NXT
Date: October 2, 2014
Location: Full Sail
University, Winter Park, Florida
Commentators: Rich
Brennan, Alex Riley, Jason Albert
Reviewed by Tommy Hall
Tonight we move one
major step closer to Sami Zayn vs. Adrian Neville in the showdown for
the NXT Title as Tyson Kidd has his FINAL title shot. Other than
that we also have a rematch from Takeover as Bayley gets a Women's
Title shot at Charlotte, who seems to have turned face after their
first match. Let's get to it.
We open with a recap of
Takeover II and last week to set up both of tonight's title matches.
Opening sequence.
Women's Title:
Charlotte vs. Bayley
Feeling out process to
start with the champ shoving Bayley down, only to have Bayley come
out of the corner with an armdrag to send Charlotte out to the floor.
Back in and Charlotte cranks on the leg as we get a LET'S GO
BAYLEY/CENA SUCKS chant. Some backslides and rollups get two for
Charlotte but she fights out of another backslide attempt and goes
after Bayley's ankle. The champ CRANKS on the leg and Bayley is in
trouble as we go to a break.
Back with Charlotte
still cranking on the leg in the corner before putting on the same
leg hold. Charlotte tries to cannonball down onto the leg and gets
rolled up for two. Bayley starts firing back but gets kicked in the
leg to put her right back down. The leg is wrapped around the post
and we hit the Figure Four with Charlotte bridging up ala Bray
Wyatt's spider walk for more pressure.
Bayley turns it over
but Charlotte is right next to the ropes. Back up and Charlotte
misses a knee drop and a charge into the corner and a middle rope
back elbow gets two. Charlotte reverses a suplex into a neckbreaker
and a bad looking Natural Selection (Charlotte shoved Bayley's back
to put her into the mat) retains the title at 11:38.
Rating: C+.
I was getting into the story here of Bayley being in over her head
with the wrestling skills but being able to get close by making
Charlotte miss or trying a quick rollup. More importantly, the
announcers SOLD THAT IDEA. They spent the entire match talking about
the different styles and made me think Bayley could steal a quick
win. Good stuff here.
Charlotte
hugs Bayley post match.
Hideo
Itami vs. Viktor
Ascension
double teams Hideo down as the announcers mention that he has no
friends in NXT. They
destroy him with ease until referees come out to break it up. No
match.
Earlier this week, Enzo
and Big Cass trained Carmella at the Performance Center. Enzo puts
her hand on his arm in a lockup. Carmella: “Sawft!” They do
some basic stuff until Carmella dropkicks him out of the ring. He
tells Cass not to post the video.
Baron Corbin vs.
Troy McClain
A big elbow drops Troy,
a clothesline stuns him in the corner and the End of Days gives Baron
the pin at 53 seconds.
Kidd says he only needs
one last chance and he'll become NXT Champion. He walks away when
asked about Natalya getting him the shot.
The Legionnaires want a
rematch with Enzo and Cass next week.
Vaudevillains vs.
Tye Dillinger/Jason Jordan
Aiden and Jason get
things going with English being thrown into the corner. He takes a
little bow but Jordan makes his chest dance in return. Off to Gotch
vs. Dillinger with the pretty boys taking over in the corner. Back
to English for a swinging neckbreaker for two on Jordan but Dillinger
quickly comes in for some knees to the face. Fans: “YOU'RE NOT
MANLY!” A rollup gets two for Aiden but the kickout sends him into
the corner for a tag off to Gotch. We go old school with airplane
spins to both pretty boys, setting up That's A Wrap for the pin on
Dillinger at 4:10.
Rating: C.
The fans have basically turned the Vaudevillains face with the chants
and calling things manly. They're
perfect challengers for Lucha Dragons and the match should go well
enough. I'm surprised at how far the pretty boys have fallen as they
looked like the next thing in the tag division. That's probably
better for everyone involved though.
Titus
O'Neil is in the front row for the main event.
Itami is getting
checked in the back (and speaking pretty clear English) when Funaki
comes in to say he'll have Itami's back against Ascension.
Bayley says she isn't
done because there are girls that look up to her. Sasha Banks jumps
her and says she'll get the next shot at Charlotte.
