NXT
Date:
July 3, 2013
Location:
Full Sail University, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators:
Tony Dawson, William Regal
Reviewed by Tommy Hall
It's
another big week on NXT as the Wyatt Family now has William Regal to
deal with in addition to Graves and Ohno. On the singles side we
have Leo Kruger looking like the first challenger for Bo Dallas,
which is an odd choice as Dallas seems to be ready for a heel turn
but he's facing a heel in Leo. Let's get to it.
Here's
Bo Dallas in the back for an interview. Renee asks him about Leo
Kruger coming out and holding up the title after Dallas' match last
week. Dallas says the Bo-lievers (Renee: “Bo-lievers?” Dallas:
“Yes the Bo-lievers.”) will be behind him against anyone. He
brags about meeting Bret Hart at Wrestlemania and having a match at
Wrestlemania Axxess, which he earned just like when he beat Big E.
Langston.
Antonio
Cesaro comes in and says Dallas hasn't earned anything. Tonight
he'll take Dallas' title in the name of We The People. Dallas
introduces Cesaro to Renee, calling him the most insignificant US
Champion in WWE history. Dallas was acting much more heelish here
and it helped him a lot.
NXT
Women's Title Tournament Semi-Finals: Alicia Fox vs. Paige
Fox
takes it to the mat in a headscissors with her long legs but Paige
counters into a headlock. Fox pulls her down by the hair and
immediately bails to the floor. Back in and Paige fires off rapid
fire elbows in the corner but Fox sweeps her legs out and gets two
off a northern lights suplex. Off to a chinlock with a knee in
Paige's back but she escapes with a jawbreaker. Paige throws her
around by the hair and hits a knee to the face, only to walk into a
dropkick for two. Not that it matters though as Paige kicks her in
the ribs and hits the Paige Turner to send her to the finals at 4:44.
Rating:
C-. This was much better for
Paige than the match against Snuka a few weeks back as Paige looked
competitive against a former Divas Champion. Fox is good in a role
like this as she's been around for awhile and is a name in the
division (granted not a huge one) so a win like this makes Paige look
better. You can only dominate the other NXT girls for so long before
it stops meaning anything.
Andy
Baker vs. Conor O'Brien
O'Brien
now has Rick Victor with him as Kenneth Cameron's replacement. Conor
runs Baker over and shouts YOU'RE DEAD. Baker tries to fight back
with some shots to the ribs but a flapjack and a legdrop from O'Brien
are enough for the pin at 1:00.
Kassius
Ohno was injured by the Wyatt Family last week and can't compete for
the tag titles. Corey Graves and Adrian Neville ask William Regal to
join them.
Scott
Dawson vs. Xavier Woods
The
fans chant for Woods but Dawson kicks him in the ribs to take over.
Woods comes back with a quick dropkick for a one count and it's off
to an armbar on Dawson. Scott backdrops him over the top, sending
Woods face first into the apron. The fans are all over Dawson as he
elbows Xavier in the face and drops a leg for two. We hit the
chinlock for a few seconds but Woods fights up, hits the Honor Roll
(front flip clothesline) and Lost in the Woods is good for the pin at
4:11.
Rating:
C-. This wasn't much to see but
I'm glad Dawson isn't on a winning streak anymore. Woods continues
to be so high energy that it's hard not to notice him. His antics
are funny enough and having a nostalgia character is a good way to
get your foot in the door. The match didn't have long enough to go
anywhere but it was hard hitting and energetic enough to not suck.
Bray
Wyatt talks about people judging him for the way he looks. He's a
wolf and sheep's clothing and if you knew what was behind his eyes,
you would know why people are scared of him.
Enzo
Amore vs. Mason Ryan
Enzo
continues to be incredibly annoying and therefore a great new heel.
He has 7'0 Colin Cassady with him.....and the match is over in 12
seconds with a single right hand from Ryan. Best part of the match
is a line from Regal: “Is Amore the love child of DDP?”
Amore
wants Ryan to fight Cassady RIGHT NOW.
Mason
Ryan vs. Colin Cassady
Ryan
throws him around and ends Cassady in 33 seconds with a cobra clutch
slam.
