NXT Takeover Phoenix Review: Ricochet (c) vs. Johnny Gargano (NXT North American Championship)

Introduction

This is the third match of my NXT Takeover Phoenix review.

Johnny Gargano has had a tough time in NXT. After being betrayed by his tag team partner, Tommaso Ciampa he's been on a losing streak and has started to embrace his dark side. Ciampa has been pushing him in this direction too, suggesting that he go after the North American Championship. Ricochet holds the belt at the moment. I remember Ricochet from Chikara, but it was as Prince Puma in Lucha Underground and then his work in New Japan where I became a fan of his acrobatic stylings.

This match is an odd clash of styles on paper. A high flyer versus a mat technician.

I'm hoping that Ricochet retains his championship.

Moments

• The first few minutes of the match are trading holds and Ricochet flipping out of danger. Neither man has an advantage.
• Ricochet's movement seems non-plussed. Not quite lazy, but it seems too smooth. Too easy. His acrobatics are amazing but in this match it looks like he's going through the motions.
• Gargano with a nasty dropkick to the back of Ricochet's head.
• Reverse neckbreaker by Gargano, but the back of Ricochet's head came down right on the point of Gargano's knee. 2 count.
• Gargano dives through the ropes from the outside for a spear. Ricochet sidesteps and slams Gargano down to the mat followed by a standing moonsault.
• Ricochet rolls over Gargano, picks him up, delivers a northern lights suplex, rolls through, and hits a brainbuster. 2 count.
• Gargano on the apron. Enzuigiri! Gargano jumps over the ropes for a DDT. Ricochet blocks it, and sends Gargano hurtling back over the ropes, bouncing off the apron, and tumbling to the floor.
• Standing shooting star press followed by a top rope moonsault by Ricochet.
• Gargano tries for a top rope Frankensteiner. Ricochet turns it into a top rope powerbomb, but Gargano reverses it back into the Frankensteiner. Ricochet somersaults and lands on his feet. Gargano lies in the corner absolutely stunned.
• Long sequence of trading blows ended with a nasty backflip kick by Ricochet.
• A springboard back elbow reversed into the Gargano escape.
• Ricochet picks Gargano up while still in the hold and just tosses him into the corner.
• Ricochet goes to the top rope. Gargano rolls across the ring. Ricochet chases, and Gargano drops to the floor. Ricochet shrugs and then runs up to the corner turnbuckle and flips over it onto Gargano.
• Ricochet rolls Gargano back in the ring. Springboard 450 over the ropes. 1, 2, no!
• Gargano runs up and delivers a huge superkick to a sitting Ricochet, sending him crashing to the outside. Gargano dives outside but Ricochet catches him. Gargano reverses it into a reverse spiked rana. Gargano rolls Ricochet in. Slingshot DDT! 1..2..no!
• Gargano removes the padding outside the ring, exposing the concrete. He's about to DDT Ricochet onto it from the apron. The ref talks Gargano out of it. Gargano rolls Ricochet back in. Rollup by Ricochet for 2 1/2.
• Phoenix splash! Gargano rolls out of the way. Ricochet lands on his feet, and rolls through but Gargano clocks him with a boot. Ricochet recovers and slams Gargano, putting on a Gargano escape of his own.

Finish: Fed up with Ricochet, Gargano drags him outside and delivers a sickening brainbuster on the exposed concrete. Gargano rolls Ricochet back in the ring, and hits the Slingshot DDT, pinning for the 3 count. We have a new North American Champion.

Thoughts

While the end was absolutely sickening, and there were plenty of "holy shit" moments, I was underwhelmed by this match. I wonder if it's because they did too much. So many of their sequences could have been the end of the match, and they just kept going. I appreciated that Ricochet got to show off his strength as well as his high flying ability, and Gargano was keeping pace with him, but something felt off about the whole affair.

Rating: 6/10

The next match is for the NXT Women's Championship. Shayna Baszler vs Bianca Belair.