NXT TakeOver: San Antonio results - Jan. 28, 2017: Bobby Roode starts NXT's most glorious era with title win over Shinsuke Nakamura
Shinsuke Nakamura fought valiantly, but a devastating knee injury gave Bobby Roode the opening he needed to dethrone The King of Strong Style and become the most glorious NXT Champion ever.
NXT Champion Shinsuke Nakamura expressed his thoughts on winning the 2016 NXT Year-End Award for Male Competitor of the Year and Overall Competitor of the Year during the NXT TakeOver: San Antonio Pre-Show.
The 2016 NXT Awards were handed out on the NXT TakeOver: San Antonio Pre-Show, and after the popular vote was tabulated the winners were:
During NXT TakeOver: San Antonio, Tye Dillinger finds himself fighting more of SAnitY than just Eric Young. Courtesy of the award-winning WWE Network.
After weeks of being mentally hunted by Eric Young, Tye Dillinger came into NXT TakeOver: San Antonio to prove that he belonged. The Perfect 10 did just that, keeping up with the tenacity and intensity of the man who helped train him while also having to keep eyes on and fend off the members of SAnitY at ringside.
It seemed as though Dillinger was about to secure the victory, but The Perfect 10 inevitably had one too many obstacles to overcome,, allowing EY to get the W with a neck breaker in the opening contest.
During NXT TakeOver: San Antonio, Andrade Almas landed in trouble on the top rope in battle against Roderick Strong. Courtesy of the award-winning WWE Network.
In a battle of two NXT's fastest-rising talents, Roderick Strong and Andrade "Cien" Almas tore the house down in front of a raucous San Antonio crowd. The Superstars battled at a furious pace, with momentum swinging several times over. In the end, however, the "Messiah of the Backbreaker" broke through, defeating Almas with the Sick Kick for the victory.
During NXT TakeOver: San Antonio, Tommaso Ciampa of NXT Tag Team Champions #DIY becomes a one-man wrecking crew against The Authors of Pain. Courtesy of the award-winning WWE Network.
#DIY’s Cinderella run with the NXT Tag Team Championship met a massively imposing impasse at NXT TakeOver: San Antonio in the way of Paul Ellering’s Authors of Pain.
Ultimately, Gargano and Ciampa’s best efforts came up short, succumbing to The Authors’ incredible size and strength with Ciampa finally falling to the Last Chapter for The Authors of Pain to become the new NXT Tag Team Champions.
During NXT TakeOver: San Antonio, Seth Rollins showed up unexpectedly and called out Triple H. Courtesy of the award-winning WWE Network.
With Seth Rollins at his breaking point after months of being toyed with and clamoring for his opportunity to get his hands on Triple H, he abruptly interrupted NXT TakeOver: San Antonio. He knew Triple H would be in attendance, overseeing the show, so Rollins called him out.
The Game did heed to Rollins’ beckoning, however, it wasn’t for a fight. Instead, The Cerebral Assassin called security out to detain The Architect and then walked off. Rollins lambasted half a dozen security guards before a horde of them finally restrained him and carried him away.
During the NXT Women's Championship Fatal 4-Way Match at NXT TakeOver: San Antonio, Asuka endured heavy damage during an exchange with Nikki Cross. Courtesy of the award-winning WWE Network.
Asuka has, perhaps, been the most dominant champion in NXT history, but a Fatal 4-Way Championship Match is always a reliable equalizer when it comes to the dominance of a champion.
BFFs Billie Kay and Peyton Royce, as well as the always unpredictable Nikki Cross, brought their best, with each implementing a different strategy in the hopes of unseating The Empress of Tomorrow. Kay and Royce’s alliance was enough to take (and keep) control for a while, neutralizing both Cross and Asuka at separate times. At one point, the pair even took out Cross with a dastardly double-suplex through a table near the announcer’s position.
Even with the two-on-one disadvantage, however, Asuka cut through and somehow gained control. Kay and Royce were soon unable to withstand the onslaught, allowing for Asuka to zone in on the finish line and rise above the pack to defeat Royce with a swift kick to the head to continue on with her record-setting title reign.
NXT Champion Shinsuke Nakamura fights like a champion against Bobby Roode at NXT TakeOver: San Antonio. Courtesy of the award-winning WWE Network.
Both NXT Champion Shinsuke Nakamura and Bobby Roode came to show the world, and the Universe as it may be, what they are fully capable of in the biggest money match in NXT history. The two Superstars entered in grand style, with Roode being accompanied to the ring by a platoon of women and Nakamura entering on a moving platform with a dazzling lights show.
The King of Strong Style and The Glorious One jockeyed back and forth, each with spurts where they were firmly in control. The contest’s pivotal moment came when Nakamura went for a flying knee to Roode as he was stationed on the ring apron. The King of Strong Style connected, but he appeared to do a ton of damage to the knee he struck Roode with in the process. Nakamura then hit the Kinshasa, knocking Roode out cold. But the move also took its toll on Nakamura, who clutched his knee in tremendous pain immediately following the strike. This brought out the NXT medical staff to check on Nakamura while Roode recovered. Nakamura insisted the match continue, even though he was clearly in dire and intense pain.
Roode immediately capitalized on the situation, connecting with a Glorious DDT, but Nakamura valiantly (and incredibly) kicked out. Roode then applied a Single Leg Crab to the injured leg of the NXT Champion. Nakamura refused to quit and even escaped out of it for a moment and almost was able to lock The Glorious Superstar in a Triangle Hold.
Yet the knee of Nakamura gave out yet again, allowing Roode to connect with the second Glorious DDT of the match to secure the three-count and win the NXT Championship for the first time in a glorious, and resourceful, victory.
