For the second straight TakeOver event, The Velveteen Dream Experience stole the show, but this time the rising young Superstar took home the “W.”
Despite their TakeOver: Philadelphia match being announced just days before the event, the disdain between Dream and Kassius Ohno was clear from the beginning of this contest.
Earlier in the evening, as Dream accepted the 2017 NXT Year-End Award for Rivalry of the Year, the high-flying provocateur predicted a knockout victory within 30 seconds. The crowd at Philadelphia’s Wells Fargo Center made sure Dream lived up to his promise as they loudly counted to 30 to begin the contest. Doing his best Muhammad Ali impersonation, Dream delivered with a right hook that leveled Ohno and brought the NXT Universe into a frenzy.
Instead of going for the pin, Dream jumped for joy as he demanded the referee count to 10. As Dream basked in his greatness, Ohno answered the 10-count and proceeded to level his opponent with a huge right elbow, knocking out the flamboyant Superstar’s mouth guard.
The physical bout went from resembling a boxing fight to a wrestling match soon after Ohno’s vicious elbow, with both competitors trading high-impact maneuvers.
The Knockout Artist seemed like he had victory within his grasp after delivering his trademark Rolling Elbow, but Dream kicked out at two.
The charismatic Dream answered by showing off his immense strength as he picked Ohno up on his shoulders with a rolling Death Valley Driver. Dream climbed to the top rope before actually stepping back on top of the ring post to hit his Purple Rainmaker for the victory.
After withstanding Ohno’s onslaught of jaw-rattling strikes to pick up the momentum-changing victory, Velveteen Dream once-again has the NXT Universe saying his name.