NXT
Date: May 6, 2015
Location: Full Sail
University, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Rich
Brennan, Corey Graves, Byron Saxton
Reviewed by Tommy Hall
We're two weeks away
from Takeover: Unstoppable where Sami Zayn (shoulder permitting) will
be challenging Kevin Owens for the NXT Title. Other than that, we're
closing in on the showdown between Blake/Murphy and Enzo/Big Cass,
which hinges around Carmella's possibly changing allegiances. As
usual there's a lot of other good stuff going on in NXT so let's get
to it.
Opening sequence.
Emma
vs. Charlotte
Emma still has Bayley's
I'm A Hugger shirt and headbands, which she won't throw to the crowd.
Charlotte gets caught in a headlock to start but gets taken down
into a headscissors. A cravate with some knee lifts has Emma in even
more trouble until she nails Charlotte in the knee to break up
something off the middle rope. The knee gets driven into the apron
and wrapped around the ropes as Emma seems to have been watching some
Flair film.
Back in and something
like a standing Curb Stomp to the back draws a BAN THAT MOVE chant
and it's right back to the knee with a knee drop from Emma to
Charlotte's knee. Off to a half crab for a bit before Emma tries to
drive the knee into the mat, only to have Charlotte land on her feet.
A spear (BETTER THAN REIGNS!) gets two for Charlotte and Natural
Selection connects for the pin at 5:45.
Rating:
C+. This match is a good
example of the difference between the NXT girls and the WWE Divas:
these girls know how to work a match instead of just doing moves in
some order. This felt like it had a logical flow to it instead of
going from beginning to end and filling in the gaps here and there.
Good little match here, though the knee work didn't mean much.
Bayley
comes out post match and helps Emma up. They hug.....but Bayley
doesn't let go. The Belly to Bayley puts Emma down and Bayley
hammers away until Charlotte breaks it up. Bayley gets her stuff
back.
Video on Becky Lynch,
who talks about going around the world and wrestling everywhere.
She wound up here in green and dancing a jig because she's Irish.
That's not the real Becky Lynch and she's not going to stand for it.
We get a sitdown
interview with Michael Cole talking to Kevin Owens. What he did to
Sami Zayn was personal, but because Sami wants the NXT Title back.
The title means a better life for his family and that's all that
matters. Cole presses him on this and Owens repeats himself but Cole
still doesn't buy it. He asks if Owens would have done the same to
anyone other than Zayn. That brings Owens back to the night he won
the title, when Renee Young asked him about Sami instead of winning
the title.
Cole hasn't even
congratulated him on winning the title in the last two months, so
Cole does just that, but asks for some respect in return. How could
Kevin do what he did to someone who was close enough to him to be
family? Cole asks about Sami being Owens' best man, but Owens won't
get caught by a journalist's question. The truth is that Owens can't
give him what he wants, but he's a good father who provides for his
family. Oh and follow him on Twitter. This was a very different
kind of Cole and I can't say I disliked him.
Bull
Dempsey vs. Rhyno
This could be fun if
they keep it short. The fans are behind Rhyno as the guys slug it
out, followed by a quick belly to belly from Rhyno, followed by the
Gore for the pin at 1:10. Smart choice there.
Post match, Rhyno says
he wants Baron Corbin. That would be the next logical step.
Sasha Banks looks at a
picture of Fabulous Moolah and says Moolah was the best until she
came along. Becky Lynch is trying to use her to make a name for
herself, but don't forget who made Lynch in the first place.
The man formerly known
as Uhaa Nation signs his contract.
We get a video on
Nation, where he talks about everyone coming here and wanting to be a
champion. He's studied the great ones' history, but now its time to
begin his history. No new name is given.
Scott
Dawson/Dash Wilder vs. Enzo Amore/Colin Cassady
Enzo and Cass are
nowhere in sight. Fans: “WHERE IS ENZO???” We cut to the back
where Enzo and Cass are destroyed by Blake and Murphy as Carmella
shouts at them to stop.
Sami has his own
sitdown interview with Cole where he says Owens is lying about it not
being personal. It drives Sami nuts that Owens has to keep playing
these games with him. Next week, Sami will be waiting in the ring so
how about they look each other in the eyes and have Owens explain why
he did it. If Owens is some family man, set an example for his son
and say why he did it.
