WWE NXT TakeOver Portland is starting now y’all! And it commences with a live performance from Poppy! Sounding pretty good too, making these work has often been a struggle for WWE. And we are starting with a big, biiiig title match here, as Keith Lee comes out for his North American title defense against Dominik Dijakovic!
NXT North American Championship: Keith Lee (c) vs. Dominik Dijakovic
“Bask In His Glory” chant as the bell rings. Breaks into applause during a staredown. Put their dukes up, lock-up. Dominik hooks his mouth into a side headlock. Lee shoots him off, drop downs, Discus Big Bot attempted by Dominik, gets shoved away, Dijakovic wants the floatover but Lee catches him out of the air! He escapes, they continue hitting the ropes, but Lee gets a hurricarana and an enormous pop! Spinning Heel Kick from Lee ducked, and now they collide with shoulder blocks but neither go down! Another ovation as they stare down!
Dominik wants a chop but Lee catches his wrist, hoists him way up into the air with the Straight Arm Lever! Pulls him down to the mat, Dijakovic with a chop to the chest but he can’t break the grip. Lee whips, leap frogs, but runs into a Cyclone Kick! Lee falls to the outside, Dijakovic hits the ropes and tries for a Corkscrew Tope – but Lee catches him out of the air!! Dijakovic is shocked! Lee wants a powerbomb but Dominik escapes, spinning back elbow! Suplexes him onto the apron, he seems to land on his head and then crashes hard on the floor! Dijakovic throws him into the ring, keeps him down with angry forearms as the crowd chants Lee’s name.
Driving elbow to the face, Lee still just on a knee. Dijakovic pulls him up and takes him into the ropes for a big chop to the chest. Hooks him for a suplex! Lee powers out of it though as the crowd rises! Big shots to the face! Lee blocks a punch and nails another! Charging forearm in the corner! Combination of strikes into a backbreaker and a crazy German Suplex! Lee remained standing during the throw and Dijakovic landed face-first, amazing! Lee trying for the Big Bang Catastrophe, Dijakovic escapes, thrown into the corner but he bounces out into another Cyclone Kick! Steps across the chest of Lee for big heat, goes up top! Corkscrew Moonsault for a nearfall?!!
Dijakovic tries to hoist Lee up on his shoulders but he fights out, exchange of hard elbows and clotheslines! Neither man is going down! Lee takes a big one but fires up! Another clobbering exchange of lariats and they each fall to a knee as applause rolls in! Straight up New Japan hoss battle there. Dijakovic catches a double chop, throws the hands away, Discus Lariat nailed HARD and takes Lee to the apron! Keith tries to go up top but he gets stopped!
Dijakovic hoists him up onto his shoulders!! AVALANCHE DEATH VALLEY DRIVER!
NEARFALL!!! Deafening chant of NXT, I actually can’t believe the ring didn’t give way! Dijakovic and Lee fight to their feet, Dijakovic hits the ropes but Lee gets him with a Pounce and sends him flying brutally into the second turnbuckle! They both slip to the outside, Lee with a brutal forearm! Crowd wants tables! Lee leans Dijakovic against the barrier… shushes the crowd! Double handed chop echoes throughout the arena! Chant of “One More Time”! So now he sits him against a leather chair – another massive chop!!! Lee rolls him into the ring, but right back out! Dijakovic reverses to send him onto the chair, shushes the crowd – Lee with a third chop!! But Dijakovic responds immediately with a superkick that lays him prone on the chair! Goes into the ring, SPRINGBOARD SENTON WITH BIG HANG TIME SENDS LEE AND THE CHAIR CRASHING TO THE FLOOR! This is insane!
Back into the ring, Lee hoists Dijakovic up on his shoulders, Dijakovic elbows him but he tries to toss him anyway – Dijakovic flips and lands on his feet!! Wants a Chokeslam but Lee catches the wrist! Now he’s goozling him instead! Lifts – DIJAKOVIC FLIPS ONTO HIS FEET! Tries the Chokeslam but Lee does about the same!! Hoists him up, Spirit Bomb but Dijakovic bounces and lands on his feet, firing up!!! Unbelievable! Lee assaults him and gets another Spirit Bomb! KICKOUT AT THE VERY LAST SPLIT SECOND!!! Fight Forever chant! Lee up top, wants to pull Dijakovic up too but he manages to shove him off the middle rope to the floor!
This gives him time to recuperate. Eventually Lee manages to crawl back up to the second rope but eats a Yakuza Kick! Dijakovic pursues him up there… AVALANCHE SPANISH FLY FOR A CRAZY NEARFALL!! Hoists him up now… but he can’t quite get him! Tries it again but his back gives out! Lee hoists him though, Big Bang Catastrophe!! And that is that!
Winner: Keith Lee
Absolutely incredible! Just sheer, sheer madness! In other words, everything that it was expected to be! Except I didn’t pick the right winner but it was kind of a fringe prediction anyway. Afterwards, Lee takes Dijakovic by the hand to help him out, standing ovation from the crowd and a chant of “Both these guys”. They share a hug. Keith Lee even helps Dijakovic up to the second rope so he can pose up there as Lee hoists up the North American title, very nice.
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