NXT TakeOver: WarGames - WarGames Match

[Jack-Hammer]

I'd completely forgotten about this but during the TLC kickoff show, panelist Pete Rosenberg mentioned that there would be three teams involved for this match, which is a departure from the norm. The WarGames matches initially were 5 on 5 matches before eventually going down to 4 on 4 so they're trying to put their own twist on it.

My guess is that this WarGames match will be centered around the factions currently feuding with each other in NXT with SAnitY vs. the Undisputed Era vs. the Authors of Pain but that'd leave the AOP one man short. Also, it looks like Roderick Strong has joined up with the Undisputed Era so that'd give them an advantage. Again, that's just a guess on my part when you look at what else is going on in NXT. For instance, it looks like Drew McIntyre and Andrade "Cien" Almas for the NXT Championship, Aleister Black & the Velveteen Dream, Hideo Itami is MIA, Kassius Ohno pops up once in a while, Lars Sullivan is doing his own thing, Heavy Machinery is back to squashing jobbers, etc. so these three teams look to be the centerpiece right now.

At any rate, the questions will most likely be put to rest in the next few weeks and the match itself will probably be gloriously chaotic.

 

[JJohns]

The last time that the WarGames match was held in WCW on PPV, it was 3 on 3 on 3 as well. That time, it was WCW vs NWO Hollywood vs NWO Wolfpac. Since the shows leading up to Takeover have already been taped, we already know who's going to be the three teams in the match.

For the sake of spoilers, I won't say who they are, but it's going to be interesting as this is a match that I've been waiting for WWE to do since they purchased WCW. Sadly, it more than likely won't be like the classic WarGames matches where a team could only win via submission or knockout. I have a feeling that pinfalls will be allowed in this match.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

It was announced on tonight's episode of NXT that it will indeed be a triple threat WarGames match consisting of SAnitY, the Undisputed Era & the Authors of Pain with Roderick Strong as a teammate. It was teased that Strong might be joining the Undisputed Era, he even came to the ring following their interference in the tag title match between SAnitY and the AOP, and put on an armband they'd given him. Instead, he suddenly attacked them and began helping the AOP.

William Regal came out on stage and revealed that these men would compete in a triple threat match at the next TakeOver in Houston, but that it would happen in a WarGames match, which received a very enthusiastic pop from the Full Sail crowd.

No mention was made as to whether or not the old "submission or surrender" aspect of the WarGames match would be applied, with "submission or surrender", which is really the same thing, being that the match could only end if someone submits. My guess is that it won't go down that way, nor was it mentioned if there'd be two men who started the match off with another man entering at different times and that the match could only come to an end when all participants entered; this aspect makes up much of the format for the Elimination Chamber. I'm guessing that the match will ultimately have the standard triple threat rules, only inside a double ringed cage, with everyone starting off at the same time as a means of maximizing the carnage. It's highly doubtful, about 99.9% guaranteed, that there won't be any blood in this match unless someone is cut open accidentally; it's possible given that Triple H might want to emphasize the brutality of the match but I doubt he'll go against Vince's edict unless the old man gives the okay. At any rate, they needed a big selling point for the Houston TakeOver event and this match will deliver that.

The Undisputed Era needs to win this match; I like that they're more of an nWo type of invading faction in that they use strategy to pick their spots rather than just overwhelming everyone with brute force all the time like the Shield, but they need a decisive win. They've only wrestled a few matches on NXT, one of which I think was ended via disqualification, so they need to come out of this with a win if they're to be established as a top force within NXT.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

PWInsider.com released a story a little while ago detailing the rules of the match.

All the teams will be held in shark cages set up by the entrance and each team will select a single man to start the match.

After a 5 minute time period, the remaining members from 1 team will be released from their cage and will enter the match.

After a 3 minute time period, the remaining members of another team will be released to join the match with the final 2 men entering after another 3 minutes have passed.

Once all the teams have entered the match, then the match can be won by either pinfall or submission.

The site doesn't mention if the cages will have roofs, though I have a feeling they will since escaping the cage isn't a means of securing victory. It's always possible that the cages don't have roofs, even though escaping over the top of the cage isn't a means of victory, as it would allow outside interference; however, I don't expect that to go down as it cheapens the effect and overall purpose of the WarGames match itself and, frankly, it's something that I think would be a much stronger possibility on the main roster rather than NXT.

 

[Y 2 Jake]

They're really into cages this year. It's almost like they've ran out of ideas.

 

[Un-Bo-Lievable Jeff]

Can't see anything but a win for Cole, Fish and O'Reilly

 

[Psykohurricane55]

My only problem i had with this match was that they didn'T use all of the place they had to tell the story. Why have a second ring if you're not going to use it ? Outside of that the match was truly strong and i really loved it.

 

[ShinChan]

Pure chaos. Full match. Totally what it needed to be. Killian Dain and Adam Cole (BAYBAY!) came out looking the most impressive while there wasn't a single person disappointing in this match. Loved it.