We get a clip from Cena
vs. Sami on Raw but it's not clear if Sami will be ready to go for
Takeover.
William Regal is in the
ring for the contract signing between Becky Lynch and Sasha Banks.
Before signing, Becky lists off the countries she's wrestled in over
the years and still can't believe she's here. She's made mistakes
and sacrifices along the way but they were all worth it to get here,
because she's ready to take over. Becky signs but Sasha drops the
pen and pulls out a stamp for her signature instead. Fans: “LIKE A
BOSS!” Sasha strikes the first blow and puts Lynch's face on the
table with her foot on Becky's head. The table is finally turned
over and Lynch slaps on her seated armbar to make Banks tap.
Clip of Owens
destroying Alex Riley after breaking up Riley's match against Sami
last week.
Riley says he's having
his second knee operation in two years. It's a big risk, but that's
how his career has gone from leaving the Miz to leaving his
commentary job to get back in the ring to demanding another match
against Kevin Owens. However, last week when he was laid out, he
heard a THANK YOU OWENS chant. That's what the fans want? The last
shot of last week's show was Sami Zayn. That's what Commissioner
Regal wants? Well he saw the last time Sami fought Owens and it
didn't go well for Zayn. We're not going to be seeing Alex Riley for
a long time, because that's what the people want.
Dana Brooke says she's
been on a role since she was born. She's seen the new Tapout
commercial and can't believe Charlotte is in there instead of the
Total Diva. She'll run circles around Charlotte the next time she
sees her. Deal with it.
Hideo
Itami vs. Tyler Breeze
Finn Balor is at
ringside. They circle each other to start until a wristlock sends
Breeze running to the floor. Back in and Breeze bails again at the
threat of a big kick. Hideo talks to the referee for some reason and
gets kicked in the ribs (by Breeze, not the referee), but he nails
Breeze in the ribs with a knee to take over. Breeze takes a break on
the floor and we take a regular one. Back with Itami dropping some
knees to the head and taking his kneepad off for a big one, only to
kick Breeze in the jaw instead. Fans: “Hideo's gorgeous!/No he's
not!”
Tyler comes back with a
variety of stomps and a legdrop for two before we hit the chinlock.
A big dropkick puts Itami down again but he punches Breeze out of the
air. The top rope clothesline gets two for Itami and the fans want
the GTS. They fight to the floor and Itami's Shotgun Kick hits Balor
by mistake. Back in and the second Shotgun Kick puts Breeze down for
the pin at 12:10.
Rating:
C. Itami is getting there but
it's some of the slowest progression I've ever seen. Breeze didn't
seem to have his same fire tonight, but at least they did a really
good job of setting up the triple threat with the misplaced kick.
The false finishes in that
match should be great and this was hardly torture to get through.
Breeze
goes after Itami post match but Balor makes the save. That earns
Balor a Supermodel Kick and Itami gets a Beauty Shot to end the show.
Overall
Rating: B-. This was all about
setting up the Takeover show and that was done nearly to perfection.
The Title match is already set up perfectly, the Tag Title match
should be fine and there's another awesome build towards the Women's
Title match, which has become the standard in NXT. Good
show here, even without a focus on the wrestling.
Results
Charlotte b. Emma –
Natural Selection
Rhyno b. Bull Dempsey –
Gore
Hideo Itami b. Tyler
Breeze – Shotgun Kick
Remember to check out my website at kbwrestlingreviews.com and head over to my Amazon author page with wrestling books for under $4 at:
http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Hall/e/B00E6282W6
If Big Cass ever shaved he'd look like Dana Brooke in drag.
ReplyDeleteSo they're rehashing the "shampoo commercial" angle Edge and Booker T had, only subbing in a Tapout commercial with Charlotte and Dana Brooke.
ReplyDeleteI still like that commercial angle.
ReplyDelete"However, last week when he was laid out, he heard a THANK YOU OWENS chant. That's what the fans want? The last shot of last week's show was Sami Zayn. That's what Commissioner Regal wants? Well he saw the last time Sami fought Owens and it didn't go well for Zayn. We're not going to be seeing Alex Riley for a long time, because that's what the people want."
