4 Ups And 4 Downs From NXT UK TakeOver: Cardiff
Downs...
4. An Underwhelming Setting
It might seem like an excessively superficial criticism, but Cardiff's International Arena (for commercial reasons, known elsewhere as the Motorpoint Arena) evinced none of the opulence of NXT UK's first TakeOver special emanating from Blackpool's prestigious Empress Ballroom.
Admittedly, few wrestling venues can compete with the historic Winter Gardens location, but as a follow-up, Cardiff's attempt was so relatively spartan as to seem penurious. The darkened arena might be in keeping with NXT's general aesthetic, but here came across like a glorified house-show rather than a TakeOver special. WWE can only work with what they have, but they seemed to put in the least effort possible to make the Wales show an occasion. Where were all the dragons?!