NXT
Title: Bo Dallas vs. Antonio Cesaro
The
fans don't care for Cesaro but they can't stand Dallas. Cesaro is
even cheered a bit during the big match intros. There's a WE THE
PEOPLE chant as Cesaro and Dallas feel each other out. Dawson: “What
does it mean if Cesaro can beat Dallas tonight?” Regal: “That
he'll be the champion.” Cesaro cranks on the arm and the fans are
have a “Let's go Bo” and “No more Bo” dueling chant going
between the women and men.
A
shoulder block gets two for Cesaro as Dawson has to explain who Tim
Tebow is to Regal. Cesaro sends Dallas to the floor as we take a
break. Back with Cesaro holding a chinlock as Leo Kruger is standing
on the ramp. A kick to the back keeps Dallas down and the fans ask
Cesaro to do it again. He loads the kick up but drops down into
another chinlock to tease the people.
Dallas
fights up again and pounds away in the corner before getting two off
a bulldog. Cesaro's slam is countered into a reverse DDT for two
more but the corner climbing bulldog is blocked. Cesaro puts him on
the top for a gutwrench superplex for a very close two. A middle
rope knee drop gets two on the champion and it's off to the swinging
chinlock.
Dallas
rolls the chinlock over into a cradle for two but Cesaro comes back
with a fallaway slam for two more. Cesaro goes up top but Dallas
runs the corner for a butterfly superplex to put both guys down
again. Antonio is sent into Kruger to knock Leo off the apron,
allowing Dallas to hit the belly to belly to retain at 10:15 shown of
12:45.
Rating:
C+. Very interesting crowd
reactions aside, this match really took off in the last three minutes
or so. Kruger interfering sets up some interesting dynamics down the
line and gives Dallas an extra challenger to face. They'll need to
move forward with that heel turn soon, because the fans were cheering
for the protege of a white supremacist over the young face champion.
Post
match Kruger lays out Dallas but Cesaro knocks Kruger to the floor.
Cesaro pounds on Dallas until Kruger gets back in for a staredown.
They double team Dallas until Sami Zayn comes in for the save to end
the show.
Overall
Rating: C+. This show had a lot
of filler, but the main event was solid and it sets up a very
interesting four way feud for the title. Zayn is fitting right into
this show and WWE sending big names down to Florida can only help
things out. This was a good sign for the future and was an
entertaining hour of wrestling.
Results
Paige
b. Alicia Fox – Paige Turner
Conor
O'Brien b. Andy Baker – Legdrop
Xavier
Woods b. Scott Dawson – Lost in the Woods
Mason
Ryan b. Enzo Amore – Right Hand
Mason
Ryan b. Colin Cassady – Cobra Clutch
Bo
Dallas b. Antonio Cesaro – Belly to belly suplex
Remember to follow me on Twitter @kbreviews and check out my website at kbwrestlingreviews.com
On the point of Zayn fitting in, I believe WWE.com had an article on him being the next big thing or something like that the other day.
ReplyDeleteI'd buy it. He has that presence to him and you can't teach it.
ReplyDeleteGreat, so now WWE has both their main roster champ and the NXT champ as irritating would-be faces that half the audience hates.
ReplyDeleteIt's a lot more than half in NXT.
ReplyDeleteBo Dallas sucks massive balls. The only way it's gonna work out for this guy is if they bring him in as a babyface (WWE) and quickly have Wyatts brainwash him and turn him into their 'Kidman'
ReplyDeleteDammit I don't know why but I like Mason Ryan. Hope he improves enough that they give him another chance on the main roster. Yes his body type is something we wish WWE would shy away from but for me it's never been sorely about that, it's how well you do in the ring.
ReplyDeleteBut...he sucks in the ring....
ReplyDeleteThat's why I said I hope he improves more. Or maybe put him in a tag team or group so he doesn't have to do all the work.
ReplyDeletePretty sure they mean for Dallas to be an irritating quasi-face here. Although to be fair when Cena is actually serious he's a much less irritating face.
ReplyDeleteThey already did the group thing and whenever he was in the ring, he was dangerous and terrible. He's right where he needs to be, but you like him because of his look. It certainly can't be for any evidence of in ring talent.
ReplyDeleteHe's a guilty pleasure to be sure but so was Chris Masters when he first showed up. But Masters did eventually improve and I hope Ryan does the same that's all. I don't want to see him on Raw until he does, if ever.
ReplyDelete