ReplyDeleteHmmmmmm.............I kinda like where this is potentially headed.
OK, the "BAYLEY'S GONNA HUG YOU" chat was funny the first time. It's gotta go away.
ReplyDelete"I love your work on Monday nights... really."
ReplyDeleteOwens is so awesome in interviews right now.
And more of Whiny Alex Riley this week... I let out a little cheer when he said we won't see him for a while.
I thought he was good on commentary! But he did good by putting over Owens and Zayn. And can now ride off to the sunset, or whatever they're going to have him be doing offscreen.
ReplyDelete"Ugh...their first album that they released independently was great, but they are so played out now."
ReplyDeleteI know it was a buildup show, but I don't tune into NXT to watch 2/3rds interviews and 1/3rd actual matches. Just sayin'.
ReplyDeleteI would if they were good interviews but really outside of the Owens interview none of it was all that amazing. I do like the idea someone I think it was on here had of "peaked in high school Rob Lowe" Alex Riley
ReplyDeleteYES!!! Referenced!!! My life is now complete.
ReplyDeleteI prefer Bayleys old stuff.
ReplyDelete3 fucking matches? THREE? What the fu...
ReplyDeleteOh yeah, this show is only an hour. Alright then.
She can hug me. Just saying...
ReplyDeleteOne minor nitpick of dislike on a show that, despite a bunch of interviews, I really enjoyed.
ReplyDeleteWhen Enzo & Cass's music hits, we hear Graves say "Oh no..." and then nothing.
First, I hate when announcers undercut fan favorites for no reason. Even if they're the heel announcer, I want the audience reaction to be the key to how they're presented.
And I'm only guessing it was Graves, a casual fan might not catch that...a casual fan might just think "Oh, I'm not supposed to like these guys"... Especially since neither of the other announcers countered Graves' opinion. Nobody called him out on it. It just hung in the air as the "empty stage because they're being waylaid in the back" spot played out.
Enzo & Cass do NOT deserve to get The Ascension treatment...and I don't trust Vince & Dunn to give them the chance to connect with the main audience. I don't want them buried there...and I certainly don't want that to start on NXT.
Oh, yeah...I still am trapped between hating Dana Brooke because NXT is making me hate her because she's a heel and hating her all on my own because she's awful.
ReplyDeleteShe's using "wack" as a putdown? I know she's a heel but seriously, what year is this? It's worse than R-Truth using "Whoomp, There It Is!"
ReplyDeleteIt would have been such a great heel move (and in character for Sasha) if instead of letting Becky ramble on with that boring "please root for me" speech, she ripped the mic out of her hands and chucked it out of the ring. Just once I want someone to do that.
ReplyDeleteAlso, the Beauty Shot would look a lot better if Breeze's ring gear didn't make it look like his opponent was getting hit with the soft part of a mop.
Could be worse, it could be "wiggity wiggity wiggity wack!"
ReplyDeleteIf she starts wearing her clothes backwards, she'll turn herself face.
ReplyDeleteAmazing what happens when you acknowledge fan reactions and USE them.
ReplyDeleteInside out IS wiggity wiggity wiggity wack!
ReplyDeleteI liked that part of his sit down interview but I thought he was a little off his game for the rest. When he was trying to call Cole out for "trying to get headlines" he sounded a bit clumsy I thought
ReplyDeleteIf she does that, nobody will be looking at her face.
ReplyDeleteI wish they would Nerf Saxton. The more Saxton I have to hear, the less Graves I get to hear.
ReplyDeleteHer whole character seems to be designed to troll the smarks who like NXT more than Raw. She may be the first meta-heel.
ReplyDelete(That, of course, is probably giving them way too much credit...and she's just awful and being fed awful lines to regurgitate.)
So, people buying Face!Becky?
ReplyDeleteI like that she's basically the same weaselly, selfish person she always was, but she's also portrayed as a hard worker that's put in her time and deserves your respect.
Honestly, when shades of grey booking works, it works really fucking well.
wat
ReplyDeletehttp://kickass.to/avengers-age-of-ultron-2015-cam-x264-ac3-titan-t10558475.html shit sjhw
ReplyDeletedouble anal poolside http://www.brazzers.com/scenes/view/id/6693/double-anal-poolside/
ReplyDelete