royce is interviewed backstage.
Billie Kay takes the microphone over and Royce says she's really confident, she's at the peak of her career and stoked. Word association time-- Ember Moon? Athletic, not Iconic. Nikki Cross? Psychotic, not Iconic. Kairi Sane? Pirate, not Iconic. Peyton Royce? One-half of the most Iconic duo in NXT and your next NXT Women's Champion. Panel discussion of that match follows.
Kayla Braxton is hanging out with the crowd, saying it's like nothing she's ever seen. The panel talks some more and tosses to commentary to let them run us through the card and explain the rules to WWE's new version of WarGames. Back to the panel, they shill for the WWE Network some more before tossing to a video package for WarGames and one last bit of panel discussion to cover that match.
The show proper begins with an old-timey newsreel of Franklin Delano Roosevelt giving a speech interspersed with footage of the build to tonight's WarGames match.
Kassius Ohno vs. Lars Sullivan
Lars right away with a double leg pickup into the corner, clubbing at Kassius! Ohno fires elbows and kicks back to stagger Sullivan but he comes off the ropes with a shoulder block to knock him down. Overhand club from Lars, knee to the side of the head and Kassius hits the floor. Shoulder tackle off the apron follows, then a military press drop into the apron!
Back inside, Irish whip but Ohno comes out of the corner with a boot. An enzuigiri follows but Sullivan is able to lay him out with a lariat! Drawing him up, club to the chest and he dumps Kassius to the apron. A boot counters, off the ropes and Lars hits a huge pop-up powerslam... NOT ENOUGH! Sullivan climbs up top, diving headbutt... OHNO ROLLS OUT OF THE WAY!
Getting fired up, Kassius rises, big boot, an elbow, another boot, a straight jab to the nose, another elbow, elbow to the back of the head, off the ropes and a second northern elbow connects but Sullivan is still standing somehow! CYCLONE KILL... NO GOOD! A boot to the face follows but just awakens Sullivan as he starts roaring! Wristlock applied, Ohno stomping his head in American Dragon-style, senton... LARS KICKS OUT AT ONE?!
Trading forearms on their feet, rolling elbow catches Sullivan as he goes to run the ropes! Another rolling elbow attempt, but Lars counters, grabbing him around the waist...
Lars Sullivan wins by pinfall with Freak Accident.
Mark Andrews, Trent Seven, Tyler Bate, and Wolfgang are shown in the front row.
In the locker room, Undisputed are discussing strategy when William Regal rolls up on them to speak with them, but we're not privy to the sound of the conversation.
Aleister Black vs. Velveteen Dream
Velveteen Dream wore chaps for his entrance to conceal that his tights have him painted on one leg and Aleister Black on the other, good lord.
Collar and elbow, they struggle around the ring a bit but stalemate. Dream tries a slap but Black leans back and gets an arm drag shortly thereafter. Working the wristlock into an armbar, Velveteen slaps his ribs but can't break it. Trying to reverse to a headlock but Aleister turns it right back around into a hammerlock! VD rolls through and finally reverses, snapmare to a reverse chinlock and again the reversal to the hammerlock!
Dream out of it for a second but Black locks him right back down, this time with a front chancery and Velveteen backs him into the corner for the break. Dream breaks dirty but Aleister ducks under, waistlock, right back to the armbar, off the ropes and Black has an elevated octopus hold applied! VD staggers to the ropes but Aleister rolls around into a sunset flip for a nearfall!
Catching the arm into a bar again but Velveteen escapes and they trade strikes, VD managing to knock Black to his knees! off the ropes, Aleister hangs on and hip tosses Dream to the floor! Off the ropes, quebrada fakeout and Aleister lands crosslegged in the ring right as VD crawls back in to him! A little bit of hip swivel returns the mindgames but Black ain't looking.
Dream drops crosslegged himself and they stare at each other a beat before Aleister gets in Velveteen's face the same way VD got in his face before! Oklahoma Roll for two, arm drag, VD to the ropes and snapping Black's arm in them! Off the ropes, big lariat into stomps, shoving Aleister's face into the turnbuckles and clubbing away at him until he drops out of the ring and to the floor!
VD stops referee Drake Wuertz from counting, off the ropes, slingshot to the apron and he backrolls right back inside to taunt Black! Aleister snaps his neck over the middle rope and returns to the ring but gets caught up in a fireman's carry and has to escape with elbows. Dream hits a superkick and falls into the cover... NOPE! Straddling Black for mounted punches, hammering at his face and ordering Drake to ask his name!