NXT Title: Adrian
Neville vs. Tyson Kidd
Adrian is defending and
this is Kidd's last chance. The champ takes Tyson down by the arm to
start and we can see the lights reflecting off Titus' head. Back up
and they slug it out with Kidd ripping the skin off with a chop in
the corner. Neville backdrops him to the mat and a hard kick to the
back gets two. He bails out to the floor for a breather, only to get
kicked in the face from the apron as we take a break.
Back with Neville
cranking on an armbar but getting choked on the ropes. Off to a
figure four neck lock on the champion and the fans want him to tap.
Neville turns around in the hold and lifts Tyson up for a powerbomb
to escape. A series of kicks have Kidd in trouble but he nails a
running big boot for two. Kidd nails another running kick before
flipping Neville over with a snapmare and turning underneath him to
make it a neckbreaker. Tyson goes up but gets kicked in the head,
setting up a sitout powerbomb (“BETTER THAN BATISTA”) for two.
Neville bails out of a
Shooting Star and tries a dropkick but gets caught in the
Sharpshooter. He makes a rope though and heads to the apron to kick
Kidd in the head. For some reason Adrian heads outside though and
Titus gets in a cheap shot. Sami Zayn runs out and kicks Titus in
the head as Neville dives back in at nine. Kidd loads up a superplex
but gets kicked down, setting up the Red Arrow to retain at 13:07.
Rating: B-.
Another good match between these two and the build to Zayn vs.
Neville continues. Neville is still mostly good at this point but
the big heel turn is probably looming. I'm not sure where Titus is
going to fit in but I don't think he's going to be much more than a
short term foil for someone.
Zayn
salutes Adrian and says he's coming for the title.
Kidd
looks devastated and the announcer emphasizes that he's out of
chances to end the show.
Overall Rating: B.
This was back to the standard for NXT, meaning it's the best
wrestling show on TV again.
They had story development for some angles and set up stuff for the
future while having some good action at the same time. As usual, NXT
is as efficient of a wrestling show as you'll find and a huge
improvement over the usual waste of time that Raw feels like anymore.
Results
Charlotte b. Bayley –
Natural Selection
Baron Corbin b. Troy
McClain – End of Days
Vaudevillains b. Tye
Dillinger/Jason Jordan – End of Days to Dillinger
Adrian Neville b. Tyson
Kidd – Red Arrow
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
No Sami Zayne or Kaisto equals no sale from me.
ReplyDeleteShow sounds pretty weak.
ReplyDeleteOutside of Macho, they destroyed jobbers. It was amazing television.
ReplyDeleteTroy McClain got released about two weeks ago.
ReplyDeleteTye Dillinger is the former Gavin Spears from WWECW
Tyson/Neville was a good match and worth watching. Zayn made a run in during it so he's on the show.
ReplyDeleteI know Troy McClain from such gimmicks as Orenthal Payton and Juan Cena II.
ReplyDeleteAnd now the unemployment line!
ReplyDeleteEven NXT is struck with the WWE rematch booking.
ReplyDeleteI'll watch it. I'm totally addicted to NXT. And Zayn shows up, so that's a total win!
ReplyDeleteSo...do they tag team Tyson & Titus?
ReplyDeleteNo Bull Dempsey equals a worthwhile episode.
ReplyDeleteHow 'bout that KENTA, eh?
ReplyDeleteThat Bridging Figure Four should be Charlotte's finisher instead of Natural Selection.
ReplyDelete"Hi! I'm Troy McClain! You may remember me from such matches as being squashed by Baron Corbin and the Ascension!"
Watching it again...and even knowing it was coming, I still cringed at the sitout powerbomb that Neville delivered to Kidd.
ReplyDelete"I think I broke his fucking neck"--either Richard Kiel, from The Longest Yard (the original) or Adrian Neville after this NXT show.
Very enjoyable show this week. The booking seems even smarter this week. Intriguing, layered storytelling and I have read the long range spoilers. Essentially I know A and C but I don't know B so to speak so I am still hooked. I watch IMPACT and Smackdown and don't that feeling.
ReplyDeleteTyson Kidd vs Adrian Neville was the clear highlight. Very strong NXT TV match. Felt Bayley vs Charlotte was very clunky and exposed both their short comings. I've very little concern about Itami and performing on US TV Wrestling after this episode. Sad about NXT changing the Vaudevillains's music but it will probably serve them better as they supposedly heels.
Peanut head was Teddy Long's nickname way back in the day because he has a...well...peanut shaped head. For once race didnt play into a insult against a black wrestler. That's prob the last time that'll be true, though. lol
ReplyDelete