Drawing him up, hangman's neckbreaker into another nearfall! Seated rear chinlock follows as Velveteen screams at Aleister, asking him to say his name! Wrenching back, demanding, but Black still has fight left in him and he manages to post to his knees and stand up for the break only for Dream to nail him with an elbow to the kidneys. Swinging inverted STO clutch, Black escapes with a bunch of forearms but VD catches him in the ropes and ties him up!
He asks Aleister to say his name again but Black is defiant and escapes the ropes with a boot! Forearms, catch the boot, take a slap, front kick into running back elbows, legsweep, knee trembler, calling for it, charging forearm, whip across and the quebrada connects for a nearfall! Pulling him up with his foot but Dream has his wits about him and rams him into the corner!
Aleister kicking his hands away, Owari Death Stomp comes up empty, blocking the fireman's carry, trading strikes, Velveteen with the California Roll... NOT ENOUGH! Drawing Black to his feet, Dream climbs but Aleister slips out, thinking about a sunset flip! VD fights him off, Black kicks his leg out from under him, running knee strike! Short-arm... VD BUSTS OUT A DAVE CRIST SQUARE AND COMPASS! NO GOOD!
Dream heads up top for the Purple Rainmaker... AND DIVES INTO A BOOT! NOW VELVETEEN IS TIED UP IN THE ROPES! Drake tries to free him and backs Aleister off but the Dutchman hits a Mafia kick anyway! Superkick from Dream, rolling knee strike from Black and they're both down and out! Aleister to his feet...
Aleister Black wins by pinfall with Black Mass.
Black sits crosslegged in the ring next to a gasping, down and out Velveteen Dream and gets a microphone out. He says, "Enjoy infamy, Velveteen Dream," finally giving VD what he wanted.
We into the locker room with SAnitY doing SAnitY things when William Regal rolls up on them, presumably giving them the same talk he gave Undisputed ERA earlier.
Meanwhile, in the front row, we get to see Asuka, Sho Funaki, and Finn Balor hanging out together.
Ember Moon vs. Kairi Sane vs. Nikki Cross vs. Peyton Royce (NXT Women's Championship)
Four-way staredown, pairing off, Ember and Nikki get whipped at each other and Moon hits a jump kick! Peyton attacks Kairi, backing her into the corner and soon enough Cross is on Moon's back trying to choke the life out of her until Royce hits a kick. Sane breaks the cover up and charges at Ember, who diverts her to the apron and wipes Cross out with a pescado!
Kairi and Peyton fighting on the floor and Moon wipes both out with a suicide dive! Fighting with Nikki, trading forearms and Ember plants her with a powerbomb on the floor! Sane picks up on Moon and puts her back into the ring, double axehandles connecting, chops in the corner follow, Ember trying to block but Kairi is persistent and knocks her seated.
Marching to the corner, a spear results, trying one to stop Peyton from entering the ring but Royce sidesteps and gets a double wrist-clutch half Lotus Lock in the ropes! Moon breaks it up with a basement superkick! Trading forearms, Sane gets a rollup for two and Ember cracks a forearm across her face for her trouble. Kairi off the ropes, she ducks a lariat and spears Royce!
Backfist hits Moon and Sane climbs only for Ember to cut her off. Climbing to join her, clubbing blows, Kairi throwing hands, Ember gets a superplex set up and Royce comes over with the German suplex to complete the Tower of Doom! Peyton making covers but she's not winning just yet. Drawing both her opponents up, Cross is alive again and climbing... DIVING CROSSBODY WIPES ALL THREE OUT!
Mashing Moon in the corner like mad, Nikki heads over to Sane next, hanging her in the Tree of Woe for boots to the midsection. Royce goes to pull her off and takes a bunch of forearms and clothesline that sends her to the floor for her trouble. Cross hits the fisherman's neckbreaker... MOON MAKES THE SAVE! Bicycle kick follows and Ember heads to the apron to try and climb, but Nikki is right on her with forearms and gets her hung up on the top rope for a dragon screw neck whip!
Moon escapes, Royce is right there, bridging fisherman's suplex... SANE WITH THE SAVE! Kairi Alabama Slams Peyton onto Cross! Up top, X Marks the Spot... AND EMBER MAKES THE SAVE! Payon gets Cross set up, Ember's up top...
Ember Moon wins by pinfall with the Eclipse on Nikki Cross AND Peyton Royce, pinning Cross and winning the NXT Women's Championship.
William Regal comes to the ring with the NXT Women's Championship but Asuka comes in and asks to present it to Ember, which Regal allows. The current champion and previous champion then hug and Regal and Asuka raise Ember's hands before leaving her to celebrate.
Backstage, Paul Ellering is giving Roderick Strong a pep talk while the Authors pace in the background as William Regal rolls up, again presumably giving the same speech he gave the other two teams.
Kevin Steen and Samoa Joe are shown in the front row in separate parts of the crowd.
Andrade "Cien" Almas vs. Drew McIntyre (c) (NXT Championship)
Collar and elbow, McIntyre backing Almas right into the corner and paintbrushing him before breaking! Again with the lockup and again in the corner and Andrade shoves him on the break, leading Drew to attack and him to find solace in the ropes. Side headlock applied, McIntyre counters with a back suplex but Almas goes right back to it, another escape and again he keeps it on!
Shoot off, Drew lays him out but Cien is right back up with a leg kick and another iteration on the side headlock. Up and over and McIntyre catches him with a falling kick! A boot follows and Almas is feeling like a nap in the ropes, which earns him another kick as the action spills outside. A chop, back in, Andrade with a kick and Zelina Vega goes for the Frankensteiner into the steps again!
DREW COUNTERS AND DEADLIFTS HER BACK TO THE APRON! McIntyre in control back in the ring but Andrade gets a kick off and maneuvers to the apron, snapping his neck over the ropes, fighting out of a clutch and putting the champion shoulder-first into the ringpost and to the floor. Back inside, drawing McIntyre up, inverted facelock backbreaker into an inverted headlock elbow drop for a nearfall.
Following it up... ARMBAR IN THE ROPES! Another cover, another nearfall, staying on the arm with a kneeling armbar and keeping Drew grounded. The champion fights hard, however, back to his feet where he takes a knee to the gut. Whip to the corner, on his shoulder, Almas reverses but McIntyre reverses him right back into a release suplex! Trading forearms, whip reversed, Drew with a lariat, backfist, toss to the corner and a charging elbow into a release belly-to-belly suplex!
McIntyre gets Almas up but he pops out with elbows, off the ropes and he catches him with the Air Raid Crash! Stomping, loading the boot but Andrade has it scouted, a dropkick, going for the knees but Drew is up first and sidesteps partially but Almas retains the initiative and hits an inverted tornado DDT! Drawing him up, thinking about his finish but the champion puts him into the corner and gets him in an electric chair.
Poison Frankensteiner blocked... INVERTED ALABAMA SLAM! Only a nearfall! McIntyre heads up top and gets caught with a double jump dropkick that puts him on the floor! Almas following up, slingshot to a headscissors, Drew holds on but Cien follows through and Frankensteiners him into the post... MOONSAULT OFF THE TOP TO THE FLOOR! BACK IN THE RING FOR THE COVER... NOT ENOUGH!
Drew cuts him off in the corner and climbs to join him but Almas crotches him and slips out, hooking his leg around the turnbuckle in the Tree of Woe... double stomp! Corner knees connect and the cover gets two! Both men down and out and crawling up the ropes and to their feet, Cien with the hammerlock, Drew escapes, ducks an enzuigiri, deadlift from the mat into a sit-out powerbomb... NOPE!
Underhooks, thinking Future Shock but Andrade slips out, big slap, headbutt in return, roll-through to a pin, no good, and Future Shock connects... NO GOOD! Fireman's carry, McIntyre climbs, Almas slips out and trips him up, dropping his face into the turnbuckles! Double knees to the back of the head, only good for two but Cien is rolling, mounted punches and he heads outside for the title!
He holds it above his head and Vega takes advantage, slipping into the ring... HEADSCISSORS DRIVER! ALMAS WITH THE HAMMERLOCK DDT... DREW MCINTYRE WON'T GO DOWN THAT EASY! CLAYMORE CONNECTS! ZELINA PUTS ANDRADE'S FOOT ON THE ROPES! Drew getting fired up, loading the boot but Cien ducks low and McIntyre gets caught groin-first on the ropes!
Drew climbing back in, Andrade catches him...
Andrade "Cien" Almas wins by pinfall with a rope-hung brainbuster, winning the NXT Championship.
Almas and Vega celebrate as Drew sells his groin damage waiting for a trainer to come check on him. Andrade at one point gets on the announce table to hold the belt high, even.
An air raid siren plays as the double cage lowers and we get the video package for the main event before we're shown Dustin Rhodes and Arn Anderson in the front row.
Authors of Pain (Akam & Rezar) & Roderick Strong vs. SAnitY (Alexander Wolfe, Eric Young, & Killian Dain) vs. Undisputed ERA (Adam Cole, Bobby Fish, & Kyle O'Reilly) (WarGames Match)
Young, Cole, and Strong will start. Strong with a waistlock on Young, standing switch, impromptu alliance when Cole gets into it and they stalemate. Big right hand from Eric cracks Roddy across the face and he puts Adam into the unforgiving mesh of the cage. Backbreaker from Strongy, over to Cole for chops and they slug it out with forearms! Whip reversed, Adam tries a dropkick but Roddy has it scouted and catapults him into the cage!
Cole starts climbing and the other men knock him down but Adam is able to knock them both off the top rope and put boots to them in turn! Roddy lands hard on the metal plate between the rings and it's down to EY and Cole, slugging it out, fireman's carry neckbreaker over the knee connects and Adam heads over to the other ring to go after Strong.
Right hands, choking him in the corner and Cole heads back over to work on Young, snap suplex on Roddy, stomp to EY, swinging neckbreaker for Strong and then one for Eric as well. Chops, whip reversed and a neckbreaker drop from Roddy! Charging chops on both men, into running knees as the clock ticks down...
Undisputed ERA will be the first team allowed out of their cage! reDRagon take it to Strong before shifting to beat EY down. Stomping away, they set Young up between the ropes and the cage to chain attacks together on him. Wheelbarrow suplex takes Roddy out and Undisputed are firmly in control. O'Reilly grabs a heel hook on Roddy on the plate! Fish lays Eric out with a chest kick as Kyle continues ministrating to Strong.
Bobby and Adam join him with Roddy trapped against the cage, charging into him repeatedly and Fish poses for the crowd. The timer ticks down...
The Authors of Pain are in! They fend KOR off as he tries to keep them from coming through the door and head in to run roughshod! Putting Fish into the wall repeatedly, Kyle with a sleeper on Rezar but he dumps him over the ropes onto the diamond plate! A huge biel from Akam sends Cole into the other ring! A back body drop on EY does the same! They throw Strong into the mass with a double hip toss!
Young in the Tree of Woe, the Authors set O'Reilly in one across from him, fireman's carries on the other two members of Undisputed... STEREO BLU-RAYS INTO THE OTHER MEN! Stomping, pressing the attack as Roddy's recovered to assist his teammates, not that they really need it. The timer ticks down...
THE MATCH BEYOND BEGINS AS SANITY HAUL ASS TO THE RING! Wolfe gets to the ring a good fifteen seconds ahead of Dain and he has a nightstick hidden in his jacket and uses to bring the pain to the Authors! Dain gets some more plunder and throws it in, trash cans and kendo sticks and chains! Eric and Alexander wailing on everyone with chairs! EY chokes an Author with his as the crowd chants for tables and Killian gives them what they want!
Wolfe props a table in the corner and grabs a kendo stick as he sidesteps a charge from O'Reilly, who brains himself accidentally when his chair bounces off the ropes! Alexander hits a German suplex on him and Dain finally gets in the ring and shuts the door! Furthermore he uses the chain to lock the door... AND SWALLOWS THE KEY! A humonguous lariat follows and Killian heads to the next ring to get his clubber on, beating the Authors unholy and Stinger splashing both of them!
Huge shotgun dropkick turns into a senton when he lands! Dain climbs up top... DIVING SPLASH INTO THE CRUSH! He tries for a cover in the aftermath and comes up empty before turning his attention to Adam Cole making a last stand with a kendo stick in the other ring. Killian swats it out of his hands and goes for a chokebomb lift when Fish makes the save! Sunset flip, bad idea, Cole with a crossbody... DAIN MICHINOKU DRIVERS COLE INTO FISH! KOR BREAKS THE PIN UP!
He puts Kyle into the cage a few times for his trouble, hoisting Wolfe and O'Reilly up, tandem Samoan drop / fallaway slam! Dain fighting with Rezar, trading boots, Killian ducks a lariat and hits a huge crossbody block! Akam over and he gets the Beast of Belfast up for a powerslam... NO GOOD! KOR HITS A TORNADO DDT ON AN AUTHOR STEPPING UP THE CAGE! Cole fights Young off with an enzuigiri, Kyle gets Roddy up... CHASING THE DRAGON!
Dain wipes Adam out with a lariat! reDRagon chopping the big man down with kicks, Wolfe makes the save, Kyle hits Ax and Smash! O'Reilly has a length of chain and wraps it around Alexander's head, bisecting him at the mouth before tying his arm up as well before falling back into a cross armbar! ERIC YOUNG WITH THE DIVING ELBOW DROP TO BREAK IT UP! SPRINGBOARD MOONSAULT FROM BOBBY FISH!
The chaos settles for the first time since the Match Beyond began with all nine men down and out as the crowd chants for the tables. Dain's busted open! The Authors get reDRagon up... SUPER COLLIDER BETWEEN THE RINGS WITH DAIN SANDWICHED BETWEEN! NO GOOD! Young slips out of a back suplex, busted open a bit himself, flying forearm for Akam, fireman's carry on Rezar... DVD ONTO AKAM! STRONG AND COLE BREAK IT UP!
Roddy and Adam slug it out with forearms, Cole pulling ahead but Strong shoves him into EY, pop-up backbreaker for Cole, cradle backbreaker for Eric, another one for Wolfe, jumping knee for Killian... OLYMPIC SLAM ON THE BIG MAN! Adam breaks it up with a superkick! Cole climbs up top as Roddy slowly rises but Young cuts him off from the other ring and they trade strikes.
Strong joins the party as the remainder of the match come over... STEREO TOWERS OF DOOM AND ADAM COLE IS STILL IN THE CORNERS STRADDLING THE RINGS! The Authors approach and Cole climbs, only to get crotched in the corner. The Authors collect the tables and transfer them to the other ring and set them up square in the middle. They climb and join Adam, hooking him over their shoulders but Alexander heads over for the save?!
Cole heads for the hills, crawling to the top of the cage as an Author comes over... AND THE OTHER ONE TAKES AN ALEXANDER WOLFE AVALANCHE GERMAN SUPLEX THROUGH THE TABLES! ERIC YOUNG HITS A NECKBREAKER OFF THE TOP ON THE ONE GOING AFTER ADAM COLE! Adam continues shimmying his way along as Kyle kicks a trash can out of Dain's hands. He continues kicking but Killian lays him out with a lariat!
The Beast of Belfast goes back to the trash can and sets it up over KOR in the corner... KILLIAN DAIN GOES COAST TO COAST! O'REILLY SPASMS UNDER THE TURNBUCKLE IN AGONY! Adam Cole rises to his feet at the corner of the cage as Roddy looks up at him. Strong climbs after him, Cole decides discretion is the better part of valor and backs off but Roddy gets up there, they're locked in struggle... SUPERPLEX OFF THE TOP OF THE CAGE INTO THE PILE OF MEN! RODDY GETS THE COVER... ADAM COLE IS NOT DONE JUST YET!
Dain and Akam slug it out with punches between the rings as we get a good look at the puddle of blood from Wolfe on the broken table. REZAR WITH A DIVING LARIAT TO FINISH THE RUSSIAN LEGSWEEP! Kyle gets a sleeper hold on an Author and Bobby comes over to help with strikes, Total Elimination! WOLFE AND YOUNG WITH A BACK SUPLEX NECKBREAKER! RODDY WITH THE ROTATED BACK SUPLEX ON ALEXANDER!
Strong and Cole on their knees and to their feet, slugging it out, Roddy puts Adam into the cage but EY comes from behind to wheelbarrow suplex him into the cage! Cole uses a kendo stick to lay Eric out! Adam drags himself up the ropes as Young tries to get a chair up, he charges over...
Undisputed ERA win by pinfall with a chair-assisted running knee from Adam Cole on Eric Young.
Bodies are strewn across the ring. Wolfe is still bleeding from his head, soaking his arm anew.
Drake Wuertz raises Adam Cole's hand in victory. After a few replays, reDRagon have recovered enough to join him to celebrate their victory while the other six men writhe in pain.
That's the show, folks.